Past Turkey Sandwiches: 30 Methods to Revive Your Thanksgiving Leftovers

Thanksgiving, how do I like thee? Let me rely the methods. 

Really, let me not — not less than not completely. There are far too many. 

I like the crispness within the air (nonetheless refined it could be down right here in Florida) and the ever-present soccer video games on each TV display screen (though I don’t care about, and even completely perceive, the sport).

I like the way in which the home swells and bustles with relations I haven’t seen in far too lengthy (though after a day or two, I’m able to cease explaining the present occasions of my skilled and romantic lives to individuals who, primarily, stay strangers for many of the remainder of the yr). 

And, in fact, I like the meals: the ridiculous, magnificent unfold of meals we make approach an excessive amount of of, yr after yr.

It’s not like we don’t study. We all know there might be leftovers. Actually, they’re among the finest components of Thanksgiving!

However even essentially the most avid turkey sandwich fanatic will get just a little bored with them after just a few days.

After all, “I’m sick of it” isn’t any excuse to throw away completely good meals. Goodness is aware of we now have sufficient of a meals waste drawback on this nation already.

So earlier than you’re tempted to toss the stays of your feast within the trash, take a look at these scrumptious and inventive methods to reimagine your Thanksgiving leftovers. 

30 Impressed Methods to Repurpose Your Thanksgiving Leftovers

From classics like soup to surprisers like nachos, you’re positive to search out one thing to reignite your vacation urge for food.

Though many of those dishes comprise multiple conventional Thanksgiving ingredient, we’ve organized them by their important part so you may simply discover a recipe that matches your distinctive leftovers scenario. 

That mentioned, a few of them look so good, you would possibly need to make Thanksgiving dinner yet again… 

Turkey

The principle occasion can also be the one almost definitely to go away rather a lot behind — irrespective of how insistent mother is that every visitor take some house. 

Right here’s how one can rework that pile of turkey meat right into a scrumptious new dish.

1. Turkey Salad

Sharon Steinmann/The Penny Hoarder

The day after Thanksgiving, an enormous, hearty meal is likely to be the very last thing in your thoughts.

Loosen up your menu by making that leftover turkey right into a salad — both the creamy, mayo-based sort you serve on bread, or the type with precise lettuce. 

This cranberry pecan model from Carrie’s Experimental Kitchen seems to be beautiful, and Self Proclaimed Foodie’s Krissy substitutes Greek yogurt as a substitute of (or along with!) mayonnaise. 

2. Turkey Frittata

What’s eggy, scrumptious and completely acceptable for breakfast, lunch or dinner?

In case your reply was frittata, you converse my language — and if it wasn’t, put together to find out about your new favourite meals.

Jackie at Home Suits gives a recipe that’ll expend your leftover turkey and rolls in a snap, and Yasmin Fahr suggests dipping her frittata in leftover cranberry sauce combined with just a little little bit of dijon mustard. (Mainly, she’s a genius.)

However identical to an omelette, the chances are limitless. Simply crack some eggs and put in your pondering cap!

three. Leftover Thanksgiving Nachos

Now right here’s a dish I’d by no means have thought up alone. 

Meals Community gives on your consideration this appetizing tray of Thanksgiving leftovers-laden nachos, together with turkey, roasted Brussels sprouts and butternut squash. 

It even makes use of up the final of that may of French-fried onions you set in your inexperienced bean casserole.

four. Turkey Tetrazzini

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What’s a greater mate on your leftover chook than mayonnaise?

Attempt a creamy, tacky mushroom sauce — full with spaghetti. 

Tetrazzini, a traditional American pasta dish, works effectively with all types of poultry and fish, and turkey isn’t any exception. Plus, The Pioneer Lady’s model requires a whole block of cream cheese.

Give. Me. That.

5. Turkey Milanese

This fancy-sounding dish by Bobby Flay truly seems to be fairly darn straightforward to place collectively. 

And in the event you skip the pomegranate molasses, you in all probability have already got most of those elements in your pantry.

6. Turkey Pizza

Sound unconventional? Positive — however the very best half about making pizza at house goes past your native joint’s drained repertoire. 

If you happen to’re nonetheless unconvinced, take a look at ReadySetEat’s artichoke turkey pizza. Simply seize a premade crust and add some diced tomatoes, canned artichokes and olives, and two varieties of cheese (as a result of, sure). 

7. Turkey Enchiladas

Repurpose an American traditional right into a Mexican dish that approach predates the beginning of our nation.

There are many recipes on the market, however former senior editor Heather van der Hoop shares her father’s time-honored model, which the household makes yr after yr. 

