These small, two-bite Leftover Turkey Sliders are packed with leftover Thanksgiving turkey slathered with a tart and savory cranberry BBQ sauce. Top with pickled red onions and coleslaw and enjoy a tasty snackable sandwich while reducing food waste!
You might think to use the leftover Thanksgiving turkey in a simple stir fry or a frittata for breakfast, but did you know that you can also pack them into mini sliders?! Forget about the norm and get creative in the kitchen while repurposing your leftovers in the most delicious way possible!
These Turkey Sliders with Cranberry BBQ Sauce are changing the holiday leftover game. Instead of it going to waste, I tossed pieces of roast turkey in a homemade cranberry BBQ sauce, piled them onto toasted Hawaiian rolls, and topped them with pickled red onions and coleslaw.
Enjoy them as a perfectly savory, tart, and smoky two-bite snack on game days (maybe three bites), or serve them for a fun post-holiday dinner. Try stopping after just one—it can’t be done!
Ingredients for Turkey and Cranberry Sliders
A classic slider is like a bite-sized hamburger or pulled pork sandwich, but no rules say you can’t make them with the leftovers in your fridge instead. After all, these leftover turkey Hawaiian roll sliders are all about reducing food waste while still enjoying a delicious game day sandwich. What’s better is that this semi-homemade recipe comes together quickly using ingredients already in your fridge, plus a couple of store-bought items.
These are the ingredients you’ll need:
Hawaiian-style rolls, like King’s Hawaiian rolls or a similar brand.
Leftover turkey. Feel free to use only white meat, only dark meat, or a mix of both for a richer flavor.
Mayonnaise. Kewpie mayo is my go-to for the extra savory flavor, but any type of real mayonnaise will work.
Coleslaw mix. If you’re using a store-bought mix, make sure it has a packet of dressing included.
Something pickled, like sliced dill pickles or pickled red onions, gives these sliders a delicious tang that pairs so well with the creamy coleslaw and cran-BBQ sauce.
Cranberry barbecue sauce. This is my new favorite seasonal sauce because it’s savory, tart, and oh-so scrumptious! It’s easy to make with any Kansas City-style BBQ, leftover cranberry sauce, apple cider vinegar, tomato paste, and brown sugar or maple syrup. I highly recommend making a double batch so you can indulge in these Cranberry BBQ Meatballs, too!
(full ingredient list and quantities listed in the recipe card below)
Swaps and Substitutions
This Leftover Turkey Slider recipe is flexible and forgiving! Make it your own with some of these simple swaps:
Top the sliders with coleslaw or slaw made from scratch for extra freshness.
If you’re all out of leftover cranberry sauce, you can either make a fresh batch, swap it for canned cranberry sauce, or use cranberry jelly instead.
Use a mix of leftover turkey and leftover roasted chicken, rotisserie chicken, or leftover ham if you’ve already used most of the turkey.
As for the toppings, the options are endless! Here are some additional ideas:
A scoop of leftover stuffing drizzled with leftover gravy.
A drizzle of regular BBQ sauce or hot sauce.
A slice of Swiss or gouda cheese.
Any fruit jam or jelly.
Leafy greens, like arugula or romaine lettuce.
Street Smart Nutrition Tip:As one of my new favorite condiments, I’m using the cranberry BBQ sauce on almost everything. I highly recommend making a double or triple batch so you can slather it on chicken breasts, smoked turkey, pork chops, burgers, or meatballs. Just remember to make the extra sauce with a 2:1 ratio of BBQ sauce to cranberry sauce.
How to Make Turkey Sliders with Leftover Turkey
You need less than 30 minutes to make a batch of these sliders. There’s only a little bit of cooking involved, and you can even make the BBQ sauce and coleslaw ahead of time! Best of all, this recipe makes enough sliders for a crowd, making them a quick and easy treat for game day, get-togethers with friends, or post-holiday family dinners.
Follow these steps to learn how they’re made:
Add the cran-BBQ sauce ingredients to a small saucepan and heat them to a gentle simmer. Stir often until the sauce is smooth and heated through. Set aside.
