We’ve got a big holiday coming up – Thanksgiving, of course! For many people around the country, us included, this year’s celebration will be much smaller as we do our part to keep our community safe and well. That said, later this week I’m going to share a “small batch” Thanksgiving menu.
Today though? Today I’m giving you permission to enjoy a sneak peek of your Thanksgiving feast by making a Holiday Grilled Cheese sandwich. Check out that drippage!
Holiday Grilled Cheese Sandwich
First of all, this cheese, right?! I did nothing else to this sandwich except slice it open and plop one half on top of the other. Behold – the power of brie cheese. That said, sliced brie cheese anchors this toasty grilled cheese sandwich that’s packed full of holiday flavor in the form of turkey, whole cranberry sauce, and a smear of Dijon mustard.
I cannot tell you how incredible this condensed version of a Thanksgiving dinner plate tastes! I’ll show you how to make it from scratch but of course this sandwich is a great way to repurpose Thanksgiving leftovers.
Best of all, like all grilled cheese sandwiches, the recipe takes 5 minutes to make. I’ll show ya.
Pair with Wild Rice Stuffing
How to Make This Recipe
Start by spreading two slices of bread with mayonnaise – YES, mayonnaise. Go big or go home – this IS a holiday sandwich! That said, if mayo just isn’t for you, use butter or a brush of extra virgin olive oil instead. Flip one slice over then add a thin layer of Dijon mustard. The tangy, spicy flavor is great for balancing out the sweet, tart cranberry sauce.
Gluten Free Bread Recommendation
I like Canyon Bakehouse’s Heritage-Style Whole Grain Bread for gluten free grilled cheese sandwiches because the slices are as large as a “regular” slices of bread.
Next add slices of brie cheese. Brie cheese is extremely melty, mild and buttery. If you don’t like brie, or can’t find it, white cheddar cheese would be a great substitute. Layer thinly sliced deli turkey, or leftover holiday turkey, on top.
Finally, the piece de resistance – whole cranberry sauce. Sweet, tart, and really drives home that holiday feeling. It is SO good in this grilled cheese sandwich! You can find whole cranberry sauce in a can right next to the regular cranberry sauce.
Last step to grill that bad boy up! I have a Calphalon Griddle that’s perfect for making grilled cheese sandwiches, though a large skillet will do just as well. Cook your grilled cheese over medium heat until the bottom side is golden brown, then flip and cook until the second side is golden brown. See how toasty the mayonnaise makes this grilled cheese? YUM.
Last step is to slice then devour! I hope you LOVE this holiday spin on a classic grilled cheese! Enjoy!
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Holiday Grilled Cheese
Description
Give your grilled cheese sandwich a spin with Holiday Grilled Cheese! Warm and ultra cheesy, this sandwich is stuffed with holiday flavors.
Ingredients
- 2 slices bread (any kind)
- Mayonnaise, butter, or extra virgin olive oil
- Dijon mustard
- Brie cheese, sliced
- Deli turkey slices
- Canned whole cranberry sauce
Directions
- Preheat a flat top griddle or large skillet over medium heat. Meanwhile, spread mayonnaise, butter, or extra virgin olive oil on both slices of bread then flip one slice over. Spread a thin layer of Dijon mustard onto the flipped over slice then layer on the brie cheese followed by the deli turkey. Top with whole cranberry sauce then place the other slice of bread on top, mayo/butter/evoo side facing out.
- Place on griddle then toast until golden brown on bottom. Flip then toast until golden brown on the second side. Slice then serve.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
How would this be if I added grilled onions?
SO good – great idea!
Would it ruin the taste if all you have to use is goat cheese? I’d love to try these.
I made these for dinner tonight but instead of turkey used thin slices of the leftover smoked ham we had. They were a hit by everyone even a couple who were skeptical of the cranberry sauce.
Ooo, I love that swap – great way to use holiday leftovers!
I had everything but the cranberry sauce. So I mixed equal parts pepper jelly and mixed berry jelly. It added a nice zip! Thanks for the easy weeknight dinner idea!
Yum! Glad you were able to make it work for you!
I would love for the “latest and greatest” to be at the top/first to see when we land on the page. … That said, I’m looking forward to finally trying your skinny sweet potato gratin recipe this weekend – https://iowagirleats.com/skinny-sweet-potato-gratin/
Thank you for your feedback, Bonnie!
Love the new format! Very sleek. I particularly enjoy the description that’s posted at her top
Thank you so much, Alisha! So appreciate your input!
Drooling over here! I can’t wait until leftovers to try this – and believe me, with just a few of us this year at Thanksgiving, there will be LOTS of leftovers.
Oh yes, I know the feeling!! I’m sharing some pared down recipes next week for the holiday!
GIRL. I’m not typically a Brie kind of woman, but for this kinda thing, I might be(I might Brie?). Yassssssssss drippy cheese!
That made me laugh out loud. ?? You definitely need to try this!!