These Smart, Tasty, Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes Will Clear Your Fridge
From the giant roast turkey blocking access to the milk, to the tubs of mashed potatoes, casseroles, and green beans piled up over the eggs, most of our fridges will be pretty blocked up come November 24th. But don't despair: rejoice! All that extra already-cooked food is the beginnings of a week's worth of delicious leftover grazing! But when your family is bored by warming up plates of feast-food, that's when it's time to begin recombining everything into leftover recipes.
Start by taking off all the meat from the turkey, and using the bones to make broth. That should keep you in soups for the rest of the season. Now use the rest of the leftovers to make these casseroles, sandwiches, pies, hashes, and more for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The recipes are so good, you may be sad to run out of leftovers this year!
Turkey Spinach Tortellini Soup
Though this recipes calls for shredded cooked chicken, leftover turkey is possibly an even tastier addition. The best part of this hearty, warming soup? It takes just 30 minutes to make.
Get the recipe Turkey Spinach Tortellini Soup.
Turkey-Cobb Sandwiches
Here's a lighter lunch you can make with leftover turkey.
Get the recipe for Turkey-Cobb Sandwiches.
Spiced Sweet Potato-and-Peanut Purée
If you've got leftover roasted sweet potatoes, you can easily blend them into this quick, delicious, spicy soup.
Get the recipe for Spiced Sweet Potato-and-Peanut Purée.
Potato Gnocchi with Pork Ragù
Leftover mashed potatoes can be easily mixed with some flour and egg into deliciously pillowy gnocchi.
Get the recipe for Potato Gnocchi with Pork Ragù.
Cranberry-Apple Hand Pies
These cute mini pies are an easy way to use up any leftover cranberries and apples.
Get the recipe for Cranberry-Apple Hand Pies.
Crustless Ham-and-Leek Quiche
This make-ahead quiche is the perfect brunch for your long Thanksgiving weekend. You can swap the ham for any protein (ahem, turkey), and you'll have most of the other ingredients at the ready too.
Get the recipe for Crustless Ham-and-Leek Quiche.
Sweet Potato Kale Frittata
The whole family will gobble up this delicious and easy frittata that is perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Get the recipe for Sweet Potato Kale Frittata.
Crispy Rosemary Potato Cakes
An easy used for mashed potatoes, these cakes need just a little panko, chopped onion, and herbs.
Get the recipe for Crispy Rosemary Potato Cakes.
Mini Carrot Pot Pies
These mini pot pies are an easy midday pick-me-up. Pack in extra leftover veggies for a more colorful bite.
Get the recipe for Mini Carrot Pot Pies.
Leftover Turkey Pasta Bake
Kick back, relax, and cozy up on the couch with this easy pasta bake. You deserve a night of easy cooking and good food after all that Thanksgiving prep!
Get the recipe for Leftover Turkey Pasta Bake.
Leftover Turkey, Brie, Bacon, and Cranberry Sandwich
Obviously the first and best leftovers meal is a sandwich. This one's a real winner.
Get the recipe for Leftover Turkey, Brie, Bacon, and Cranberry Sandwich.
Leftover Turkey Enchiladas
Pumpkin seeds, cilantro, and spicy chiles give your extra turkey new life and flavor.
Get the recipe for Leftover Turkey Enchiladas.
Slow Cooker Turkey Pumpkin Chili
Make use of both leftover turkey and canned pumpkin with delicious fall chili.
Get the recipe for Slow Cooker Turkey Pumpkin Chili.
Buffalo Turkey Sandwich
Save this for when you're ready for an anti-Thanksgiving flavored meal. Mild turkey makes a great sub for chicken, and piles of spicy sauce and blue cheese make it mouthwateringly good.
Get the recipe for Buffalo Turkey Sandwich.
Sweet-Potato Spoon Bread with Caramel-Pecan Topping
This sweet take on spoon bread makes a delectably rich ending to any meal.
Get the recipe for Sweet-Potato Spoon Bread.
Harvest Pumpkin Soup
Leftover potatoes, cans of pumpkin, and thinned-out gravy (instead of the chicken broth) can all be worked into this fall flavored soup.
Get the recipe for Harvest Pumpkin Soup.
Turkey Pot Pie
Keep it simple by creating a traditional casserole your family already loves: pot pie. But this time, swap out the usual pie crust for light, flaky Greek phyllo.
Get the recipe for Turkey Pot Pie.
Moroccan Carrot Soup
This simple spiced carrot soup gets added crunch from toasted pumpkin seeds and a mellow flavor from a drizzle of creamy yogurt.
Get the recipe for Moroccan Carrot Soup.
Cranberry Turnovers
Use leftover cranberry sauce to create these special breakfast pastries.
Get the recipe for Cranberry Turnovers.
Turkey Hash with Sunny-Side-Up Eggs
Say hello to your Black Friday breakfast.
Get the recipe for Turkey Hash with Sunny-Side-Up Eggs.
Cranberry Pie
Transform boring cranberry sauce into a delectable pie that no one can pass up.
Get the recipe for Cranberry Pie.
Shepherd's Pie
This is the quintessential comfort food, with layers of (leftover) veggies and mashed potatoes. The recipe calls for ground turkey, but chopped leftovers works too!
Get the recipe for Shepherd's Pie.
Sweet Potato Pound Cake
Country Living-reader Kat Green from Marietta, Georgia, had us drooling with her sweet potato inspiration.
Get the recipe for Sweet Potato Pound Cake.
Sweet Potato Waffles
Linda Owens Surfus, the Country Living reader who created this recipe, recommends grating orange into the batter for extra zest.
Get the recipe for Sweet Potato Waffles.
Leftover Cranberry Sauce Overnight Oats
This is a fantastic and healthy way to turn that homemade cranberry sauce into a quick breakfast treat!
Get the recipe for Leftover Cranberry Sauce Overnight Oats at Marisa Moore.
Thanksgiving Turkey Gumbo
This gumbo completely reinvents your turkey leftovers into this New Orleans crossover dish. Serve over a heaping mound of mashed potatoes or rice.
Get the recipe for Thanksgiving Turkey Gumbo at Half Baked Harvest.
Turkey and Stuffing Thanksgiving Tacos
These tacos serve two purposes: using up your leftovers and tasting fantastic. Get your favorite Thanksgiving fixings all in one handheld bite.
Get the recipe for Turkey and Stuffing Thanksgiving Tacos at Table for Two.
Thanksgiving Leftover Balls
The only way to enjoy leftover stuffing, turkey, and mashed potatoes? Deep fry 'em and dip 'em in leftover gravy. Yum!
Get the recipe for Thanksgiving Leftover Balls at Real Food by Dad.
Thanksgiving Pizza
Using a puff pastry sheet, your Thanksgiving leftovers will transform into one of the best pizzas you've ever had.
Get the recipe for Thanksgiving Pizza at The Gunny Sack.
One-Pot Cheesy Turkey Tamale Pie
Looking to spice up your leftover turkey? This recipe is the answer.
Get the recipe for One-Pot Cheesy Turkey Tamale Pie at Half Baked Harvest.
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