Bacterial type III protein secretion systems (T3SSs) can present protein antigen to stimulate antigen-specific T cells, and so could be useful for vaccine development. However, current methods require live bacteria. This study engineered the T3SS of Salmonella enterica into non-replicating bacterial minicells, which result from aberrant cell division. The engineered system could deliver a specific antigen to the class I antigen presentation pathway, and in mice it primed CD8+ T cells and elicited a protective response against an infectious challenge, suggesting that the T3SS in minicells could be used for vaccine development without the need for live bacteria.