40 Greatest Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes
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Jazz up your turkey, cranberry, stuffing, and more with these 40 Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes that’ll help you devour those leftovers in no time.
Thanksgiving leftovers are the best, but sometimes, it gets tiring eating the same turkey and cranberry sauce leftovers over and over again after the holiday.
Jazz up your leftovers and make your taste buds happy with these 40 Creative and Delicious Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes to help you and your family devour those Thanksgiving leftovers in no time!
I realize that stuffing cooked outside the bird is technically called “dressing,” but in my family, we use stuffing as a catch-all term.
I decided to simplify things and do the same in this post, so whether you cooked your stuffing inside or outside the turkey, I’ll be calling it all “stuffing” here.
Learn why experts recommend not stuffing your turkey: 25 Best Turkey Cooking Hacks for the Tastiest Bird You’ve Ever Had.
More must-know Thanksgiving tips:
10 Early Thanksgiving Prep Ideas to Make the Holiday So Much Easier
10 Free and Low Cost Thanksgiving Supplies You Need for a Seamless Turkey Day
21 Thanksgiving Hacks to Streamline Your Holiday
25 Best Turkey Cooking Hacks for the Perfect Bird Every Time
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Contents
Best Ever Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes You Need to Try
1. Turkey Grilled Cheese with Cranberry and Brie
In my family, we’ve always eaten Thanksgiving turkey and cranberry sauce leftovers in sandwich form – just plain white bread with mayo, cold turkey, cranberry sauce, and salt and pepper.
Don’t get me wrong, this is a delicious sandwich, but it gets seriously boring after the first couple days.
Here’s a great way to upgrade that boring, cold sandwich with a warm and toasty grilled cheese with Brie (my favorite!) and Cranberry Mostarda (a flavorful mixture of cranberry sauce and whole grain mustard). I’ll definitely be making these after the holiday!
2. Turkey Cranberry Strudel with Maple Roasted Butternut Squash
Store bought puff pastry isn’t often used by home cooks, but it should be because it’s so easy to work with and amazingly delicious!
Here we have a warm and comforting puff pastry strudel filled with leftover turkey and cranberry sauce and another seasonal favorite, Maple Roasted Butternut Squash!
Get more awesome butternut squash recipes: 25 Amazing Butternut Squash Recipes You Need to Try This Fall and Winter – Even Desserts!
3. Thanksgiving Pizza
Here’s another fun and creative way to enjoy puff pastry piled high with ALL of your Thanksgiving leftovers! This pizza really is one of the best ways to enjoy Turkey Day leftovers!
4. Turkey and Cranberry BBQ Sauce Pizza
Here’s another Thanksgiving leftover pizza with a radically different flavor profile!
Have you ever imagined cranberry sauce on a pizza?? BBQ sauce might be a little more normal, but not much!
It all seems to work on this gorgeous and incredibly tasty pizza recipe topped with leftover turkey and cranberry sauce, BBQ sauce, and your favorite cheese.
5. Leftover Stuffing Waffles
Betcha never thought of turning your Thanksgiving leftovers into breakfast food!
This recipe transforms leftover stuffing into delicious, golden waffles great with cranberry sauce or covered in turkey and gravy for a seasonal take on traditional Chicken and Waffles.
More must-try breakfast inspiration:
10 Incredible Breakfast Salads Worth Waking Up For
30 Best Plant-Based Breakfast Bowls That Will Fuel You All Day
40 Amazing Vegan Overnight Oats Perfect for Busy Mornings
6. Turkey Orzo Soup
Soup is the perfect meal idea to warm you up when it’s cold outside. Use up all that extra turkey in this comforting orzo soup with chicken broth and nourishing veggies.
7. Holiday Hash
Did you get a little crazy with the stuffing this year and make way too much?
Don’t let one delicious morsel go to waste – use up leftover stuffing, turkey, and gravy in this hearty morning meal sure to start off your day just right!
8. Turkey Cranberry Quesadillas with Ham and Brie
Put a tasty Thanksgiving twist on this Mexican staple with leftover turkey, ham, and cranberry sauce and delicious Brie cheese.
