These quick and easy open-faced turkey melts, made with cranberries and celery, are a delicious way to use up Thanksgiving turkey leftovers. They’re perfect for a simple lunch or a light dinner when you want something warm and comforting without a lot of fuss.
Open-Faced Turkey Melts
If you have leftover turkey from a roasted or dry-brined bird, you’ll appreciate this simple recipe. The turkey is combined with crunchy celery, sweet dried cranberries and a touch of mayonnaise to make a flavorful turkey salad, then toasted with melted cheese on top for an irresistible open-faced sandwich. It’s a family-friendly lunch that comes together quickly and cleans up easily when prepared on a foil-lined baking sheet.
Why this works: turning leftover turkey into a salad lets you refresh the flavor with bright, crunchy ingredients. Layering the turkey salad on toasted bread and topping with sliced Havarti or another mild melting cheese gives you that golden, bubbly finish everyone loves. If you’d like, serve these melts alongside a simple soup or salad for a satisfying meal.
Cleanup tip: assemble the sandwiches on a foil- or parchment-lined baking sheet and broil briefly—this keeps the oven mess to a minimum and makes cleanup fast.
How long can you keep cooked turkey in the refrigerator?
Cooked turkey will stay safe in the refrigerator for three to four days when stored in an airtight container. For longer storage, freeze leftover turkey for up to three months; thaw in the refrigerator before reheating or using in recipes.
Tips and Variations
- Cheese options: Havarti melts beautifully, but Swiss, provolone or fontina all work well.
- Make it lighter: swap Greek yogurt for some of the mayo to reduce calories and add tang.
- Add crunch: toasted pecans or slivered almonds make a nice textural contrast to the creamy salad.
- Gluten-free: use your favorite gluten-free bread and toast before assembling.
- Make-ahead: prepare the turkey salad up to two days in advance and refrigerate; assemble and broil just before serving.
More Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes You Will Love
- Baked Leftover Turkey Croquettes
- Parmesan Mashed Potato Patties
- Leftover Turkey Pot Pie Empanadas
- Leftover Turkey Tacos with Brussels Sprout Slaw
- Leftover Turkey Harvest Cobb Salad
Open-Faced Turkey Melts
A quick, comforting meal using leftover turkey combined with cranberries and celery, finished under the broiler with melted Havarti.
Prep: 5 mins Cook: 5 mins Total: 10 mins
Yield: 4 servings (1 open-faced sandwich per serving)
Ingredients
- 8 ounces chopped cooked turkey breast
- 1/4 cup celery, sliced
- 3 tablespoons light mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons dried cranberries
- 1 tablespoon red onion, chopped
- 4 slices thin-sliced multi-grain bread, lightly toasted (or gluten-free bread)
- 4 ounces light Havarti cheese, sliced (about 1 ounce per sandwich)
Instructions
- Set the oven broiler to high and position the rack about 6 inches from the heat. Line a half-sheet pan with nonstick foil or parchment.
- In a medium bowl, combine the chopped turkey with the sliced celery, mayonnaise, dried cranberries and chopped red onion. Stir until evenly mixed to make a turkey salad.
- Arrange the toasted bread slices on the prepared baking sheet. Divide the turkey salad evenly among the slices, spreading it to the edges if desired.
- Top each portion of turkey salad with about 1 ounce of sliced Havarti cheese.
- Broil until the cheese is golden and bubbling, about 2 to 3 minutes. Watch closely to prevent burning.
- Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before serving. Serve the open-faced melts warm.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 263 kcal · Protein: 28 g · Carbohydrates: 16.5 g · Fat: 10 g · Fiber: 3.5 g · Sugar: 6 g · Sodium: 477.5 mg · Cholesterol: 65 mg · Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
Last Step:
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Disclosure: this post was sponsored. Thank you for supporting the brands that help make recipes possible. All opinions are the author’s own.