Open-Faced Thanksgiving Turkey Sandwich over Cornbread

Don’t wait for November to enjoy the delicious taste of Thanksgiving dinner. Whip up a quick and easy Thanksgiving Turkey Sandwich any time of year!

I’m practically giddy that the holidays are coming. Stuffing myself with turkey and gravy on Thanksgiving is definitely the highlight of fall, and I feel like I deserve to eat myself into a food coma after spending a few hours working hard in the kitchen. I love a good turkey dinner so much that I don’t want to only enjoy those comforting flavors once a year, but I’m sure as heck not going to cook such an elaborate meal on a regular basis. Thankfully, there’s an easier way!

Grab yourself some sliced turkey from the deli counter and a few other simple ingredients, and you are on your way to enjoying a comforting Thanksgiving turkey sandwich even on a busy weeknight! Seasoned cornbread is topped with cranberry sauce and lean turkey slices smothered in a simple gravy. Add some green beans on the side, and you’ll think you’re having a holiday meal even though it only took about a half hour to prepare!

How to Make Cornbread for a Sandwich

Cornbread can be tricky to use when making sandwiches, but the flavor is so good that I find myself craving it. Because cornbread can be crumbly I find it works best with open faced sandwiches or sandwiches that you would eat with a knife and fork. Cornbread is also great when making sandwiches that are going to be covered in sauce or gravy, since spreading condiments onto cornbread can be tricky.

This cornbread recipe has some extra seasonings and aromatics to give it that cornbread stuffing flavor that pairs perfectly with turkey, gravy and cranberry. Even with the extra ingredients this recipe can be made in 4 easy steps and in under 25 minutes.

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a 8″ square baking dish with cooking spray or grease with butter or shortening and set aside.
2. Heat 1 Tbs of butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1/4 cup each of diced onion, bell pepper, and celery, 1/2 tsp eahc of poultry seasoning, and salt. Saute the vegetables until they are tender, about 8 minutes.
3. While the vegetables cook, whisk together 1 egg and 1 cup of buttermilk in a medium bowl, then stir in 1 cup cornmeal, 1/2 cup flour, and 1/2 tsp of baking soda.
4. Stir cooked vegetables into the cornmeal mixture, and then spread into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

How to Make Turkey and Gravy for an Open Faced Sandwich

This recipe is designed to be enjoyed all year round, not just at Thanksgiving when you have all those delicious leftovers. Using deli turkey meat and a quick gravy your can easily replacte those wonderful Thanksgiving flavors.

1. Make the Gravy. Add 2 Tbsp. of butter to the same skillet you used to saute the vegetables for the cornbread and melt over medium heat. Whisk in 2 Tbsp. of flour. Cook and stir a few minutes until flour is golden brown. Whisk in chicken stock, about 1/4 c. at a time, whisking constantly to keep the mixture smooth.
2. Heat the Turkey in the Gravy. After all chicken stock is incorporated, add sliced turkey to the gravy in an even layer, and gently stir to coat. Allow to simmer a few minutes until turkey is heated through.
3. Serve the turkey and gravy on top of the fresh cornbread and top with a spoonful of cranberry sauce or cranberry relish.

Thanksgiving Sandwich Making Tips

When it comes to making a great sandwich with Thanksgiving leftovers here are my top tips and recommendations for building the best sandwich.

1. Choose your bread. Your bread choice can be a highlight of the sandwich or something your want to blend into the background so the other ingredients can standout. This typically depends on what bread options you have. If you have biscuits or cornbread I always encourage using them as open faced sandwiches. If you do not I like using a basic white or wheat bread that is not too dense or thick.
2. Choose your protein. Although turkey is the most common leftover meat to use in day after Thanksgiving sandwiches ham, duck, goose, lamb or roast beef are also great options if that is what you have leftover.
3. Choose your secret ingredient. With Thanksgiving leftovers there are so many great options to choose from. My favorite is a slice of stuffing or dressing, but you can also add some fried onions from green bean casserole or a slice of biscuit or cornbread soaked in gravy.
4. Choose your sauces and condiments. I like to use gravy for open faced sandwiches and a mixture of mayonnaise and cranberry sauce or cranberry relish for traditional sandwiches. As with Thanksgiving dinner the more sauces and condiments the better.

The best part of leftover Thanksgiving sandwiches is that the combinations are endless. One of my favorites was a stuffing and macaroni grilled cheese.

• I took some leftover stuffing and sliced it like bread.
• I took some leftover macaroni and cheese that had been baked in a bread loaf pan and sliced it into a bread sliced piece.
• To make the sandwich I used a piece of stuffing a slice of cheddar and slice of macaroni and cheese and slice of cheddar and another slice of stuffing.
• I then spread a little mayonnaise on the outside of the sandwich and griddled it like a grilled cheese. I had to be very careful flipping it but the extra cheddar slices helped keep everything together.

Open-Faced Thanksgiving Turkey Sandwich over Cornbread

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Get the taste of Thanksgiving dinner in an easy weeknight dinner!

• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 6 1x

Ingredients

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For the cornbread

• 1 tbsp. butter
• 1/4 c. diced onion
• 1/4 c. diced green bell pepper
• 1/4 c. diced celery
• 1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 egg
• 1 c. buttermilk
• 1 c. cornmeal
• 1/2 c. all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda

For the turkey and gravy

• 2 tbsp. butter
• 2 tbsp. all purpose flour
• 2 c. chicken stock
• 1/4 tsp. poultry seasoning
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 lb. Butterball deli turkey sliced thin
• 15 oz. can cranberry sauce (whole berry or jellied whichever you prefer)

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Instructions

For the cornbread

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a 8″ square baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
2. Heat butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper, celery, poultry seasoning, and salt, and saute until vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes.
3. While vegetables cook, whisk together egg and buttermilk in a medium bowl, then stir in cornmeal, flour, and baking soda. Stir cooked vegetables into the cornmeal mixture, and then spread into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

For the turkey and gravy

1. While the cornbread bakes, add the remaining 2 tbsp. of butter to the same skillet and melt over medium heat. Whisk in 2 tbsp. of flour. Cook and stir a few minutes until flour is golden brown. Whisk in chicken stock, about 1/4 c. at a time, whisking constantly to keep the mixture smooth.
2. After all chicken stock is incorporated, add sliced turkey to the gravy in an even layer, and gently stir to coat. Allow to simmer a few minutes until turkey is heated through.

To serve

1. Cut cornbread into six pieces, and place a piece on each plate. Arrange turkey and gravy on top, and place a dollop of cranberry sauce on the turkey (or on the side if you prefer).

Notes

Looking for an even quicker version of this meal? Use pre-made turkey gravy and hearty sandwich bread instead of making your own, and you can have dinner on the table in under 10 minutes!

• Author: Andi
• Prep Time: 5
• Cook Time: 30
• Category: Main

Want more Thanksgiving inspired recipes easy enough to make anytime? Try these!