9. Ultimate Leftovers Club Sandwich
This Ultimate Club will give new life to your leftovers!
Turkey gets piled high with crispy bacon, sweet and tart cranberry sauce, melted cheddar cheese, and creamy mayo and cream cheese to make the ultimate comfort food sandwich.
More hearty sandwiches that will feed a crowd: 16 Slow Cooker Sandwiches for Busy Nights and Easy Entertaining.
10. Slow Cooker Turkey Barley Soup
After cooking that enormous Thanksgiving feast, you’re probably not eager to put a lot of effort into cooking. Use up leftover turkey in this yummy barley soup, and let your slow cooker do all the work.
11. Leftovers Panini
A Panini press can turn just about any sandwich into a melty, decadent treat. If you don’t have a Panini press, you can use a heavy skillet to press the sandwich – cast-iron is the perfect weight for this.
12. Turkey Pesto Panini
Here’s a more savory panini option (minus sweet cranberry and jam) with fresh pesto, avocado, tomato, and gooey mozzarella.
13. Turkey Cranberry Sliders
Sliders are super popular, and it’s no wonder – they’re compact, tasty, and great for feeding a crowd!
Invite family back for a second Thanksgiving dinner, watch a football game, and snack on these delicious sliders with leftover turkey, cranberry sauce, and gravy.
14. Leftover Turkey Frittata
Thanksgiving dinner gets a healthy makeover in this frittata recipe with turkey, spinach, and mozzarella cheese.
15. Thanksgiving Leftovers Stromboli
Stromboli isn’t just for Italian flavors anymore. Fill store bought pizza crust with loads of turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and mashed potatoes to enjoy all your leftovers together again.
16. Turkey Alfredo Stromboli
Make your Turkey Stromboli even more rich and decadent with homemade Alfredo sauce!
17. Mom’s Turkey Soup
Nothing’s more comforting than a traditional noodle soup with nourishing homemade turkey broth, hearty chunks of turkey and vegetables, and delicious egg noodles.
More cozy soup recipes:
10 Warm and Comforting Soup Recipes for Fall and Winter
25 Quick and Easy Soups Perfect for Busy Weeknights
30 Best Clean Eating Soup Recipes for Better Immunity
18. Turkey Nachos
Liven up those turkey leftovers with Colby Jack cheese, jalapeños, Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce, taco seasoning, and fresh vegetables for a spicy kick!
19. Turkey Shepherd’s Pie
This Thanksgiving leftover recipe is especially great because you can customize your ingredients to what you had at your holiday dinner.
20. Turkey Pot Pie
I love just about anything in pie form – desserts, quiche, and pot pies like this. For pot pie in soup form, keep scrolling!
21. Turkey and Stuffing Muffins
Combine leftover turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and gravy with some eggs and stock as a binder for easy, grab-and-go muffins perfect for hectic weekday mornings.
22. Aunt Bee’s Leftover Turkey Casserole
I’m a big believer in keeping old family recipes alive.
Here’s one for Thanksgiving leftovers with turkey, peas, and rotini in a simple creamy sauce made with cream of chicken and cream of celery soups. Classic!
23. Turkey Chili
Here’s another healthy and hearty meal containing shredded turkey, kidney beans, tomatoes, and chili spices for a warm and tasty meal.
24. Leftover Turkey Carnitas
This recipe is so good you seriously need to try it! It’s a healthier but equally delicious version of traditional pork carnitas – minus the lard and long cooking time.
25. Turkey Salad Sandwiches
Turkey salad is made tons more delicious with the addition of seasonal dried cranberries, apples, and crunchy pecans on a soft and buttery croissant.
More quick and easy sandwich inspo:
16 Satisfying Slow Cooker Sandwiches That Will Feed a Crowd
20 Incredible Grilled Cheese Sandwiches Ready in Minutes
26. Cheesy Mashed Potato Pancakes
Potato pancakes are a classic way to use up leftover mashed potatoes. Here’s the best potato pancake recipe flavored with plenty of delicious cheddar cheese!
27. Cheesy Leftover Stuffing Cakes
Potatoes aren’t the only Thanksgiving leftover that can be made into yummy cakes with loads of uses!
