Turkey Salad Melts
By Jessica RudolphPublished on November 28, 2025
Time
45 minutes
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Before You Begin
If you don’t have leftover turkey, you can substitute chopped rotisserie chicken. We developed this recipe using Bell’s poultry seasoning. Serve with potato chips, if desired.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Combine 3 cups chopped cooked turkey; ½ cup mayonnaise; ⅓ cup dried cranberries; ⅓ cup pecans, toasted and chopped; 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard; ½ teaspoon pepper, and ¼ teaspoon table salt in bowl.
- Line rimmed baking sheet with foil. Stir 4 tablespoons melted unsalted butter and 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning together in small bowl. Brush 1 side of 8 slices hearty white sandwich bread with melted butter mixture. Place 4 slices bread, buttered side down, on prepared sheet. Divide 1 cup shredded Gouda evenly among bread slices. Distribute turkey salad across sandwiches, then top with remaining 1 cup shredded Gouda. Top with remaining 4 slices of bread buttered side up.
- Bake sandwiches until golden brown on top, 5 to 8 minutes. Flip sandwiches and continue to bake until golden brown on second side and cheese is melted, 5 to 8 minutes longer. Let cool for 5 minutes. Cut sandwiches in half and serve.
Time
45 minutesYield
Serves 4Ingredients
Ingredients
Ingredients
Why This Recipe Works
This Thanksgiving-inspired take on a tuna melt breathes new life into turkey leftovers. We dressed chopped turkey (or chicken, if that’s what you have) in a tangy dressing of mayo and Dijon and stirred in tart, chewy dried cranberries and chopped toasted pecans for crunch. A sprinkle of poultry seasoning gave the buttered bread a savory, stuffing-like flavor. Toasting the melts in the oven instead of in a skillet allowed us to make four at once, saving time.
Before You Begin
If you don’t have leftover turkey, you can substitute chopped rotisserie chicken. We developed this recipe using Bell’s poultry seasoning. Serve with potato chips, if desired.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Combine 3 cups chopped cooked turkey; ½ cup mayonnaise; ⅓ cup dried cranberries; ⅓ cup pecans, toasted and chopped; 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard; ½ teaspoon pepper, and ¼ teaspoon table salt in bowl.
- Line rimmed baking sheet with foil. Stir 4 tablespoons melted unsalted butter and 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning together in small bowl. Brush 1 side of 8 slices hearty white sandwich bread with melted butter mixture. Place 4 slices bread, buttered side down, on prepared sheet. Divide 1 cup shredded Gouda evenly among bread slices. Distribute turkey salad across sandwiches, then top with remaining 1 cup shredded Gouda. Top with remaining 4 slices of bread buttered side up.
- Bake sandwiches until golden brown on top, 5 to 8 minutes. Flip sandwiches and continue to bake until golden brown on second side and cheese is melted, 5 to 8 minutes longer. Let cool for 5 minutes. Cut sandwiches in half and serve.
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