Leftover Turkey Recipes
30 Leftover turkey recipes to help you get the most out of your bird this year. Soups, sandwiches, pastas, and even small bites!
Turn leftover turkey into something different! Here are over 30 Leftover Turkey recipes that are anything but boring. If you made my Thanksgiving turkey or dry brined turkey breast, and you’re loaded with lots of turkey meat, that turkey is going far! Turkey is such a versatile protein. It takes on so many flavors and seasonings and is great in sandwiches, soups, casseroles, and pasta!
Best Leftover Turkey Recipes
Enjoy the seasonal flavors of Thanksgiving dinner long after the guests leave. With a few simple ideas, you can transform whatever food is still in your fridge into tasty Thanksgiving leftover turkey recipes everyone will love.
Leftover Turkey Ideas for Small Bites
These appetizers are easy to prepare, and Thanksgiving leftover turkey is an excellent starter to the rest of the meal or just as a midday snack.
Thanksgiving Leftover Stuffed Egg Rolls
Thanksgiving Leftover Stuffed Eggs Rolls with Cranberry Dipping Sauce are perfect for using up the leftovers you love so much!
Turkey Bites
Delicious Turkey Bites recipe: perfect for snacks or appetizers, using leftover turkey. Easy, flavorful, and ideal for any occasion!
Turkey Cranberry Puff Pastry Bites
Turkey Cranberry Puff Pastry Bites are a super tasty appetizer using leftover turkey, cranberries and swiss cheese baked on puffed pastry.
Leftover Turkey Cranberry Melts
Use your leftover holiday turkey to make these easy and cheesy turkey melts. They are great for lunch or dinner.
Leftover Turkey Taquitos
Shredded turkey, cream cheese, green onions, spices, and cheese are rolled up and fried until crispy for perfect leftover turkey taquitos!
Thanksgiving Quesadilla (Turkey Quesadilla)
This Thanksgiving, use your leftovers to make a Thanksgiving Quesadilla! Skip the sandwich and use this turkey quesadilla recipe instead!
Simple Leftover Turkey Recipes for Lunch
Quick to prepare and full of flavor, these recipes will keep your lunches exciting, flavorful, and satisfying.
Turkey Salad Sandwich
Delicious leftover turkey salad recipe without mayo! Greek yogurt, cranberries, turkey breast, and some fresh veggies make this turkey salad irresistible.
Turkey Panini
If you have lots of leftover food from Thanksgiving, try this easy turkey panini recipe, made with turkey, thyme, cranberry sauce and melty provolone cheese
Leftover Turkey Pot Pie Empanadas
These Leftover Turkey Pot Pie Empanadas, or hand pies are a delicious way to use up your leftover Thanksgiving turkey!
Leftover Turkey Wraps with Cranberry Sauce
Healthy Leftover Turkey Wraps with cranberry sauce and butternut squash, a fantastic way of using up food that might otherwise go to waste.
Leftover Thanksgiving Sliders
Leftover Thanksgiving Sliders – Leftover turkey, cranberry sauce, Dijon and melted cheese on super buttery Hawaiian rolls. Bake and serve warm! SO SO GOOD.
Turkey Cobb Salad
This turkey cobb salad is one hearty, protein-filled, and dinner-worthy salad that makes the best of your Thanksgiving leftovers!
Thanksgiving Leftovers Everything Bagel Breakfast Sandwich
How was everyone’s Thanksgiving/Thanksgiving weekend? I hope it was filled with loved ones, tons of delicious food of course, relaxation, and maybe some shopping! Thanksgiving leftovers are the BEST. I basically stuffed an everything bagel (the best kind of bagel) with mashed potatoes, stuffing, turkey, and two runny eggs. I also slathered the bagel with cream cheese mixed with cranberry sauce..so so good! The savory and sweet combo in this is to die for. I hope you aren’t sick of leftovers yet…
Turkey Rice Soup Recipe
This Turkey Rice Soup recipe has a rosemary-infused chicken stock, rice, and tons of vegetables.
Turkey Noodle Soup
This simple Turkey Noodle Soup is great for using up leftover turkey! It’s got classic egg noodles, carrots, celery and onion in a herby broth!
Slow Cooker Turkey Soup
This easy and satisfying Slow Cooker Turkey Soup lets you use up your leftover turkey in an easy soup that you can make in the crockpot.
Healthy Leftover Turkey Soup with Black Beans + Corn
Put a southwestern twist on this quick and easy leftover turkey soup with black beans, corn, peppers, cumin, smoked paprika, fresh lime juice, and cilantro!
Got Leftover Turkey Meat? Make Chili!
This easy turkey chili is a great way to use up turkey leftovers from big holiday meals. Make it with shredded leftover turkey, beans, onion, garlic, and tomatoes.
