Turkey Cranberry Sliders

Name: Turkey Cranberry Sliders
Total time: 15 minutes
Yield: 4 Servings
Ingredients: ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter; 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 1 small onion, chopped; 1 lb. leftover roast turkey meat, torn or cut into bite-size pieces or 1 lb. sliced deli turkey; 6 oz. white American and/or provolone cheese, chopped; Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper; ⅓ cup leftover cranberry sauce; 3 Tbsp. mayonnaise; 1 (12-oz.) package King’s Hawaiian rolls or 12 small soft dinner rolls, split in half and lightly toasted; Leftover mashed potatoes, reheated (optional); 2 pickled hot cherry peppers, seeded, chopped (optional)

By Adam Mesnick

October 16, 2024

Sandwiches with shredded turkey melted provolone cheese cranberry sauce and pickled hot cherry peppers.

Photo by Travis Rainey, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich

We’re not saying the leftover turkey at rest in your post-Thanksgiving fridge is dry or bland. But, supposing it was.… This turkey-cheese slider recipe with cranberry mayo would grant it the unctuous glory it deserves, plus give a new purpose to a few other Thanksgiving leftovers. Bonus: There’s minimal prep time, and don’t you deserve a break after the week of cooking you’ve had?

If you have surplus dinner rolls, they work well as slider buns; but we recommend hiding a pack of Hawaiian sweet rolls in your cupboard for just this purpose. Either way, remember to toast the rolls so they stand up to the chopped turkey, which is held together by a gooey pool of melted butter and cheese (white American cheese or provolone, your choice). You could substitute another cheese (such as Gouda, Swiss, or Havarti) as long it melts evenly and won’t clump. Add the cheese a bit at a time so the mixture gets creamy and doesn’t break.

Any variety of cranberry sauce will work for the condiment, such as chutney, relish, or even canned cranberry jelly. And while adding mashed potatoes is optional, don’t skip the pickled hot peppers, which balance the richness of the cheese and the garlicky butter mixture slicked on top of the buns so they glisten golden brown.

If you’re craving crunch, a kale salad will go well with these leftover-turkey sliders, but apple slices also make an excellent accompaniment. If you’re carting them to your neighbor/brother/mom/friend’s house, keep the peppers and cranberry mayo on the side. Tuck the rolls into a baking dish and cover them with aluminum foil. Reheat them, covered, in a 300° oven for about 15 minutes or until warmed through; slap on the mayo and peppers and serve.

Want to make these sliders outside of the holiday season? Try sliced turkey deli meat, or swap in grilled pork tenderloin, roast chicken, and any jam that sounds good. Looking for more ways to use up your leftover Thanksgiving turkey? We’ve got ’em. Like a turkey sandwich with bacon and a cranberry–Dijon mustard spread and main courses like turkey pozole and turkey shepherd’s pie.

Recipe notes