• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Food Meanderings
  • Start HERE
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Recipes
    • Courses
      • Breakfast and Brunch
        • Pancakes, Waffles & French Toast
        • Breakfast Potluck Ideas
      • Lunch
        • Sandwiches and Burgers
        • Salads
        • Soups, Stew & Chili Recipes
      • Dinner
        • Main dish
        • Pork Recipes
        • Pasta & Pizza Recipes
        • Casseroles
        • Chicken Recipes
        • Beef
        • Beef Recipes
        • Fish & Seafood
      • Desserts
        • Baked Goods
        • Bars and Squares
        • Cake
        • Cookies
        • Cupcakes
        • Frosting and Icing Recipes
        • Frozen Dessert Recipes
        • Healthy Dessert Recipes
        • No Bake Desserts
        • Pie and Pastry Recipes
        • Sweets
    • Cuisine
      • Asian Recipes
      • Italian Recipes
      • Mediterranean Recipes
      • Mexican Recipes
      • Southern Recipes
    • Dish Type
      • Appetizers
        • Dip Recipes
      • Breads
        • Bread Machine Recipes
        • Muffins
      • Side Dishes
        • Vegetables
      • Snacks
      • Sauces, Spreads and Condiments
      • Drinks
        • Smoothies
        • Mocktails
      • One-Pot and One-Pan meals
    • Cooking Style
      • Dinner Party Recipes
      • BBQ & Grilling
      • Healthy Recipes
      • Seasonal Cooking
      • Slow Cooker Recipes
      • Vegetarian
    • Special Diet
      • Gluten-free Recipes
      • Vegan Recipes
      • Vegetarian
      • Weight Watchers Friendly Recipes
    • Holidays
      • Canada Day
      • Christmas Recipes
      • Easter Recipes
      • Earth Day Recipes
      • Father's Day Recipes
      • Cinco de Mayo Recipes
      • 4th of July Recipes
      • Halloween Recipes
      • Mother's Day Recipes
      • New Year's Eve Recipes
      • St. Patrick's Day Recipes
      • Stampede Recipes
      • Thanksgiving Recipes
      • Birthday Recipes
      • Valentine's Day Recipes
      • Game Day Recipes
    • Ingredient
      • Meat
        • Pork
        • Poultry
      • Pasta
      • Beans
      • Potatoes
      • Fruit
      • Rice
      • Egg Recipes
      • Chocolate
  • Meanderings
    • Articles
      • My Weight Watchers (WW) Journey
      • Weight Watchers Tips & Tricks
      • Comfort & Baked Expectations
      • Gingerbread: The Art of Food
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Start HERE
  • Recipes
  • Easter Recipes
  • About Me
  • Contact Me
×

Home » Recipes » Dish Type » Sandwiches and Burgers

Leftover Turkey Panini (with Cranberry and Brie)

Published: Dec 26, 2020 by Terri Gilson · Modified: Oct 20, 2022 · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links · 4 Comments

Sharing is caring!

315 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Reddit
  • Yummly
  • Mix
Jump to Recipe
Pinterest pin with white text on cranberry colored background on top and bottom and photo of leftover turkey sandwich on a cutting board with checkered towel in background in the middle

I love Thanksgiving and Christmas turkey dinner leftovers almost as much as I love Thanksgiving dinner and Christmas dinner. It's not only the best meal, it's also the meal that keeps on giving! And the best of the best leftovers are definitely turkey sandwiches. Oh how I look forward to them. But a leftover turkey sandwich on a panini press? Now that is something to get really excited about. And this Turkey Panini (with Cranberry and Brie) is definitely leftover excitement worthy!

Turkey Panini with cranberry and brie on a cutting board with green apples and cranberry aioli in the background

This Turkey Panini was inspired by a Chicken sandwich I had at Earl's restaurant years ago. It had a creamy garlic aioli, Brie cheese, fig spread and apples; and it was divine! I kept going back, hoping it was on their menu, but it never was. So, I had to create my own version of that sandwich. This sandwich is similar, but I use leftover roasted turkey and a homemade cranberry aioli instead of chicken and garlic aioli. This turkey and cranberry sandwich is a great recipe for using up those Thanksgiving leftovers or Christmas turkey dinner leftovers!

