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Home » Recipes » Sandwiches

Turkey Pesto Sandwich

By Laura Fuentes Updated Jul 19, 2024

5 from 5 votes

Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy here.

Kick up your sandwich lunch rotation with this tasty Turkey Pesto Sandwich. It's healthy, filling, and delicious!

I’ll share with you all the tips for packing this sandwich for lunch so it remains fresh for hours in the lunchbox!

turkey pesto sandwich

Turkey Sandwich with Pesto

I love a good turkey sandwich for lunch and when I crave variety, it’s helpful to have a few sandwich lunch ideas to choose from.

There are so many things you can put on a turkey sandwich to keep things fresh and never boring, and pesto is one of them.

Pesto takes this sandwich from a good school lunch idea to a super tasty one that kids (and adults) will enjoy. Since pesto can be difficult to spread, I mix it with mayo and turn it into the most scrumptious spread ever! Turkey’s mild flavor makes it the perfect match for pesto.

I’m using a ciabatta bread roll this time, but go and grab your favorite bread, some cheese, and veggies, and keep reading to learn the hacks that will make this sandwich remain fresh in the lunchbox for hours!

What you need

Make this Turkey Pesto Sandwich come true quickly and easily with everyday ingredients and adapt it to what you have in the kitchen. This sandwich includes:

  • Mayonnaise: to combine with pesto and make it easier to spread.
  • Pesto: adds flavor to the sandwich. Use store-bought or my easy homemade pesto.
  • Bread: this time, I used a ciabatta bread roll; you can use 2 slices of your favorite bread.
  • Deli turkey: any kind. I love oven-roasted turkey!
  • Deli cheese: Swiss, cheddar, Colby Jack, or your favorite.
  • Tomato: optional for extra freshness and nutrition.
  • Green lettuce leaves: sandwiches are great for eating extra veggies!

How to Make Turkey Pesto Sandwich

Sandwiches are always a convenient way to solve lunch in 5 minutes. Check how to make it delicious and easy to pack in the lunchbox:

  1. Make the pesto spread
    By combining pesto with mayonnaise, you get a spreadable mixture. Pesto by itself is hard to spread.
  2. Build the sandwich
    Spread the mixture over one side of the bread slices, top with lettuce, tomato, deli turkey, and cheese, and close the sandwich.
  3. Serve or pack for lunch
    You can enjoy the turkey pesto sandwich immediately with fresh fruit and veggies or place it inside a lunch container and refrigerate it for later until you’re ready to pack it inside a lunch bag.
turkey pesto sandwich

How to Pack it for Lunch

Follow these tips for packing sandwiches for lunch so you can enjoy them hours later:

Use a sturdy lunchbox
A firm, sandwich-size container is the best way to keep sandwiches from falling apart or being flattened in the lunch bag. Here are my top picks for school lunch boxes.

Place ingredients correctly
Cheese and lettuce go next to the bread to keep the bread from absorbing the tomato moisture and getting soggy. So, if you’re adding tomato to the pesto sandwich, don’t place it directly over the bread.

Keep it chill
Depending on the weather, you may want to pack this Turkey Pesto Sandwich inside an insulated lunch bag with an ice pack to keep the temperature inside the lunch bag cool.

Make it a meal
This Turkey Pesto Sandwich is a satisfying meal, but it can get even better with sides! Pack this sandwich with your fruits, veggies, or your favorite school lunch sides. You can add a healthy dessert too!

Separate dry from wet
If packing this sandwich with fruit or veggies, place these wet ingredients in a separate container or compartment so the bread doesn’t absorb moisture.

More Pesto Sandwich Ideas

Fan of pesto-everything? Make it a regular staple in your lunches! One of my favorite recipes is this Cheesy Grilled Chicken Pesto Sandwich and this Caprese Sandwich. Give sandwiches a break with these Turkey Pesto Pinwheels or add it as a dip as I do in this tasty Caprese Bento Lunch.

Turkey Pesto Sandwich

turkey pesto sandwich
Servings: 1
Prep Time: 5 minutes mins
Total Time: 5 minutes mins
Kick up your sandwich lunch rotation with this tasty Turkey Pesto Sandwich. It's healthy, filling, and delicious!
5 from 5 votes
Print Pin

Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon mayonnaise
  • 1 teaspoon pesto
  • 1 ciabatta bread roll, or 2 slices of bread
  • 2 oz oven roasted turkey
  • 1 slice deli cheese, your favorite
  • 2 slices tomato, optional
  • 2 green lettuce leaves

Instructions

  • In a small dish, combine the mayonnaise and pesto into a spreadable mixture and divide it on both sides of the bread.
  • Top the bottom of side of the sandwich with lettuce, tomato, oven roasted turkey, and cheese. Close the sandwich with the top half of the ciabatta bread.
  • Serve it with fresh fruit and veggies if desired.

Pack for School Lunch

  • If making this sandwich for later, refrigerate it until you’re ready to pack it inside a lunch bag, with or without an ice pack, depending on the weather.

Equipment

101 Packed Lunches
Glass Lunch Containers
ice pack

Nutrition

Serving: 1 sandwich | Calories: 273kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 1081mg | Potassium: 224mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 3796IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 183mg | Iron: 1mg

More Sandwiches

  • Roast Beef Sandwich on French Bread
  • bacon apple grilled cheese
    Bacon Apple Grilled Cheese
  • four club sandwiches on a cutting board
    Grilled Club Sandwich
  • two grilled cheese sandwiches
    Baked Grilled Cheese

Comments

    5 from 5 votes

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Maddie says

    May 08, 2024 at 3:00 pm

    5 stars
    I love all your sandwich ideas for lunch, there’s always something yummy and easy to put in the lunchbox! I’m fan of pesto, so this will be my next lunch for sure!

    Reply
  2. Taylor says

    May 01, 2024 at 1:23 pm

    5 stars
    If you love pesto, you HAVE to try this one. Laura has sooooo many amazing ones that I need to try :)

    Reply
  3. Alice says

    April 29, 2024 at 9:21 pm

    5 stars
    Omg delish! I love a good turkey pesto sandwich, I know my kiddo will enjoy this as well!

    Reply
  4. Isabella says

    April 19, 2024 at 8:04 am

    5 stars
    This was my first time trying out a turkey pesto sandwich. Such a great idea, thank you!

    Reply
  5. Candice says

    April 17, 2024 at 10:08 am

    5 stars
    You inspired me, and I tried pesto on my daily turkey sandwich today! wow! I feel like I’ve been missing out. Turkey Pesto sandwiches are so good!!!

    Reply
laura fuentes momables holding a lunch bag and lunch boxes

My name is Laura Fuentes
I’m here to help you simplify school lunches with fresh ideas your kids will actually eat.

Mom of 3. Certified in Integrative Nutrition. 5x Cookbook Author.

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