Turkey Melt

Sandwiches are as convenient and flexible a light meal as anyone could ask, and this turkey melt recipe is a prime example. It repurposes sliced deli turkey, a very routine sandwich filling, by turning it into a riff on the classic tuna melt.

When you want a quick but satisfying and tasty meal, a turkey and cheese melt absolutely fits the bill. You can think of it as a grown-up spin on a grilled cheese sandwich or a smart and practical way to use up leftover deli meat, but either way it’s a winner.

Turkey Melt Ingredients

• Mayonnaise: The canonical sandwich spread plays the same role here that it does in cold sandwiches, moistening and enriching the fillings.
• Sourdough bread: Sourdough bread gives the finished sandwich a distinctive tang and a more interesting texture.
• Chopped green chiles: The canned green chiles add a pleasantly mild heat to the sandwich, along with moisture and a sweet pepper flavor.
• Sliced deli turkey: Deli turkey is mild-tasting and easy to work with, hence its popularity as a sandwich filling.
• Shredded cheese: The shredded Colby or Monterey Jack cheese adds a pleasant richness to the sandwich without overwhelming the taste of the turkey. It’s also responsible for giving the sandwich its wonderfully melty gooeyness.
• Butter: Butter browns the outside of the sandwich and adds flavor, as it does in classic grilled cheese sandwiches and any number of variations on the theme.

Directions

Step 1: Prep the sandwiches

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Spread mayonnaise over two slices of the sourdough bread. Then spread the bread evenly with green chiles. Layer the turkey and cheese over them. Top with the remaining two slices of bread, and spread the outsides of the sandwiches with butter.

Step 2: Grill the sandwiches

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In a large skillet, toast the sandwiches over medium heat until they’re golden brown and the cheese is melted, one to two minutes on each side.

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Turkey Melt Sandwich Variations

• Grill your sandwich with mayo, not butter: Yes, we’re serious. Mayonnaise is made with oil and eggs, both of which brown your foods, and unlike plain oil it adds a pleasing flavor. Sandwiches grilled with mayonnaise are beautifully golden, taste lighter and feel less greasy on your fingers.
• Go with “real” turkey: Deli turkey slices are inexpensive and available year-round, so they’re a great first choice. If you happen to have some leftover roast turkey, though, by all means thin-slice some and use it in this turkey melt sandwich. Alternatively, you could chop the leftover turkey for turkey salad and use that as your filling (the same way you’d use tuna salad in a tuna melt). It’s one more tasty way to use up your holiday leftovers, and you can never have too many of those.
• Change the fillings, change the sandwich: Deli turkey is a pleasantly light option, but your deli case has plenty of others and the basic format of this sandwich lends itself to substitutions and experimentation. Just pick a melty cheese that complements your alternative meat: Swiss and some grainy mustard instead of the chiles with ham; or provolone and horseradish with beef (Colby or Jack would also work just fine, as they do in this grilled beef sandwich).

How to Store Turkey Melts

These sandwiches are always best when eaten immediately after grilling. If you want to make extra for later, slide the finished sandwiches into brown paper lunch bags or wrap them in deli-style paper wrappers. Bag the wrapped sandwiches in sandwich bags to keep them from drying out (or pack them into storage containers with tight-fitting lids), and then reheat them gently in your skillet or a toaster oven to restore their crisp texture.

How long will a turkey melt keep?

Your leftover turkey melt should remain food safe for 4 to 5 days if it was refrigerated immediately after the meal, but it will be best if eaten within 1 to 3 days. If you’ve used leftover turkey instead of deli turkey, as specified in the recipe, it’s safest to eat it within a day or two.

Can I freeze turkey melt sandwiches?

The finished sandwiches can be cooled, packed into freezer bags and frozen for later use if you really want to, but it’s not ideal. Deli meats tend to shed moisture when they’re thawed, which will make your sandwich soggy. The sandwich may also attract condensation if you thaw at room temperature, which makes things worse. Thawing overnight in your fridge avoids that problem, but takes away convenience. Given that it only takes 10 minutes to make the sandwiches from scratch, there’s little benefit in freezing them.

Turkey Melt Tips

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Do I need to use sourdough bread?

No, not at all. It gives the sandwich a hearty texture that holds up to melty cheese, but you can choose any bread you like (and there are plenty of options).

What are some easy ways to elevate my sandwich?

Oh, there are lots! Consider sprinkling a bit of shredded cheese on the outside of the sandwich, for example, where it will melt and crisp up (like the bits of cheese that leak out, but across the whole sandwich). Using a flavorful spread or dip in place of the mayo inside the sandwich works, too. You might use garlic butter on the outside instead of plain butter, or another savory flavored butter. If you use mayonnaise on the outside (see Variations, above) the same rule applies: add flavor with a garlicky aioli, or with a teaspoon of pesto or chopped herbs added to the mayo.

Can I make my turkey melts in the toaster oven instead?

Yup. Just arrange the sandwiches on your toaster oven’s pan and set it to broil. Keep an eye on the sandwiches and flip them once the top is golden-brown. Depending on your toaster oven’s power, it may or may not take longer than doing them in a skillet. You can also use your air fryer, or prep sandwiches for your whole crew using a full-sized sheet pan and your main oven’s broiler.