This Turkey Avocado Sandwich is the perfect combination of flavors and textures. It's got wholesome peppered turkey breast and zingy chipotle sauce that will electrify your taste buds. It has smooth avocado and crisp, crunchy carrots and sprouts that make every bite feel like you're on an adventure. Put simply: it's THE best sandwich!
Ok guys, I have been waiting nearly two years to be able to make and post this recipe. This is THE sandwich. It is the sandwich that inspired us to start Joy to the Food and this is our cornerstone post.
To back up, we were road tripping through California and stopped at my favorite sandwich shop in Malibu. I have been to this place many times over the years and always make a point to stop there. They have many typical California items on their menu like ginger lemonade with local honey, agua fresca, avocado toast, grain free tahini cookies, and so many more wonderful options! Every time we go, I get the California Turkey that changed our course and made me think “how can I share my love of food, my love of these little cafes, my love of local cuisine with everyone”? The answer was: A blog!
So, on to the best sandwich ever made! It has simple ingredients like spicy chipotle crema, whole wheat nutty bread, crisp red onions, and peppery turkey. I highly recommend making this avocado turkey sandwich, taking it to your favorite place, and enjoying it outside or in the car watching the waves or the trees or a rainy drizzle.
Looking for more California inspired healthy recipes - try these: California Burger, Southwest Egg Bake, and Avocado Tuna Sandwich.
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Ingredients and Substitutions
All substitutions are a 1:1 substitute unless otherwise noted
Peppered Turkey: While you don't have to use peppered turkey, this adds so much flavor to this sandwich! We love to use thinly sliced deli turkey breast since that makes a great vessel for the fresh veggies and spice! Turkey is also a lean protein which is great for keeping fat content low if that is a concern for you.
Substitutions: Thinly sliced chicken breast or regular turkey breast can be used. Another great thing is using leftover turkey and adding cracked black pepper. This works great for leftover Thanksgiving turkey.
Whole Grain Bread: Would I be a true Californian if I didn’t recommend using a bread with nuts and seeds in it? It's just a necessary part of this sandwich. But, no one wants a tough sandwich, so even though I love whole wheat bread, I always reach for a soft whole wheat or oat seed bread.
Substitutions: Any of your favorite sandwich bread can be used! We really like Dave's Killer Bread. Sometimes when I'm feeling extra fancy, I’ll toast the bread too! Another option is to use a tortilla or wrap to make a turkey avocado wrap.
Carrots: The key to the carrots is to make sure they're SHREDDED. I'm telling you this makes all the difference and they actually stay on the sandwich! It’s also cheaper to buy whole carrots and very easy to shred them with a cheese grater and I am unsure why I was so terrified of the work it took to shred vegetables for so long…
Substitutions: Diced carrots can be used or you can swap out cucumbers in a pinch.
Red Onion: We love depth of flavor and red onion is hands down the ultimate flavor punch. It adds crunch, tang, and sweetness all in one! You don’t need much, just a few slivers will do the trick but feel free to add more or less as you like.
Substitutions: White onion can be used but we highly recommend red onion.
Chipotle Sauce: This is our famous 3 ingredient chipotle sauce that we put on everything! (California Burger, Breakfast Sandwiches, etc). Ok, maybe it’s not famous but people seem to really dig it on Google. So ya, famous.
Substitutions: Regular mayo can be used or a premade chipotle sauce. You can also try cream cheese as a substitute but this has not been tested.
Sprouts: Another California classic ingredient (and we haven’t even gotten to avocado). Sprouts are great because they add those fluffy greens that are necessary to a good sandwich but because they are so tiny and intertwined, they stay on the sandwich and don’t slide out when you eat it! Can you tell how much I hate when a sandwich falls apart?
Substitutions: We used broccoli sprouts, but you can use any type! They are typically found in the refrigerated produce section by salad mixes, cucumbers, and carrots.
Avocado: Ok, no California sandwich is complete without avocado. The avocado adds healthy fats and a delicious creamy element. For our size sandwich, we used ½ of a small avocado, but you may have to use more or less depending on the size of the bread. It should cover the bottom of the bread.
Substitutions: Guacamole could be used but you really need avocado for this sandwich. Just be sure to use a ripe avocado (but not too ripe). Need to save your avocado - try this Food Hugger!
How to Make this - Step by Step
Step one: Gather your ingredients, shred the carrots, and slice the onion.
Step two: Assemble all the ingredients. I recommend spreading the chipotle sauce on both slices of bread, then mashing the avocado on the bottom piece, then turkey, onion, carrots, sprouts, and the last piece of bread.
Step three: Enjoy this healthy turkey avocado sandwich!
Watch How to Make This - Step by Step
Joy Tip!
Sprouts can be hard to keep fresh but they'll stay good for a week in the fridge if kept dry. The best way to store them is to make sure they're completely dry and then place a fresh paper towel in the bottom of their container. All the sprout containers I've seen in stores come with holes in the top lid which is what's needed to ensure ventilation. If there aren’t holes, just puncture the plastic lid with a knife.
Facts and Common Questions
What's the best condiment for a turkey sandwich?
In our opinion the best condiment is chipotle sauce. Chipotle sauce adds a spicy and creamy component and is easy to spread on a bread. Other tasty options include sriracha mayo or honey mustard!
What cheese goes with avocado?
While I don't think cheese is needed on this sandwiches, some favorites are cheddar cheeses (medium or sharp), swiss cheese, provolone cheese, goat cheese (my favorite cheese!), and gouda cheese.
What can you put on a turkey sandwich besides mayo?
Well, a very fun take on this sandwich after Thanksgiving is to swap out the mayo for cranberry sauce and swap out avocado for mashed sweet potatoes! This is a great way to use that leftover turkey!
Want to Save it for Later? Here’s how!
This sandwich saves well in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. If you do plan to save it for later, it helps to toast the bread to keep it from getting soggy. It should not be frozen.
Fun Fact
If you ask a kid what sound a turkey makes they'll probably say: gobble gobble! But did you know that only male turkeys gobble? Yep! Turns out, female turkeys make a few other noises, including clucking, yelping, and purring. So next time a kid asks you what sound a turkey makes, be sure to purr if you want to confuse them! (source)
Fun Recipes to Pair With This Sandwich!
Did you try this and love it? Leave us a review, we would love to hear from you!
Recipe
Turkey Avocado Sandwich
Ingredients
- 5 slices turkey peppered, thinly sliced
- 2 slices whole wheat bread
- ½ avocado
- 2 tablespoon chipotle sauce
- 3 tablespoon carrots shredded
- ⅛ red onion
- ⅓ cup sprouts
Instructions
- Gather your ingredients, shred the carrots, slice the onions and slice the avocado. Toast bread if desired.
- Spread the chipotle sauce on both pieces of bread, add sliced avocado and slightly mash it onto the bread with a fork, add the turkey slices, onion, carrots, and sprouts.
- Top with the last piece of bread and enjoy!
This really hits the spot! Love it! Thanks
I'm a fan of shredded carrots on sandwiches now, very good!
I have never thought to put carrots on a sandwich and boy have I been missing out! This is delightful!