Turkey Sliders – the kitchen Sandwich Sliders

At a glance

What stands out: Turkey sliders, aka the kitchen sandwiches or turkey Reubens, are a delightful twist on a traditional Reuben. You’ll love these sliders stuffed with sliced turkey, creamy coleslaw and nutty Swiss cheese, and baked in the oven until golden. Reliable for a crowd!

How long it takes: 15 minutes to prep, 35 minutes to bake
Equipment you’ll need: baking dish, small bowl, serrated knife, foil
Servings: 12 sliders

the kitchen or Reuben?

It’s almost a little embarrassing to write about a the kitchen sandwich. We didn’t name these sliders in honor of myself! The fact is, a Reuben sandwich made with turkey and coleslaw, instead of corned beef and sauerkraut, is called a the kitchen sandwich. Reuben, masculine — the kitchen, feminine. All we know is that these turkey sliders are rich.

Lots of flavor layered in. Sliced turkey, Swiss cheese, creamy coleslaw, and Thousand Island dressing are encased in a sweet slider bun, and then topped with a buttery sauce which is studded with caraway seeds. Yum!

Baked in the oven, not grilled. Traditionally, a the kitchen sandwich is made with rye bread and grilled. These turkey sliders are made with sweet Hawaiian rolls, and then baked in the oven until they’re hot, melty, golden and crisp.

Serves a crowd. This recipe makes a dozen sliders (one package of rolls), making it a popular choice for a get-together. It can be a straightforward entrée or a fantastic appetizer.

Sheila Said:

“Loved these sliders! Would not change a thing. Thank you so much for the recipe, will be making these often.”

See More Reader Reviews

How it comes together

Slice the rolls. Like our popular ham and cheese sliders recipe, this turkey slider recipe uses Hawaiian sweet rolls which come twelve to a package. Using a long serrated knife, slice across all twelve rolls at once. You’ll have one large top piece and one large bottom piece.

Arrange in baking dish. Place the bottom half of the rolls in a baking dish. Next, spread on a layer of Thousand Island dressing, topped with thinly sliced roasted turkey, and sliced Swiss cheese.

Add coleslaw layer. Next comes a layer of creamy coleslaw. We like to make our own coleslaw. You’ll use a cup of it for the sliders and then you can serve the rest of it for a salad to accompany your sandwiches. It’s straightforward to mix especially if you buy the cabbage already shredded.

Brush on buttery topping. Cover the coleslaw layer with the top half of the rolls. Mix melted butter with caraway seeds, minced onion, and seasonings, and brush the mixture over the tops of the sandwiches.

Bake. Into the oven it all goes, and in 30 to 35 minutes, you’ll be serving the most rich the kitchen sandwiches, aka turkey sliders, ever.

Ways to serve it

If you’re wondering what to serve with these turkey sliders, our first suggestion is you’ll want to serve additional coleslaw with your sliders. We love to serve tart cranberry sauce with our sliders during the holiday season. Air fryer sweet potato fries go great with turkey sliders. Try baked tortilla chips and cranberry salsa (only 2 ingredients!). If you’re having a crowd, make crock pot baked beans for a straightforward side.
Salads are always a good choice with sandwiches. Try a broccoli salad or Brussels sprouts salad with apples, cranberries, and walnuts. A bowl of soup goes well, too, such as kabocha squash soup or roasted butternut squash soup.

Ways to change it

• Use a different meat or cheese. If you nave leftover roast turkey, use it instead of deli turkey. Use corned beef if you like. If you’re not crazy about Swiss cheese, try another mild tasting cheese such as Monterey Jack or mozzarella.
• Skip the coleslaw. Use sauerkraut instead of coleslaw, or just leave the coleslaw out and spread additional Thousand Island dressing over the cheese layer.
• Don’t want to make baked sliders? Instead of the slider rolls, use sliced bread of your choice, maybe rye bread, and make grilled sandwiches instead. You could also serve this slider recipe cold, omitting the butter sauce.
• Lighten it up. Skip the Thousand Island dressing, and halve the butter mixture. The sliders won’t be quite as deliciously gooey but will be a bit more lighter and still great.

Keeping leftovers

Refrigerate: Turkey sliders are best served immediately. Leftover turkey sliders can be wrapped well and refrigerated for up to 24 hours.

Reheat: To reheat, wrap the rolls in foil and heat in the oven or toaster oven until warm.

• Yield: 12
• Prep: 15 minutes
• Cook: 35 minutes
• Total: 50 minutes

Ingredients

FOR SLIDERS:

• 12 Hawaiian sweet rolls (12 ounce package)
• ¼ cup Thousand Island dressing
• 9 ounces thinly sliced roasted turkey
• 12 ounces sliced Swiss cheese
• 1 cup creamy coleslaw

FOR TOPPING:

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• ½ teaspoon caraway seeds
• 2 teaspoons dried minced onion
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ⅛ teaspoon black pepper

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spray a 11 x 8-inch baking dish lightly with cooking spray.
2. Use a long serrated knife to slice horizontally through all 12 rolls at once, keeping all the rolls attached. Make the bottom half slightly thicker than the top half. Place bottom half of rolls in prepared baking dish.
3. Spread Thousand Island dressing on bottom half of rolls. Layer on half of the cheese. Top with turkey, and remaining half of cheese. Spoon coleslaw evenly over cheese, and then top with roll tops. It’s fine if the turkey and cheese overlap the edges of the individual rolls because you will be slicing them apart when they’re baked.
4. In a small bowl, combine melted butter, caraway seeds, dried minced onion, garlic powder, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine, and then brush over the tops of the rolls. It’s okay if some runs down to the bottom of the pan (use all the topping).
5. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes or until tops of the rolls are crispy and golden brown.
6. With a sharp knife, slice into individual rolls, and serve immediately.

Notes

Turkey: If you have leftover roast turkey, you can use it instead of deli turkey. Corned beef is another great alternative.

Cheese: If you’re not a fan of Swiss cheese, try another mild tasting cheese such as Monterey Jack or mozzarella.

Grilled option: If you don’t want to make baked sliders, make a grilled sandwich instead. Use sliced bread of your choice, maybe rye bread, instead of the slider rolls, make a sandwich using the same fillings, and use a skillet or air fryer to toast the sandwiches.

Make cold sliders. You could make this slider recipe, omitting the butter sauce, and serve it cold.

Lighter sliders: Skip the Thousand Island dressing, and halve the butter mixture. The sliders won’t be quite as deliciously gooey but will be a bit more lighter and still good.