Top to Bottom Turkey and Cheese Bread
This Top to Bottom Turkey and Cheese Bread is what simple comfort food is all about! Crusty French bread is loaded with smoky turkey, sharp cheddar, and a creamy mayo spread, then baked until gooey and golden. Dunk it in a bowl of potato soup, and you’ve got a meal that feels like a warm hug from someone’s mama.
A Bread Recipe Worth Sharing
My friend Stacey from Southern Bite is the guy I’m pretty sure is my long-lost twin… except that we look nothing alike, have never lived in the same town, and have about 10 years between us. But we do think the same thoughts!
One time, we were at a fancy dinner, and the chef was describing the polenta. I was thinking, “Okay, got it, fancy grits,” when Stacey leaned in and whispered, “Okay, now that would be grits…” I just about shot ice water out my nose.
When I saw this recipe on his food blog, I knew I had to bring it to you, and what makes it even better is that it’s his Mama’s! For years, she always served this gooey deliciousness whenever she made potato soup, and it never really had a name, until his wife dreamt about it one night, calling it “Top to Bottom Ham and Cheese Bread.”
And honestly, that name says it all. From top to bottom, it’s layer after layer of deliciousness. The kind of thing you’ll want to dunk straight into a bowl of soup and never stop eating.
Ingredients
- Crusty French bread
- Sharp cheddar cheese (finely shredded)
- Mayonnaise
- Smoked turkey (thinly sliced)
- Onion (medium-sized is good!)
Tasty Variations to Try
- Instead of smoked turkey, why not try some thinly sliced deli ham or even roast beef? Heck, you could get real wild and mix ’em all together!
- Swap out that sharp cheddar for some pepper jack if you’re feeling a little feisty, or go with provolone for a milder, gooey bite.
- If you like a bit of heat, add a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce or some sliced jalapeños. Sriracha or chili paste would be mighty fine in there too.
How to Make Top to Bottom Turkey and Cheese Bread
- Start by slicing those loaves of bread in half lengthwise, just like you’re making a giant sandwich.
2. In a bowl, mix together the mayo and shredded cheddar cheese. Go ahead and spread this cheesy mixture on both sides of each loaf.
3. Now, layer on the thinly sliced onion and turkey to your heart’s content. Not everyone in my family is a big fan of onions, so you can leave them off if you want.
4. Wrap your sandwiches up nice and tight in aluminum foil. Bake them in a 350°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cheese is perfectly melted and everything is heated through. Enjoy!
My Favorite Soups to Pair with Top to Bottom Turkey and Cheese Bread
This cheesy turkey bread is practically begging to be dipped into a warm bowl of soup. A few of my personal favorite recipes to serve alongside it are my classic French Onion Soup, a hearty Low Carb Vegetable Soup, or my rich Broccoli Beer Cheese Soup. Of course, you can’t go wrong with the traditional pairing my friend Stacey’s mom used to make: a comforting Loaded Potato Soup!
How to Store
You can store any leftover sandwiches in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When you’re ready to eat, wrap them back up in foil and bake at 350°F for about 10 minutes, or until they’re nice and warm again.
Can I make this ahead of time?
You bet! Assemble the sandwiches, wrap them in foil, and refrigerate until you’re ready to bake. Just add a few extra minutes to the bake time since they’ll be going in cold.
Ingredients
- 2 Loaves crusty French bread
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese finely shredded
- 1 cup mayo
- 9 oz smoked turkey thinly sliced
- 1/2 medium onion thinly sliced
Instructions
- Cut the loaves of bread in half lengthwise as if you’re going to make a sandwich.
- Combine the 1 cup mayo and 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese in a bowl and spread on both sides of both loaves of bread.
- Place thinly sliced onion and turkey in each sandwich to your liking.
- Wrap sandwiches in aluminum foil and and bake in 350°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until until cheese is melted and the sandwiches are heated through.
Oh my goodness! That looks amazingly delicious! We have a meeting after church this Sunday and being Baptists we have to have food, I know what I’m bringing. Thanks for sharing this recipe, I know everyone will love it. It’s really all about food and family, isn’t it?
And just so you know, it took me forever before I realized that when people were talking about polenta they really meant grits!
This is amazing! There’s no other way to describe it. Sometimes, simple is best, and I am all about paying hommage to southern food because it’s economical. I abbhor the things that restaurants are trying to do to our beloved Southern staples. They’ve taken our pimento cheese and our shrimp and grits and have bastardized them unrecognizable into “delicacy” fare…. SHAME! All hail the never fussy, never fancy hot ham and cheese.
This is fabulous. I used a loaf of french bread from Wally World and it was just enough for one loaf. My super bowl guests loved it! It was so good that I’m making it again for a meeting that we all take a snack for afterward.
I found your site and may still be here in the morning when you wake up. I’m from Okla. and love reading all the posts and seeing how you lay out the recipes.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart. BTW going to the store for bananas and nilla wafers.
Welcome to the Southern Plate family!! So glad you found me and can’t wait to get to know you!
Totally loved this recipe!!! So easy to make, and yummy! And I signed up for Southern Bite too.