Jump to:
  • 🍽 Equipment
  • 🥘 Ingredients
  • 📖 Variations & Substitutions
  • 🔪 Instructions
  • 🌡️Storing
  • 👪 Serving size
  • 🥗 Side dishes
  • 💭 Top tip
  • ⭐ Reviews
  • 📋 Leftover Turkey Panini (with Cranberry and Brie)
  • 🎄More Holiday Leftover Recipes

That year I had decided I would do it right; differently than I had done it in the past. I wouldn't eat Christmas dinner at my aunt's house. I would have a few snacks, then save up my appetite and eat Christmas turkey dinner at my in-laws. I thought this would be a much better solution than stuffing my face at both places or sitting awkwardly at my in-laws dinner table, full, while everyone else ate. Either way, it wasn't ideal. But at the time, I really thought this was the better plan. In retrospect, it clearly wasn't. 

There were many years when my husband and I ran back and forth over the holidays, trying to spend equal amounts of time with both families. It could get a little stressful. But Christmas dinner was always the biggest challenge because of course, you wanted to be at two places at once. Too bad my plan was foiled that year because Christmas dinner is, hands down, the best dinner of the year.

🍽 Equipment

I don't know what it is about the panini press, but it makes sandwiches good. It transforms a boring old, cold sandwich into a melty delight! I really think the magic is in the melty. Melty cheese just makes everything better and when it's Brie cheese, well, need I say more?

You don't have to make this Turkey Panini on a panini maker, but if you want those little grill marks, you'll need to. If you don't have a Panini press, I suggest you get one - you will not regret it! I have this Breville Panini Press, is one of the best ever investments I have ever made. You could also use a sandwich press or another type of indoor grill, such as a George Foreman grill or a stovetop grill pan (affiliate links).

Turkey Brie Cranberry Sandwich cooking on a Panini press

🥘 Ingredients

This Turkey Panini recipe is the ultimate in sweet and savory. It features apple and fig, which are truly meant to be together, by the way.  I discovered fig spread several years ago when I was trying to recreate a delicious chicken burger I had at Earl's restaurant. Then you add in the sweet and savory cranberry aioli,(you can use homemade cranberry sauce or canned) turkey, ooey gooey cheese and you have yourself a turkey Panini sandwich that is second only to Christmas turkey dinner. If you are not sure what to do with your holiday leftovers,  and looking for a turkey panini recipe, then this is a great sandwich!

For this Turkey Brie Cranberry Sandwich, you'll need:

  • rye bread (you can use another bread, if you prefer)
  • leftover roasted turkey
  • brie cheese
  • green apples * I use Granny Smith
  • Fig spread (affiliate link)
  • Cranberry Aioli recipe

*see recipe card for quantities

📖 Variations & Substitutions

  • Turkey - you could use deli turkey if you don't have leftover turkey or rotisserie chicken
  • Bread  - I use rye bread, but you could use another type of bread, such as sourdough bread
  • Fig Spread - You can use fig jam or you could use apricot jam, prune jam or date jam as a substitute
  • Cheese - you could substitute Swiss cheese, Provolone or sharp Cheddar cheese for Brie
  • Apples -I use tart green apples, like Granny Smith apples. You can use another type of apple, but I find these hold up best
  • Add-ins - add some homemade pesto (or store-bought pesto) or crispy bacon

🔪 Instructions

  1. Mix ingredients for Cosmo Cranberry Aioli. On one half slice of  read, add 1 tablespoon cosmo cranberry aioli, then 1 tablespoon fig spread on the other.
  2. Then add ¼ of the turkey to the slice with fig spread. Next place slices of apple (circles/rings over slices of turkey), then add ¼ of of brie cheese. Place the cranberry aioli side slice of bread on top of the other slice (with meat, apples and brie). Repeat for remaining 3 sandwiches. 
  3. Place the slices of bread with cranberry aioli on the side of the bread with turkey, apple and cheese.
  4. Place on top of hot panini grill and cook until ready and cheese is melted.*Note:  You can make this sandwich on a stove top in a frying pan,  as you would a grilled cheese sandwich,  if you do not have a panini press.
collage of 4 photos showing how to make a turkey panini

🌡️Storing

This turkey cranberry sandwich does not hold up well in the fridge after its made. However, you can prep all the ingredients for it (and store in separate airtight containers) for up to 3 days. 

👪 Serving size

This turkey panini recipe makes 4 panini sandwiches. However, you can half, double or triple the recipe by clicking on the blue serving size in the recipe card. Select the number of servings you'd like and the quantities will adjust accordingly. 

