Pesto Turkey Sandwich

This delicious pesto turkey sandwich recipe comes together in only a few simple steps! Sliced turkey served on ciabatta bread along with provolone, pesto, mayonnaise, and shredded lettuce, this ciabatta sandwich makes a hearty and easy lunch.

If you want an easy lunch idea, especially for back-to-school season, this pesto turkey sandwich is just what you need. It’s simple, delicious, and holds up well in the fridge if you’d like to make it ahead of time. It’s also perfect for leftover turkey after the holidays!

 

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• This is the perfect recipe to use up leftover turkey after the holidays or if you’re like me, a turkey fan year-round, a great way to enjoy turkey!
• It’s very simple to make for an easy lunch the morning you need it, but it also holds up really well in the fridge if you’d like to make it ahead of time. I’ve made this 3 days ahead of time before, and it tastes just as good as it does freshly made.
• All the ingredients, minus the lettuce, are freezer-friendly, so you can keep these items on hand and whip this up whenever the craving hits.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• ciabatta — I love making ciabatta sandwiches because they have a wonderful chewy interior and crispy crust. Ciabatta is also baked with a much stronger flour, so the bread has a more delicate and sweet taste.
• mayonnaise — mayo gets a bad rep, but I will gladly put mayo in my sandwiches! Mayonnaise adds a tangy, creamy flavor and toasting the bread with mayo on top helps the bread get nice and golden instead of burnt. The layer also helps keep your bread from getting soggy. Think of it as a moisture barrier.
• pesto — I love the bright, herby flavor of pesto. I’m partial to the Kirkland one from Costco, as the quality is great for its price point.
• turkey — I use the oven roasted carved turkey breast from Lilydale (also from Costco lol), but you can also use leftover turkey such as from this slow cooker turkey breast recipe.
• provolone cheese — I use provolone, again Costco 😂, but feel free to use any sliced cheese of your choice.
• shredded lettuce — don’t laugh but this is also from Costco LOL. I shred up romaine lettuce as I do in my how to cut romaine lettuce post but slightly thinner so it fits better in the sandwiches.

How to Make Pesto Turkey Sandwiches

• Slice the ciabatta in half lengthwise and then generously spread mayonnaise on the cut-side.
• Place the ciabatta on a sheet pan and broil the bread for 5 minutes or until they are as golden and crispy as you desire.

• Generously spread the pesto over the layer of mayonnaise.
• Top the bottom half of the bread with two layers of sliced turkey.

• Layer a single layer of sliced cheese over the turkey, transfer it back to the oven, and broil for another minute or until the cheese has melted over the turkey.

• Add the shredded lettuce over the top of the melted cheese and then top it with the top slice of bread over the top.
• Depending on your preference, press down and slice the bread into thirds or halves.

Recipe Tips and Notes

• There isn’t really a right or wrong way to make this sandwich. You can add as much turkey, cheese, or pesto as you’d like!
• I usually cut these sandwiches into thirds as the sandwich is pretty hearty. I usually just eat a third as that’s one serving for me (whereas I’d pack the 2/3 for H for work).
• You can use light or regular mayonnaise.
• Enjoy the sandwich alone or with some chips, fries, or a salad!

Make Ahead Tips

• Meal prep: tightly wrap the sandwiches in plastic wrap, press and seal, or beeswax wrap, and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Reheat: you can enjoy this sandwich warm or cold. I usually pop it into the air fryer to heat up the sandwich from the fridge but H just eats it cold at work.

More Easy Lunches to Try

• Orzo Pesto Salad
• Lemon Orzo Salad with Feta
• BLT Salad with Chicken
• Grilled Chicken Salad with Blueberries
• Chopped Chicken Salad
• Chicken Cobb Salad (Meal Prep)

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