Leftover Thanksgiving Sliders with Turkey
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Keep the holiday vibe going with Thanksgiving Sliders made with holiday dinner leftovers. You can make these little sandwiches with whatever leftovers you have on hand – like turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy and cranberry sauce.
Thanksgiving dinner is one of my favorite meals of the year. Family and friends gather around the table and you chow down on all the traditional holiday dishes. Then, the next day you’re up to your eyeballs in leftovers.
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But maybe you don’t want to eat another traditional dinner. That’s where leftover turkey sliders come to the rescue. These little sandwiches are hearty, filling and easy to make. It’s like reliving the Thanksgiving feast all over again but in a fun-sized sandwich form.
My turkey sliders recipe is the perfect way to use up all the leftovers and feed that hungry crowd again. And you can do that without serving the same Thanksgiving meal twice or making a boring traditional turkey sandwich.
If you find yourself with even more food than what you can pack on slider buns, use these 42 mouth-watering leftover Thanksgiving recipes to clear the fridge. I’ve also made leftover turkey egg rolls and baked turkey crescent rolls that turned out amazing.
We’re sharing tips to help you get the best results with this recipe. If you don’t need the tips, scroll to the bottom for the full recipe and a printable recipe card.
Ingredients to Make Thanksgiving Sliders
- sweet Hawaiian rolls – you can also use your favorite dinner rolls in place of the Hawaiian rolls.
- unsalted butter – I like to use unsalted in this recipe to control the sodium and make sure the sandwiches don’t get too salty with the other ingredients.
- seasonings: minced garlic, parsley flakes, kosher salt, ground black pepper.
- Swiss cheese – or use your favorite cheese slices.
- diced turkey or ham cubes – can use leftovers or purchase from the deli.
- leftover stuffing – if you don’t have leftovers you can replace it with a box of Stovetop stuffing since it cooks quickly.
- mashed potatoes – don’t have leftovers? Whip up a batch of instant potatoes or look for ready-to-heat in the refrigerated section of the grocery store.
- chicken or turkey gravy – use homemade or store bought.
- jellied cranberry sauce – you can also use homemade cranberry sauce if that’s what you have on hand.
Get the complete ingredients & directions in the recipe card below.
How To Make Thanksgiving Leftover Sliders
Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Slice the rolls in half lengthwise using a serrated knife, so that you can separate the top and bottom halves into two slabs.
Place the bottom buns on the baking pan and set the top halves off to the side.
In a small bowl, combine the salt, pepper, garlic, and parsley with the melted butter.
Brush the butter sauce on the bottom half of the rolls, set the rest aside for later.
Add a layer of cheese over the bottom buns.
Layer turkey or leftover ham, dressing, mashed potatoes, and gravy on top of the cheese layer.
Smear an even layer of leftover cranberry sauce on the cut side of the top half of the rolls, then place them on top of the sandwiches.
Brush the remaining butter sauce on top of the rolls.
Bake for 10-15 minutes until the cheese melts and the tops are golden brown.
Remove pan from the oven, slice into individual sliders and serve warm.
Tips For Making Holiday Leftover Sliders
- It’s a good idea to keep track of how old your leftovers are before turning them into sliders – you don’t want to go past the recommended storing times.
- Cold or firm leftovers are harder to spread. You can make them easier to spread by warming them slightly in the microwave before adding to the buns.
- Cover the sliders with aluminum foil if you notice that the tops are browning faster than the middle is heating.
- This is a very forgiving recipe, so use whatever leftovers you have and feel free to adjust the amounts.
Substitutions And Variations
Rolls – any soft roll or small bun can be used in place of the Hawaiian rolls.
Other leftovers – feel free to load the sandwiches up with other leftover favorites from your Thanksgiving menu like mac and cheese, mashed sweet potatoes, and green bean casserole.
Type of Cheese – Havarti cheese, provolone, mozzarella, cheddar, or brie can be swapped for the Swiss slices.
