Turkey Pesto Sliders

These turkey pesto sliders are the baked sandwich you’ll make for every gathering — gooey mozzarella, savory salami, and herby pesto on golden Hawaiian rolls. Easy, impressive, and gone in minutes. Try them this weekend.

Turkey pesto sliders are baked party sandwiches made by layering deli turkey, salami, fresh mozzarella, sundried tomatoes, and pesto inside Hawaiian rolls, then brushing the tops with a butter-pesto mixture and baking until golden and crispy. This recipe serves 6 to 8, delivers melty, savory, herb-forward sliders with crispy buttered tops and gooey cheese pulls, and is perfect for game day, make-ahead lunches, and crowd-pleasing gatherings.

Here’s everything you need to make it perfectly.

I’ve made turkey pesto sliders for probably every potluck I’ve been to in the past two years, and the thing that surprises people every time is the salami — it adds this salty, slightly spicy depth that makes you think there’s something way more complex happening than just slapping ingredients on a roll. Don’t skip it, even if turkey feels like the star. These sliders are too good to leave out of your weekly lineup—find more simple lunch meal prep recipes before you run out of easy wins.

Why You’ll Love These Turkey Pesto Sliders

The butter-pesto brush on top is what sets these apart from every other baked slider recipe out there. It bakes into a glossy, crispy, herb-flecked crust that’s genuinely addictive.

Inside, you get melty fresh mozzarella, savory layers of turkey and salami, and the sweet-tangy punch of sundried tomatoes against the rich pesto. Every single bite has something interesting going on.

They’re also a legitimately great make-ahead lunch option — assemble ahead, refrigerate, and bake when you’re ready. High protein, portable, and way better than anything you’ll pull from a deli counter.

What Ingredients Do You Need for Turkey Pesto Sliders?

Ingredient Group	Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Rolls	Hawaiian rolls	1 package (12 rolls)	Keep connected as a slab
Filling	Deli turkey	8 oz	Sliced thin works best
Filling	Salami	4 oz	Adds savory depth
Filling	Fresh mozzarella, sliced	8 oz	Pat dry before layering
Filling	Sundried tomatoes	1/3 cup	Oil-packed; drain well
Filling	Pesto	1/3 cup	Store-bought or homemade
Filling	Olive oil	Drizzle	Drizzled over filling
Filling	Salt and pepper	Pinch	To taste over filling
Topping	Unsalted butter, melted	2 tablespoons	Mixed with pesto for brushing
Topping	Pesto	1 tablespoon	Stirred into melted butter

Fresh mozzarella is worth it here — the pre-shredded bagged kind doesn’t melt the same way and releases more water, which can make the bottom layer of the rolls soggy. Pat the fresh mozzarella slices dry with a paper towel before layering and you’ll get that perfect cheese pull without the sogginess.

For the pesto, a good store-bought works just fine and keeps this solidly in easy meal prep lunch territory — no one needs to make homemade pesto on a Tuesday. The sundried tomatoes are the real flavor secret here; oil-packed ones have a deeper, richer taste than dry-packed, so drain them but don’t rinse. These pair beautifully with a watermelon feta mint salad for a complete, crowd-pleasing spread.

How to Make Turkey Pesto Sliders Step by Step

Step 1: Prep the Pan and Rolls

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Grease a baking sheet or baking dish.
3. Cut the entire slab of Hawaiian rolls in half horizontally, keeping them connected, so you have one top piece and one bottom piece.
4. Lay the bottom slab cut-side up on the greased baking sheet.

💡Cutting the rolls as a connected slab — not individually — keeps the sliders uniform and makes assembly dramatically faster.

Step 2: Assemble the Filling

1. Spread the 1/3 cup pesto evenly over the cut surface of the bottom rolls.
2. Layer the sundried tomatoes evenly over the pesto.
3. Layer the deli turkey evenly over the tomatoes.
4. Layer the salami evenly over the turkey.
5. Lay the fresh mozzarella slices evenly over the salami.
6. Drizzle with olive oil and add a pinch of salt and pepper.

Pro Tip: The key to even sliders is layering from wet to dry — spread pesto first as a moisture barrier on the bread, then build the fillings on top so the rolls don’t get soggy during baking.

Step 3: Add the Top and Brush

1. Place the top slab of rolls over the assembled filling.
2. In a small bowl, stir together the 2 tablespoons melted butter and 1 tablespoon pesto until combined.
3. Brush the butter-pesto mixture evenly over the top of the rolls.
4. Cover the baking sheet tightly with foil.

Pro Tip: For best results, make sure the butter-pesto brush covers edge-to-edge, including the sides of the rolls — that’s where you get the most satisfying crispy bits.

Step 4: Bake

1. Bake covered at 350°F for 20 minutes.
2. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes until the tops are golden and crispy.
3. Serve warm.