🥗 Side dishes

Here are a few ideas for what to serve this leftover turkey sandwich with:

  • Quick Cucumber Kimchi
  • veggies - carrot sticks and sliced cucumbers
  • Skinny Coleslaw Recipe
  • Leftover Corn Succotash
  • Spinach salad
  • Sweet Potato Fries with Garlic Mayo Dip (shown)
Sweet potato fries in white dish

💭 Top tip

You CAN eat the rind from brie cheese (it's actually meant to be eaten) but if you want to remove the rind, the easiest way to do this is to:

  1. Use a vegetable peeler for the edges
  2. Use a knife for the top (but you will lose some of the cheese)
2 photo collage showing how to remove rind from Brie cheese

Sadly, Christmas Dinner leftovers weren't even my salvation that year. When I arrived at my in-laws for Christmas dinner that year, I was shocked to see everyone sitting around an empty table. They never finished Christmas dinner that early! All the food had been put away and mother-in-law said, "Oh, I thought you would have eaten at your aunt's? You usually do." My heart sank. I had neglected to share my plan with my husband or his family. The even weirder thing was that there weren't even any leftovers that year and there were always leftovers. So, I did the polite thing and I lied. I told her I had eaten more than I actually had at my aunt's so she wouldn't feel bad. I was starving.

To add insult to injury, I had sat through the torture of watching my entire family eat our outstanding traditional turkey dinner at my aunt's house AND I knew my Mom wouldn't have any leftovers when I got back home because the dinner had been at my aunt's that year! Ugh.

So my carefully crafted plan to avoid being a pig and eating too much, while trying to be polite, please everyone and avoid another awkward mealtime experience at my in-laws, had completely blown up in my face. I had planned myself right out of a Christmas turkey dinner! The dinner that is THE ultimate most delicious and highly coveted meal of the entire year! And I didn't get any.

Leftover Turkey Panini stacked on a cutting board, with red checkered tea towel in the background

So if you are lucky enough to have leftover turkey and cranberry sauce, use it up with this unique, sophisticated and delicious Turkey and Cranberry Sandwich! This bold flavors in this hot sandwich, ( with turkey, cranberry aioli, fresh green apples, fig spread and ooey-gooey melted brie cheese) come together to treat your taste buds to a sensational experience! And if you're looking for even more leftover turkey recipes, give my Leftover Turkey Enchiladas and my Turkey Brie Crostini a try!

The moral of the story: Don't squander the opportunity to eat a turkey dinner - EVER! If you have a chance to have two turkey dinners, count yourself lucky. Don't worry about eating too much, pleasing everyone, being polite or any of that- just eat! My husband's parents passed away several years ago and I'd give just about anything to have a second turkey dinner with them again.

Merry Christmas Turkey Dinner and Christmas Turkey Dinner Leftovers!

And if you're looking for more sandwich recipes, try my Mediterranean Monte Cristo Sandwich!

Gourmet Monte Cristo Sandwich - Mediterranean

⭐ Reviews

Did you make this turkey brie cranberry sandwich? If you thought this was the best sandwich, please leave a 5 star rating below!

Please SUBSCRIBE  (get my FREE E-cookbook) and be sure to FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST!

Turkey Panini with cranberry and brie on a cutting board with green apples and cranberry aioli in the background
Food Meandering Logo

📋 Leftover Turkey Panini (with Cranberry and Brie)

Use up your leftover turkey and cranberry sauce with this unique, sophisticated and delicious Leftover Turkey Panini, with, cranberry aioli, fresh green apples, fig spread and ooey gooey melted brie cheese join together to treat your taste buds to a sensational experience!
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: dinner, lunch, Snack
Cuisine: American, Canadian, North American
Keyword: apple, brie, cranberry, panini, turkey
Servings: 4 sandwiches
Calories: 543kcal
Author: Terri Gilson
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

  • 8 rye bread slices
  • 300 g leftover oven roasted turkey ( or substitute turkey deli sandwich meat)
  • 6 oz Brie cheese (wheel) 170 g wheel
  • 2 granny smith apples cored and peeled, cut into circles/rings
  • 4 tablespoon Fig spread
  • 4 tablespoon Cosmo cranberry aioli https://foodmeanderings.com/cranberry-aioli/
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Mix ingredients for Cosmo Cranberry Aioli
  • On one half slice of  bread, add 1 tablespoon cosmo cranberry aioli, then 1 tablespoon fig spread on the other.
    one piece of bread has fig spread and the other piece of bread has cranberrry aioli
  • Then add ¼ of the turkey to the slice with fig spread. Next place apple circles/rings over turkey, then add ¼ of of brie cheese. Place the cranberry aioli side slice of bread on top of the other slice (with meat, apples and brie). Repeat for remaining 3 sandwiches. 
    one slice of bread with fig spread, turkey, apples and brie and other other slice of bread with cranberry aioli
  • Place the piece of bread with cranberry aioli on the side of the bread with turkey, apple and cheese.
    sandwich put together on cutting board
  • Place on top of hot panini grill.
    *Note:  You can make this sandwich on a stove top in a frying pan,  as you would a grilled cheese sandwich,  if you do not have a panini press.
    Sandwiches placed on panini grill
  • Place the cover down on the top of the sandwich and cook for about 2-3 minutes or until top is browned and cheese is melted.
    sandwiches cooked on grill
  • Serve and enjoy!

