22 Creative Recipes That Start With Thanksgiving Leftovers

Reinvent Thanksgiving classics—and get the most out of your menu—with these new and exciting dishes.

By

and

Updated on November 1, 2023

Trending Videos

Thanksgiving leftover pie — Photo:
JULIA GARTLAND

When the feast is complete and the refrigerator is packed, it's a good reason to start thinking about Thanksgiving leftover recipes. And while it's easy to recreate a full plate of turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and other holiday favorites, it's even more exciting to create an entirely new dish out of bits and pieces from the mains and sides.

All of our ideas for using up Thanksgiving leftovers are sure to inspire (and will help you clear out your refrigerator in the process). From turkey-filled breakfast tacos to cranberry-infused dessert, there's something for everyone in this collection of Thanksgiving leftover recipes.

01 of 22

Day-After-Thanksgiving Skillet Breakfast

Second-Day Skillet Breakfast — Nico Schinco

This hearty dish will feed the whole family, and it delivers maximum flavor with minimal effort. Use frozen hash browns as the base layer for this single-skillet extravaganza (we think you've washed enough dishes and pans at this point). They're topped with shredded turkey, sliced sweet potatoes, and, yes, even green beans. Top the whole shebang with cheese and a few eggs, and continue baking until the whites set. And if you really want to rival last night's meal, heat up the gravy as an optional drizzle.

02 of 22

Salmon-and-Mashed-Potato Croquettes

salmon-and-mashed-potato croquettes — Lennart Weibull

Craving a break from turkey? Whip up these crispy salmon-and-mashed-potato croquettes. But don't worry—you won't need to cook yet another protein in the oven. The recipe calls for canned or smoked salmon, making it an excellent time-saving dish.

03 of 22

Mini Pastry

dessert with pear and raspberries — Nico Schinco

We're not going to sugarcoat it: Thanksgiving baking can be labor-intensive. To sweeten the deal, here's a reward for the pastry chef after that long day in the kitchen that's so easy you don't need a recipe: Turn the scraps of excess dough from your piecrust into a mini dessert. First, preheat oven to 375°F. Then on a parchment-lined baking sheet, pat pie-dough scraps together into an approximately five-inch circle. Brush it lightly with heavy cream; sprinkle with coarse sanding sugar. Bake until golden and crisp, 15 to 20 minutes. Top with fresh fruit, such as sliced pears and raspberries, and a dollop of whipped cream. Whether you share this confection with your sous-chefs is entirely up to you.

04 of 22

Creamy Leftover-Turkey-and-Rice Soup

Creamy Leftover-Turkey- and-Rice Soup — Johnny Miller

Put a light, fresh spin on Thursday's leftovers with a speedy riff on avgolemono, the classic Greek chicken soup. Egg yolks (they're the "avgo") add creaminess to simmering stock while lemon juice (the "lemono") brightens the flavor, and cooked rice and shredded meat fill out every spoonful. If you have other prepared vegetables on hand, like sautéed greens or broccoli rabe, throw them in, too. The result is satisfyingly hearty, but not so much so that you'll conk out on the couch again.

05 of 22

Turkey Breakfast Tacos

breakfast turkey tacos — Julia Gartland

An inspired way to use up leftover turkey and sweet potatoes the morning after! Amp up the filling with your favorite spicy salsa, layer on tortillas, and add a fried egg.

06 of 22

Cranberry Tartlets

These bite-size pies use leftover pastry dough and cranberry sauce. Serve them with turkey sandwiches for a perfect post-Thanksgiving dessert.

07 of 22

Potato Croquettes

Potato Croquettes in bowl — Johnny Miller

Leftover mashed potatoes are brightened with fresh parsley, smothered in breadcrumbs, and then fried until crunchy and golden in this crowd-pleasing appetizer.

08 of 22

Turkey Tortellini Soup

Aaron Dyer

In this twist on the Italian favorite tortellini en brodo, the stuffed pasta joins baby spinach and leftover turkey in a cleansing homemade broth.

09 of 22

Turkey Cobb-Salad Sandwich

Marcus Nilsson

Martha's hearty take on the classic salad stacks leftover turkey and cranberry sauce with bacon, egg, avocado, lettuce, and basil.

10 of 22

Turkey-and-Watercress Salad

turkey-and-watercress salad — Julia Gartland

A pleasing jumble of tastes and textures, this salad teams leftover turkey with peppery watercress, crunchy celery, and nutty farro. A bright dressing made with another leftover—cranberry sauce—pulls it all together.

