After every Thanksgiving, my refrigerator is usually jampacked full of delicious holiday leftovers. Whether it be turkey, or cheesy potatoes, or cranberry sauce, there’s enough leftovers to feed the block. While your fridge is packed for weeks leading up to Thanksgiving, it’s terrible that it’s still packed once it’s over.
I try to use as many leftover ingredients as possible to make recipes just to get rid of it all, however, after the soups, tetrazzinis, and pot pies, I’m tapped out. As much as I’m sick of eating turkey, I’m almost just as sick of eating the leftovers. Even in spite of that, I figured I would venture out a little bit and try to load up a sandwich that isn’t just mayonnaise and iceberg lettuce along with a few chunks of turkey.
I mean what on earth do you do with leftover cranberry sauce? You can always serve it in a salt rimmed glass with these Cranberry Sauce and Chile Margaritas or you can serve it up with turkey! Cranberry sauce is such a distinct flavor that works perfectly with turkey. If you don’t have a homemade cranberry sauce for your holiday table, then be sure to check out this recipe. Make it now so that you have some leftover to make this Turkey Brie Panini!
Sweet potatoes also go really well with turkey and if you have some leftover in the form of mashed sweet potatoes or even candied yams, don’t worry, it will still work. Instead of making little scalloped sweet potatoes like I did in the video, you can simply spread the mashed sweet potatoes or slightly mash the yams right on the bread and I promise you will get the exact same flavors.
I tried to use common Thanksgiving leftovers in this recipe so there are at least three things that you can put on this sandwich. The extra items I put on there were the baby spinach, brie, microgreens and a really simple garlic aioli. I wanted to add something with a little kick to help blend in the tanginess from the cranberry sauce and this aioli hit it right on the head.
If you’re like me and are running out of ideas on what to do with all the leftover Thanksgiving foods, then for sure try this Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey Brie and Cranberry Panini.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey, Brie and Cranberry Panini
Ingredients
- 2 thinly sliced sweet potatoes
- 2 tbsp olive oil + more for the panini maker
- .67 cups mayonnaise
- 3 finely mince cloves of garlic
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 sliced artisan loaf
- 1 thinly sliced brie cheese wheel
- 1 thinly sliced leftover thanksgiving turkey breast
- 1 cups leftover thanksgiving cranberry sauce
- 2 cups packed baby spinach
- 1 cups micro-greens
- Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°.
- Place the sweet potato slices on a sheet tray lined with a Silpat. Drizzle on olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake at 375° for 15 to 18 minutes. Set aside.
- In a small size bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper until combined.
- Keep cool before serving.
- Preheat the Panini Maker to medium heat.
- To Assemble: Place 1 slice of bread down and evenly spread on the scalloped sweet potatoes. Next, add on 1 to 2 tablespoons of aioli followed up by adding on some turkey slices. Top off with a few slices of brie, 2 tablespoons of cranberry sauce, baby spinach, micro-greens and the other slice of bread.
- Brush the panini maker with olive oil and place on the sandwich and cook for 2 to 5 minutes or until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted.
- Repeat the process 3-4 times or until all of the ingredients are used up.
Nutrition
