So you had a Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving feast and now you have leftover turkey. Transform those leftovers into a crispy, cheesy, fall-inspired grilled cheese that doesn’t taste like a reheated holiday meal: spinach, apple butter, shredded gruyère, and tender turkey make a savory-sweet sandwich everyone will want seconds of.
This isn’t your ordinary leftover turkey sandwich. It has familiar comfort and a surprising twist: the apple butter. That glossy, slightly sweet spread adds depth and warmth that lifts the whole sandwich.
My mother declared this the best sandwich she’d ever tasted when I made it, so maybe it is your new family favorite.
Every element plays a role: melted gruyère for creaminess and nuttiness, bright wilted spinach for freshness, tender torn turkey for substance, and apple butter for a sweet, autumnal counterpoint.
I’ll be sharing more turkey-forward ideas this week. If you want a roundup of recipes delivered to your inbox, sign up for my emails to get a collection on Saturday morning.
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More leftover turkey recipe ideas:
- Turkey Tetrazzini Spaghetti Squash
- Cranberry Brie Turkey Quesadillas (coming this week)
- Turkey Avocado Toast
📖 Recipe
Leftover Turkey Grilled Cheese
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Ingredients
- 4 ounces spinach
- ½ teaspoon olive oil
- 6 slices good quality bread
- 8 ounces gruyere cheese shredded
- 1 cup leftover turkey cooked, torn into large pieces
- ½ cup apple butter
- 3 Tablespoons mayonnaise
Instructions
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Heat a skillet over medium. Wilt the spinach in ½ teaspoon olive oil, then set aside. Spread ½ tablespoon mayonnaise on one side of each bread slice.
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Place three bread slices mayo-side down in the hot skillet. On each, add ⅙ of the shredded gruyère, ⅓ of the turkey, ⅓ of the wilted spinach, and about 2 tablespoons apple butter.
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Cook until the bread edges are crisp and the cheese begins to melt, about 3 minutes. Top each with the remaining cheese and a second bread slice, mayo-side up.
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Carefully flip each sandwich so the untoasted mayo side is down. Cook another 3–4 minutes, until the cheese is fully melted and the bread is golden.
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Serve hot with extra apple butter for dipping, if desired.