Hawaiian Roll Turkey Pesto Sliders is an easy, shareable one-pan recipe that is filled with fresh turkey, pesto, Swiss cheese, and honey on sweet Hawaiian rolls. All you need is a cast iron skillet or baking sheet and a few ingredients to make these easy turkey sliders.
We are huge fans of a one-pan recipe, especially if that recipe is tasty and shareable. When it comes to fun finger food, one of our go-to recipes is Pesto Swiss and Turkey Skillet Sliders. Baking the sliders in a skillet makes for a cute and inviting presentation, so everyone feels they can dive right in and help themselves!
These sliders are perfect for a last-minute get-together, BBQ, Super Bowl party, or a movie night at home. Their adorable size and flavorful ingredients make it hard to eat just one. No matter the occasion, we can guarantee they'll be a hit!
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About These Sliders
- Taste - These baked turkey sliders are packed with flavor. The combination of the sweet roll, savory turkey, rich pesto, garlic butter, and Swiss cheese is a delicious flavor medley.
- Texture - The bun is soft with a slight crunch and the turkey and cheese are firm.
- Effort - These sliders are so simple! All you need to do is make the pesto, assemble the sliders, then bake them. If you want to make this recipe easier, use store bought pesto.
- Time - It only takes about 10 minutes to prep and 10 minutes to cook.
Ingredients
- Hawaiian Sweet Rolls - Instead of hamburger buns or dinner rolls, I use King's Hawaiian rolls. The combination of Hawaiian bread and honey adds sweetness to the sliders that is a pleasant contrast to the garlicky pesto and sharp Swiss cheese.
- Oven Roasted Turkey - Sliced roasted turkey is a flavorful lean meat that complements the light and fluffy Hawaiian rolls. You can also use baked turkey, deli turkey, breast or other variations at your local butcher or grocer.
- Swiss Cheese - Swiss cheese has just the right amount of funk and buttery notes, making it the right choice for a slider. You can also substitute for your own favorite cheese, like cheddar, muenster, pepper jack, or mozzarella.
- Pesto - Fresh pesto is a no brainer when it comes to adding flavor to a simple dish. My favorite pestos to use for Pesto Swiss And Turkey Skillet Sliders include our classic 5 Minute Basil Pesto and the California-inspired 5 Minute Kale Walnut Pesto. If you don't have the ingredients to make your own pesto, opt for a jar of high-quality pesto.
- Garlic Butter - Garlic butter sauce adds the classic garlic aroma and rich buttery flavor to the sliders.
- Honey - Honey adds sweetness to balance the other savory flavors.
Substitutions and Variations
- Meat - Enjoy this slider with beef or Wagyu beef for a richer more robust flavored slider.
- Cheese - Swiss is one of our favorite cheeses for sliders, but pick your favorite! This slider will also be delicious with a sharp cheddar, white cheddar, gruyere, gouda, pepper jack, muenster, or havarti cheese.
- Hot Honey - Use hot honey instead of regular honey to add spiciness.
- Arugula - Add arugula for a sharp peppery flavor.
- Bun - Instead of Hawaiian rolls, use another type of slider bun like brioche, classic white bun, sesame seed bun, or potato bun.
- Gluten free - In order to make this recipe gluten free, use gluten free slider buns.
- Spicy - Instead of garlic butter or pesto, try our Spicy Sriracha or Wasabi Aioli.
- Everything bagel seasoning - Sprinkle some everything seasoning on the sliders for extra flavor.
- Dijon mustard - Spread some dijon mustard on the sliders for a sweet and spicy addition.
What Other Types of Sliders Can You Make?
There are endless possibilities to sliders! Here are some of our favorites:
- Skillet Sliders with sliced turkey, cheddar, and tomatoes
- Sliders with mozzarella, Basil Pesto, sun-dried tomatoes, and truffle salt
- Sliders with sliced Dutch Oven Chicken with Meyer Lemon, pepper jack, and spinach
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven - Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Prepare the sliders - Slice the Hawaiian rolls in half lengthwise. Spread an even layer of pesto, then layer the turkey and cheese on top. Drizzle honey on top of the cheese and add the top of the rolls. Use a sharp knife to slice the rolls into individual sliders.
