Turkey and Cheese Sliders with Delicious Cranberry Aioli

Delicious Turkey Sliders on soft buttery rolls filled with sharp cheddar cheese, tart apple, and the best cranberry aioli! Whether your making these to use up leftover holiday turkey or as a crowd-pleasing appetizer, everyone is sure to love them!

Why You’ll Love This Turkey Sliders Recipe

• Great way to repurpose leftover turkey – if you have leftover roasted turkey (or chicken!) from a holiday meal then this recipe is the perfect way to repurpose those proteins. Plus, you can use any leftover homemade cranberry sauce to make the aioli!
• Easy to customize – sliders are incredibly easy to customize and make your own! Swap the cheese, add your favorite sauce, add more protein…the possibilities are really endless.
• Perfect for a crowd – because this standard recipe makes 12 sandwiches, it’s perfect for feeding a larger group of people. Especially around the holidays when you might be hosting more than usual.

Ingredients

Rolls: my personal preference for these sliders is always to use Hawaiian Sweet Rolls. They’re buttery, perfectly soft, sweet, and just give the sandwiches the best flavor. Of course, you’re welcome to use whatever rolls your prefer.

Turkey: you’ll need three-fourths a pound of sliced turkey for this recipe. You can use your favorite brand of sliced deli turkey or if you’re making the sandwiches after the holidays, use sliced leftover roasted turkey breast.

Cheese: sharp white cheddar cheese gives these sliders the best flavor and it melts perfectly. If you don’t love cheddar I’ve included some substitutions, below.

Apple: a bit of fresh apple pairs so well with the turkey and cheddar. Go with tarter varieties of apple like honey crisp or granny smith for this recipe.

Arugula: it may be a little unconventional but a bit of arugula gives these sandwiches even more flavor and a bit more freshness. The peppery flavor of the greens works so well with all of the other elements of the sandwich.

Butter: you’ll need a bit of butter to brush the tops of the rolls after toasting.

Easy Cranberry Aioli

What really takes these sandwiches to the next level is the delicious cranberry aioli. It’s so easy to make, packed with flavor, and the perfect way to use up some of those Thanksgiving leftovers! Here’s what you need:

• cranberry sauce (I love to use this homemade cranberry sauce)
• mayonnaise
• dijon mustard

Ways to Customize

• Use gluten free rolls – need to keep this recipe gluten free? Feel free to use your favorite gluten free sandwich rolls. These rolls would be a great option!
• Switch up the cheese – you can easily customize these sandwiches by using whatever sliced cheese you prefer. Swiss, havarti, gouda, or a spicy pepper jack could all work well. You could also use your favorite vegan cheese alternative if needed.
• Leave off the greens – don’t love arugula? you can easily leave it off.
• Double the recipe – instead of 12 standard sized rolls you could use 24 smaller rolls instead for more bite-sized sandwiches. If you’re really trying to feed a crowd, make a double batch of this recipe for 24 regular sized sandwiches.
• Use your favorite sauce – don’t love cranberry? swap the cranberry aioli for your favorite sandwich sauce. My homemade honey mustard sauce would be delicious on these sliders.
• Switch up the protein – swap the turkey for chicken if you prefer! You could also use your favorite flavor-enhanced sliced deli meat for these sandwiches. Black pepper or smoked turkey breast would be delicious!

How to Make

Step One: Set the oven on low broil.

Step Two: Use a serrated knife to slice the rolls in half lengthwise (leaving the individual rolls intact). Place the rolls on a sheet pan and then place them under the broiler, watching carefully, until lightly toasted and golden. Remove the rolls from the oven. Set the bottom side of the rolls aside. Flip the top side of the rolls over and brush with butter. Return to the oven and broil the tops for another thirty seconds to one minute until lightly toasted. Remove from the oven and then turn the oven temperature down to 350 degrees.

Step Three: Add the mayonnaise, dijon Mustard, and cranberry sauce to a small bowl. Whisk together until well combined and smooth.

Step Four: Spread the aioli on the cut side of both rolls. Set aside the top half of the rolls.

Step Five: Then on the bottom half of the rolls, place 6 slices of cheddar cheese, then add the sliced turkey, then the sliced apples, and then top with the remaining 6 slices of cheddar cheese. Place in the oven and bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is fully melted.

Step Six: Remove from the oven and top with baby arugula and then place the top half of the rolls on top. Serve and enjoy!

Tips and Tricks

• Watch the rolls carefully while toasting – rolls can burn quickly in the oven so keep a very watchful eye on them and only use low broil instead of high.
• Up the protein and cheese – the amount of protein called for in this recipe is really just a suggestion. If you prefer a bit meatier sandwich then feel free to increase the amount turkey you’re using. The same goes for the cheese if you want an extra cheesy slider.
• Line your sheet pan with parchment paper – this helps to make cleanup easy and catch any melty cheese that happens to fall.

What to Serve with Turkey and Cheese Sliders

These sliders pair perfectly with so many different sides so you really can’t go wrong. If you’re looking for a few sides to serve with your sandwiches here are a few of my favorite options:

• Healthy Broccoli Salad
• Loaded Baked Potato Salad
• Greek Broccoli Pasta Salad
• Creamy Cucumber Salad
• Italian Chopped Salad

How to Store and Reheat

I find that these sandwiches really are the best when eaten the same day they’re made, but if you have leftovers they’ll still be delicious.

Store: you can store any leftover sandwiches in an air-tight storage container in the fridge for 1-2 days.

Reheat: if you want to warm the sandwiches up a bit, I recommend doing so in a 350 degree oven for 5-7 minutes, wrapped in aluminum foil. If you’re in a pinch, you can reheat in the microwave at low power for 15 seconds at a time.

More Reader Favorite Sandwich and Slider Recipes

• Ham and Cheese Sliders with Hot Honey Mustard
• Chipotle Chicken Sandwiches
• Buffalo Chicken Sliders
• Easy BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

I hope you give these Turkey and Cheese Sliders a try! They are so easy to make, delicious, and a great way to use leftover turkey! If you do give this recipe a try, let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag @allthehealthythings on INSTAGRAM. Your reviews and ratings help support All the Healthy Things and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you trust and love.

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Recipe by: Ashlea Carver / All the Healthy Things | Photography by: Eat Love Eat