No frills, no fuss: just a straightforward, delicious solution to your post-holiday food leftovers. Turkey, cran sauce, cheese and a few other ingredients. And a good piece of bread, of course. A sandwich so easy to make, it practically puts itself together.

Square box with turkey cranberry sandwich halves. Wooden board. Top view.

Table of Contents Open

Best leftover idea!

I like waking up the day after big festivities, those that have the good food and once-a-year dishes and eat the leftovers. I look forward to it as much as to the main event.

This sandwich checks every box.

Flavor combination: the contrast between sweet cranberry sauce and savory turkey, creamy mayo and cheese, fresh lettuce and crunchy bread makes this sandwich a winner.
Quick and easy: after lightly toasting the bread, you just pile the leftovers. It doesn't get much easier than that.
Versatile: you can use different types of bread and cheese and customize it to your liking.

Testing Notes

Overloaded sandwich: Using too much of each ingredient can make it difficult to eat and lead to competing flavors. Focus on a few key ingredients that complement each other well, such as turkey, cranberry sauce, and a mild cheese. This ensures a harmonious combination without overwhelming the palate.

Warm sandwich: Consider using a panini press or grilling the assembled sandwich in a skillet for a few minutes on each side. This warms the ingredients and adds an extra crispness to the bread.

Dry turkey: This can be a problem, especially if using breast meat. Besides the cranberry sauce and mayo, you can drizzle a bit of warm gravy (if there is any leftover) or olive oil. This not only adds moisture but also enhances the flavor.

Two turkey lettuce cranberry sandwiches on beige paper. White bowl with mayo.

Ingredient Notes

Turkey: dark or white meat.
Butter lettuce: I find it's the most tender, but any type you like works.
Bread slices: multigrain, seeded, classic whole wheat bread or white sandwich bread work really well. If using sourdough or ciabatta-style breads, look for those with a softer crust.

Variations

Mayonnaise: spice it up with a pinch of nutmeg, Tabasco, add chopped garlic to it or go with a mayo-based garlic aioli.
Cheese: we like Swiss cheese, but brie, Fontina, gruyere and cheddar work very well.
Club sandwich: Use crustless, thin bread slices and make a triple-decker.
Wrap or quesadilla: ditch the bread and use flour or corn tortillas with the same filling.
Croissant sandwich: This is a sweeter version and more sophisticated.

Two halves of turkey, cranberry, lettuce sandwiches on a beige surface. White bowl in the background.

How to assemble a turkey cran sandwich

The order of the ingredients can be varied, but we have a certain way of piling them on the bread slices.

Cranberry sauce in a bowl and bread slice on beige paper on a wooden board. Light grey background. Top view.

Lightly toast the bread. It should still be soft. Add a few tablespoons of cranberry sauce on one side and mayonnaise on the other slice.

Grey surface with wooden board and sandwich being assembled with cheese and lettuce.

Top the sliced turkey and cheese slices. Place the lettuce leaves on top of the mayo. Close the sandwich, press down a little to compress and enjoy!

Top view of wooden board with turkey sandwiches on a beige paper. Bowl with garnishes. Light grey surface.

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