Turkey sliders on Hawaiian rolls are a yummy, cheesy take on a turkey cranberry sandwich. The perfect way to use up your holiday leftovers or have a taste of Thanksgiving whenever the mood strikes you.
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You know how some people can eat days upon days of leftover Thanksgiving dinner?
I’m not one of them.
I have the turkey once and I’m good.
Now the stuffing and mashed potatoes…
Those I can eat for days, cold right out of the fridge.
But the mains need to be reinvented for me to enjoy them again.
And this version of a warm turkey slider is just enough reinvention for me to keep things interesting.
Turkey Cranberry Sliders on Hawaiian Rolls
This turkey slider recipe is more interesting than loading up your Thanksgiving leftovers on a roll and calling it a day.
It features juicy turkey breast, crisp and tart Granny smith apples, sharp cheddar cheese and tangy cranberry mayo all on a fluffy Hawaiian roll.
So it feels fresher and not just like turkey dinner round 2.
Ingredients
To make these sliders you’ll need:
- Turkey- Use up your turkey dinner leftovers or if you have a craving for a turkey slider but it’s not the holidays feel free to substitute turkey lunchmeat. The recipe calls for about a cup but you can use more if you have it.
- Hawaiian slider rolls- You’ll need a whole package.
- Cheddar cheese– I prefer sharp cheddar with these sliders to balance the sweetness and tartness from the cranberries.
- Butter- Melted butter. Salted or unsalted. Whatever you’ve got.
- Mayonnaise- Use full fat real mayo for best flavor. Avoid mayonnaise style dressing.
- Cranberry sauce– This is a great way to use up leftover homemade cranberry sauce or canned cranberry sauce.
- Apple– Go for a tart apple like Granny Smiths and thinly slice it.
How to Make
These are super easy to make.
- Prep the rolls.
Cut the Hawaiian slider rolls in half. Keep the sheet of rolls in tact. Brush the rolls with melted butter. Bake for 2 at 350 minutes to lightly toast the rolls.
2. Build the sandwiches.
Placing turkey and cheese on the bottom half of the rolls. Remove the top half of the rolls from the baking sheet and set aside. Bake the turkey and cheese portion for 5 minutes or until the cheese melts.
3. Make the cranberry mayonnaise.
While the cheese melts, stir together the cranberry sauce and mayo. Spread out over the top portion of the rolls.
4. Finish the sandwiches.
Remove the turkey and cheese rolls from the oven. Finish the sandwiches by topping with thinly sliced green apples if desired and the cranberry mayonnaise rolls.
Tips and Tricks
- Make sure you don’t pull the rolls apart before you make the sliders so they all bake together.
- Don’t have any leftover turkey? Use turkey lunchmeat or leftover chicken or even rotisserie chicken instead.
- You don’t have to bake these if you don’t want. This recipe would make an excellent cold turkey sandwich as well.
- Make and use garlic butter or chop some parsley and add that to the melted butter prior to brushing it on.
- We use whole cranberry sauce instead of the smoother kind of jellied cranberries but the mayo will work with either version.
How long is leftover turkey good in the fridge?
Leftover turkey will last 3 to 4 days in the fridge.
Carve it off the bones first and store covered.
We like to wrap ours tightly in foil or store in a sealed container.
How long can you freeze leftover turkey?
After you remove the turkey from the bones, you can wrap it tightly in foil and place the packet in a freezer bag. The turkey should stay good for 2-3 months in the freezer when stored properly.
Can you freeze turkey after a week?
If you are planning to freeze your turkey, do it sooner rather than later!
In fact, the USDA suggests freezing the leftovers “within two hours of cooking.”
After a week, the turkey will probably no longer be good to eat. You should always throw out leftover turkey that is slimy or smells bad.
Other Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes
Turkey isn’t the only leftover you might have from Thanksgiving! Mashed potatoes, stuffing, and side dishes too!
For mashed potatoes, I love using them in cheesy shepherd’s pie.
You could also substitute turkey for the chicken in these mini chicken pot pies or this chicken pot pie soup.
What’s your favorite way to use your turkey leftovers? Let me know in the comments below!
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Ingredients
- 1 cup of leftover turkey
- 1 12 count package of Hawaiian slider rolls
- 1/4 cup of mayo
- 1/4 cup of cranberry sauce
- 6 slices of sliced white cheddar cheese
- thinly sliced Granny smith apple optional
- 4 tbs of butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350.
- Cut the Hawaiian slider rolls in half. Brush the rolls with melted butter. Bake for 2 minutes to lightly toast the rolls.
- Build the sandwiches by placing turkey and cheese on the bottom half of the rolls. Remove the top half of the rolls from the baking sheet and set aside. Bake the turkey and cheese portion for 5 minutes or until the cheese melts.
- While the cheese melts, stir together the cranberry sauce and mayo. Spread out over the top portion of the rolls.
- Remove the turkey and cheese from the oven.
- Finish the sandwiches by topping with thinly sliced green apples if desired and the cranberry mayonaisse rolls.
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