Turkey Pesto Gouda Melt
Serves 1 · Prep: 3 minutes · Cook: 7 minutes · Total: about 10 minutes
Sometimes you only have five minutes to make lunch before hopping onto a Zoom. Or sometimes you're just in the rhythm of things and don't want to stop for long. You still want something fresh and delicious, though.
Start by toasting your bread until it's nice and crispy. That will make sure your pesto won't sink into your bread (nobody likes a soggy mess)! After that, add turkey, gouda, and pesto to your heart's content!
To get the perfect cheese pull, finish the sandwich in a pan with butter!
Ingredients
- 2 slices sandwich bread, sourdough, or brioche
- 3–4 slices turkey
- 2–3 slices young gouda
- 1 to 1½ tablespoons pesto
- 1 tablespoon butter, softened
- Black pepper (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Toast the bread first
Lightly toast both slices. You want them pale golden, not fully dry or crunchy.
- 2
Warm the turkey
Add the turkey to a skillet for 30–60 seconds, just to take the chill off. If you're being careful with deli meat, heat it until steaming hot, then let it cool slightly before assembling.
- 3
Assemble the sandwich
Spread pesto on one slice of toasted bread. Add gouda, turkey, and another layer of gouda. Close the sandwich.
- 4
Butter the outside
Spread softened butter on the outside of both slices.
- 5
Finish in the pan
Cook over medium-low heat for 2–3 minutes per side, until the bread is crisp and the gouda has melted. Press gently with a spatula. If the bread is browning too fast, lower the heat.
- 6
Rest and cut
Let it sit for 1 minute before slicing.
Recipe notes
Cook’s notes
- Use young gouda, not aged gouda. Aged gouda tastes good but does not melt as smoothly.
- Keep the pesto light. Too much makes the sandwich oily.
- If the pesto tastes flat, add a tiny squeeze of lemon before spreading it on the bread.
More recipes to try
Save this recipe, and any recipe from anywhere, in Shio.
Get Shio