Thanksgiving dinner is over, but what to do with all those leftovers?! Make this Thanksgiving Sandwich with leftover turkey and cranberry of course! Indulgent, festive yet easy for those of you who need a much deserved break from cooking. Jump to Recipe

What is a Thanksgiving Sandwich?

Also known to some as a Pilgrim or Puritan, it honestly can be whatever you want it to be depending on what leftovers you have. This version is my favorite though. It's basically a turkey club sandwich, but way fancier. The star of the show is, of course, leftover turkey from Thanksgiving dinner. I love turkey, but I can only eat it on it's own for so long before I get bored (typically by the day after Thanksgiving). Turning it into a sandwich is a lot more fun and filling.

Leftover Turkey Sandwich Ingredients:

Along with the turkey, my Thanksgiving sandwich features cranberry sauce, cream cheese, bacon, cheddar cheese, gravy and lettuce served on Ciabatta. You can definitely substitute or customize however you like. Any cheese topper will do. If you have some leftover from a charcuterie board instead of cheddar, feel free to grab it. I personally love the combination of cream cheese and cranberry though so try to add it if you have it! Bacon is another amazing addition. I typically add bacon to dishes I'm making for Thanksgiving (i.e. my bacon wrapped green bean casserole bundles or my bacon and goat cheese Brussels sprouts), so I generally have extra on hand. Sometimes I'll add leftover stuffing as well. I've even thrown mashed potatoes on there, because the more carbs the better.

Brioche is another great option for bread, especially if you prefer a softer variety. I like using toasted Ciabatta with these ingredients though. You don't have to worry about your Thanksgiving sandwich being too dry as long as your have cranberry sauce and gravy! Some people like to add a "moist maker" also known as a piece of bread which is soaked in gravy in the middle (and which gets it's name from Friends). You can totally do that here if you'd like, but I opt to leave it out. I can't stand when a sandwich starts to feel soggy and prefer a little crunch!

Sandwich Assembly 101:

As I mentioned earlier, there is not much cooking required for this recipe. I do recommend toasting the Ciabatta though. And you'll want to heat up the turkey and cook the bacon (unless you have leftover bacon cooked from the day before). On one half of your Thanksgiving sandwich spread cream cheese and the other your cranberry sauce. Then stack on turkey, cheddar cheese, crispy bacon, lettuce and drizzle with gravy!

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Toaster Oven Link

Storage Instructions:

Since this is already a Thanksgiving leftover sandwich recipe, I recommend only making what you plan to eat in each sitting. If your eyes were too big for your stomach though (something I'm commonly guilty of), simply wrap in parchment paper and refrigerate to finish later. Enjoy and happy Thanksgiving!

If you enjoyed this Thanksgiving Sandwich with Leftover Turkey you might also enjoy:

Turkey Club Wrap

Gourmet Grilled Cheese with Fried Egg

Turkey and Roasted Red Pepper Wrap