Notes

*Please see post contents for important recipe information and tips!
Nutrition Facts
📋 Leftover Turkey Panini (with Cranberry and Brie)
Amount Per Serving (1 sandwich)
Calories 543 Calories from Fat 189
% Daily Value*
Fat 21g32%
Saturated Fat 9g56%
Cholesterol 97mg32%
Sodium 878mg38%
Potassium 455mg13%
Carbohydrates 55g18%
Fiber 6g25%
Sugar 19g21%
Protein 32g64%
Vitamin A 323IU6%
Vitamin C 6mg7%
Calcium 141mg14%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
 

Nutrition

Serving: 1sandwich | Calories: 543kcal (27%) | Carbohydrates: 55g (18%) | Protein: 32g (64%) | Fat: 21g (32%) | Saturated Fat: 9g (56%) | Cholesterol: 97mg (32%) | Sodium: 878mg (38%) | Potassium: 455mg (13%) | Fiber: 6g (25%) | Sugar: 19g (21%) | Vitamin A: 323IU (6%) | Vitamin C: 6mg (7%) | Calcium: 141mg (14%) | Iron: 3mg (17%)
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating and review below!
Rate this Recipe

🎄More Holiday Leftover Recipes

  • Healthy Leftover Creamy Ham Pasta with Peas
  • Easy Turkey Pot Pie (with cream of chicken soup)
  • Healthy Turkey Wraps (with leftover turkey)
  • Leftover Cranberry Sauce Coffee Cake (with Coffee Glaze)
  • Leftover Turkey Enchiladas
  • Cranberry Gingerbread Stovetop Rice Pudding (with leftover rice)
  • Gluten-free Holiday Ham & Rice Benedict with Blender Cranberry Hollandaise

More Sandwiches and Burgers

  • tuna burger on grey plate
    Tuna Burgers (with canned tuna)
  • collage of 6 photos of healthy comfort food with text in the middle
    Healthy Comfort Foods
  • collage of 3 photos of award-winning recipes with white text on black background in the middle
    40 Award-winning Recipes
  • Halloween Breakfast Pizza Sandwich cut into a jack o'lantern on a black plate with kiwi flowers
    Halloween Breakfast Pizza Sandwich

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Karly

    December 18, 2017 at 9:52 pm

    Any panini that includes a whole heck of a lot of melted brie is a winning panini in my book. This looks absolutely to die for- the perfect lunch sammie!

    Reply
    • Terri Gilson

      December 19, 2017 at 8:37 pm

      Hi Karly- thanks! I hope you enjoy it!

      Reply
  2. MariaMay

    March 07, 2018 at 10:23 pm

    nice post

    Reply
    • Terri Gilson

      March 08, 2018 at 6:27 am

      Thanks Maria May 🙂

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

I'm Terri, a passionate home cook and baker, an award-winning recipe developer and a busy working mom that is trying to eat healthy and fit everything into not enough hours in a day! My mission is to share not only my recipes, cooking hacks and tips with you, but also my secrets to successful weight maintenance.

More about me →

Easter Recipes

  • a piece of lemon pie being lifted out of a whole pie, with a lemon cut in half in background
    Old Fashioned Lemon Pie
  • collage of 4 photos of healthy leftover ham recipes with black text on white circle in the middle.
    35 Healthy Leftover Ham Recipes
  • collage of 4 photos of Easter brunch recipes with text in the middle
    Easter Brunch Menu Ideas
  • a slice of daffodil cake on a white plate with lattice trim and a blue material background
    Daffodil Cake

More Easter Recipes --->

Footer

Featured On:

Taste Of Home Logo Parade Logo MSN Logo Master Chef Canada Logo Huffpost Logo Good Housekeeping Logo

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy & Terms of Use
  • Accessibility Policy

Subscribe

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

Contact

  • Contact
  • Work with me

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2023 Foodmeanderings.com

315 shares