Like most of you, I also struggle with what to do with Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey. Heck I have a whole collection of Leftover Turkey recipes I try to make instead of sticking it in a bag and freezing it.
This time around I decided to try something a little different and make Turkey Pesto Panini. A great way to use up some of that leftover turkey!
If you don’t have a Panini Press at home, don’t sweat it. You can use a skillet to make these delicious sandwiches. All you need is a second heavy pan to press down the top of the sandwich.
Another method is to use a waffle iron. I’ve never tried it before but it works very similar to a panini press.
How to Pick the Perfect Avocado
Choosing the wrong avocado will ruin your dish. Especially when the avocado is the main ingredient like in Guacamole. Basically, you want a perfectly ripe Avocado. This is a great article on How to Select the Perfect Avocado.
How to Cut an Avocado (Video)
If you struggle with cutting and coring avocados, this video tutorial is for you. This is an important skill to learn if you often make guacamole or any other type of Mexican Food.
If you need a little help with making your turkey, check out my Whole Smoked Turkey and Turkey Breast Brine recipes.
Kitchen Gadgets
Using the Right Equipment can make a BIG Difference. Check out our Favs!
Gather your Ingredients
You will need the following ingredients to make this Turkey Pesto Panini recipe. For ingredient amounts please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Unsalted Butter – helps make the outside of the sandwich brown and crunchy. You can also use olive oil
- French Bread – you can also use Ciabatta or Sourdough bread
- Pesto Sauce – you can use store-bought or my Pesto Sauce recipe
- Mozzarella Cheese – you can also try provolone, Swiss or even Gruyere cheese
- Turkey Breast – leftover Thanksgiving turkey is best
- Roma Tomatoes – or heirloom, cherry or tomatoes on the vine
- Avocado – make sure the avocado is ripe
How to Make Turkey Pesto Panini
- Preheat the panini press if using or heat a skillet.
- Spread the butter on the outside of the bread.
- Place the cheese slices on the bottom half, top with turkey, pesto sauce tomatoes and avocado. Place top half of bread butter side out.
- Place the sandwich in the panini press or skillet and cook until the bread is golden and the cheese is melted, about 2-3 minutes per side.
Printable Recipe Card
Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey Pesto Panini
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Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
- 4 slices French Bread
- ¼ Cup Pesto Sauce
- 4 slices Mozzarella Cheese
- 1 Cup Turkey Breast, chopped or sliced
- 1 Roma Tomatoes, thinly sliced
- 1 Avocado
Instructions
- Preheat the panini press if using or heat a skillet.
- Spread the butter on the outside of the bread.
- Place the cheese slices on the bottom half, top with turkey, pesto sauce tomatoes and avocado. Place top half of bread butter side out.
- Place the sandwich in the panini press or skillet and cook until the bread is golden and the cheese is melted, about 2-3 minutes per side.
These are very good. I cut our turkey really thin and layered it. So buttery and rich.
Made these turkey pesto paninis after our Canadian Thanksgiving and they were a great hit.