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.
WOW, this sounds and looks wonderful, but will have to make it with mozerella cheese. My bunch will not eat any kind of yellow cheese, I love it but they don’t.
Hi folks! Here’s a quick clarification: There are apparently some serious differences in what is called French bread in the supermarket. Sp here’s what I use: http://www.pepperidgefarm.com/ProductDetail.aspx?catID=759&prdID=11776
It seems some places are calling Italian Bread French Bread when it’s really not. If you end up with more bread than spread, just mix ya up so more.
I used a big old loaf from Wally world and had plenty using just your recipe. Maybe it multiplied on my bread! Lol
Did y’all enjoy it?
It was WONDERFUL!!!
Robin, I had the same problem with not having enough of the spread. I had barely enough for one standard size french bread loaf, so I just made one. It is in the oven now, we are about to eat. I am sure it will be wonderful. Maybe french loaves come in varying sizes? Thanks for this recipe. I bet it will become a family favorite.
Oooh Stacey that looks so good. So so good!!! It makes me sad because I’m not supposed to eat certain foods regularly and all I see are great recipes that include foods I am supposed to avoid. I can be quite stubborn about it though and I’ll say that I’ll eat what I want and deal with the fallout but that’s not really the smartest thing for me to do. I already can think of one way to change it up to make this as I have a special cheese I can eat. But really I could eat this all the time and would if I could!
Bless your heart! I know how you feel. I have a condition that limits some foods and it can very frustrating because I LIVE food and LOVE most all of it. I hope you can find a way to enjoy this! Best of luck!
Hello Stacey,
Thank you for your post – I am going to make it for my boys when they watch the Superbowl. We live in England so this is quite unusual and as it is shown overnight they’ll need to be fed well.
AT LAST!!! Now I know what grits are. I’ve been wondering for years….lol!
Hello from across the pond! I hope you all enjoy to the sandwiches and the Super Bowl! So glad we were able to help with those grits!! 🙂
That looks Yuummmmmy!!! I know what we are having for lunch Sunday!!!
I live in the central area of Florida and we have a old established Cuban community here called Ybor City ( pronounced eebore). This sandwich looks just like you are using our official Cuban bread. The contents are a little different but yours still looks great. I’ll have to make one of these. Thanks!
I’m a BIG fan of Ybor City. Love the Columbia!