Easy Turkey Pesto Paninis

Turkey pesto paninis combines roast turkey leftovers with bright pesto and ooey gooey cheese. These easy sandwiches are a yummy lunch or light, easy dinner any time.

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I never know what to do with my turkey leftovers after the holidays.

Sometimes I turn it into mini pot pies like these chicken pot pies, but with turkey instead of chicken.

And other times?

We give it away.

There’s only so many times I can do a traditional holiday turkey.

But if I remake it into something with flavors I love like pesto especially if I have leftover garlic butter basted turkey or garlic turkey breast?

Then, yeah, we’ll happily eat that.

And that is exactly what these turkey pesto paninis are.

A reinventing of roast turkey with a twist!

Ingredients and Kitchen Supplies

Turkey pesto paninis need only:

• Turkey– Yes you can use classic roasted turkey leftovers, but if you’re looking to make these and don’t have holiday leftovers just use sliced deli turkey!
• Cheese – Pick your favorite! Provolone, sliced mozzarella, or Swiss all work well. I do recommend you get sliced cheese for this and not shredded cheese.
• Bread – You can use your favorite bread, but a good thick slice of white, sour dough, wheat, or rye work really well. If you really want to treat yourself, get the thickly sliced bread from the bakery.
• Butter – You could use olive oil, but the butter helps to give the bread some crust and also prevents it from sticking to the pan or the press. If you are really looking to cut fat, you could use a non-stick spray.
• Pesto – You can make your own following this recipe for traditional pesto, this one for a lemon pesto, or just get yourself a jar of store bought.
• Tomatoes – Thinly sliced tomatoes add a little tang and sweetness to the sandwiches. You could omit them if you just want cheese and turkey.

To make these paninis, it is incredibly helpful to have:

• Panini Pan or Panini Press

How to Make Turkey Pesto Panini

1. Butter your bread.

You might find it helpful to use softened butter for this step by letting it rest on the counter for a few minutes.

For each slice of bread, butter one side as liberally as you like.

The more you add, the less likely the paninis will stick to the griddle or press.

2. Assemble the sandwiches.

Place half of the buttered slices of bread onto a plate or cutting board with the buttered side down.

Spread the pesto onto the unbuttered side of both pieces of bread.

Add a layer of at least two slices of cheese.

Follow this layer with a layer of turkey.

Top the turkey with a slice of tomato.

Add another layer of cheese and finally top with a slice of bread, buttered side up.

3. Cook the paninis.

Heat your press up or heat a panini pan over medium-high heat.

Once heated, place one (or more if your pan is big enough) onto the hot surface and use the press to push it down.

Cook the first side for about 1 to 2 minutes.

There should be nice lines on the bottom of the bread.

Use a spatula to flip the panini, press it back down, and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes.

If using a panini press that cooks both sides, it should take about 3 minutes to cook the turkey pesto panini all the way through.

Serving and Storing

Turkey paninis are best served fresh from the stove or press.

If you have left overs, you can place cooled sandwiches in an air tight container and store for about 2 to 3 days in the fridge depending on when you cooked your turkey.

You can then eat them as cold sandwiches or reheat using a panini pan or press.

FAQs

Tips and Tricks

• If using spray or oil, apply directly to the pan before placing the sandwiches in. Make sure any oil is well-spread out before adding the sandwich.
• You can use sliced bread (like you get in the bread aisle), but for best flavor, bakery fresh bread sliced slightly thicker makes a better turkey panini.
• Feel free to mix and match cheeses and use your favorites. Pesto pairs well with a wide variety of cheeses, like cheddar, swiss, provalone, mozzarella, and more.
• Not serving turkey pesto paninis as a Thanksgiving leftover? No problem! You can use deli turkey or substitute roasted chicken if you like.
• Don’t have a press or panini pan? You can make paninis in a regular pan if you like, they just won’t get the nice grill lines on them when you cook them.

Other Sandwich Recipes

Sandwiches are a great way to use leftovers or make tasty treats with less fuss. Here are some other sandwich and handheld recipes to try:

• Easy Ham and Cheese Panini
• Easy Baguette Caprese Sandwich with Pesto
• Fried Mozzarella Grilled Cheese
• Easy Caprese Panini Sandwich with Pesto
• Easy Turkey Sliders on Hawaiian Rolls

Did you make this? Let me know!

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