11 of 22

Leftover Turkey Curry

leftover turkey curry — Julia Gartland

Turn up the volume on leftover turkey by turning it into a fiery curry with fresh ginger, cumin, coriander, and Thai chile.

12 of 22

Turkey Monte Cristo

Bryan Gardner

Switch out the usual ham for leftover turkey in this French toast-grilled cheese hybrid. Cranberry sauce adds just the right amount of sweetness.

13 of 22

Turkey-Salad Sandwich

Bryan Gardner

Sweet, savory, fresh, crunchy—this day-after sandwich has a lot going for it. Leftover turkey teams up with celery, green apple, golden raisins, cucumber, and watercress. A lemony mayonnaise ties all the flavors together.

14 of 22

Chunky Turkey-Vegetable Soup

Leftover Thanksgiving turkey takes on new character in this hearty tomato and escarole soup seasoned with garlic and rosemary. If you're tired of turkey right now, dice and freeze the meat and make this soup next month.

15 of 22

Pumpkin and Ice Cream Sandwich

Breathe new life into leftover pumpkin pie filling by sandwiching it with vanilla ice cream between graham crackers.

16 of 22

Quick Turkey Tetrazzini

turkey tetrazzini — Mike Krautter

Trust us, no one will be able to resist this creamy noodle casserole studded with turkey, mushrooms, and peas.

17 of 22

Turkey and Sweet-Potato Hash

You'll find that the complementary flavors of turkey, sweet potatoes, and apples come together in this rich, satisfying dish.

18 of 22

Day-After Turkey Soup

Krause, Johansen

This healthy take on leftovers combines turkey with lots of fresh vegetables like kale and corn with white beans.

19 of 22

Spicy Turkey Medianoches

spicy turkey medianoches — Lennart Weibull

This deli sandwich, made with sliced roasted turkey, has layers of flavor from dill pickles, salty prosciutto, Swiss cheese, sliced jalapeño peppers, and yellow mustard, too.

20 of 22

Chicken a la Cranberry

cranberry chicken with greens on plate with cutlery — Justin Walker

Set the turkey aside and use leftover cranberry sauce as a glaze on chicken legs to coat and flavor them. They'll be deliciously crispy and just right with leftover mashed potatoes—and a green vegetable, too.

21 of 22

Cranberry Swirl Cheesecake

round cranberry cheesecake with slice cut — Justin Walker

Turn a classic savory side dish into a fabulous dessert; homemade vanilla cheesecake topped with swirls of cranberry sauce is a dreamy dessert for the weekend after the big feast (once all the pie has been eaten!).

22 of 22

Turkey Salad Wrap

Dana Gallagher

For another Thanksgiving leftover recipe that requires minimal effort, make this easy wrap. Turkey breast is layered with arugula and grated carrots, then served with a zesty mayo-based sauce. If you have salad or greens leftover from the festivities, add them to the wrap for a delicious riff on Thanksgiving dinner.

Was this page helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Tell us why!

thanksgiving-leftovers pie

Thanksgiving-Leftovers Pie

round cranberry cheesecake with slice cut

Cranberry Swirl Cheesecake

Thanksgiving-Leftovers Shepherd's Pie

turkey-and-watercress salad

Turkey-and-Watercress Salad

Egg Sandwiches with sauce and casserole

Egg Sandwiches for a Crowd

Creamy Leftover-Turkey- and-Rice Soup

Creamy Leftover-Turkey-and-Rice Soup

Turkey, Cheddar, and Green Apple Sandwich

Turkey, Cheddar, and Green-Apple Sandwich

breakfast turkey tacos

Turkey Breakfast Tacos

Chestnut-and-Sausage Stuffing

Pan Gravy from Drippings

Ham and Spinach Dip

24 Easy Thanksgiving Appetizers (That Leave You Plenty of Time for Holiday Meal Prep)

Turkey Croquettes

Turkey Croquettes

roast turkey breast

Oven-Roasted Turkey Breast

Cinnamon Swirl Apple Slab pie

Cinnamon-Swirl Apple Slab Pie

Thanksgiving leftovers in take-away box wrapped with string

There's 1 Week Left Until Thanksgiving! Here Are the 8 Tasks You Should Tackle Now for a Stress-Free Holiday

sweet potato casserole

22 Potato and Sweet Potato Recipes for Thanksgiving