This is the best turkey pesto sandwich recipe! It’s full of flavour and made with turkey breast, pesto, sun dried tomatoes and mozzarella cheese. This turkey pesto panini is a great way to use up turkey leftovers and you will love how easy it is to make.
Why you will love this recipe:
- This healthy turkey pesto sandwich tastes so good!
- It’s really easy to make.
- This is a fun twist on the famous TikTok turkey pesto sandwich.
- You can use any type of bread that you like to make this sandwich including a ciabatta bun to make a turkey pesto ciabatta recipe.
- It’s a great way to use up turkey leftovers from Christmas, Easter or Thanksgiving.
- Move over Starbucks, move over Costco, this is the best turkey pesto sandwich recipe!
- This sandwich can be eaten either warm or cold.
- No matter what your dietary needs I’ve included both dairy free and gluten free options for making this turkey pesto panini recipe.
- You can use any type of pesto that you like to make this sandwich – I love using my walnut pesto to make it.
Key ingredients and substitutions:
- Turkey breast – you can either use home cooked turkey breast or store bought deli turkey breast meat, whichever you have on hand. This is a great way to use up turkey leftovers from Christmas or Thanksgiving. This turkey and pesto sandwich recipe can also be made with chicken breast if that’s all you have on hand.
- Pesto – pesto gives this sandwich such a unique flavour. You can either use store bought pesto or your favourite homemade pesto.
- Sun dried tomatoes – the flavour of sun dried tomatoes and pesto blend perfectly together to give this sandwich a delicious, mediterranean flavour. I recommend using sun dried tomatoes in oil for this recipe.
- Mozzarella cheese – mozzarella cheese melts to give this sandwich the most delicious flavour. You can swap the mozzarella cheese for any other cheese that you like including gouda, Swiss cheese, havarti, goat cheese, provolone cheese etc. If you are dairy free be sure to use a dairy free cheese instead.
What is pesto?
Pesto is a a sauce made most commonly with fresh basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil. It is usually served with pasta.
You can also now find pesto recipes that are made with other ingredients such as cashews, walnuts or pecans and other vegetables such as kale and spinach. There are also dairy free pesto recipes that are made without cheese.
You can find pre-made pesto in most grocery stores, and it usually comes in a jar that is found in the condiment section. If you prefer to make your own there are many different pesto recipes that you can try including dairy free and vegan pesto recipes.
How to make this recipe:
Step one:
First, heat a large griddle or skillet over low-medium heat and add the butter or coconut oil to the pan and allow it to melt.
Step two:
Next, place the two slices of bread, side by side on a cutting board or plate. Spread half of the mayonnaise onto each piece of bread followed by half of the pesto onto each slice of bread.
Step three:
Then, on one piece of bread, add the sliced cheese, chopped sun dried tomatoes and sliced turkey. Then top with the other piece of bread.
Step four:
Lastly, transfer the sandwich to the hot griddle or skillet and toast the sandwich in the pan until golden brown and the cheese begins to melt, about 3-4 minutes per side. Place a lid on top of the pan while cooking to speed up melting the cheese.
Chef’s tips:
- If you prefer a cold sandwich feel free to skip the heating or grilling steps and just eat the sandwich after you assemble it.
- Feel free to add other ingredients to this sandwich including sliced avocado, cooked bacon or spinach.
- Instead of a skillet, pan, or griddle you could make this sandwich in a sandwich maker or panini press.
Variations:
- You can use any type of bread that you like to make this sandwich – a few options include sourdough bread, or ciabatta.
- Feel fry to use a different type of cheese in this sandwich – other options include provolone cheese, Swiss cheese, goat cheese, gouda cheese etc.
- To make this sandwich dairy free, use a dairy free cheese or vegan cheese and a dairy free pesto.
- You can use any type of pesto that you like for this sandwich including both homemade or store bought.
- You can use either sliced deli turkey meat for this sandwich or leftover cooked turkey meat – this is a great sandwich to make with any turkey leftovers that you have after Thanksgiving or Christmas.
- To make this sandwich gluten free: use gluten free bread.
How to store:
This sandwich is best if eaten right away but if you want to eat it later I recommend storing it in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Frequently asked questions:
What condiments go best on a turkey sandwich?
There are many condiments that go well on a turkey sandwich including cranberry sauce, pesto, mayonnaise, and bbq sauce. Other sandwich toppings that pair well with turkey include avocado, lettuce, tomato, cheese, bacon, and sun dried tomatoes.
What cheese goes with pesto?
Pesto pairs well with many types of cheeses including parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, provolone cheese, Swiss cheese, goat cheese, gouda cheese and even dairy free cheese.
How many calories are in a turkey pesto sandwich?
The number of calories in a pesto sandwich will depend on the specific ingredients used to make the sandwich including the type of bread, the type of pesto, the cheese, and the toppings that are added. This turkey pesto panini has approximately 1303 calories per sandwich.
What is in Starbucks turkey pesto sandwich?
Starbucks turkey pesto panini is made with a ciabatta roll, turkey breast, provolone cheese, basil pesto, and roasted red bell peppers. It has 550 calories per sandwich including 54 grams of carbohydrates, 34 grams of protein and 22 grams of fat. It contains milk, wheat, dairy and gluten.
Other recipes you will love:
- Pesto pasta salad
- Walnut pesto
- Citrus arugula pesto
- Pesto pasta with veggies
- Parsley pesto
- Chicken omelette
- Healthy cranberry sauce
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Turkey Pesto Sandwich
This is the best turkey pesto sandwich recipe! Easy to make it's full of flavour and can be made both gluten free and dairy free too.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter or coconut oil (omit if using a sandwich maker)
- 2 slices bread (any type of bread that you like)
- 1/4 cup pesto (store bought or homemade)
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise (store bought or homemade)
- 100 grams sliced turkey breast (~4 slices)
- 6 slices mozzarella cheese (or other cheese of choice)
- 5 sun dried tomatoes, chopped (use sun dried tomatoes in oil)
Instructions
-
Heat a large griddle or skillet over low-medium heat and add the butter or coconut oil to the pan to allow it to melt.
-
Place the two slices of bread, side by side on a cutting board or plate. Spread half of the mayonnaise onto each piece of bread followed by half of the pesto onto each slice of bread.
-
Onto one piece of bread, add the sliced cheese, chopped sun dried tomatoes and sliced turkey. Then top with the other piece of bread.
-
Transfer the sandwich to the griddle or skillet and toast the sandwich in the pan until golden brown and the cheese begins to melt, about 3-4 minutes per side. Place a lid on top of the pan while cooking to speed up the cheese melting.Â
Recipe Notes
- This sandwich can also be made in a sandwich maker or panini press. If making it this way you can omit the oil from the recipe.Â
- You can use any type of bread that you like to make this sandwich.Â
- You can use any type of cheese that you like for this recipe.Â
- Nutritional values are an estimate and will vary depending on the exact ingredients you use.Â
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