• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to privacy navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Jo Cooks

Simple - Easy - Comfort

Join my free recipe email club!
Free eBook
  • Recipe Index
  • Cookbooks
    • The Big Book of Jo’s Quick and Easy Meals
    • 30-Minute One-Pot Meals
  • ABOUT JO
  • Contact
  • Facebook Instagram Pinterest Twitter YouTube
  • Dinner Ideas
  • Instant Pot
  • Slow Cooker
  • 30 Minute Meals
  • One Pot
  • Desserts
Home / Recipes
10 minutes
7 Comments

Leftover Turkey with Pistachio Pesto and Arugula Sandwich

Jump to RecipePrint Recipe
  • 4
  • 23
by: Joanna Cismaru
12.30.13
Updated: 06.05.20

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Leftover Turkey with Pistachio Pesto and arugula sandwich is a perfect way to use some of that leftover turkey. This pesto is made with pistachios.

Leftover Turkey with Pistachio Pesto and Arugula Sandwich

Thank God it’s the weekend. I actually had to work yesterday. All my fault, really. I left no vacation time at all for the Christmas holidays. But that’s OK, because it’s a very quiet time at work during the holidays, so it’s good for catching up on work with no interruptions.

Now if you’re like me, you probably have lots of turkey leftover from Christmas and as much as my dear dog would love for me to give her all the leftovers, I know it’s probably not good for her, though she would stand to argue otherwise if she could talk, so while I left some turkey for her, I also decided to make these yummylicious sandwiches. I got inspired when I was surfing through one of my favorite blogs Damn Delicious, and saw her chicken pesto sandwich. I thought it would be perfect use of some leftover turkey.

I had lots of pistachios leftover from my Christmas baking so I decided to make a pistachio pesto. If you’ve never made pesto before it’s so easy. The ingredients are simple; basil, pistachios, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, garlic and a bit of salt and pepper. I used my Magic Bullet for this, which I really love, so handy and so easy to use and clean because it’s so small.

Process shot showing how to make Leftover Turkey with Pistachio Pesto and Arugula Sandwich

 Anywhooo, this pesto is ah-maazing!! So versatile! You could use it in sandwiches, or my favorite, over pasta. It’s crazy good! You probably will have leftover pesto, so don’t throw it away, put it in an air tight container, or jar, and freeze it, it freezes really well, so the day before I’d take it out and let it thaw out. This pesto is so good, you could even just spread it over bread or crackers and just eat it! Trust me, I know what I’m talking about!

Pesto in a blender

I used about 2 cups of leftover turkey, dark and white meat, with about 1/2 cup of that delicious pesto and just as Chung-Ah from Damn Delicious added some Greek yogurt for extra creaminess, I did too. I’m all about the extra creamy factor! Uh-huh! Now, around this time, Mia was going nuts around me, trying her hardest to somehow climb on the island to get to the turkey. But this is when I succumbed and gave her some. She’s just too damn cute for her own good, can’t resist. Such a manipulator!

Process shot making Leftover Turkey with Pistachio Pesto and Arugula Sandwich

Mix all those yummy ingredients together with a fork or spoon, or spork, lol. Now look at that. Doesn’t that look delish? I could stop right now and just eat this by the spoonful.

Process shot making Leftover Turkey with Pistachio Pesto and Arugula Sandwich

But I forced myself to continue with my sandwiches and I’m so glad I did! I added avocado too, just because I love avocados on sandwiches. And if you want a little extra zing, drizzle with some lemon juice, this was my hubby’s idea and oh so worth it! Every once in a while I have to give him credit for his brilliant ideas.

So let’s recap. Baby arugula, avocados, fresh mozzarella cheese, pistachio pesto turkey, tomatoes and all this in a gorgeous fresh baguette drizzled with a bit of lemon juice. What do you think? I tell you what I think. This here my friends, is money! This sandwich is worth a million bucks. So don’t throw away that leftover turkey make this yummylicious sandwich.

Leftover Turkey with Pistachio Pesto and Arugula Sandwich

Looking for more recipes? Follow on… My Newsletter Pinterest Facebook Instagram

a leftover turkey pesto and arugula sandwich

Leftover Turkey with Pistachio Pesto and Arugula Sandwich

0 from 0 votes
Prep: 10 mins
Total: 10 mins
Author: Joanna Cismaru
Serves: 4
Print Pin Rate

Ingredients

For Pistachio Pesto

  • about a cup of fresh Basil
  • 1/2 cup Pistachios
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste

For Sandwiches

  • 4 baby baguettes or 1 baguette cut into 4 equal size pieces
  • 2 cups leftover turkey or chicken
  • 4 slices of fresh mozzarella cheese
  • 2 large tomatoes sliced
  • 1 avocado sliced
  • 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
  • 2 cups baby arugula
  • lemon juice optional

Instructions

  • To make the pesto, add all the pesto ingredients to a food processor and pulse until fully emulsified.
  • Mix about half the pesto, turkey, and yogurt in a bowl. Store the remaining pesto in a jar or air tight container and freeze until ready to use.
  • To assemble sandwiches, cut baguettes in half, and layer starting with baby arugula, avocados, mozzarella cheese, turkey mixture, tomatoes and drizzle with lemon juice if preferred.

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 1gCalories: 611kcal (31%)Carbohydrates: 40.9g (14%)Protein: 43g (86%)Fat: 32.1g (49%)Saturated Fat: 9g (56%)Cholesterol: 75mg (25%)Sodium: 612mg (27%)Fiber: 6.8g (28%)Sugar: 5.9g (7%)
Tried this recipe? Rate it belowtag @jocooks on instagram and hashtag it #jocooks!

Enjoy!

