When the holidays are over, it can get quite redundant eating the same ol’ warmed up leftover turkey and sides from Thanksgiving or Christmas for four days straight. When it’s gone, you and your family can’t help but feel thankful and jolly that the leftover turkey is out of sight for good until next year.
Here at Oola, we want to put those leftover turkey woes to rest and give you some exciting ideas on what to do with leftover turkey from the holidays. We put together a tasty list of leftover turkey recipes that won’t leave anyone feeling turkey’d out!
1. Turkey Pot Pie
No one can resist that classic rich, buttery flakey crust of a turkey or chicken pot pie. Turkey pot pie is absolutely delicious and cozy, a perfect dish for a cold winter’s day. This homemade rendition of turkey pot pie does not have a crust on the bottom, making this recipe an easy one to prepare.
Although this turkey pot pie recipe consists of a homemade pie crust, feel free to purchase a pre-made pie crust from your local grocer for added convenience when prepping for this meal.
2. Leftover Turkey Corn Chowder
Using leftover turkey is the gold standard when it comes to utilizing your thanksgiving leftovers, and you’ll hit the jackpot with this warming, leftover turkey corn chowder recipe. Both cream-style corn and whole kernel sweet corn give this soup its lovely sweet, creamy texture. Prepare this mouthwatering turkey corn chowder in just 30 minutes!
3. Stuffing Topped Mac N Cheese With Turkey Leftovers
Stuffing topped mac and cheese with turkey leftovers is a mouthwatering holiday twist on mac and cheese. A creamy bechamel sauce is blended with melted cheeses, fall spices, shredded turkey, and tossed in pasta. Stuffing is piled high atop this ooey gooey mac and cheese for an unforgettable dish.
For this holiday rendition of mac and cheese, Monterey Jack is used to make a creamy cheese sauce. For an added twist feel free to experiment with different types of cheese.
4. Leftover Turkey Quesadillas With Black Beans
Skip Mexican takeout with this flavorful leftover turkey quesadilla with black beans recipe that you can whip up right at home in a matter of minutes. All you need to recreate this delicious dish are a few simple ingredients, such as leftover turkey, taco seasoning, black beans, wheat tortillas, and shredded cheese. Pair this delicious leftover turkey quesadilla with some cool, and tangy sour cream or homemade guacamole.
5. Turkey Grilled Cheese With Cranberry And Brie
The sweet, tangy notes of cranberry sauce pair beautifully with the creamy butteriness of brie in the turkey grilled cheese with cranberry and brie sandwich. One bite into this glorious grilled cheese, and you won’t believe that your simple leftovers have made yet again, another holiday on a plate.
6. Thanksgiving Turkey Egg Rolls
That thought of making egg rolls may seem somewhat of a daunting task, but let us assure you that this recipe is anything but difficult. The use of egg roll wrappers makes Thanksgiving egg rolls a breeze to prepare. You can essentially use all of your Christmas or Thanksgiving leftovers when preparing this tasty dish. Keep in mind, if you’d like to avoid frying your egg rolls in oil, air fryer egg rolls are just as addicting!
7. Turkey Shepherd’s Pie
Shepherd’s pie is a savory comfort-food classic, that is a simple answer on how to use up that bulky supply of leftover turkey. This delightful version of turkey shepherd’s pie uses a blend of peas, carrots, corn, green beans, leftover turkey, and shredded cheese. Layered on top of this hearty casserole is a healthy helping of mashed potatoes.
8. Crispy Turkey Nachos
Grab a glass of apple cider sangria and kick back with some crispy turkey nachos. You definitely deserve a break after the holiday rush, and what better way to relax than with a plate of addicting nachos, dripping in melty cheddar cheese, topped with black beans, avocado, tomatoes, red onion, jalapenos. Pair your turkey nachos with a Sunday night football game and you’ll be all set.
9. Thanksgiving Pull-Apart Leftover Sliders
Thanksgiving pull-apart leftover sliders couldn’t be a more leisurely meal to prepare if you tried. Your leftovers from Thanksgiving or Christmas are layered atop Hawaiian rolls, along with shredded cheese, and baked until the cheese is melted. You’ll be amazed with how quick and convenient these tasty leftover sliders are.
10. Leftover Turkey Salad Sandwiches
Everyone enjoys a classic leftover turkey and mayonnaise sandwich after Thanksgiving or Christmas is through. But, let’s kick it up a notch with these scrumptious leftover turkey salad sandwiches by adding some celery, green bell pepper, red onion, dried cranberries, mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar on toasted bread. You’ll be kicking your ordinary leftover turkey and mayonnaise sandwiches to the curb after you give them a new twist.
11. Leftover Turkey Alfredo Skillet Meal
Pasta lovers will adore this 30-minute one-pot pasta leftover turkey recipe. Prepare a simple leftover turkey alfredo skillet meal with penne pasta, peas, bacon, and turkey, tossed in a creamy alfredo sauce. Enjoy this decadent creamy pasta dish with a side of crusty homemade bread.
12. Thanksgiving Leftover Casserole
Toss out your Tupperware with all of your holiday leftovers, and free up some space in your clogged up refrigerator. Compile all of your leftovers into a deliciously layered Thanksgiving leftover casserole. This simple dish will surely become a go-to leftover tradition for its ease and convenience.
13. Leftover Turkey With Roasted Vegetables
For those seeking healthy leftover turkey recipes, leftover turkey with roasted vegetables is a perfect sheet pan recipe for you. Leftover turkey is roasted on a sheet pan along with a side of brussel sprouts, purple onions, sweet potatoes, pumpkin seeds, and kale drizzled in olive oil for a hearty and savory meal.
14. Turkey Chili
Nothing beats a heaping bowl of warm chili on a chilly winter’s night. Turkey chili is the answer to your leftover turkey! Shredded leftover turkey meat, kidney beans, onion, garlic, and tomatoes make a winning combination. Pair this hearty soup with buttermilk cornbread, a traditional sugar-free southern-style cornbread. If you prefer your cornbread on the sweeter side, try a northern-style cornbread with added sugar.
15. Thanksgiving Leftover Pizza
Black Friday is not only for shopping, but it’s also a pizza night, Thanksgiving leftover pizza night. Nothing beats an easy-to-make dinner after a long day of shopping after Thanksgiving. Grab a ready-to-bake pizza crust for a no-fuss preparation.
Start by slathering on a layer of the sauce, a thick coating of gravy, followed by a topping of leftover turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, a drizzle of cranberry sauce, and lastly, a sprinkle of shredded cheddar cheese. Bake until golden brown. You’ll be wishing you always had these ingredients on hand for this seasonal pizza.
We guarantee that there is no better way to enjoy your Thanksgiving or Christmas leftovers than with our roundup of creative leftover turkey recipes. There won’t be a morsel leftover to waste from your holiday feast if you experiment with these delicious dishes. You may even find a favorite leftover recipe that you’ll choose to use for years to come.
