My Favorite Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes!

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Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes

Turkey tetrazzini in a baking dish

These Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes will help you reinvent your extras into new dishes you can enjoy for the next several days! Plus I share tips on storage and reheating to make sure your leftovers are just as delish as they were Thanksgiving Day.

Turkey tetrazzini in a baking dish

My Favorite Ways to Reuse Thanksgiving Leftovers!

cookbook author erin clarke of well plated

Preparing and serving a beautiful, delicious turkey on Thanksgiving Day is a tradition in my family—and so are the Thanksgiving leftovers!

Once you’ve exhausted the obvious (turkey sandwiches), figuring out what to do with leftovers can be a challenge.

Over the years, I’ve found simple and scrumptious ways to repurpose my leftover turkey and sides that don’t feel like I’m simply reheating my Thanksgiving Day meal.

From comforting casseroles to veggie-packed pastas to creamy soups, these recipes will breathe new life into the leftovers from your Thanksgiving dinner. Plus, most of them serve multiple people, meaning they’re ideal for those of you who still have guests at your house.

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Leftover Turkey Casserole Recipes

You can’t beat a warm and cozy turkey casserole! And if you’re not exactly in the mood for a big casserole right after Thanksgiving, no worries: just pop it in the freezer and you’ve got a heat-and-eat dinner for another day.

Turkey pot pie with gravy
Turkey Pot Pie
This turkey pot pie recipe skips the bottom crust to lighten things up! Leftover Thanksgiving turkey and frozen vegetables make it SO easy.
Check out this recipe
turkey tetrazzini in a baking dish
Turkey Tetrazzini
Turkey tetrazzini turns leftovers into a hearty casserole! With mushrooms, peas, and pasta in a cheesy cream sauce, it's total comfort food.
Check out this recipe
Chicken and biscuits in a baking dish and served in two bowls
Turkey and Biscuits
The original version of this recipe is made with chicken, but you can easily swap in turkey!
Check out this recipe

Leftover Turkey Pastas

Really, you can fold leftover turkey into just about any pasta recipe—especially ones with a creamy sauce. The flavors in the dishes below all pair well with turkey!

Butternut squash mac and cheese with breadcrumb topping
Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
Add your leftover turkey to this creamy mac and cheese for extra protein.
Check out this recipe
Cheesy chicken Alfredo bake in a dish
Turkey Alfredo Bake
This is another recipe where you can swap the chicken with turkey. Easy!
Check out this recipe
A plate with healthy sweet potato pasta with Brussel sprouts and cranberries on a black plate.
Sweet Potato Pasta with Brussels Sprouts
Bulk up this fall-inspired pasta with your turkey leftovers. If you've got spare Brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes, even better!
Check out this recipe

Leftover Turkey Sandwiches

The classic! The OG! But these recipes are a little bit more elevated than the sandwiches you put together with leftover dinner rolls while standing in front of the fridge at midnight.

A turkey salad sandwich on a bun
Turkey Salad
Use your Thanksgiving extras to make this leftover turkey salad with cranberries, apples and creamy Greek yogurt dressing. Easy and delish!
Check out this recipe
Turkey Cheddar Apple Grilled Cheese Sandwich. The best flavors of fall! Melty cheddar, sweet apple butter, granny smith apples, and healthy turkey make an amazing sweet and savory flavor combination that tastes like fall! Healthy comfort food that’s perfect for fast lunches and easy family meals. Recipe at wellplated.com
Apple Grilled Cheese with Turkey
This grilled cheese sandwich is a little more grown-up than the version made with American cheese slices, but it's still a hit with kids. Win!
Check out this recipe
leftover thanksgiving turkey sliders on hawaiian slider buns
Leftover Thanksgiving Sliders
Juicy turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, and melty cheese sandwiched between fluffy Hawaiian slider buns and baked until golden, these easy Thanksgiving sliders are the most delicious way to use your leftover Thanksgiving turkey.
Check out this recipe

Leftover Turkey Soups

You can swap turkey for chicken in any of your favorite soups, but these are my personal favorites.