Meet Joanna Cismaru

I’m Joanna (Jo for short) and this is my blog where I share with you my culinary adventures. Here you will find a variety of recipes using simple everyday ingredients and creating wonderful, delicious and comforting meals, including some decadent desserts.

30 recipes from around the world cover.

Never miss a recipe!

Subscribe and get a FREE dinner recipes ebook!

side view shot of pistachio baklava on a baking sheet
Previous Post
Day 12: Pistachio Baklava
healthy whole wheat banana nut bread
Next Post
Healthy Whole Wheat Banana Nut Bread

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment & Rate Recipe Cancel reply

Did you make this recipe? Rate it:




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comments

  1. Jessica says

    June 14, 2015 at 9:20 pm

    Can you provide any other nutritional information?

    Reply
    • jo says

      June 14, 2015 at 9:40 pm

      Yep, recipe has been updated with nutritional information.

      Reply
      • austyn says

        November 29, 2015 at 6:50 pm

        Do you think eating this with a green wrap, instead of the white bread will cut down the calories? I am trying to eat clean, and the list of items doesn’t look bad but I see it’s 600 calories but I still want to try it so bad! lol

      • jo says

        November 29, 2015 at 7:16 pm

        Not sure, you’ll have to check the calories for the green wrap, is it a tortilla or are you thinking a lettuce wrap? You can then use http://www.caloriecount.com to check out the calories for the recipe with your wrap instead of the bread.

      • austyn says

        November 29, 2015 at 7:35 pm

        Thank you! it’s a green tortilla wrap!

  2. Susie says

    January 11, 2014 at 3:25 am

    Wow! I love this site. It’s right up my alley. Got to get to the grocery store for the ingredients. Yum! Sounds soooo GOOD!

    Reply
    • jo says

      January 11, 2014 at 5:28 am

      Thanks Susie! 🙂

      Reply

Primary Sidebar

Joanna Cismaru

Hey there!

I'm Joanna (Jo for short) and this is my blog where I share with you my culinary adventures. Here you will find a variety of recipes using simple everyday ingredients and creating wonderful, delicious and comforting meals, including some decadent desserts.

Read More…
cover for the big book of jo's quick and easy meals.

My Cookbook

Pre-Order Now: Amazon | Indigo | Barnes & Noble | Indie Bound | Books-A-Million

Never miss a recipe!

Subscribe and get a FREE dinner recipes ebook!

Sign me up

Dinner Recipes

a wooden spoon lifting a salisbury steak out of the skillet

Salisbury Steak

closeup of beef stew in a dutch oven with a ladle inside.

Beef Stew

overhead shot of zucchini lasagna in a baking dish

Zucchini Lasagna

a white bowl full with american goulash and a fork inside stacked on top of an empty bowl

American Goulash (Chop Suey)

two plate with sloppy joes and buns next to a greens salad

Sloppy Joes

beef barley soup in a white bowl with a spoon inside.

Beef Barley Soup

overhead shot of chicken broccoli and rice casserole in a pot

One Pot Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole

creamy chicken lazone in a skillet garnished with parsley.

Chicken Lazone

Popular Now

a hand dipping a chicken tender in ranch dressing

Air Fryer Chicken Tenders

a fork stabbing a garlic butter steak bite in a skillet full of them

Garlic Butter Steak Bites

a prime rib roast sliced on a plate

Prime Rib Roast

side view shot of a cinnamon bun with a bite taken out of it on a plate

Cinnabons Cinnamon Rolls

side view shot of a hand dipping a piece of naan bread into the bowl of chicken tikka masala

Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala

close up of the layers on the homemade croissant

Homemade Croissants

overhead shot of crusty bread loaf

No Knead Bread

side view shot of two halves of a chicken salad sandwich stacked on a plate exposing the centers

The Best Chicken Salad

Jo Cooks...

Flavors from around the world

No matter what household we have all grown up in, there is something that has brought us all together here and that is a love and appreciation of food. Food that is from cultures and cuisines across the world has always been a staple of the blog. I'm excited to bring you all a taste of each corner of the earth, every last bite seasoned to perfection and served up with love - from my kitchen to yours.
honey soy chicken in a baking dish fresh out of the oven garnished with parsley.

Asian

closeup of italian mac and cheese in a white bowl with a big serving spoon.

Italian

a stack of homemade tortillas

Mexican

chocolate magic cake slices sprinkled with cocoa powder and garnished with garnish.

Romanian

a bunch of naan on a cutting board garnished with parsley.

Indian

red lentil hummus in a big black bowl garnished with a bit of smoked paprika.

Middle Eastern

Trending Now

overhead shot of oven baked chicken breasts in a baking dish

Baked Chicken Breast

overhead shot of oven baked chicken thighs in a pan

Oven Baked Chicken Thighs

a whole roast chicken surrounded by potatoes

Roast Chicken

a prime rib roast sliced on a plate

Prime Rib Roast

Browse All
  • Easy Dinners
  • Instant Pot
  • 30 Minute Meals
  • Chicken Recipes
  • Desserts
  • Recipe Index

Featured On

today logo.
huffpost logo.
the washington post logo.
jezebel logo.
countryliving logo.
good housekeeping logo.
lifehack logo.
buzzfeed logo.
mashable logo.
woman's day logo.
health logo.
better homes & gardens logo.
delish logo.
healthline logo.
nbc news logo.
blogloving logo.
university of washington logo.
shape logo.
Facebook Instagram Pinterest Twitter YouTube
  • Recipe Index
  • Cookbooks
  • About Jo
  • Contact
  • visit my other site: Craving Home Cooked
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility Statement
© 2021 · All Rights Reserved · Back to Top
Opens in a new window Opens an external site Opens an external site in a new window

Subscribe and get a free dinner recipes ebook!

606shares
  • 4
  • 23