These stuffing cakes are great with bacon and eggs for breakfast.
You can also add Hollandaise sauce (my favorite is Knorr Hollandaise Sauce Mix – it’s way better than any homemade or restaurant version I’ve had!) for a unique take on Eggs Benedict.
Don’t worry – calories don’t count this time of year 😉
28. Turkey Corn Chowder
This recipe for quick and easy Turkey Corn Chowder will help you get a creamy, satisfying soup on the table in no time! It’s also great for leftover chicken.
29. Thanksgiving Leftovers Crescent Ring
There are tons of crescent ring recipes, and they’re all delicious – who can resist crescent rolls?? This crescent ring features your favorite Thanksgiving leftovers topped with ooey gooey cheddar cheese.
30. Tex-Mex Turkey Soup
Your family is sure to love this Blue Ribbon Recipe with leftover turkey, tomatoes, green chiles, and other great Southwestern flavors. You may want to double the recipe!
31. Turkey Tetrazzini with Crunchy Parmesan Panko Topping
This creamy Turkey Tetrazzini features mushrooms, peas, and an irresistibly crunchy topping made of Panko breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese. It’s hard to believe leftovers can taste this good!
32. Turkey Enchiladas
Turkey is a great addition to traditional enchiladas with black beans, enchilada sauce, and lots of Mexican cheese.
33. Cran-Turkey Enchiladas
For a sweeter, Thanksgiving version, check out this enchilada recipe that uses leftover turkey and cranberry sauce, sour cream, cheese, and salsa. What’s not to love?!
34. Turkey Pot Pie Soup
Turn leftover turkey into a warm, comforting, and lightly creamy soup with this recipe. Pair with some leftover rolls for a well rounded meal.
35. Turkey Gyros
This recipe calls for marinating and cooking turkey just for these gyros, but you can certainly change it up for Thanksgiving leftovers!
Just put leftover turkey on a fresh, soft pita with red onion, tomatoes, and creamy Tzatziki Sauce for a delicious Greek style meal.
36. One Pot Cheesy Turkey Tamale Pie
Polenta with sharp white cheddar cheese, lots of enchilada sauce, leftover turkey and gravy, loads of Mexican flavors, pomegranate salsa, and plenty of yummy cheese melted on top.
If this looks and sounds amazing to you (it sure does to me!), you just gotta try this one pot tamale pie that’s so much easier than making traditional tamales, but is still just as good!
37. Leftover Turkey Tacos
These tasty tacos are a little spicy with adobo sauce, but the creaminess of the cheese balances the flavors.
38. Easy Turkey Stroganoff
If you like mushrooms, check out this stroganoff dish that uses up leftover turkey and gravy for a satisfying saucy dish that’s great over noodles.
39. Turkey and Biscuits
This recipe is like a combination of Sausage Gravy and Biscuits and Chicken and Waffles. Add your leftover turkey to this creamy, flavorful sauce and put over biscuits for a hearty dish that’s perfect for any meal of the day!
40. Leftover Turkey Bombs
These flavorful bites are everything you love about Thanksgiving dinner stuffed into soft and chewy biscuits and topped with rich gravy!
Thanksgiving is stressful. These Easy and Delicious Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes make it so much easier by helping you manage the aftermath of the holiday with new ways to enjoy all that leftover food!
What do you think of these Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes? Did you find any new favorites? Please let me know in the comments below!
More Thanksgiving Hacks:
10 Early Thanksgiving Prep Ideas to Make the Holiday So Much Easier
10 Free and Low Cost Thanksgiving Supplies You Need for a Seamless Turkey Day
21 Thanksgiving Hacks to Streamline Your Holiday
25 Best Turkey Cooking Hacks for the Tastiest Bird You’ve Ever Had
Thanksgiving Decor Ideas:
10 Gorgeous Fall Centerpieces That Will Wow Your Guests
20 Stylish DIY Thanksgiving Napkin Rings for a Gorgeous Holiday Table
27 Easy DIY Thanksgiving Décor Ideas Anyone Can Make
30 Easy DIY Fall Wreaths Anyone Can Make
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