A Thanksgiving leftovers sandwich makes everything old new again. It’s packed with slices of turkey-style seitan, orange cranberry sauce, and avocado. Then it’s finished on toasted bread. So much crunch & flavor in every bite!
No holiday is more associated with leftovers or repurposing than Thanksgiving. It’s known for plentiful amounts of food, often more than can be eaten in a single day.
Still, there comes a point when the same plates of mashed potatoes, gravy, and cranberry sauce can get a bit tired.
And that’s when it’s time for the leftovers sandwich.
A leftovers sandwich takes the holiday roast and reinvigorates it by putting it into a crisp, toasted sandwich.
This sandwich is stuffed with:
- Seitan chicken or leftover vegan holiday roast
- Avocado
- Orange cranberry sauce
- Eggless mayo
- Toasted bread
This holiday sandwich is piled with the flavors of savory seitan, tart and sweet orange cranberry sauce, and fatty avocado. Then it’s toasted in a skillet until crisp.
Make it your own
Obviously, your only limits are the leftovers that remain in your refrigerator! So make this dish your own by topping it with any of the following Thanksgiving leftovers sandwich ideas:
- Mashed potatoes
- Roasted Brussels sprouts
- Cashew gravy with chestnuts
- Vegan stuffing with chestnuts
- Green bean casserole
- A handful of fresh spinach
- Sliced red onion
Which meat-free turkey should I use?
This sandwich is great with homemade seitan. It has a wonderful toothsome texture and the flavors of oregano and basil.
Or you can use any of the meatless turkey options on the market. Options include:
- Herbivorous Butcher seitan turkey
- Field Roast celebration roast
- Gardein holiday roast
- Trader Joe’s Turkeyless stuffed roast
You can even use vegan deli slices like Tofurky for a year ’round option!
What should I serve with it?
Serve it with any of the leftovers you aren’t piling into the sandwich. Here I’ve chosen steamed green beans and leftover mashed potatoes.
It would also be great with oven baked french fries, lemony potatoes, fall salad with candied pecans, mustard mashed potatoes, or persimmon & delicata squash salad.
More ways to repurpose Thanksgiving leftovers
- Put leftover cranberry salsa over sweet potato tacos with black beans
- Use any remaining seitan in a vegan pot pie or Rachel sandwich
Vegan Thanksgiving leftovers sandwich with avocado
Ingredients
- 2 to 4 thin slices seitan chicken or store-bought vegan holiday roast
- 2 slices bread
- Thin layer vegan butter
- Thin layer vegan mayo
- ¼ avocado cut into slices
- Thin layer orange cranberry sauce
Instructions
- Bring a non-stick skillet to a medium heat. Put slices of seitan chicken or vegan holiday roast on one side of the skillet to warm. (If the roast is already warm, you can skip this step.) Cook for a minute or two, and then flip the slices to warm the other side.
- Slather vegan butter on one side of a piece of bread. On the other side, put a layer of vegan mayo. Place the bread into the skillet with the roast slices, butter side down. Add slices of avocado to the bread. Put the warmed slices of holiday roast on top of the avocado.
- On the second piece of bread, put a thin layer of vegan butter on one side and orange cranberry sauce on the other. Add it to the sandwich with the butter side facing out. Once the sandwich is brown and toasty on one side, flip it, and continue cooking until it is brown & toasty on that side too.
- Serve with sweet potato fries, chips, or salad.
Nutrition
Content, recipe, and photos updated November 2019. Originally posted November 2017.
Susan
I love making leftover sandwiches! We don’t have Thanksgiving here, but a lot of our traditional Christmas food is similar – roasts, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes. Though our sides tend to be more salads or vegetables, not quite the unique casserole sides that the US have!
Cadry
Leftover sandwiches are a big bonus to the holidays!
Mary Dmyterko
Late night leftovers transformed into a sandwich? Yes, please! We’re having Trader Joe’s Turkey-Less Roast this year. Wishing you a happy Thanksgiving!
Cadry
Oh, I’m a big fan of the Trader Joe’s turkey-less roast. I actually still have one in the freezer from last year! Maybe I’ll pull it out at Christmas. I hope you had a nice Thanksgiving!
Shell
Yum, what a great way to enjoy Thanksgiving leftovers! Also, I’ve always wanted to buy those Brussels Sprouts at Trader Joe’s. Do you like buying them like that and picking them off the branch?
Cadry
It’s a fun novelty, but I think bagged are more convenient. You have to take them off the stalk right away, because otherwise, they soften quickly. (Kind of like if you leave the leafy stems on carrots or radishes. The moisture/nutrients are still going to the leaves or stalk.) And if you wanted to store them on the stalk, obviously, that’s not super convenient in the refrigerator. Haha! So it’s worth doing every once in a while, but it’s not my preferred way of buying them.