Pan con Pavo, also known as Panes con Chumpe, is a classic Salvadoran comfort food—a flavorful twist on the turkey sandwich. This recipe was inspired by my beloved Pan con Pollo but with a Thanksgiving twist.
To make this dish, I use leftover Thanksgiving turkey pieces, cooking them directly in a homemade spiced tomato-based sauce made with vegetables, a blend of aromatic spices, and a touch of chicken bouillon for extra flavor.
Pan con Pavo is a great way to repurpose leftover Thanksgiving turkey. Versatile and delicious, this flavorful stew not only makes an incredible sandwich filling but is also perfect for burritos, flautas, tamales, and so much more.
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🛒 Ingredients You’ll Need
See recipe card for quantities.
- Fresh Tomatoes and Crushed Tomatoes: Create the base of the sauce.
- Dried Chiles (Árbol, Guajillo, Pasilla, Ancho): Add depth, smokiness, and varying levels of heat to the sauce.
- Garlic, Onion, and Poblano Pepper: Enhance the sauce’s flavor with aromatic and savory notes.
- Chicken Bouillon and Sazón Goya: These ingredients enhance the flavors in the sauce, adding depth. 👉 I developed this Pan con Pavo recipe using Knorr granulated chicken bouillon and Goya Sazón with coriander and annatto (con culantro y achiote). For a 💡homemade version, check the Tips and Variations section.
- Sugar, Red Pepper Flakes, and Oregano: Balance flavors with a touch of sweetness and spice.
- Leftover Turkey: Provides tender, flavorful meat that easily absorbs the sauce.
- Hoagie Rolls, Cabbage, and Fresh Vegetables: Form the sandwich base and add crunch and freshness.
👩🍳 How to Make Pan con Pavo
Note: Full instructions are provided in the recipe card below.
Prepare the Sauce:
- Sauté dried chiles in oil until fragrant.
- Add garlic, tomatoes, Poblano, and onion; cook until softened.
- Stir in crushed tomatoes, water, and seasonings; simmer and blend until smooth.
- Add turkey and bay leaves; simmer until thickened. Shred turkey and adjust seasoning.
Assemble Pan con Pavo:
- Toast rolls and spread with mayonnaise and mustard.
- Layer with cabbage, cucumber, onion, tomato, radish, turkey, and sauce.
- Top with watercress or cilantro, and serve.
🫙 Storage, Make Ahead, & Freezing
- Storage: Store any leftover turkey stew in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Make Ahead: The turkey stew can be prepared a day or two in advance. Reheat gently on the stovetop before assembling the sandwiches. Vegetables can also be prepped ahead and stored in separate containers in the fridge.
- Freezing: The turkey stew freezes well. Allow them to cool completely, then store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat on the stovetop, adding a splash of water if needed to adjust the consistency.
📝 Camila's Tips & Variations
- Let the sauce simmer longer for a richer, deeper flavor.
- Use fresh, sturdy bread like pan frances, telera, or bolillo that will hold the filling and absorb the sauce without falling apart.
- If using a blender for the sauce, blend in small batches to avoid spills and let steam escape.
- Adjust the heat level by adding or omitting Chile Árbol for spiciness.
- Swap leftover turkey with rotisserie chicken.
- Add slices of avocado for extra creaminess or jalapeños for a spicy kick.
- For added depth, include lightly toasted raw pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, or peanuts or a combination (about 2 tablespoons) in the sauce before blending.
- Add slices of hard-boiled egg and curtido (Salvadoran pickled cabbage slaw) for a traditional and flavorful twist.
- To make homemade Sazón, combine ½ teaspoon ground anatto, also known as achiote (or paprika), 1 teaspoon granulated garlic, ½ teaspoon MSG (optional but recommended), ¼ teaspoon table salt (adjust to taste), ½ teaspoon ground coriander, and ¼ teaspoon ground cumin. Store in an airtight container for up to several months. This recipe can easily be doubled.
🤔 Troubleshooting & Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my sauce too watery?
Simmer the sauce longer to reduce excess liquid. Make sure to stir frequently to prevent burning.
How can I make the sauce spicier?
Add extra Chile Árbol or a pinch of cayenne pepper to increase the heat.
How to Make Homemade Relajo Spice Mix?
I don't use Relajo Spice Mix in my Pan con Pavo, but I've included a homemade recipe below if you're interested. It yields approximately ¾ cups.
