What To Do With Thanksgiving Leftovers (16+ Recipes)
If you’re looking for ways to use up some of your Thanksgiving leftovers, here are 16+ delicious ways to use up leftover Thanksgiving turkey and even some sides.
What to do with Thanksgiving Leftovers?
We’re always trying to put our Thanksgiving leftovers to good use. So, here are 16+ delicious ideas and helpful tips for transforming your leftover turkey…and even a few of your side dishes…into something new.
Let’s Start with Leftover Turkey…
We love leftover turkey and always try to make good use of it. Besides making the usual turkey sandwiches for lunch the next day, here are a few more favorite ways to enjoy leftover turkey.
You can easily substitute diced or shredded leftover turkey for rotisserie or cooked chicken and even ground beef in many recipes, such as these:
- ) Adapt! Loaded Beef Quesadillas – instead of beef – use shredded or chopped leftover turkey! Make our loaded quesadillas with leftover turkey and have another delicious dinner idea. Simple, easy, and a delicious dinner for the whole family!
2.) Our Leftover Turkey Soup – is one of our favorites! SO EASY! Best of all – no pasta – so it’s gluten-free… and practically effortless to make! …And, it’s delicious for the whole family to enjoy!
3.) Make a Grilled Cheese & Apple Sandwich – and add slices of leftover turkey to it! This idea will take your leftover turkey and turn it into the most delicious grilled sandwiches. Your whole family will love it. It’s SUBLIME!
Also, try making Turkey Cranberry Sliders! Use King’s Hawaiian sweet rolls or similar soft, sweet dinner rolls, add sliced turkey, and then smear some of your cranberry sauce on top. Perfect for lunch, game day, or a quick dinner.
4.) Ok… Make this Chicken Pot Pie without Pie Crust– using leftover turkey instead! Just use shredded or chopped pieces of leftover turkey (and your leftover turkey gravy!) with fresh and frozen vegetables, sauce, and chicken broth. This is another great way to use up your leftover Thanksgiving turkey!
Don’t forget to substitute diced or shredded leftover turkey with any of these recipes as well!
5.) Homemade Chicken Soup Recipes – OK, this is an amazing soup – and terrific with leftover turkey!
6.) Easy White Bean Chili with Chicken – Another fantastic chili recipe! And, why not use leftover turkey? Even better!
7.) Chicken Gnocchi Soup – A great recipe to substitute with turkey! Everyone will love this one too- trust me!
8.) Easy Chicken Salad Recipe – Toss your strips of leftover turkey into your favorite greens and fresh veggies, and a light Honey Mustard Dressing, and enjoy.
Leftover Thanksgiving Sides…
Leftover sides can also be turned into delicious meals for the following days. Here are a few ideas…
Take your leftover Creamy Mashed Potatoes and try these delicious recipes!
9. Easy Shepard’s Pie (+video) – Use your leftover mashed potatoes for this delicious meal! This is a classic combination of meat, potatoes, and vegetables baked in an all-in-one delicious casserole! This delightful casserole comes together in minutes, making dinner a snap!
10. Mashed Potato Cakes – take your mashed potatoes and make these delicious potato cakes – stuffed with mozzarella inside!
11. Potato-Cauliflower Soup – Add some of your leftover mashed potatoes to this soup recipe, allowing you to use mashed potatoes to make a creamy soup quickly and easily!
Leftover Sweet Potatoes…
Have leftover sweet potatoes? Then, depending on how you made them, you can put some of the leftovers to good use.
12.) Cinnamon Sweet Potato Muffins (+video) – are easy, with only 1 cup of mashed sweet potatoes and a few other ingredients to make these delicious muffins!
13.) Cinnamon Sweet Potato Quick Bread – similar recipe and perfect to add to your breakfast buffet this weekend!
Other Leftover Veggies
Turn some of your leftover sides into a quick and easy breakfast! Make omelets or quiches with some of the leftover vegetables you made for the holiday. Add some cream, eggs, and seasonings, pour into a pie crust or make it crustless, and bake!
For Leftover Cranberry Sauce…
These recipes are perfect for using your cranberry sauce. Be sure it’s the sauce, and not the jelly.
14.) Cranberry Cheesecake Bars – Ideal to use up some of your leftover cranberry sauce.
15.) Chocolate Cake with Cranberry Buttercream – Same for this buttercream recipe!
16.) Holiday Cranberry Cheesecake (No Bake) – And, this is an ideal holiday cheesecake to make and freeze!
17.) Adapt our Raspberry Lemon Crumble Bars to make them into Cranberry Lemon Crumble Bars!
If you didn’t see what you’re looking for, check out our archives for more amazing recipes for meals, sides, and desserts!
Have a Happy Thanksgiving! …
ENJOY! …and thanks for stopping by!
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