If you've been on TikTok lately, you've probably seen a ton of variations on the Italian grinder sandwich! While each recipe is different, they all have crusty bread layered with deli meat, cheese, and a creamy grinder salad! This turkey avocado grinder is my twist on the classic! With sliced turkey, cheddar, and avocado it's a light, summery version that's perfect for enjoying poolside.
Jump to:
What is a Grinder Sandwich?
While the exact origins of the grinder sandwich and how it got its name are unclear, there's no debating it's a New England classic!
There is also some confusion about the difference between a grinder, hoagie, sub, and hero sandwich; but a grinder typically has a crusty bread roll filled with deli meat, cheese, some type of iceberg salad, and dressing on top. No matter what you call it, grinder sandwiches are easy and delicious!
This sandwich doesn't travel well, but if you work from home it's the perfect hearty lunch!
You might also like my favorite chicken salad sandwich!
Ingredient Notes
You just need a handful of simple ingredients for this turkey avocado grinder sandwich! But feel free to make substitutions to your liking!
Bread - Any hard crusty bread will work! Typically grinders are made with a hoagie style sandwich roll, but I personally love ciabatta rolls! You could also use focaccia or a rustic sourdough!
Turkey - Unlike a typical Italian grinder, I just use roasted turkey breast. But feel free to use whatever deli meat your prefer!
Cheese - You can't go wrong with cheddar cheese but the options are endless! Swiss, provolone, pepper jack, or gouda would all be delicious!
Avocado - One of my favorite combos ever is turkey and avocado! So it only makes sense to add some sliced avocado to this turkey grinder!
Mayonnaise - I'm a bit of a mayo snob, so I only use Duke's Mayo (but you can use your favorite brand instead).
White Balsamic Vinegar - Most hoagies will use red wine vinegar but I prefer the flavor of white balsamic. So just use what you prefer!
Dijon Mustard - This is optional, but the mustard adds a little extra spice to the dressing.
Oregano - Dried oregano or any Italian seasoning blend will work!
Garlic - Normally I say to use as much garlic as your heart desires, but in this case just 1 clove is plenty. Any more will overpower the dressing.
Red Onion - I love the bite of a fresh red onion, but for a more mellow flavor sliced shallot works well too.
Iceberg Lettuce - I'll be honest, iceberg lettuce isn't usually my first choice for salads but it's a must for this grinder salad because it holds up well and adds crunch to the sandwich!
Black Olives - This is optional, but I love the briny flavor that sliced olives add to the grinder salad!
Cucumber - Also optional, but sliced cucumbers add a delicious crunch! I like to use mini cucumbers for small slices.
The complete list of ingredients and amounts is located in the recipe card below.
How to Make Grinder Salad
In a large bowl, add in the mayo, white balsamic vinegar, olive oil, mustard, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper and mix until fully combined. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
Then add in the sliced red onion, sliced cucumbers, and sliced black olives and toss to coat in the dressing.
Shred the iceberg lettuce and then add to the bowl and gently toss until completely coated in the dressing. Set aside and let marinate while you make the sandwiches.
How to Make a Turkey Grinder Sandwich
While the grinder salad marinates, preheat the oven to 425°F.
Slice your bread in half and layer with cheese and sliced turkey. Toast for 5-10 minutes until the cheese is melted and the bread is toasted.
Top with sliced avocado and a big pile of grinder salad for each sandwich.
Serve the turkey grinder immediately! The dressing from the salad will make the bread soggy if it sits too long.
Recipe Notes
This recipe makes enough salad for 2 large sandwiches or 4 small ones so you might have a little grinder salad leftover. But it's delicious on its own or scooped up with potato chips!
It's also pretty easy to scale up this recipe for a party or picnic! Make the salad up to a few hours in advance and assemble the sandwiches immediately before serving.
More Recipes You Might Like!
If you love this recipe, please leave a star rating at the bottom of the page! This provides helpful feedback to both me and other readers.
Also be sure to add us as a trusted site on Google so that our recipes show up more in your searches!
For more delicious, scratch-made recipes you can subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on social media!
Recipe Card
Turkey Avocado Grinder Sandwich
Ingredients
Grinder Salad
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ medium red onion, thinly sliced
- ½ cup cucumber , sliced
- ¼ cup black olives, sliced
- 4 cups iceberg lettuce, sliced
Grinder Sandwich
- 2 ciabatta rolls, sliced in half
- 4 slices white cheddar cheese
- 6 slices deli turkey
- 1 avocado, sliced
Instructions
Grinder Salad
- In a large bowl, add in the mayo, white balsamic vinegar, olive oil, mustard, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper and mix until fully combined. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
- Then add in the sliced red onion, sliced cucumbers, and sliced black olives and toss to coat in the dressing.
- Shred the iceberg lettuce and then add to the bowl and gently toss until completely coated in the dressing. Set aside and let marinate while you make the sandwiches.
Grinder Sandwich
- While the grinder salad marinates, preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Slice your bread in half and layer with cheese and sliced turkey. Toast for 5-10 minutes until the cheese is melted and the bread is toasted.
- Top with sliced avocado and a big pile of grinder salad for each sandwich.
- Serve immediately! The dressing from the salad will make the bread soggy if it sits too long.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Lauren says
SO GOOD! I thought it would be good, but wasn’t prepared for just how good it was
Dianne says
I mash my avocado otherwise it squirts out, sandwich was a good one! next time I’ll add pepperoncini slices to the spread
Amy says
how long will the grinder salad keep in the fridge?
Kyleigh Sage says
Once dressed it will start to get soggy after about a day. But you could mix up the salad and dressing separately and just mix small amounts as needed, and it should keep for at least 4 days!
Claire S. says
A little messy, but SO good
Christine says
Husband, who is particular about his food, really loved this and asked me to move this to our favorites.
Eva says
Amazing