Overhead view of turkey soup in bowl
Turkey Soup
Use your leftover turkey meat for turkey soup! Made with or without the turkey carcass, this hearty soup is flavorful and satisfying.
Check out this recipe
Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup in a soup crock
Turkey Wild Rice Soup
Use leftover turkey instead of chicken in this satisfying soup recipe.
Check out this recipe
a bowl of quick and easy chicken enchilada soup
Turkey Enchilada Soup
Make turkey enchilada soup by using your leftovers instead of chicken. Add your favorite toppings and devour!
Check out this recipe

More Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes

Turkey’s not the only thing you’re likely to have in your refrigerator after Thanksgiving! While Sweet Potato Casserole With Pecans and such are probably best enjoyed as-is, here are some creative ideas to use some of the other leftovers you might have on hand.

Leftover stuffing cakes on a plate with an egg on top
Leftover Stuffing Cakes
Transform extra Thanksgiving stuffing into easy leftover stuffing cakes. Crisp on the outside, cheesy on the inside, and perfect with eggs.
Check out this recipe
What to do with leftover cranberry sauce- Make a breakfast parfait
Leftover Cranberry Sauce Parfait
Leftover cranberry sauce parfaits are the perfect use for leftover cranberry sauce from the holidays. An easy and healthy breakfast or snack.
Check out this recipe
easy shepherds pie topped with mashed potatoes in a bowl with a spoon
Easy Shepherd’s Pie
An easy shepherd's pie recipe with savory ground beef or ground lamb filling, frozen veggies, and creamy mashed potatoes baked on top.
Check out this recipe
A serving of vegetarian shepherd's pie in a bowl
Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie
Hearty vegetarian shepherd's pie with a savory vegetable mushroom filling and creamy mashed potato topping is cozy, filling comfort food!
Check out this recipe
a skillet with sweet potato and sausage hash with peppers and eggs
Sweet Potato Hash
If you have leftover baked or boiled sweet potatoes after making your casserole, put them to use in this hash recipe!
Check out this recipe
Roasted vegtable salad in a bowl with quinoa and pita
Roasted Vegetable Salad
Reinvent those leftover roasted veggies into an easy work-week lunch!
Check out this recipe

Storing Leftover Turkey

If possible, slice and refrigerate the turkey as soon as possible after the meal has ended. This helps keep the meat from drying out.

  • To Store. Turkey leftovers will last in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Place them in an airtight storage container or ziptop bag. For extra moisture, you can drizzle some of the turkey drippings or broth over the top of the meat before refrigerating it.
  • To Freeze. The best way to freeze leftover turkey is in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Tip!

To avoid another influx of turkey, freeze your leftovers in smaller portions. This allows you to thaw and enjoy your extra turkey a little at a time.

Reheating Leftover Turkey

For those of you who’ve tried to reheat turkey in the past, you know how easily it can go from moist and tender to dry and tough.

Here are my best tips for keeping your leftover turkey as tasty as the day it was prepared:

  • To Reheat. Low and slow is the name of the game here to ensure your leftover turkey is tender.
  1. Wrap leftover turkey in aluminum foil, creating a sealed pouch around the meat. Place the pouch in a baking dish.
  2. Before sealing the pouch, add moisture to your turkey by pouring a little broth (or turkey drippings) over it.
  3. Place the turkey in a 300 degrees F oven until warmed through.

Tip!

While you can reheat the turkey in the microwave, it’s not my first choice. If you need to use the microwave, make sure you add plenty of moisture to the turkey before reheating it so it doesn’t dry out.

chicken and biscuits in a casserole dish

How to Know When Leftover Turkey Is Bad

Determining whether leftover turkey has gone bad comes down to four of your five senses (if you can somehow hear when leftover turkey is bad, please teach me your ways).

  • Sight. If your leftover turkey looks discolored or has signs of mold, it is no longer safe to eat and should be discarded.
  • Smell. If your turkey smells sour, off, or otherwise unusual, throw it out.
  • Touch. Turkey that has gone bad will typically feel slimy to the touch.
  • Taste. If your turkey has passed the three other senses but tastes off in any way, assume it is bad and toss it.

More Thanksgiving Resources



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