Right here’s what you’ll want:

1.5 onions
2 cloves garlic
four cups cooked turkey, shredded
eight tablespoons gentle chili powder
2 contemporary jalapenos
1 cup smoked barbecue sauce
1 can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon every cumin, oregano and sugar
three cups of hen broth (or your personal do-it-yourself turkey inventory; see merchandise #13 on this checklist!)
1 cup half-and-half
2 tablespoons of cornstarch dissolved in four tablespoons half-and-half
1 cup shredded monterey jack or cheddar cheese
12 tortillas
salt and pepper
cooking oil (comparable to olive)
frying oil (comparable to canola)
bitter cream
inexperienced onions 

First, create a scrumptious do-it-yourself enchilada sauce by pureeing the gentle chili powder, contemporary jalapenos, barbecue sauce, one quartered onion, one clove of garlic, the can of tomato sauce, the cumin, oregano and sugar, a teaspoon of salt, an eighth of a teaspoon of pepper and two tablespoons of cooking oil. 

Fry the combination up in sizzling oil for about 5 minutes, stirring continuously. 

Then add the broth, a cup of half-and-half, plus the 2 tablespoons of cornstarch dissolved in a further four tablespoons of half and half. Simmer for 2 minutes.

Then, saute the remaining half onion and clove of garlic, diced finely, in sizzling oil. Add the shredded turkey, brown barely, and stir in sauce (reserving some) and salt and pepper to style. Warmth, and hold heat.

Fry the 12 tortillas shortly in sizzling oil. Drain and hold them heat in a casserole dish. Dip the tortillas in heated sauce, put a strip of filling throughout every, and roll tightly. Prepare side-by-side in pan, sprinkle with cheese and warmth in a 350 diploma oven for 10 minutes. 

Spoon heated sauce over enchiladas and serve with bitter cream and chopped inexperienced onions. Muy bien!

eight. Turkey Chili

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What higher solution to climate the chilly winter months than with a hearty chili? 

And because you’ve seemingly bought extra turkey than you realize what to do with, this lightened-up model from Bold Kitchen is an ideal match. 

And in the event you’re feeling fiery, take a look at Meals Community’s leftover turkey chili recipe, which brings the warmth with fire-roasted tomatoes.

9. Turkey “Shepherd’s” Pie

So, let’s assess the leftovers scenario. You’ve seemingly bought the next gadgets at your disposal:

Scrumptious, tender meat
Completely paired gravy
A crunchy, exquisitely carb-laden stuffing or dressing
Mashed potatoes

Clearly, you want to put all these issues collectively in a single dish with mashed potatoes on high.

Though it’s referred to as “shepherd’s” pie as a result of it historically comes with lamb, this dish — poulterer’s pie? — is as easy and cost-effective as it’s tasty. You don’t have to make use of any elements aside from the leftovers themselves. 

TPH editor Caitlin Constantine made particular person servings together with her Thanksgiving leftovers “by layering turkey and stuffing and gravy in ramekins, then putting mashed potatoes on top and baking them until the taters were golden.” Um, yum.

And if you would like a full-sized pie, take a look at Martha Stewart’s recipe, which sweetens the cope with leftover cranberry sauce and glazed carrots.

Significantly, how lame does that sandwich sound now?

10. Turkey Pot Pie

Received a leftover pie crust or two…  or sufficient butter to pump out just a few extra?

You possibly can make a excellent turkey pot pie, crammed stuffed with all of your favourite fixings. This one, for instance, will expend your leftover inexperienced bean casserole, too.

Need one thing a bit extra handheld? 

Try this recipe for “pocket” pies, filled with cranberry sauce, candy and mashed potatoes, stuffing and, in fact, turkey. Make them forward of time and pop ‘em within the toaster oven to carry your youngsters a contemporary Thanksgiving chew for lunch each day this weekend!

11. Turkey Quesadillas

I imply, in the event you take actually something and add cheese, you just about can’t go improper.

This one requires brie and cranberry chutney, and I’m formally drooling on my desk.

12. Thanksgiving Leftover Casserole

Picture courtesy of The Seasoned Mother

Don’t overlook this time-honored traditional; it earned that standing for a motive! Casseroles are low cost, filling and scrumptious, to not point out an effective way to get these leftovers into hungry tummies.

There are tons of how to make your Thanksgiving leftovers right into a casserole, however this recipe seems to be notably good — and requires canned soups and frozen peas, which you in all probability have already got at your disposal.

13. So Many Scrumptious Winter Soups

First issues first: If you happen to’re not making contemporary turkey inventory with that picked-clean carcass, you’re doing it improper. 

Relying on its eventual use, turkey inventory recipes fluctuate… however the fundamental recipe is simply that: fundamental. 

Throw some root veggies, spices and what’s left of the chook in a pot, cowl with water and simmer so long as you may stand it — it’s going to odor unbelievable. (This recipe says two to a few hours, however I’ve gone so long as six, including further water as wanted).