- Add Melted Garlic Butter - In a small mixing bowl, whisk butter, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Arrange the sliders to fit in the skillet, then drizzle the melted butter mixture evenly over the sliders.
- Bake the Sliders and Serve - Cover the skillet with aluminum foil and place the sliders in the oven for 15 minutes, or until the sliders are soft and the cheese is melted. Uncover and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Remove from oven and serve immediately.
Pro-tip - Keep a close eye on the sliders to make sure they don't burn, the buns can easily burn.
What to Eat with Skillet Sliders
Since these baked turkey cheese sliders are light and lean, you can easily pair them with a hot bowl of Healthy Turkey Chili or Creamy Spinach Artichoke Dip. They're also a great match for a salad, like Italian Pasta Salad, Harvest Salad with Quinoa and Arugula, or Burrata Caprese. If you want to enjoy them as a main course, enjoy them with Homemade French Fries or Pan Fried Potatoes. Check out our slider sides for more ideas.
Recipe FAQs
These sliders taste best when served warm. When warmed, the flavors are much more enhanced than when served cold. Plus, who doesn't love to bite into warm and melted swiss cheese and a toasty Hawaiian roll?
If your sliders finish before your guests arrive or while you are waiting for sides to cook, put the sliders in the microwave (don't turn it on) or put them back in the oven once it cools.
The main reason sliders get soggy is if they are covered in the oven. Keeping them uncovered will ensure they are nice and crispy.
If you serve these sliders as an appetizer, 1-2 sliders per person should be fine. If it is for a main course, you should plan for 2-3 per person.
Sliders fit perfectly in your hand and are the perfect party finger food. The size of the sliders lets you enjoy the delicious flavor without getting too full to enjoy other dishes.
Equipment
These cheesy turkey sliders require only a few pieces of equipment, including a cast iron skillet, a small mixing bowl, and an oven mitt or dish towel to handle the hot skillet.
If you don't have a skillet, don't worry! You can use a pie dish, baking dish, or a baking sheet instead.
To explore more kitchen items to make your kitchen complete, head to my shop: Kat’s Kitchen Essentials.
Storage
Store leftover turkey sliders in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. To reheat, remove from the refrigerator and let them thaw about 5 minutes. Place them in a 200 degree F oven and heat for 5-7 minutes.
Top Tips
- In order to streamline this recipe, use store bought pesto instead of making your own.
Related Recipes
Did You Like This Recipe?
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Hawaiian Roll Turkey Pesto Sliders
Equipment
- 1 knife
Ingredients
- 12 Hawaiian Rolls sliced crosswise
- 3 tablespoon pesto
- ½ lb sliced turkey 10-12 slices
- ⅓ lb sliced Swiss cheese 6-8 slices
- 2 tablespoon honey
- 4 tablespoon butter melted
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher or sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven - Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Prepare the sliders - Slice the Hawaiian rolls in half lengthwise. Spread an even layer of pesto, then layer the turkey and cheese on top. Drizzle honey on top of the cheese and add the top of the rolls. Use a sharp knife to slice the rolls into individual sliders.12 Hawaiian Rolls, ½ lb sliced turkey, ⅓ lb sliced Swiss cheese, 3 tablespoon pesto, 2 tablespoon honey
- Add Melted Garlic Butter - In a small mixing bowl, whisk butter, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Arrange the sliders to fit in the skillet, then drizzle the melted butter mixture evenly over the sliders.4 tablespoon butter, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon kosher or sea salt, ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Bake the Sliders and Serve - Cover the skillet with aluminum foil and place the sliders in the oven for 15 minutes, or until the sliders are soft and the cheese is melted. Uncover and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Remove from oven and serve immediately.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. To reheat, remove from the refrigerator and let reach room temp for about 5 minutes. Place them in a 200°F oven and heat for 5-7 minutes.
- In order to streamline this recipe, use store bought pesto instead of making your own.
- Keep a close eye on the sliders to make sure they don't burn, the buns can easily burn.
Nutrition
Editor's note: this recipe was originally published in February 2019.
Chris
Made these last Sunday to eat while watching football and they were a hit. Everybody really liked the pesto.
Kathleen Higashiyama
Thank you, Chris! We're so happy to hear everyone enjoyed the sliders.