The ingredients are as follows:1 California or pasilla dried chili, tear into large pieces, 1 ancho dried chili, tear into large pieces, (1) 3" cinnamon stick, 4 dried bay leaves, 2 tablespoons coriander seeds, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, 2 tablespoons raw unsalted peanuts, 2 tablespoons raw unsalted pumpkin seeds (pepitas), 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, 1 tablespoon cumin seeds, 1 teaspoon whole cloves, 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 tablespoon Achiote (annatto) seeds or 2 teaspoons powder.
Instructions: Remove the stems from the dried chiles and tear them into large pieces. Toast the chiles in a large skillet over medium-high heat, turning once or twice until they change color and release a toasty aroma, about 2 minutes.
Set aside to cool. In the same skillet, toast sesame, peanuts, and pumpkin seeds for about 1 minute. Add the black pepper, coriander seeds, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, whole clove, and thyme.
Toast, stirring for another minute or until aromatic. Set aside to let it cool. Once cooled, transfer everything to a blender with the achiote seeds and blend on high until finely ground for about 1 minute ( be careful not to overprocess; you don't want to turn it into a paste). Relajo Spice Mix can be made 1 month ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.
See More Salvadoran Recipes:
📖 Recipe
Easy Pan con Pavo
Ingredients
- 8 fresh tomatoes , chopped
- 1- 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil , olive oil, canola, or vegetable oil
- 1 large yellow onion , chopped
- 1 Poblano pepper or bell pepper (any color), chopped
- 8 cloves garlic , minced
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Kosher salt , to taste
- 3 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 cups hot water
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 Chile Ancho
- 1 Chile Guajillo or Chile California
- 1 Chile Pasilla
- 3 Chile Arbol
- 1 packets Sazon Goya Culantro y Achiote
- 2 tablespoons Knorr Chicken Flavor Bouillon
- Turkey: Leftover shredded turkey. (The sauce is large enough to accommodate 5 cups of leftover turkey meat or more). *Disassemble the turkey into large pieces or shreds.
To Assemble:
- 8 or more large hoagie , submarine, bolillo rolls, or french rolls, as needed
- 1 small cabbage , shredded or 16 leaves remain lettuce (left whole)
- 1 bunch of Watercress or Cilantro
- 2 cucumbers , unpeeled and sliced in thin slices
- 8 radishes , thinly sliced
- 1 cup mayonnaise , to taste
- 1 large white or red onion , cut in half, and thinly sliced
- 1 cup yellow mustard , to taste
Instructions
Prepare the Sauce:
- Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large saucepan. Add Chile Árbol, Chile Guajillo, Chile Pasilla, and Chile Ancho. Sauté for 1–2 minutes until the oil takes an orange hue.
- Add garlic, fresh tomatoes, Poblano pepper, and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften, about 10 minutes.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes. Rinse the can with 2 cups of hot water and add the liquid to the pan. Season with chicken bouillon, Sazón Goya, sugar, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste. Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, stirring frequently to prevent the sauce from sticking or burning at the bottom of the pan.
- Use an immersion blender or standard blender to process the mixture until smooth (blend in batches if using a standard blender, leaving the lid vented for heat to escape). Return the blended sauce to the saucepan.
- Add the disassembled leftover turkey and bay leaves. Simmer over medium-low for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and develops deeper color.
- Remove the skin and bones from the turkey. Shred the meat into bite-size pieces using two forks. Return the shredded turkey to the sauce and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Remove bay leaves before serving.
Assemble Pan con Pavo:
- Arrange all prepared vegetables on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Toast Bolillo rolls on a sheet pan or directly on the oven grates for about 10 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Place toasted rolls on plates and cut them lengthwise. Spread mayonnaise on one side and mustard on the other.
- Layer the sandwich with shredded cabbage or lettuce, cucumber slices, onion, tomato, and radish.
- Mound shredded turkey onto the bread, add a spoonful of sauce, and top with watercress or cilantro.
- Repeat for remaining rolls.
Notes
- Storage: Store any leftover turkey stew in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Make Ahead: The turkey stew can be prepared a day or two in advance. Reheat gently on the stovetop before assembling the sandwiches. Vegetables can also be prepped ahead and stored in separate containers in the fridge.
- Freezing: The turkey stew freeze well. Allow them to cool completely, then store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat on the stovetop, adding a splash of water if needed to adjust the consistency.
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