Easy Turkey Noodle Soup
Easy turkey noodle soup recipe – LIGHT and so flavorful. Perfect for leftovers on a cozy chilly day!
Turkey Pot Pie Soup
This comforting turkey pot pie soup with a buttery, flaky pie crust top is my favorite way to use up Thanksgiving turkey leftovers.
Turkey Shepherd’s Pie
Rich, savory and gloriously freezer-friendly, our turkey shepherd’s pie recipe is the ultimate use for Thanksgiving leftovers.
Turkey Casserole
This Turkey Butternut Squash Casserole is delicious, and the perfect thing to throw together for a weeknight meal.
Leftover Turkey Casserole
Leftover Turkey Casserole made with leftover turkey, cheesy gravy, and cornbread is fast, easy, and ready in under 45 minutes!
Turkey Spaghetti Bake
Grab the recipe for this leftover thanksgiving Turkey Spaghetti Bake! It’s the perfect way to use leftover shredded turkey (or chicken!)
Best Leftover Turkey Tacos
With these juicy and oh so delicious Leftover Turkey Tacos, you won’t dread having leftover Thanksgiving turkey around the house.
Leftover Skillet Turkey Pasta
Leftover Skillet Turkey Pasta, an easy Pasta recipe, just add some of your favourite veggies such as mushrooms, tomatoes and peppers add some leftover cut up chicken or turkey and Dinner is Served.
15 Minute Leftover Turkey Alfredo
This turkey alfredo is mouth watering and whips up in 15 minutes. Kids and adults love this and it’s almost impossible to screw up.
Leftover Turkey in Gravy
Leftover Turkey in gravy is the best way to use up Thanksgiving turkey meat. Serve this leftover turkey recipe over leftover mashed potatoes.
Tips for Using Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey
- Be sure to carve the remaining turkey before storing it. You may not have room in the fridge for a whole turkey, especially with the other leftovers. So carve the turkey before you store it. It’s also easier to carve at room temperature than after refrigerating.
- Sprinkle on fresh herbs to liven up your bird. Sprinkle the tops of casseroles, pasta, and soups with turkey-friendly herbs like sage, basil, or fresh parsley.
- Don’t keep leftover turkey meat longer than 4 days in the fridge. You can always freeze leftovers, just in case you get turkey overload!
- Keep things festive with holiday garnishes. Tis the season for cranberry, walnuts, and all those classic winter garnishes. Top your turkey salads with walnuts, toasted pecans, roasted pumpkin seeds, and use up that cranberry sauce in turkey sandwiches.
- Don’t forget the sides. Whatever sides, sauces, and toppings you use for your Thanksgiving, use them for the leftovers, too! But if you’re running low, you can quickly roast butternut squash halves, roasted acorn squash, or Instant Pot spaghetti squash.
How to Store Leftover Turkey Recipes
- Follow the recipe storage instructions. Most recipes will have suggestions for how to store the dish properly and for how long. It’s important that you follow those recommendations.
- Store different components separately. Keep the turkey meat separate from other components such as leafy greens, stuffing, or gravy to help preserve the individual textures and flavors.
- Avoid refreezing. Once you’ve thawed and reheated frozen turkey, it’s best not to refreeze it again as that will affect the texture and taste of the leftovers. If possible, freeze in smaller portions to avoid the need to thaw the whole dish.
- Portion control. Divide the larger quantities of leftovers into smaller, meal-sized portions before storing. This will help to cool the dish faster and allow you to reheat only what you need. It also makes meal prep easy.
About the Author
Yumna Jawad, who was born in Africa to Lebanese parents and moved to the US at 11 years old, is beloved by millions of fans globally on Instagram, TikTok, and her website, Feel Good Foodie for her unique, delicious, creative and easy recipes that often go viral on social media. She has grown her massive following from scratch the past decade and has recently founded a new culinary venture, Oath Oats, launched in November 2022. Yumna’s viral food trends have been featured by Live with Kelly & Ryan, The Today Show, Good Morning America, PEOPLE, Vogue, and the New York Times. A graduate from the University of Michigan Business School, she now lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with her husband and two kids. Yumna’s parents are both Lebanese so she proudly features Lebanese, middle eastern and Ramadan recipes as part of her heritage. Her first cookbook, The Feel Good Foodie Cookbook, launched in May 2024 (Penguin) and is filled with over 100 approachable, unique and delicious “Middle Eastern meets Midwestern” recipes for the entire family. The cookbook hit the bestseller lists on Amazon, USA Today and Publisher’s Weekly.
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This article originally appeared on Feelgoodfoodie.netand was syndicated by MediaFeed.org
