Leftover turkey becomes next-level deliciousness with these Leftover Turkey-Cranberry Monte Cristo Sandwiches. You almost can’t wait to get up the next day and make them! Hint…you can also use rotisserie chicken in this sandwich so you can make them year round.
It’s never too early to start planning what you are going to make with your leftover turkey. One of the best things you can do is pick up any items you need “early” for leftover meals. Grab these extras while you’re shopping for Thanksgiving or Christmas, this way you’ll already have a plan before the football games start the next day. No one wants to head back to the market after cooking a feast! The ultimate Thanksgiving turkey should translate into enough leftovers for several meals.
This Monte Cristo sandwich is a great way to use up leftover turkey and cranberry sauce in a unique way. Re-purposing leftovers into a completely different meal guarantees they will be gobbled up. No one wants to keep eating the same turkey dinner over and over again.
Making this sandwich is a bit like making French toast; it couldn’t be easier and it tastes delicious.
Why Is It Called A Monte Cristo Sandwich?
There is not an exact history of why the Monte Cristo Sandwich has the name it does. Most food experts see this sandwich as a variation of a French dish called Croque Monsieur, a grilled cheese sandwich made with Gruyere cheese and lean ham layered between two slices of crust-less bread, fried in clarified butter and made in a special grilling iron with two metal plates.
Most would agree the popularity of this sandwich came about in the 1960’s when Disneyland added it to their menu at the Blue Bayou and Tahitian Terrace restaurants in New Orleans’s Square in Disneyland.
Recipe Tips
- Soft and fluffy French bread is key for this recipe. Use French bread loaves from the bakery for best results.
- Cranberry sauce can be homemade or store-bought.
- Use Muenster cheese, the American version of Munster cheese.
- Soak the bread in the milk and egg mixture, but do not over-saturate it to the point of sogginess.
How amazing does this look?
Serve with fresh fruit to round out the meal.
Are you following my Thanksgiving Leftovers Pinterest Board? There are lots of great recipes already there and I will be pinning a lot more over the coming weeks. Make sure to follow along if you don’t already.
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Leftover Turkey-Cranberry Monte Cristo Sandwiches
Ingredients
- 20 thin slices of very soft French Bread
- 1-1/2 cups cranberry sauce
- 10 thinly sliced (about 12 oz) Muenster Cheese (have your deli slice)
- 20 oz thinly sliced leftover turkey or rotisserie chicken
- 3 large eggs
- 2 cups whole milk
- 4-6 tbsps butter
- confectioners' sugar
Instructions
- Spread each slice of bread with cranberry sauce, you can add as much or as little as you like. To build each sandwich, take a slice of cheese and tear it in half. Top the bread with half a cheese slice, turkey and the other half of the cheese slice. Top with another slice of bread, cranberry sauce side down.
- In a shallow pie plate, add eggs and milk; beat the mixture with a fork until combined. Soak each sandwich in the mixture, about 30 seconds per side. (You want the bread saturated but not soggy.)
- In a nonstick skillet, over medium heat, melt a couple Tablespoons of butter. Add a few sandwiches and cook until the bottoms are golden brown, 3-4 minutes. Flip sandwiches and cook the other sides until golden. Add more butter as needed to cook the rest of the sandwiches.
- Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving. (Serve warm)