This Turkey Bacon Avocado Sandwich puts all take-out versions to shame! Toasty bread, melty cheese, turkey, plus a plethora of other essential ingredients, smothered in Creamy Basil Sauce . . . you’re going to make this on repeat!

I might be that person who finds the one thing they love on a restaurant menu and then never tries anything else.

The disappointment of ordering something different only to realize that it wasn’t as good as your go-to is devastating. I don’t have the heart space for that.

So if I’m at a sandwich place, my order is always, “Turkey Bacon Avocado, please.”

Unfortunately, I’m a bit particular about HOW it should be made. This is the point when my husband scoots back a few inches to avoid being related to the “complicated” customer.

“But also, can you grill it? But don’t add the fresh toppings and bacon until after it’s grilled. Oh, and don’t add mayo until the end either. Also, can you add sprouts and olives? No sprouts? Umm… spinach? But add that at the end too cuz soggy spinach — yuck, amiright? Do you have whole grain bread? Great, can you cut it thin? I don’t want my sandwich to be mostly bread, haha! That would be not-cool. Oh people like that? Oh, well I can eat it open-faced then, that’s fine. Also . . .”

I embarrass myself. But the eating is good so . . .

My husband suggested at one point that maybe we just make this a meal we have at home.

GREAT IDEA!

So it was born.

And it’s beautiful.

And thoughtful.

And not complicated.

It’s . . . PERFECTION.

Here’s how this sammie rolls:

Whole grain bread, the seedy kind, gently folded high-quality deli turkey, kicky pepperjack cheese, creamy avocado, tangy sun-dried tomatoes, and olives. Close it up and cook it on a griddle or panini press until the bread is toasted and the cheese melts.

THEN, open it up to add spinach, sprouts, crispy bacon, and a ridiculous amount of basil sauce. If it’s not dripping down your hands, you didn’t add enough.

Now I know you’ll be tempted to just throw everything on there and think that’s good enough, but I am an expert TBAS maker, so trust me and follow the recipe to a T.

Why add toppings after it’s grilled? We want the sprouts and spinach cold/crisp and the bacon crunchy.
Why sundried tomatoes instead of regular tomatoes? Because regular tomatoes will make your sandwich soggy, and sun-dried are a punch in the face of flavor. DON’T SWAP!
Why sauce it at the end? Because the sauce soaks into the bread if you apply it before grilling and deprives you the joy of licking the sauce drippage from your wrist . . . that sounded strange. Again, trust me. You’ll like it.

PAUSE FOR SAUCE: This Creamy Basil Sauce . . . sigh. It’s so rich and bright and herbaceous . . . One lick and you’ll be making it every Sunday to have on hand all week. I’ve used it as a veggie dipper, salad dressing, baked potato topper — it NEVER gets old.

A few more: whole grain seedy bread is just more exciting. High-quality deli turkey from the actual deli crushes prepacked. Pepperjack is just yummy and adds a spicy kick.

Whew! Okay, that was intense. I probably need to turn it into a course.

But hopefully you know now that this recipe came with some SERIOUS thought.

It’s gonna rock your world.

WHY YOU WILL LOVE MARCI’S TURKEY BACON AVOCADO SANDWICH SPECIAL

BETTER THAN TAKEOUT: You no longer need to go out for this sammie! You can make 4 of them for the price of a take-out version and don’t have to worry about them messing up your slightly particular order.
EASY: PARTICULAR doesn’t = HARD in this situation. This is an easy 20-minute dinner that you can whip up anytime.
TOP NOTCH SANDWICH: For all the long-winded reasons above, this sandwich is a work of art.

HOW TO MAKE THE BEST SANDWICH

Blend the Creamy Basil Sauce.
To a slice of bread, add ingredients in the following order: sun-dried tomatoes, olives, pepperjack, turkey, and avocado. Cook on a griddle, panini press, or in a skillet until the bread is browned and the cheese is melted.
Open the sandwich and add the spinach, sprouts, and bacon. Spoon the sauce over top and close the sandwich. Serve immediately.

SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR DETAILED COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

TIPS FOR SUCCESS

FOLLOW THE TWO-STEP PROCESS: Don’t add the fresh toppings until after the sandwich is cooked. It’ll make the fresh toppings warm and sad and the basil sauce will soak into the bread.
BLEND THE BASIL SAUCE: This will blend best in a smaller container. If you don’t have that kind of attachment for your blender or food processor, I suggest doubling the recipe. You will be happy to have extra!
FLEXIBLE AMOUNTS: While I’m particular about the ingredients and order, the amounts of each item are up to you! Feel free to add as much or as little as you want of each ingredient. Except for the sauce: that should be used in abundance 🙂
SUNDRIED TOMATOES: Use the kind packed in oil in a jar. Do not use the dried tomatoes in a package — they will be too chewy.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH A SANDWICH

FRIES: For the full restaurant sandwich experience, I love fries on the side. Particularly these Sweet Potato Fries. If I don’t feel like making my own, the Alexia brand is my favorite for frozen fries and onion rings. You should be able to find it at your grocery store.
SIDE SALAD: If I have a bottle of homemade Italian Dressing in the fridge, this Italian Salad will 100% be the side of the day.
FRUIT: Always welcome a side of fresh fruit. If I’m feeling fancy, I’ll slice up whatever fruit I have and add a drizzle of honey plus a splash of Nutpods creamer. It sounds weird, but it is FANTASTIC!
SOUP: This sandwich is begging for a giant bowl of Tomato Soup.

VARIATIONS

ADD A FRIED EGG: When that runny yolk hits the basil sauce, it’s fireworks.
CRUSHED CHIPS: Add a handful of chips to your sandwich when you add the sauce, and press down lightly to crush them a bit. If you’ve never tried this, DO IT TODAY!
TURKEY ALTERNATIVES: If you have leftover roasted turkey, this is delicious! Rotisserie chicken is also a great swap. I’ve never tried it with ham, but I’m sure it would work too.
DIFFERENT SAUCE: There’s no good alternative. Just make the dang Creamy Basil Sauce already.

I can’t wait for you to try this sandwich! Report back as soon as you make it. I can’t wait to hear what you think in the comments below.

Enjoy!

MORE FAVORITE SANDWICH RECIPES

TOOLS USED

Blender: I have the smaller attachment for this blender and I use it ALL the time for sauces and salad dressings.
Panini Press: I’ve had this one forever and even though it doesn’t get used a ton, I love it!