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You finally mastered the Thanksgiving turkey recipe of your dreams and everybody at your holiday table piled their plates high. But between the gravy, mashed potatoes, and decadent desserts, there’s only so much room for the main event. Now, you’re left with a surplus of perfectly cooked turkey and a house full of hungry guests for the weekend. We’ve got you covered with our tastiest leftover turkey recipes that truly transform last night’s dinner into something you’ll actually look forward to eating.
Thanksgiving Leftovers Egg Rolls
Grab the remaining bits of mashed potatoes, turkey, stuffing, vegetables, cranberry sauce—and really anything else you have from dinner—and stuff it into a crispy, delectable egg roll. This is a fun activity to do with kids after the big feast and an air fryer makes for easy clean up and less oily bites.
Thanksgiving Sliders
When you still have a crowd to feed come Friday afternoon, it’s the perfect time for a holiday twist on your favorite game day bite. Sweet Hawaiian rolls are layered with leftover turkey, gravy, and cranberry sauce and topped with melty Swiss cheese. Bonus: It’s ready in just 15 minutes.
Turkey Vegetable Soup
There are few things as soothing and cozy after a big Thanksgiving feast as this soup. Packed full of veggies as well as leftover turkey, it’s a lighter take on seasonal flavors. And if you’ve had your fill of leftovers, make a batch and freeze it for a delicious weeknight meal down the road.
Hot Louisville-Style Turkey Sandwich
Top thick-cut bread with leftover turkey, a quick, ooey-gooey homemade cheese sauce, and a colorful sprinkle of jarred pimientos. A quick pass under the broiler adds some toasty flavor resulting in one of the best twists on a hot turkey sandwich that we know.
Classic Turkey Pot Pie
Your freezer may have the answer to your leftover turkey woes. Start by creating a quick roux that makes a delectable gravy, add your leftover turkey and a bag of frozen mixed vegetables, and top with a puff pastry sheet for a crispy, buttery, and oh-so-good crowd-pleasing dish.
Grilled Turkey Reuben Sandwich
A turkey sandwich is fine, but a turkey Reuben is next-level delicious. To make this twists on the New York City deli classic, we sandwiched turkey, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and tomato slices between two hearty slices of rye bread. Serve with a generous side of Thousand Island or Russian dressing for dipping.
Turkey and Cranberry Hand Pies
These cute parcels are guaranteed to be a hit. Each puff pastry square gets leftover turkey, a dollop of cranberry sauce, and a piece of Brie cheese for a sweet and savory handheld delight. These are perfect to freeze for a quick lunch or dinner later in the week.
Turkey Bone Broth
Bone broth is a great freezer staple to have on hand for sauces, stews, soups, or just to sip on when you come down with a winter cold. Add your leftover turkey bones along with an onion, celery, carrots, parsley, and a bay leaf to your slow cooker. Then, set it and forget it. Your reward is a pot full of liquid gold that you can use straightaway or freeze to use later.
Fast & Easy Turkey Enchiladas
This easy, crowd-pleasing enchilada casserole is ready in under 30 minutes. Fill rolled tortillas with leftover turkey, cheddar cheese soup, chunky salsa, and diced green chiles. Add them to a casserole dish and top with more sauce and cheese. Finally, finish them with your favorite enchilada toppings for a Mexican-inspired dinner that’ll get everyone excited for leftovers.
Ultimate Turkey Leftovers Sandwich
If you can’t get enough of all those Thanksgiving dishes, this sandwich is the perfect solution. Layer all the best leftover bits, like gravy, cranberry sauce, turkey, mashed potatoes, and stuffing between bread for the perfect post-Thanksgiving lunch, dinner, or midnight snack.
Turkey and Broccoli Tortellini with Pesto
If you want a turkey leftovers dish that doesn’t feel like a turkey leftovers dish, then this one’s for you. With just five ingredients—tortellini, broccoli, olive oil, leftover turkey, and pesto—you’ll have dinner on the table in 22 minutes flat.
