Thanksgiving Leftover Panini (with a "Moist Maker")

A panini sandwich filled with Thanksgiving leftovers on a wooden cutting board.

Thanksgiving Leftover Panini (with a "Moist Maker")

With crispy, gold-brown bread, gooey cheese, savory turkey, creamy mashed potatoes, rich stuffing, and tangy cranberry sauce, this Thanksgiving leftover panini is the best way to use up an abundance of Thanksgiving leftovers. Complete with a FRIENDS-inspired "moist-maker" (or gravy-soaked bread) in the middle of the sandwich, it's jam-packed with all the best Thanksgiving flavors.

Course Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine American

Diet Low Fat, Low Salt

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 8

Total Time 18

Servings sandwich

Calories 1672kcal

Author Alana Lieberman

Cost $15

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Sauce

2 ½ tablespoons leftover cranberry sauce
2 tablespoons leftover mashed potatoes
2 tablespoons plain greek yogurt

For the Sandwich

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3 slices sourdough bread
4 slices white cheddar cheese
½ cup leftover stuffing
½ cup leftover turkey gravy
6 to 8 thin slices of leftover turkey
A handful of mixed greens or leaf lettuce

Instructions

In a small bowl, add all ingredients for the sauce and mix to combine.
Preheat a panini press (or skillet) to medium heat.
Spread butter on one side of one slice of bread.
Assemble the sandwich by placing the slice of bread, butter side down, on a cutting board. Spread ½ the sauce on top.
Add 2 slices of white cheddar cheese on top of the sauce, then a layer of leftover stuffing.
Pour turkey gravy into a shallow dish. Place an unbuttered slice of bread in the gravy and flip to coat both sides. Don’t let the bread sit in the gravy longer than a few seconds. Transfer gravy-coated bread to the sandwich.
Layer leftover turkey on top with some mixed greens and another 2 slices of cheese.
Spread butter on one side of the last slice of bread. Then, spread additional mashed potato/cranberry sauce on the other side. Place bread on top of the sandwich, butter-side up.
Place sandwich on the preheated panini grill (or skillet) and press it for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until grill marks appear on the outside and cheese has melted on the inside. (If using a skillet, you’ll want to flip the sandwich halfway to toast on both sides.)
Remove sandwich from the panini press. Slice in half and serve warm.

Notes

I recommend using a thick-cut bread so it can support the heavy leftovers.
If you don’t have all of the traditional Thanksgiving leftovers listed here, just leave them out and/or supplement with other sandwich toppings! For example, leftover salad can be used as a “slaw” and mashed sweet potatoes can be used instead of the cranberry sauce.

Nutrition