Turkey is such a great meat, and potentially of the most loved leftovers in the world! A true classic leftover turkey sandwich is with cheese and cranberry sauce…plus any of the other good stuff which you have left over. The question is, what cheese tastes best with turkey? You have slaved over your turkey for a number of hours, so you don’t want to put just any old cheese with it! Let us have a look to see which cheeses go best in a turkey sandwich. If you have never had a turkey sandwich before, this is the perfect guide for you. You might even find your new favorite sandwich combination!
Table of Contents
- What Is The Best Cheese To Go In A Turkey Sandwich?
- Turkey Sandwich and Cheese FAQs
- The Best Cheese in a Turkey Sandwich – Answered!
What Is The Best Cheese To Go In A Turkey Sandwich?
For me, cheese is always an essential part of most sandwiches. The type of cheese you use plays a big part in how good the sandwich is too, and depending on what other toppings you have, some cheeses pair really well with certain toppings.
The following is a list of the best cheeses that go well in a turkey sandwich, and the best ingredients to go with each of the cheeses!
Without further ado, which is the best cheese for a turkey sandwich?
Gouda Cheese
Gouda cheese pairs really well in a turkey sandwich because the flavor is subtle but the texture is super creamy. More aged gouda has a saltier flavor and is harder in texture. If you are using a more mild gouda, then this will melt into your turkey sandwich a bit more.
With a caramel, butterscotch flavor, gouda adds a subtle hint of sweetness without overpowering the other flavors within your sandwich. It is an excellent addition to a smoked turkey sandwich because the sweetness pairs really well with the smokiness of the turkey.
Another excellent pairing in a gouda cheese and turkey sandwich is salami. Like with smoked turkey, gouda pairs well with the smokiness of the salami. Smoked gouda is another tasty addition to your cheese and turkey sandwich.
Cheddar Cheese
If you like cheese with a bit of a stronger flavor, then cheddar is another great addition to a smoked turkey sandwich.
Vintage cheddar adds a nice and dry, crumbly texture to a moist turkey sandwich. The rich tangy flavor, along with the nutty hint really compliments the smokiness in smoked turkey.
Ages cheddar pairs really well in a turkey avocado sandwich. Cheddar is also a great cheese for kids lunches.
Brie Cheese
Brie is a classic cheese pairing that goes best in a turkey with cheese and cranberry sauce sandwich.
This is a soft cheese, which is similar to the texture of camembert cheese. It has a tangy fruity flavor which is why it pairs so well with cranberry sauce.
Make sure to wrap this type of sandwich well because it can sometimes run a little soggy due to its runny texture. Brie also pairs really well in both an avocado and turkey sandwich, and tastes really good with dijon mustard.
Emmental Cheese
Emmental is a mild cheese which is another classic turkey sandwich combination. This cheese is popular for grilled sandwiches, and will likely satisfy your grilled turkey sandwich cravings.
Emmental tastes really good in cold turkey sandwiches thanks to its sweet and intricate flavor. It has notes of hazelnut and ripe fruit, which compliments the subtle flavor of turkey.
Swiss Cheese
Swiss cheese has a hint of nuttiness while having a smooth creamy taste. This really tastes amazing.
Of course, swiss cheese is another great addition in turkey sandwiches. Especially if you’re looking a pairing for turkey meat to feed your kids!
Gruyere Cheese
Gruyere is a firm cheese which has been aged for months. Its flavor is highly dependent on how old it is. The longer that gruyere cheese is aged, it has a more earthy flavor.
Gruyere cheese and turkey sandwiches will have a strong taste and may need some salt and pepper to bring out the dry taste. Bean sprouts is a great addition to gruyere cheese and turkey sandwich.
This type of cheese pairs really well in a ham and turkey sandwich. Its sharpness helps to balance out the saltiness and sweetness of the ham, while also complimenting the turkey quite nicely.
Provolone Cheese
Provolone cheese is another cheese with a subtle nutty flavor. But unlike other cheeses, it has a slightly spicy flavor to it. It is a great sandwich cheese because it is quite mild. Provolone is a cheese very popularly used in philly cheese steaks.
Provolone has a subtle taste that does not overpower the also subtle-tasting bird. The saltiness of provolone brings a sharpness to the sandwich when paired with turkey.
Parmesan Cheese
Parmigiano Reggiano, usually known as Parmesan, is a hard Italian cheese. With a nutty flavor, parmesan cheese tastes sweet, salty, and bitter all at once. It has a crumbly, gritty texture and a light to dark yellow tint color. Parmesan is a popular cheese due to its shelf life.
Parmesan cheese is an aged cheese. Therefore, it will provide a strong taste to your sandwich. If you want to avoid this, you can mix your parmesan with one of the milder cheese.
Pecorino Romano Cheese
Pecorino Romano cheese is Italian and produced from sheep’s milk. You can find 3 varieties of this cheese. They all differ from each other depending on their age.
The flavor of Pecorino Romano is slightly acidic and almost peppery. The harsher the taste, the more mature the Pecorino is.
Pecorino Romano cheese is also an aged cheese. Therefore, it will provide a strong taste to your sandwich. If you want to avoid this, you can always mix your Pecorino Romano cheese with a mild cheese of your choosing. Or you can check out a pecorino substitute to see if it’s more to your taste!
Monterey Jack Cheese
Monterey jack is a cheese that melts really well, making it an excellent cheese for a turkey sandwich that’s steaming hot.
It is an all-time favorite American cheese and is perfect for use in sandwiches. The naturally sweet, buttery flavor of Monterey jack pairs super well with turkey in grilled cheese sandwiches. It is even the perfect cheese to use in mac and cheese with turkey meatballs.
You’ll love the buttery texture paired with the neutral turkey meat for sure!
Mozzarella
Fresh mozzarella is another great addition to a turkey sandwich.
Paired with cold shredded turkey on a bed of greens, you can add some fresh mozzarella balls torn up, which you can lightly season with some salt and pepper. This is a subtle but tasty sandwich, which is also quite healthy!
Pepper Jack
The peppery taste which Pepper jack cheese has is the perfect addition to a turkey cheese sandwich. A good quality Wisconsin Pepper jack will even have used fresh pepper as opposed to dried pepper, which will taste even better!
This will truly impart the fruity flavors of the pepper, which tastes delicious with turkey, particularly if you use hot turkey, this will melt nicely into the sandwich and taste absolutely delicious.
Turkey Sandwich and Cheese FAQs
What cheese goes best with turkey?
The best cheeses that pair with turkey are gouda, Emmental, swiss, brie, gruyere, provolone, fresh mozzarella, cheddar, Monterey jack, and pepper jack cheese.
What is the best cheese for cold turkey sandwich?
Emmental and mozzarella are good options of cheese for a turkey sandwich that’s cold!
What is the best cheese for smoked turkey sandwich?
Gouda and cheddar lend great flavors to smoked turkey sandwiches. Try them on your leftover turkey any time!
The Best Cheese in a Turkey Sandwich – Answered!
Hopefully, this guide will help you to decide which cheese is most suited to your palate so your next turkey sandwich will be the best cheese and turkey sandwich you have ever had!