Make the coleslaw according to the package instructions. Set aside.
Slice the Hawaiian buns in half and brush the tops and bottoms with mayo. Sear the buns, mayo side down, on a grill pan, griddle, or cast iron skillet until golden brown. Remove from the heat.
Reheat the leftover turkey in the now-empty pan until it’s warmed through. Transfer it to a mixing bowl.
Pour the cranberry barbecue sauce over the turkey and toss to coat.
Top the toasted slider buns with a scoop of turkey, then top with pickles, coleslaw, or the toppings of your choice. Add the other half of the toasted buns on top and serve warm. Enjoy!
Serving Suggestions for Cranberry Turkey Sliders
Dig into one or two of these sliders when you want a tasty lunch or light dinner. They’re fantastic served on their own or paired with simple side dishes, such as:
The assembled turkey sliders don’t store very well because the buns will absorb the sauce and become soggy as they sit. Instead, eat them as soon as they’re assembled!
You could also prepare the cran-BBQ sauce and coleslaw 3 to 4 days before assembling and serving the sliders. Keep them in individual airtight containers in the fridge until it’s time to combine them with the turkey and serve them on the toasted buns.
Leftover Turkey Sliders with Cranberry BBQ Sauce
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These Turkey Sliders with Cranberry BBQ Sauce are changing the holiday leftover game! They're savory with a hint of sweet, tart flavor from leftover cranberry sauce. Top with your favorite pickles and creamy coleslaw for a deliciously crave-able sandwich.
Add the Cranberry BBQ Sauce ingredients to a small saucepan. Gradually bring to a low simmer over low heat, stirring often to avoid scorching. Once the sauce is heated through and smooth, remove from heat and set aside.
Prepare the coleslaw according to package instructions (typically, mix the shredded cabbage with dressing until well coated). Set aside until ready to serve.
Heat a griddle, grill pan, or large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Use a bread knife to slice the slider buns in half. Avoid breaking apart if possible. Brush top and bottom buns with kewpie mayo, then sear 2-3 minutes or until toasted golden brown. Remove from heat.
Spread the leftover turkey on the hot surface to reheat the cooked turkey. Flip occasionally or as needed, then transfer to a mixing bowl.
Pour the Cran-BBQ sauce over the turkey and use tongs to toss until well coated. Build the sliders by layering the turkey with pickles, slaw, or leftover fried onions. Top with the other half of the toasted buns, serve warm as individual sliders or as a pull-apart sharable option.
Notes
As written, each slider has ~1 to 1.5 oz of turkey. Adjust accordingly based on personal preferences for ratio of turkey to sauce and other toppings. Reserve extra coleslaw or sauce in airtight containers for other recipes or uses. Store in the refrigerator and use within 3-4 days.
These tiny burgers were named by US Navy sailors in the 1940s. They found the mini burgers they were served to be extremely greasy, and since all of that grease helped them “slide” down their throats, they were coined “sliders”! Eventually, sliders climbed in popularity when they were created and sold by the fast-food chain, White Castle.
What’s the difference between a slider and a burger?
The difference between the two all comes down to the size! Sliders are much smaller than burgers, seeing as they’re served on 2-bite Hawaiian buns or dinner rolls.
Can I make BBQ turkey sliders ahead of time?
The sliders are best when they’re served as soon as they’re assembled. You can prep all the elements ahead of time and store them separately until you’re ready to serve. This strategy helps you avoid soggy buns!
Make sure you check out my roundup of 30+ leftover turkey recipes for your other post-holiday meals! There are so many tasty ways to repurpose your Thanksgiving leftovers and avoid food waste.
As always, I hope you enjoy this easy dinner recipe as much as I do. Leave me a comment or rating to let me know what you think!
Thanks for stopping by the Street Smart Nutrition blog. Cheers to more fearlessly nourishing meals!
Cara Harbstreet, MS RD LD is a Kansas City-based registered dietitian and nationally-recognized food and nutrition expert, consultant, and author. As the creator of Street Smart Nutrition, she’s on a mission to share fearlessly nourishing meals and practical, inclusive nutrition messages.
