This crowd-pleasing Italian Turkey Club Sandwich is perfect for picnics, parties, or those nights it’s just too hot to cook! Loaded with sliced turkey, prosciutto, arugula, sun-dried tomatoes, and a homemade Italian dressing, this recipe is so flavorful and fresh. So without further ado, let’s make sandwiches!
Day 2 of Christmas in July… and today we’re getting savory with sandwiches!
Sandwiches are truly one of my favorite things to eat! I could happily enjoy one every-single-day. And often… I do! Italian hoagies, French dips, hot ham and swiss; you name it, I’ll take it! And don’t even get me started on ice cream sandwiches, because we’d be here all day. So with an obsession this strong, it’s kind of crazy I only have a handful of sandwich recipes on this website!
But that changes now. Because not only do I have a new sandwich recipe for you today… but I’ll be sharing a new sandwich recipe with you once a month going forward! But let’s focus on the here and now; let’s focus on this Italian-inspired Turkey Club Sandwich that’s going to rock your world! It’s quick to make, ultra flavorful, and can easily be doubled or tripled to serve a crowd. And trust me, if you’re serving a crowd, you’ll definitely want to make enough to go around! This sandwich is always a huge hit!
Need to make some adaptions? No worries! Unlike baking, cooking leaves room to pivot. So I’ve added some notes on adaptions and substitutions below. So if you’re looking to play around with the ingredients, be sure to read my notes!
Let’s Make a Turkey Club Sandwich!
- Bread: Every good sandwich starts with good bread, so be sure to use quality here! I suggest using a large ciabatta loaf, but you can definitely use a long baguette instead. A French loaf may also work!
- Turkey: You can use sliced deli meat or freshly shaved turkey breast. Have leftover turkey from thanksgiving? Yup, that’ll work, too!
- Prosciutto: I prefer every thinly sliced prosciutto for this recipe. It adds a delicious flavor and a great chew! But if you’re not a fan, feel free to sub in crispy cooked bacon here.
- Sharp Provolone Cheese: But mild will also work! You could also sub in Swiss or American, which will make it less “Italian”, but still delicious!
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Add a great chew, and are much easier to find in the dead of winter! That being said, feel free to sub these with fresh juicy tomatoes if you prefer.
- Arugula: This is our “lettuce” and gives the sandwich a peppery flavor! Feel free to sub for something else like baby spinach or just regular lettuce. Just keep in mind if you use regular lettuce and tomato slices, the sandwich will get soggy faster from the added moisture.
- Pesto: Store-bought or homemade will work here! If you want a healthier version, my spinach basil pesto!
- Olive Oil: For our dressing! Use your favorite brand!
- Red Wine Vinegar: Adds a slight tang to our vinaigrette. While I do prefer red wine, balsamic can work in a pinch!
- Sugar: Adds just a touch of sweetness. Granulated sugar works best here!
- Salt and Pepper: To season our dressing to perfection! Just a small amount of both to start, then taste and add more as/if needed.
While I don’t toast my bread before making this sandwich, you definitely can if that’s your preference! Simply preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Place the sliced ciabatta on a baking sheet, and toast for a few minutes. Then assemble as directed in the recipe box!
Italian Turkey Club Sandwiches
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup (76 g) pesto store-bought or homemade
- 2 Tablespoons (28 ml) olive oil
- 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons (21 ml) red wine vinegar
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt more to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper more to taste
- 1 large loaf ciabatta bread sliced in half lengthwise
- 1 pound turkey breast sliced
- 3/4 pound prosciutto thinly sliced
- 1/2 pound sharp provolone cheese thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes sliced and drained
- 2 cups baby arugula
Instructions
- In a small bowl combine the pesto, olive oil, vinegar, garlic, sugar, salt, and pepper and whisk until smooth. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if needed. Set aside.
- Lay the bread cut side up on a cutting board. Gut the top piece of ciabatta by pulling out some of the inside bread, which will create ample space for the filling. Lightly brush both cut sides of the bread with the pesto vinaigrette.
- Layer the turkey, prosciutto, provolone, sun-dried tomatoes, and arugula on the bottom half of the ciabatta. Drizzle the top of the arugula generously with the vinaigrette. Add the top half of the ciabatta and gently push down on the sandwich.
- Slice the sandwich into 4 to 6 pieces, secure pieces with a toothpick, place on a platter, and serve.
Jackie K says
Fun too make and looks yummy I will be eating these tomorrow with my girlfriend on a hike at McConnells Mill state park!!
net worth says
Thank you so much!! This looks so yummy!! Can’t wait to try this recipe!