No Leftovers? – No problem! You can make these sliders even it you don’t have leftovers from Thanksgiving day. Use deli turkey slices or ham, and make the store bought stuffing, potatoes, and cranberry sauce the day of. These are also fantastic on game days!
Can Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey Sliders Be Made Ahead Of Time?
Yes! The sandwiches can be assembled 3-4 hours before you are ready to serve. Just add the butter to the top bun slab right before baking so the bread doesn’t get soggy.
How To Store Thanksgiving Sliders
Leftover Hawaiian roll turkey sliders are best when eaten the day they are made. Plus, keep in mind the how old the leftover ingredients are and that the quality goes down every time you reheat them.
Store sliders in an airtight container for up to 2-3 days in the refrigerator, if you make them the day after your meal.
What To Serve With Leftover Thanksgiving Sliders
These are a great way to make a full meal on a sandwich bun, but we love adding a side of fresh vegetables, like romaine salad with lemon poppyseed dressing, brussels sprouts or green beans.
So there you have it – an easy way to transform your Thanksgiving leftovers into scrumptious sliders packed with the classic holiday dinner flavors of turkey, cranberry sauce, and stuffing. So don’t let those leftovers go to waste – make a batch today!
More Easy and Delicious Slider Recipes:
- Copycat Big Mac Sliders
- Hawaiian Roll Breakfast Sliders
- Ground Beef Philly Cheesesteak Sliders
- Loose Meat Sliders with Cheese
**Save Thanksgiving Leftovers Sliders Recipe For Later**
Thanksgiving Sliders with Holiday Leftovers
Equipment
Ingredients
- 12 Hawaiian or dinner rolls, (1 package)
- 1 stick unsalted butter, (8 tablespoons), melted
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons parsley flakes
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 9 slices Swiss cheese
- 2 cups diced turkey or ham cubes or slices
- 1.5 cups cooked stuffing
- 2 cups mashed potatoes
- ½ cup gravy, chicken or turkey
- ½ cup jellied cranberry sauce
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350° F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
- Use a serrated knife to slice the dinner rolls in half lengthwise, so that you separate the tops and bottoms of the rolls into two slabs.
- Place the bottom half of the rolls on your prepared baking sheet and set the top half aside.
- Combine the melted butter, garlic, salt, pepper, and parsley in a small bowl.
- Brush half of the butter mixture on the cut side of the bottom half of the rolls, reserving the remaining butter mixture for later use.
- Arrange the Swiss cheese slices over the buttered side of the rolls.
- Layer the turkey or ham, dressing, mashed potatoes, and gravy over the cheese.
- Spread the jellied cranberry sauce over the cut side of the top half of the rolls, then place them over the layered bottom half.
- Brush the remaining butter mixture over the tops of the rolls.
- Place the pan into the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes until the tops are golden brown and the cheese is melted.
- Slice into 12 slider sandwiches and serve warm.
Notes
- Pay attention to how old your leftovers are to avoid going past recommended storage times.
- Warming the leftovers in the microwave a bit before layering them onto the dinner rolls makes them easier to spread and ensures the sandwiches are heated through after baking.
- If the tops are cooking faster than the middle of the sliders, cover the sliders with aluminum foil and place them back into the oven to finish heating.
- This is a very forgiving recipe – you can adjust quantities and use whatever leftovers you have on hand.
- You can sub in sliced or shredded mozzarella, provolone, Havarti, brie or cheddar for the Swiss cheese.
- Make ahead: can be assembled 3-4 hours ahead of time, but wait to butter the top buns until you are ready to bake them.
- Leftover storage: these are best eaten the day they’re made. Store leftovers for up to 3 days, depending on how old your leftover ingredients are. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator and reheat in the oven or air fryer until heated through.
- Nutritional information will vary based on the ingredients you are using.
Nutritional Estimate
Nutritional information is provided as a reference, using an online calculator. We recommend verifying the information independently for accuracy.
