Make the most of your holiday leftovers with this easy cranberry and turkey slider recipe.
We used King’s Hawaiian Rolls, smoked Gouda slices, leftover turkey, and cranberry sauce, and topped it with herb butter.
It’s a great way to use up those holiday leftovers!
Turkey and Cranberry Sliders
Got Thanksgiving Leftovers? Not anymore with this slider recipe.
It’s time to get rid of those leftovers. And one way you can use them is to make cranberry and turkey sliders with your leftover cranberry sauce and turkey.
You can also use fresh cranberry sauce and turkey deli meat if you want to make these any time of the year.
More Leftover Recipes:
Instant Pot Stir-Fry with Turkey + Brown Rice
Air Fryer Hand Pies Using Thanksgiving Leftovers
What You Will Need:
King’s Hawaiian Rolls. Soft, slightly sweet, and the perfect base for sliders. Using quality rolls like these can boost your confidence in creating flavorful bites. They toast beautifully in the oven and soak up the melted herb butter without falling apart.
Turkey. Feel free to use sliced or shredded turkey, white meat, dark meat, or whatever’s left on the platter. You can also opt for sliced turkey deli meat if that suits your preference.
Cranberry Sauce. The tart-sweet berry flavor cuts through the richness, adding balance. You can use whole berry or jellied, store-bought or homemade.
Smoked Gouda. A smoky, creamy cheese that melts like a dream and pairs perfectly with cranberries. We preferred Gouda over some other melting cheeses. We found sliced Gouda at our local Trader Joe’s.
Butter + Herbes de Provence. Melted butter brushed over the rolls gives you a golden, glossy finish. The Herbes de Provence bring savory, floral notes that lift the entire slider, especially delicious with turkey and Gouda.
How To Make Cranberry Sliders Using Leftovers
Makes 12 sliders (Note: I doubled the recipe to make 24 sliders)
Ingredients:
- 1 package of King’s Hawaiian Rolls (12 count)
- 12 slices of smoked Gouda (picked up from Trader Joe’s) *You may want to have an extra package to make sure you have enough to cover the rolls
- 2-3 cups of leftover shredded or sliced turkey
- 1 cup of leftover cranberry sauce
- 5 tablespoons of unstated butter, melted
- 3 teaspoons of Herbs de Provence
- Pinch of Kosher Salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper
Directions:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking dish with parchment or lightly grease it.
- Slice the Hawaiian rolls horizontally, keeping the entire sheet intact to maintain the structure, then place the bottom half into the baking dish.
- Layer the turkey evenly across the rolls.
- Spread the cranberry sauce over the turkey. Keep the layer even so the flavor doesn’t clump in one corner.
Add the smoked Gouda slices on top, covering the entire turkey and cranberry mixture. - Place the top half of the rolls back on.
- Make the herb butter. Combine the melted butter with teaspoons Herbes de Provence, a pinch of salt, and black pepper. Brush generously over the tops of the rolls.
- Cover with foil and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese melts and everything warms through.
- Uncover and bake for an additional 5 minutes to toast the tops.
- Let rest for 5 minutes, then slice and serve warm.
Note. If you’re a big fan of cranberry sauce, feel free to add a bit of cranberry sauce on top of your baked slider.
Can I Make These Sliders Ahead Of Time?
Yes, you can get the prep work done ahead of time. You can make the sliders a day before serving, cover them, and refrigerate them.
I would hold off adding the herb butter until right before placing the sliders in the oven.
Can I Reheat Them?
Yes, you will want to reheat them in the oven at 300 degrees for about 8-10 minutes.
You can also air fry them at 300 degrees for 3-4 minutes.
For the best texture, we only recommend using the oven or air fryer.
Storing Leftovers
You can cover the leftover sliders and refrigerate them for up to 2 days.
Can I Use Different Cheeses?
Yes, as long as you stick to a good melting cheese, such as Brie, Havarti, Swiss, or Provolone. These are all great substitutes if you can’t find sliced Gouda.
Can I Use Different Rolls?
Yes, dinner rolls or brioche slider buns will work as well. However, using Hawaiian rolls adds a little bit of sweetness you don’t get from the other rolls/buns.
Do I Need To Warm the Turkey first?
Nope. You’ll be placing the leftover turkey in the oven.
Tip- if your turkey is very dry, first place it in a bowl and mix with a tablespoon of broth before adding it to the slider mix.
More Recipes:
50+ Slider Recipes Perfect for Game Day
English Muffin Salmon Sliders Board
Cranberry and Turkey Sliders Using Leftovers
Ingredients
- 1 package of King's Hawaiian Rolls 12 count
- 12 slices of smoked Gouda picked up from Trader Joe's *You may want to have an extra package to make sure you have enough to cover the rolls
- 2-3 cups of leftover shredded or sliced turkey
- 1 cup of leftover cranberry sauce
- 5 tablespoons of unstated butter melted
- 3 teaspoons of Herbs de Provence
- Pinch of Kosher Salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking dish with parchment or lightly grease it.
- Slice the Hawaiian rolls horizontally, keeping the entire sheet intact to maintain the structure, then place the bottom half into the baking dish.
- Layer the turkey evenly across the rolls.
- Spread the cranberry sauce over the turkey. Keep the layer even so the flavor doesn't clump in one corner. Add the smoked Gouda slices on top, covering the entire turkey and cranberry mixture.
- Place the top half of the rolls back on.
- Make the herb butter. Combine the melted butter with teaspoons Herbes de Provence, a pinch of salt, and black pepper. Brush generously over the tops of the rolls.
- Cover with foil and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese melts and everything warms through.
- Uncover and bake for an additional 5 minutes to toast the tops.
- Let rest for 5 minutes, then slice and serve warm.
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