Turkey, Bacon Pesto Focaccia Sandwich
This turkey bacon pesto focaccia is layered with deli turkey, crisp bacon, provolone, arugula, and homemade pesto mayo on sun-dried tomato focaccia. Pressed and chilled before slicing, it is flavorful, easy to make, and sturdy enough for lunches, picnics, or meals on the go.
- Total Time35 minutes
- Yield6 servings 1x
Ingredients
Scale
for the sandwich:
- 8 slices bacon
- 1 loaf Trader Joe’s sun-dried tomato focaccia *
- 4 slices (115g) provolone
- 8 ounces (225g) deli turkey, thinly sliced
- 1½ loosely packed cups arugula
for the pesto mayo:
- 1 packed cup fresh basil leaves
- ¼ cup (25g) finely grated Parmesan
- 2 tablespoons walnuts
- 1 small garlic clove
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup (115g) mayonnaise
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the bacon: Preheat oven to 400°F. Arrange the bacon (8 slices) on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Bake until browned and crisp, 16 to 22 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and cool completely.
- Make the pesto mayo: Add the basil (1 packed cup), Parmesan (¼ cup), walnuts (2 tablespoons), garlic (1 small clove), lemon juice (1 tablespoon), olive oil (3 tablespoons), kosher salt (¼ teaspoon), and black pepper to a food processor. Process until finely chopped, scraping down the sides as needed. Add the mayonnaise (½ cup) and pulse until smooth.
- Prepare the focaccia: Place the focaccia flat on a cutting board and slice it horizontally through the center with a serrated knife. Spread the pesto mayo evenly over both cut sides.
- Build the sandwich: Layer the bottom half with the provolone (4 slices), then the deli turkey (8 ounces), folding the slices instead of laying them flat. Break the cooled bacon (8 slices) into large pieces and arrange it over the turkey. Finish with the arugula (1½ cups), then replace the top half of the focaccia.
- Press and chill: Wrap the whole sandwich tightly in plastic wrap. Set a sheet pan on top, weigh it down with 2 or 3 cans and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Cut and serve: Unwrap the sandwich and cut it into 6 pieces. Serve cold or at cool room temperature. For packing, wrap each piece in parchment.
Notes
focaccia: Any store-bought focaccia works here. It does not need to be homemade; just choose one large enough to slice horizontally and build into a sandwich. *
no food processor: ⅓ cup jarred pesto stirred into ½ cup mayonnaise.
dairy-free: leave off the provolone and swap the Parmesan for about half as much nutritional yeast, then taste and add salt.
gluten-free: any sturdy gluten-free loaf works. Avoid anything soft.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of sandwich
- Calories: 517
- Sugar: 2.4 g
- Sodium: 1024.2 mg
- Fat: 43.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 11.8 g
- Protein: 21.2 g
- Cholesterol: 64 mg