How to Cook Turkey Pastrami: A Simple Recipe

There's a reason turkey pastrami sandwiches show up on every deli counter worth visiting: the meat is already packed with flavor, so all you really need is a hot pan, a few minutes, and the right order of steps to turn it into something worth stopping for. This is the simple method for cooking turkey pastrami at home so it comes out hot, juicy, and a little crisp at the edges, then building it into the sandwich it was always meant to be.

No fancy equipment, no long ingredient list, just one pan and about fifteen minutes from start to first bite.

Why This Method Works

The trick is cooking your onions low and slow first so they turn soft and a little sweet, then searing the pastrami hot and fast right after, so it picks up flavor from the same pan. Toast your bread with a thin layer of mayo instead of dry, and you get a golden, slightly crisp crust that holds up to a hot, juicy filling instead of going soggy. Every step is simple on its own. Done in the right order, they add up to a genuinely great sandwich.

Ingredients

• 6 to 8 slices turkey pastrami
• 1/2 small onion, sliced thin
• 1 to 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
• 2 slices bread of your choice
• 1 to 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• Mustard, to taste
  
• Pickles, for topping

Good sides to build a full plate: our Cucumber Salad adds a cold, crunchy contrast to the hot sandwich, and our Sesame Dip is worth having on the side for dipping the crust once the sandwich is gone.

Instructions

Start the onions.

Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a pan over medium heat for about a minute, just until it shimmers slightly when you tilt the pan. Add the sliced onion. Stir them around to coat, then let them cook mostly undisturbed, stirring every minute or two, for 6 to 8 minutes. You're looking for them to go from sharp and white to soft, translucent, and lightly golden at the edges. If they start browning too fast or catching in spots, turn the heat down a notch. This step takes the longest, so start it first and let it work while you handle the rest.

Toast the bread.

While the onions cook, spread a thin, even layer of mayonnaise on one side of each slice of bread, edge to edge. A little goes a long way here, you want a light coating, not a thick spread. Heat a separate pan or griddle over medium heat and lay the bread down mayo-side down. Toast for 2 to 3 minutes per side, checking underneath once, until it's a deep golden brown and firm enough to hold up to a filling without going soft. Set the toasted bread aside on a plate.

Push the onions aside.

Once your onions are soft and golden, use a spatula to push them to one side of the pan. This keeps them warm and out of the way without burning while you cook the meat in the same pan, which is where a lot of the flavor carries over from.

Cook the pastrami.

Add the remaining oil to the open side of the pan if it looks dry, then lay the turkey pastrami slices down in a single layer. Let them cook for about 1 to 2 minutes per side over medium-high heat. You're looking for the edges to curl slightly and pick up light color, almost like a light sear, not a hard char. Flip once with tongs or a fork. If your pan is small, cook the pastrami in two batches rather than crowding it, crowded meat steams instead of searing.

Build the sandwich.

Spread mustard on your toasted bread, as much or as little as you like. Layer on the hot pastrami pile the cooked onions on top. Finish with a few pickle slices. Close the sandwich and press down gently before cutting it in half on a diagonal, it holds together better and looks like something off a deli counter.

Serve hot, right away.

Plate the sandwich next to the cucumber salad and a small bowl of sesame dip if you're using them. Everything here is best eaten while the pastrami is still warm, so have your plate ready before you finish building.

Serves: 1 to 2 sandwiches | Prep time: 5 minutes | Cook time: 10 minutes | Total time: 15 minutes

Don't stop at pastrami Sandwich! Our deli case moves fast, corned beef, salami, and the rest sell out quick, so if this recipe has you hooked, now's the time to grab a few cuts before they're gone.

Tips for the Best Turkey Pastrami Sandwich

• Don't rush the onions. Low heat and a little patience is what turns them soft and sweet instead of raw and sharp. If you're short on time, slice them thinner so they cook faster.
  
  
• Use medium-high heat for the meat itself, not low. A hot pan for a short time keeps the pastrami juicy and gives you that light crisp at the edges. Low heat for a long time just dries it out.
  
  
• Go easy on the mayo when toasting the bread. A thin layer is enough to crisp it up without making it greasy or soggy in the middle.
  
  
• Onions are a personal preference. If you're not a big onion person, use less, or leave them out entirely, the sandwich still works fine without them.
  
  
• If you're new to cooking, don't worry about getting it perfect the first time. The onions forgive a minute or two of extra cooking, and the pastrami is quick enough that even an overcooked batch is still a good sandwich.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is turkey pastrami already cooked?

Most turkey pastrami sold at the deli is fully cooked and cured, so this method is about warming it up and building flavor, not cooking raw meat. It's safe to eat cold, but warming it in a pan with a little color and crisp at the edges makes for a much better sandwich.

What's the best bread for a turkey pastrami sandwich?

Rye is the classic deli choice, but any sturdy sandwich bread works as long as you toast it. Toasting with a thin layer of mayo instead of butter gives you a crisper crust that holds up to the hot filling.

What sides go well with this sandwich?

A cold, crunchy cucumber salad is a great contrast to the hot, rich sandwich, and a sesame dip on the side gives you something to dip the crust in once the filling is gone. A pickle spear or a simple potato salad also work well if you want something closer to a classic deli plate.

I'm new to cooking. What's the easiest part to mess up here?

The onions and the toast are more forgiving than you'd think, a minute or two extra either way still works. The one thing to watch closely is the pastrami sear in step 4: it only needs a minute or two per side, so stay near the stove for that part instead of stepping away.

Where can I find good quality turkey pastrami and other deli meat for this recipe?

A recipe like this only comes out as good as the meat you start with. We carry turkey pastrami along with corned beef, salami, bologna, and other deli-style cuts, all sliced fresh and ready to cook the same way. Browse our full deli meat selection to see what's in stock.