This turkey pesto sandwich is light, healthy, and delicious! Made with sourdough bread and mozzarella cheese, lunch never tasted so good!
If you’re a huge fan of pesto and hot sandwiches, then I have the perfect hot turkey sandwich recipe for you!
This turkey pesto sandwich is basically a fancy grilled cheese sandwich. Turkey, mozzarella cheese, pesto, and arugula all heated up and toasted between two slices of sourdough bread is what lunch dreams are made of!
I’m seriously getting so hungry as I’m writing this. This sandwich is just so flavorful and good! Plus, it’s incredibly easy to make and will only take you about 10 minutes!
So, if you’re craving a basil pesto sandwich as much as I am, then let’s get right to it!
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What does it taste like?
This turkey pesto grilled cheese sandwich tastes like a hot turkey panini with basil pesto and melted mozzarella cheese.
It’s cheesy and savory, and with only a few ingredients, you can taste every flavor as they’re melted and toasted into one delicious turkey pesto grilled cheese sandwich!
Ingredients
Sourdough bread – I love using sourdough bread for this turkey pesto sandwich because it adds flavor but doesn’t completely overpower the other flavors as a multi-grain bread would. Make sure to buy high-quality sourdough bread.
Unsalted butter – I use natural, grass-fed, unsalted butter whenever I choose to use butter. It’s much healthier than overly processed butter.
Pesto – Basil pesto adds a lot of flavor to this basil pesto sandwich, but storebought pesto can be really salty and overly processed. If you feel the same way, you can make your own homemade pesto instead!
Shredded mozzarella – The cheese adds so much to this sandwich without overpowering the pesto flavor or making it too salty of a sandwich. Don’t skip the cheese!
Sliced turkey – 3 ounces of turkey is plenty and goes a long way in this recipe! Make sure to buy a high-quality, minimally processed sliced turkey to make your turkey pesto sandwich with.
Baby arugula – Arugula gives this turkey pesto sandwich a nutritional boost of vitamin K and vitamin A, as well as cancer-fighting nutrients like phytochemicals. Arugula makes this turkey sandwich a little more filling and makes it more nutritious, too!
Substitutions
Sourdough bread – You can pretty much use any type of bread you want for this recipe, just make sure it’s a minimally processed bread that you choose!
Unsalted butter – I wouldn’t recommend using salted butter, but ghee would also work just fine in the place of unsalted butter.
Shredded mozzarella – Provolone, gouda, Havarti, or swiss would also work great in place of shredded mozzarella. Just use about 2 oz of sliced cheese or 1/3 cup of shredded cheese.
Sliced turkey – You can make this recipe with pretty much any sliced turkey. You can also use your leftover carved turkey after Thanksgiving!
Baby arugula – Spinach would be a great substitute in place of arugula.
Instructions
- Spread 1 tbsp of butter to the edges of a slice of sourdough bread. Set it face down in a medium skillet.
- Spread 1 tbsp of pesto on the side of the bread without butter, spreading it as evenly as possible.
- Top the pesto side with mozzarella cheese.
- Add sliced turkey.
- Top the turkey with arugula.
- Spread the remaining pesto on one side of the second slice of bread and place it face down onto the sandwich in the skillet, so the arugula and the pesto are touching.
- Spread the remaining tbsp of butter on the dry side of the second slice of bread. Heat your turkey sandwich on medium-low until brown and golden, about 2-3 minutes.
- Flip the sandwich, and brown the other side for about 2-3 minutes. Cut in half, and enjoy!
Tips & FAQ
Absolutely it does! Pesto actually contains parmesan cheese, so pairing it with other cheeses such as mozzarella is delicious!
Pesto can be added to pasta, salads, sandwiches, chicken, fish, rice, mashed potatoes, and beef, too!
No, you don’t need to heat pesto up to eat it. It can be eaten on cold sandwiches as well, or even straight from the jar!
Yes! To make this into a cold sandwich, skip the butter altogether, don’t toast it, and use sliced cheese instead of shredded so it doesn’t all fall out when you take a bite!
Nutritional Info
This hot turkey and basil pesto sandwich is high in protein, low in sodium, and incredibly filling and nutritious, too!
Although this sandwich is higher in calories, it’s incredibly filling. The first couple of times I made this I couldn’t eat it all by myself!
So if you want to cut the calories or carbs, try making a half sandwich or share the other half with a friend!
Total nutritional content per serving is:
- Calories: 599 calories
- Protein: 25 grams
- Sodium: 164 mg
- Carbohydrates: 40 grams
- Fiber: 4 grams
*This nutritional information is an estimate and calculated based on the ingredients used to create the recipe. The nutritional value of your ingredients may differ slightly. Furthermore, this food is not intended to prevent, diagnose, cure, or treat any disease.
Pricing Info
This is what I personally paid to make this recipe:
- 2 slices sourdough bread: $0.57
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter: $0.18
- 2 tbsp pesto (homemade): $0.33
- ⅓ cup shredded mozzarella: $0.33
- 3 oz sliced turkey: $0.82
- ⅓ cup baby arugula: $0.36
The total for one sandwich comes out to be around $2.59!
Sides
Some side dish ideas for this turkey pesto grilled cheese sandwich:
- Sweet Potato Wedges
- Air Fryer Delicata Squash
- Roasted Frozen Vegetables
- Acorn Squash Salad w/Maple Dressing
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Recipe
Turkey Pesto Sandwich
Ingredients
- 2 slices sourdough bread
- 2 tbsp grass-fed butter
- 2 tbsp pesto
- ⅓ cup shredded mozzarella
- 3 oz sliced turkey
- ⅓ cup baby arugula
Instructions
- Spread 1 tbsp of butter to the edges of a slice of sourdough bread. Set it face down in a medium skillet.
- Spread 1 tbsp of pesto on the side of the bread without butter, spreading it as evenly as possible.
- Top the pesto side with mozzarella cheese, then sliced turkey, then arugula.
- Spread the remaining pesto on one side of the second slice of bread and place it face down onto the sandwich in the skillet, so the arugula and the pesto are touching.
- Spread the remaining tbsp of butter on the dry side of the second slice of bread. Heat your turkey sandwich on medium-low until brown and golden, about 2-3 minutes.
- Flip the sandwich, and brown the other side for about 2-3 minutes. Cut in half, and enjoy!
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This easy turkey pesto sandwich is what lunch dreams are made of! You’re definitely going to love upping your grilled cheese game and making this turkey pesto sandwich soon!
xoxo Megan
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