Turkey Grilled Cheese Sandwich With Pickled Onions

Two slices of light rye bread, sauteed in butter, with slices of jack cheese, leftover turkey, arugula and pickled onions.

By
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.
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Updated December 20, 2024
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer

Do you still have some leftover turkey?

Here's an idea for a quick turkey grilled cheese sandwich. We just happened to have some sweet pickled onions in the fridge, and some arugula growing in the garden, hence the throw-together sandwich.

I think the onions are essential; I would have piled on more if we weren't already running out.

What's your favorite leftover turkey sandwich combination? Please let us know about it in the comments.

Turkey Grilled Cheese Sandwich With Pickled Onions

Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 10 mins
Total Time 15 mins
Serving 1 serving
Yield 1 sandwich

We use rye bread here, but really any bread will do. Just make sure it is sturdy enough to hold up to the ingredients,.

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Ingredients

  • 2 slices rye bread

  • 2-3 tablespoons butter

  • 4 slices leftover turkey

  • 3 slices Monterey Jack cheese

  • 2-3 pieces arugula (optional)

  • A handful of sweet pickled onions or another sweet pickle

Method

  1. Heat a frying pan:

    preferably a cast iron one, over medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes.

  2. Assemble the sandwich:

    While the pan is heating, assemble the sandwich, starting with a layer of bread, then cheese, then turkey, arugula, pickles, and another slice of bread.

  3. Butter and cook one side:

    Butter the side closest to the cheese and place the sandwich butter-side down on to the hot pan to cook.

  4. Butter top side, flip sandwich, and cook other side:

    Once the bottom of the sandwich is browned, about 2-3 minutes, butter the top of the sandwich and carefully flip the sandwich over in the pan. Toast for another minute, then turn the heat to its lowest setting and cover the pan. Watch the cheese, and when it melts you're done. Eat immediately.

Links:

Jalapeño bread and butter pickles - these also make a great pickle to use in this turkey sandwich

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
916 Calories
68g Fat
27g Carbs
49g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 916
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 68g 87%
Saturated Fat 40g 200%
Cholesterol 259mg 86%
Sodium 1252mg 54%
Total Carbohydrate 27g 10%
Dietary Fiber 3g 10%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 49g
Vitamin C 0mg 2%
Calcium 697mg 54%
Iron 3mg 16%
Potassium 381mg 8%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.