Then, make that inventory into scrumptious soups! It is a frequent Thanksgiving custom, so you’ve got tons of types to select from. Would possibly I counsel Alton Brown’s super-simple “bird to the last drop” or this kale-and-white-bean model from Entire Residing?

And take a look at Pinch of Yum’s Simple Turkey Pho, which requires savory fish sauce and candy spices like cinnamon and cloves. (Yummy and in addition good: You completely purchased extras of these spices for all that vacation baking, proper? Time to make use of ‘em up earlier than they lose their taste!)

14. OK, Nice, Turkey Sandwiches

I get it. Some issues are conventional for a motive.

However after your compulsory Surprise-bread-and-Hellman’s model, contemplate elevating your turkey sandwich recreation with the next inventive recipes.

This Thanksgiving leftovers membership sandwich stacks the whole lot that was in your plate between three layers of dinner rolls. 

Martha Stewart suggests three sandwich variants to make use of up your chook: the turkey and onion (which seems to be approach higher than it sounds), the turkey cobb, and the turkey, cheddar and inexperienced apple.

Meals Community chef Tyler Florence’s turkey sandwich requires apple butter and brie (swoon) — and I’ve a hunch that fresh-carved turkey breast will substitute for deli slices simply nice.

Mashed Potatoes

Samantha Dunscombe/The Penny Hoarder

Within the class of meals that make you go, “I made too much of this and I’m not sorry,” mashed potatoes are second solely to the turkey itself.

And though they’re simply as yummy reheated and piled up with gravy the subsequent day, listed here are some extra inventive choices to play with.

15. Potato Pancakes

Potato pancakes would possibly already be the proper Penny Hoarder meals. 

They’re scrumptious, filling, versatile and, in fact, cheap — particularly when you’ve got a ton of leftover mashed potatoes to make use of up.

Gown this fundamental recipe up along with your favourite toppings… like, say, all that leftover cranberry sauce. (Thanks, Oh, Candy Basil!) 

Meals Community Chef Giada De Laurentiis get eggs and parmesan concerned in her “eggs in purgatory” dish.

Or, you possibly can experiment with throwing extra elements proper into the combination earlier than cooking. 

Kelly, who blogs at Only a Style, properly suggests cheddar cheese and scallions. However even in the event you simply eat ‘em plain, trust me: You’re gonna have a cheerful stomach.

16. Mashed Potato Soup

Sure, extra soup. Come on, it is the proper winter meals, proper?

Plus, you’d be hard-pressed to argue in opposition to this loaded mashed potato soup from Mommy Hates Cooking. 

Bonus: Skip the hen broth and sub in that scrumptious turkey inventory you made.

17. Mashed Potato Muffins

Who knew that in the event you add an egg to mashed potatoes, they’ll bake into fluffy, scrumptious muffins?

Now promise to make use of your newfound data for good. Only a Style’s Kelly gives this crazy-simple recipe for mashed potato muffins, or attempt Religion’s barely extra concerned recipe for mashed potato “puffs,” accessible at The Kitchn. 

By the way in which, once I say “involved,” I imply “there is a lot of cheese and bacon in it.” So it’s positively the great sort of concerned.

18. Croquettes

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Need a fast and straightforward approach to make use of up your turkey meat, mashed potatoes and leftover cranberry sauce multi functional go?

Try Martha Stewart’s recipe for turkey croquettes. They’re deep-fried, so we’re betting you may substitute more cost effective dried herbs for contemporary. Don’t fear, nobody will inform Martha.

Already used up your turkey in one of many delicious recipes above? John Torode’s “bubble and squeak” croquettes name for bacon, turnips and cabbage for a complete repackaging of a Thanksgiving fave.

19. Gluten-Free Cake

Guess you didn’t know mashed potatoes may have a spot on the dessert desk. 

This lemon drizzle cake ditches flour in favor of floor almonds and — you guessed it — mashed potatoes to remain fluffy and flavorful, though it’s gluten-free. 

Informed you we have been gonna get inventive.

Stuffing

Samantha Dunscombe/The Penny Hoarder

It’s sort of a rarity to have any of this left, not less than in my home.

That mentioned, in the event you do have leftover stuffing, you’re in for a deal with.

20. Fried Stuffing Bites

As quickly as I noticed this recipe, I knew I used to be in hassle. 

I do know everybody says this, however my mother’s stuffing is the precise finest on the planet. As proof, I supply the truth that it consists of a whole pound of sizzling breakfast sausage and a full loaf of slightly-stale white bread. 

Mainly, there’s no approach I’m getting by means of the vacations with out deep-frying bites of these infants and dredging them by means of cranberry sauce. 

Thanks, Sunny Anderson — however for the sake of me nonetheless becoming into something I personal come January, please cease writing recipes. (However probably not.)

