35 Best Leftover Turkey Recipes to Make the Most of Your Feast
Don't let that hard work go to waste.
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You worked hard to prepare Thanksgiving dinner, including that show-stopping roast turkey at the center of your feast. So once the holiday has come and gone, you're not going to want to let any of it go to waste. After all, some people say the Thanksgiving leftovers are the best part of the weekend! But aside from just reheating your turkey the next day, you might want to try something a little more creative. Here, you’ll find leftover turkey recipes that’ll put your holiday bird to good use.
While it's always a good idea to find out exactly how much turkey you'll need in advance, if you want to enjoy leftovers for days to come, be sure to factor in some extra. Turkey can last in the refrigerator for up to four days which means there's plenty of time to try a handful of these comfort food dishes. Transform your leftover turkey into casseroles like turkey tetrazzini, jazzed up turkey sandwiches, and one of Ree Drummond’s all-time favorites, turkey pot pie. "The wonderfulness of this leftover recipe is made even greater if you have a leftover pie crust laying around!" she says. Remember that you can also swap turkey for chicken in tons of recipes, like enchiladas and stuffing casserole. Your crew won't even notice the difference!
Turkey Salad
It's creamy, refreshing, and crisp with loads of leftover turkey, apples, celery, red onion, and plump dried cranberries. Serve this salad by the spoonful or piled onto a sandwich for an easy lunch.
Get the Turkey Salad recipe.
Turkey à la King
This comforting dish is fit for a king but luckily it's easy to make with leftover turkey! The creamy filling can be spooned over extra biscuits or tucked into flaky puff pastry cups.
Get the Turkey à la King recipe.
Turkey Noodle Casserole
Looking for a weeknight dish made with leftover turkey? This family-friendly casserole will have everyone coming back for more, even picky eaters! That's in part thanks to the cheesy sauce and crunchy potato chip topping.
Get the Turkey Noodle Casserole recipe.
Pot Pie Soup
Simply swap the rotisserie chicken for leftover turkey to make this comforting bowl of soup. You can even use extra scraps of pie dough from the holiday to make the cheesy cheddar crust dippers.
Get the Pot Pie Soup recipe.
Leftover Turkey Shepherd's Pie
Shepherd's pie is pure comfort food and this version is no exception. Leftover turkey gets combined with veggies and creamy sauce, but it's the golden mashed potato topping that may just be the best part.
Leftover Turkey BLT
This is not your average turkey sandwich! The stepped-up lunch includes crispy bacon, cheese, and a cranberry mayo that's both tart and zesty.
Get the Leftover Turkey BLT recipe.
Harvest Bowls
Here's a healthy way to incorporate diced turkey, roasted holiday veggies, apples, and wild rice. You can also add other fun mix-ins, like crumbled goat cheese, roasted almonds, baby kale, and a balsamic vinaigrette!
Get the Harvest Bowls recipe.
Turkey Stock
Whatever you do, don't toss that leftover turkey carcass! It's perfect for making this homemade turkey stock. It makes a big batch so you can stash it in the freezer for whenever you need it!
Get the Turkey Stock recipe.
Croque Monsieur
This classic French sandwich is typically made with slices of ham, but you can tuck a few slices of leftover turkey into the mix, too. It's basically the cheesiest, most decadent sandwich you'll ever have!
Get the Croque Monsieur recipe.
Pot Pie with Cheddar Crust
Instead of using chicken, this pot pie is just as delicious with leftover turkey. It has a unique twist thanks to the addition of cheesy sharp cheddar in the crust.
Get Ree's Pot Pie with Cheddar Crust recipe.
Make-Ahead Sandwich Rolls
These bite-sized roll-ups are layered with turkey, lettuce, ham, and slices of muenster cheese. But it's the chipotle mayonnaise that really makes them sing!
Get Ree's Make-Ahead Sandwich Rolls recipe.
Turkey Tetrazzini
This pasta night recipe is pure comfort thanks to creamy white sauce, savory mushrooms, and hearty turkey. To give it some added texture, top the dish with toasted bread crumbs.
Get Ree's Turkey Tetrazzini recipe.
Leftover Turkey Soup
It doesn't get heartier than a big bowl of soup! This recipe adds fresh lemon juice to give a burst of freshness.
Get the Leftover Turkey Soup recipe.
Leftover Turkey Cranberry Flatbreads
This fall-inspired recipe is loaded with holiday flavor. Not only is the flatbread topped with leftover turkey and goat cheese, but it also has shredded Brussels sprouts with cranberries and pecans.
Get Ree's Leftover Turkey Cranberry Flatbreads recipe.
Stuffing Casserole
Didn't get enough turkey and dressing at this year's family feast? Use extra turkey to make this easy, comforting stuffing casserole. Just swap in an equal amount of turkey for the chicken listed in the recipe.
Get the Stuffing Casserole recipe.
Leftover Turkey Pot Pie
This family dinner is even easier when you already have ingredients from Thanksgiving cooking. Toss in anything that's left over from the holiday meal, like diced turkey, onions, or carrots. You can even use leftover pie dough for the topping!
Get Ree's Leftover Turkey Pot Pie recipe.
Enchiladas
The original recipe for these enchiladas calls for chicken but Ree suggests making it with leftover Thanksgiving turkey, too.
Get Ree's Enchiladas recipe.
Thanksgiving Leftover Casserole
This casserole dish puts so many holiday leftovers to good use. There's the extra turkey, green beans, stuffing, and gravy as the base, along with fluffy leftover mashed potatoes for the topping.
Get Ree's Thanksgiving Leftover Casserole recipe.
Leftover Turkey and Swiss Panini
This is not your average turkey sandwich. It's tangy, sweet, savory, cheesy, and it has a nice crunch from the panini press. Of course, you can also cook this in a heavy skillet and press down with a spatula.
Get Ree's Leftover Turkey and Swiss Panini recipe.
Mini Thanksgiving Leftover Pot Pies
This 30-minute meal is so much fun to make! Instead of a big casserole, the pot pie is made in individual ramekins, each topped with a flaky puff pastry crust.
Get Ree's Mini Thanksgiving Leftover Pot Pies recipe.
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