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 Quick Look At The Recipe
- Recipe Name: Top to Bottom Ham and Cheese Bread
- Ready In: 25 minutes
- Serves: 4
- Main Ingredients: Loaves crusty French bread, sharp cheddar cheese, mayo, smoked turkey, onion
- Why You'll Love It: Top to Bottom Ham and Cheese Bread is a quick and hearty baked sandwich made with crusty French bread, sharp cheddar, mayo, smoked turkey, and onions. Wrapped in foil and baked until gooey, it’s an easy family-friendly meal or appetizer ready in just 25 minutes.
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.
Nothing better this time of year than soup and a hot sandwich (we’re digging out from the 20 inches of snow we got in IL). Great recipe, Stacey! Christy, I made your baked sandwich recipe (grnd. beef and cream of mush. soup) about a month ago. Instead of using the bread dough, I took a short cut because I got a loaf of French bread on sale. I had half a loaf leftover so I froze it. Now the big question is what would be the best way to reheat it? It’s wrapped in foil. Should I thaw it overnight and then bake it in the oven (in the foil) at about 350 for 15-20 minutes or can I place the frozen loaf (again, in foil) into the 350 oven and bake it for about 30-40 minutes? I don’t want to dry out the bread and still have a cold filling. And I probably should unwrap it for the last 7 minutes to crisp up the bread…agree?
OMG….and with a day like we are having here at the beach….pouring down rain and quite dreary as I look out over the Inlet here in Murrells Inlet, SC….now if only the kitchen fairy would just suddenly appear and say “bibbity bobbity boo” and these delicious, sounding sammies along with a big, ol’ pot of potato soup would just magically appear……just sayin’…YUM!
Sonnnnn…. That’s a mighty fine lookin’ sandwich!!!!
Looks great! Ain’t it fun being a guest blogger for The Christinator? Thats one of my pet names for her.
Thanks for the recipe. I will get to it as soon as it decides to quit snowing and icing up. This is Texas.. snow and ice ain’t natural…
You’re surely right about that, Bill. Our grocery stores were jam packed with shoppers stocking up as if a hurricane were about to hit. Folks honking in the parking lot at slow movers and those who do three corner turns to get the parking place on the other side. I’d have this today, but NO more trips to the store until the lines clear out. Might have to try this with beef and bbq sauce until then.
I hear ya, buddy! This kinda stuff isn’t supposed to happen way down here. I do love the Christinator! And being a guest blogger is the bees knees.
Be extra good with a 1015 on it. Love my unions.
Johnny
That looks so yummy! Can’t wait to try it without the onions 🙂
that looks delicious!
Oh my lands, this looks delicious! And with a steamy bowl of baked potato soup? Yes, please!
Meeting the two of you at Food Blog South was the hilight of my weekend! Thanks y’all! 🙂
Want your recipe for baked potato soup!
Hey Tina! The recipe for the soup can be found here:
http://southernbite.com/?p=533
Thanks, Christina! It was GREAT to meet you too! P.S. -the link for the soup is below… ~grins~
http://southernbite.com/?p=533