21. Stuffing-Stuffed Mushrooms

Stuffing inception: Far more scrumptious than the film, though there’s much less Leonardo DiCaprio. 

This Meals Community recipe is super-simple and appears loopy tasty. Do your self a favor and spring for contemporary parmesan — the stuff within the inexperienced cardboard tube has no place on a dish this handsome.  

Cranberry Sauce

Sharon Steinmann/The Penny Hoarder

It’s not usually you get to have what’s mainly dessert in your precise dinner plate. 

And I do know it’s one among my favourite Thanksgiving components: candy however tangy and an ideal praise to that overzealous mound of different savory dishes.

However shockingly, many individuals eat solely a tiny little bit of cranberry sauce, or contemplate it merely compulsory. 

Which is possibly fortunate for you, contemplating these recipes for its leftovers.

22. Cranberry Upside-Down Cake

Final winter, I made a cranberry-pecan upside-down cake and took it to the resort the place my dad and mom have been staying on the town.

We ended up sharing it with three or 4 folks on the resort bar, whose vacation spirit — and smiles — grew with every ensuing chew.

I can’t discover the recipe I used (drats!), however this model from Baked In’s Julie seems to be, admittedly, approach higher than mine did. Simply substitute your sauce for the contemporary cranberries it requires — or use that leftover bag that didn’t make it to your desk within the first place. 

23. Cranberry Tartlets

Calling for little greater than dough, an egg and a few sugar, these cranberry tartlets are as elegant-looking as they’re scrumptious, and make an excellent aid from heavier, custard-based desserts like pumpkin pie. 

24. Cranberry Pancakes

Thanksgiving leftovers for breakfast doesn’t should imply hash — not that it’s a nasty possibility! 

Think about spooning your cranberry sauce into pancake batter for a candy breakfast which may change into your new favourite Friday-after-Thanksgiving custom. 

25. Cranberry Muffins

Wish to rework that cranberry sauce into subsequent week’s breakfast for the entire household?

Whip up a batch of muffins! This recipe from Kitchen Treaty’s Kare seems to be delectable, as does Wes Martin’s cranberry-carrot model. And hey, you’ll get a serving of fruits and greens in each!

Inexperienced Bean Casserole

Samantha Dunscombe/The Penny Hoarder

Actually, we didn’t discover a complete lot of how to repurpose this one — in all probability as a result of it’s so darn good simply reheated and eaten as-is.

However other than spooning it onto salads (or just into your mouth) do this straightforward approach to make use of up your inexperienced bean casserole.

26. Inexperienced Bean Quiche

This quiche has 9 elements, one among which is your leftover inexperienced bean casserole — and two of that are cheese. 

That’s the sort of math I’m completely satisfied to do, English main or no.

Candy Potatoes

Whether or not you sweeten your dinner with candied yams or go for a savory dish, this spud in all probability has a spot at your Thanksgiving desk.

Right here’s what to do with the leftovers. 

27. Breakfast Hash

Picture courtesy of Consuming Properly

This suggestion comes straight from our CEO, Kyle Taylor.

“I always make a breakfast hash with leftover sweet potatoes, turkey and poached eggs,” he wrote in a Slack message. I all the time knew that man was good.

I’m positive any hash with these elements would come out spectacularly, even in the event you simply threw the whole lot on the pan.

However in the event you’re on the lookout for a extra structured recipe to observe, contemplate this model from Jan’s Sushi Bar, which includes kale and bacon fats (yum), or EatingWell’s lightened-up hash, which brings in an apple to stability the combination.

28. Candy Potato Biscuits

Need a barely sweetened roll to go along with your Saturday dinner, as soon as all of the Thanksgiving crescents have been eaten up?

Check out Angela’s candy potato biscuits, courtesy of Spinach Tiger — and be sure you click on by means of to her unique recipe for candied candy potatoes, too. I do know I’ll be making an attempt that recipe for my subsequent large vacation meal!

29. Candy Potato Pie

Transfer over, Patti LaBelle. 

Reworking your yams right into a candy potato pie is just about so simple as including crust — and a few evaporated milk or eggs to get the pie’s texture proper. 

Attempt Style of House’s model, full with pecans, or Angela’s at Spinach Tiger. (Her recipes look so good, we needed to embody her twice!)

30. Candy Potato Cake

Right here’s yet another solution to make these candy potatoes even sweeter: Remodel them into cake!

This recipe seems to be harking back to good, do-it-yourself gingerbread. You’ll want to modify the quantity of sugar you add to the combination relying on how a lot sweetness is already in your yams!

Jamie Cattanach is a contributing author whose writing has additionally been featured at The Write Life, Phrase Riot, Nashville Overview and elsewhere. Discover @JamieCattanach on Twitter to wave whats up.

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