💡 The foil-covered bake steams the inside and melts the cheese; the uncovered final 5 minutes is what creates the crispy, caramelized top. Don’t skip either phase.

Expert Tips for Perfect Turkey Pesto Slider

Pro Tips for Success

The key to non-soggy sliders is patting the mozzarella dry before assembly. Fresh mozzarella releases water when heated, and if you skip this step, that moisture soaks into the rolls during the covered bake. Thirty seconds with a paper towel makes a real difference in the final texture.

Turkey pesto sliders work best when the filling layers go edge to edge, all the way to the crusts. When the filling only covers the center, you end up with outer rolls that are mostly bread and no filling — and someone always gets stuck with those. Layer generously and evenly.

For best results, use a baking dish instead of a flat sheet if your rolls are thick. A dish with sides keeps the slab contained during baking and holds in more steam during the covered phase, giving you a moister, more evenly melted interior. Flat sheet pans can let the steam escape too quickly.

The most common mistake is skipping the foil — instead, always bake covered first. Without the foil, the tops brown and crisp before the cheese fully melts and the interior warms through. The two-phase bake is what gives you the perfect contrast of melty inside and crispy outside.

Don’t underestimate the salt and pepper over the filling. I skipped this once thinking the salami and pesto would carry all the seasoning, and the sliders tasted flat. A small pinch directly over the turkey and mozzarella layers before closing the top makes everything taste more cohesive — it’s one of those details that’s easy to skip and really shouldn’t be.

Delicious Variations

Quick Version: Skip the foil phase and bake uncovered at 375°F for 15 minutes if you’re short on time. You’ll get slightly crispier bottoms and a less melty interior, but it’s still a solid high protein lunch option when you’re working against the clock.

Gluten-Free Version: Substitute your favorite gluten-free slider rolls in place of the Hawaiian rolls, keeping the same slab-cut assembly method. Check that your pesto and sundried tomatoes are certified gluten-free, as some brands process in shared facilities — all other ingredients are naturally gluten-free.

Alternative Ingredients: Swap the salami for prosciutto for a lighter, more delicate savory layer that still adds complexity. Prosciutto crisps slightly during the uncovered bake phase, adding a different but equally satisfying texture to these portable lunch recipes.

Troubleshooting Common Problems

Problem: The bottom rolls are soggy after baking.

Solution: Spread the pesto thickly as a barrier layer directly on the cut bread surface, and drain the sundried tomatoes well before layering. Also make sure the mozzarella is patted dry — excess moisture from any of those three ingredients is the usual cause.

Problem: The tops aren’t getting crispy even after removing the foil.

Solution: Your oven may run cool, or the butter-pesto brush was too thin. Make sure you apply a generous, even coat and give it the full 5 minutes uncovered — you’re looking for a deep golden brown with slightly darker edges. Add another 2 to 3 minutes if needed.

Problem: The cheese isn’t fully melted in the center.

Solution: The mozzarella slices were likely too thick or the covered bake phase ran short. Slice mozzarella no more than 1/4-inch thick and make sure you bake covered for the full 20 minutes before removing the foil.

How to Store and Reheat Turkey Pesto Sliders

Storage Method	Duration	Best Practice
Room Temperature	Up to 2 hours	Cover loosely; mozzarella is highly perishable
Refrigerator	Up to 3 days	Store whole or individually wrapped in an airtight container
Freezer	Up to 1 month	Wrap individually in foil then place in a zip bag; thaw overnight before reheating

To reheat, wrap individual sliders in foil and bake at 325°F for 10 to 12 minutes until warmed through and the cheese is melty again. You can also use a toaster oven. Avoid the microwave if you can — it softens the rolls and kills the crispy top that makes these worth eating.

Leftover sliders are fantastic cold, straight from the fridge, as a portable lunch recipe — the pesto and sundried tomato flavors actually intensify overnight. You can also pull the filling out of leftover sliders and stuff it into a wrap with some arugula for a completely different next-day lunch. Round out the meal with these hot honey chicken rice bowls if you’re meal prepping a full week of easy lunches.

FAQs About Turkey Pesto Sliders

Your New Go-To Party Slider — Make It This Week

Honestly, I’ve yet to bring these to a single gathering where they didn’t disappear before anything else on the table. They’re the kind of thing people pick up thinking it’s just a little slider and then immediately go back for a second.

If you make them, drop a comment below and tell me what you served them with — I love hearing how people build out a full spread. And save this to your Pinterest lunch ideas board right now so it’s there when you need a last-minute party recipe or a solid meal prep option.

Craving more easy lunch ideas that actually deliver? These hot honey chicken rice bowls are next on the list — and finish the whole meal with a batch of no-bake key lime bars that take 10 minutes to prep.

Turkey Pesto Sliders — golden Hawaiian rolls stuffed with turkey, salami, melty mozzarella, and herby pesto, baked until crispy on top and gooey inside. The party sandwich everyone asks for the recipe. Save this!