Are your Thanksgiving leftovers still staring at you from the back of the fridge? Turn them into something brand new! These easy recipes are perfect for using up leftover Thanksgiving turkey, sides, and more.
Alright: You did it. You pulled off a magnificent Thanksgiving feast (YAY, YOU!) The turkey was juicy, the classic mashed potatoes were soft and pillowy, the cranberry sauce was...cranberry-y? Whatever. You nailed it.
But now, you're faced with the age-old question:
WTF am I supposed to do with all these leftovers?
While you can certainly throw a full plate of leftovers into the microwave for Thanksgiving dinner 2.0, eating the same meal over.and.over.and.over. for the next four days gets old real quick. And as proud members of the don't-love-leftovers club, we always prefer reimagining our holiday leftovers into a new and exciting dish.
Jump to:
- How long do Thanksgiving leftovers last?
- Our Favorite After Thanksgiving Recipes
- Leftover Turkey Frittata
- Leftover Turkey & Mashed Potato Pie
- Mashed Potato Cakes
- Homemade Turkey Stock
- Cranberry Brie Stuffed French Toast
- Cranberry Mayonnaise
- Cranberry Sauce Oat Bars
- Cranberry Brie Grilled Cheese
- Easy Pumpkin Biscuits (Video)
- Leftover Mashed Potatoes Gnocchi
- Recipes that have easy swaps for leftovers
- Potato and Cheese Pierogi
- 30 Minute Creamy Chicken Spinach Pasta
- Pesto Chicken Orzo Soup
- Skillet Chicken Pot Pie
- Turkey Apple Salad Lettuce Wraps
- The Ultimate Turkey Avocado Sandwich
- Arugula Salad with Pears and Walnuts
- Cilantro Turkey Chopped Salad
- Mushroom Spinach Lasagna
- Turkey, Corn, and Black Bean Chili (Video)
- 💬 Comments & Reviews
PS - Still need to plan your Thanksgiving menu? Check out our Thanksgiving HQ for our best tips, sample menus, and a free planning workbook!
How long do Thanksgiving leftovers last?
The USDA recommends eating or freezing any leftovers within 4 days. Most leftovers will last up to 4 months in an airtight container in the freezer without losing flavor (if you're using one of our Thanksgiving recipes, check the Recipe Notes for details on how long each dish will keep in the fridge and freezer).
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours
On Thanksgiving day, be sure to package and store any leftovers relatively quickly after eating dinner. Per the USDA, cooked food should not be left at room temperature for more than 2 hours. When food sits on the counter too long, it can enter what's called the "danger zone," where bad bacteria thrive.
Our Favorite After Thanksgiving Recipes
Choosing just one of our best thanksgiving leftover recipes as the MVP is...difficult. But if we HAD to pick a favorite, it'd be our Leftover Mashed Potatoes Gnocchi. This easy recipe makes gorgeous, pillowy dumplings out of leftover holiday mashed potatoes. The dough comes together so easily, and pairs well with all your favorite pasta sauces!
But that's just one of many day-after-Thanksgiving recipes: Keep scrolling for some of our favorite ideas! These recipes were developed especially to use various Thanksgiving leftovers, from the roast turkey to the potatoes to the cranberry sauce. You can follow them exactly as written for easy cooking!
Leftover Turkey Frittata
Throw extra turkey into this easy frittata! Sauté some veggies in a cast iron skillet with your turkey, pour an egg-and-cheese mixture over the top, and bake for a quick breakfast. Includes a ton of notes and substitutions to help you use whatever ingredients you have!
Leftover Turkey & Mashed Potato Pie
This cozy recipe is a cross between a turkey pot pie and a shepherd's pie (traditionally made with beef). Cook some veggies in a large pot with your leftover turkey, build a quick sauce with some chicken or turkey stock, and cover it all with leftover mashed potatoes. Bake until golden and enjoy!
Mashed Potato Cakes
Rework those leftover potatoes into these light, fluffy mashed potato cakes. Add some cheese (cheddar or parmesan are both great!) and herbs for extra flavor, then pan-fry until golden and serve with plenty of sour cream for dipping.
This recipe comes from our friends Sam and Dan at Ahead of Thyme!
Homemade Turkey Stock
Use any leftover turkey drippings to make your own stock! Throw turkey pieces into a large pot with carrots, onion, celery, and a few herbs, then add water and simmer for a few hours to draw out a ton of flavor. Use the stock right away or freeze it to use in soups and sauces all year round!
Cranberry Brie Stuffed French Toast
Sandwich some leftover cranberry sauce and a creamy brie between a few slices of challah bread, dunk it in a quick egg mixture, and pan fry it up for a delicious post-holiday brunch.
Cranberry Mayonnaise
This savory sauce is perfect for elevating a quick sandwich. Just stir your leftover cranberry sauce into a bit of mayonnaise, add a few things (like salt and lemon juice) to balance the flavors out, and slather on a sandwich with some leftover turkey (bonus points if you add some creamy brie!)
Cranberry Sauce Oat Bars
These easy cranberry oat bars start with a soft, buttery crust. Add a layer of your leftover cranberry sauce, then top with a quick pecan and oat crumble for a perfect holiday dessert!
This recipe comes from our friends Sam and Dan at Ahead of Thyme!
Cranberry Brie Grilled Cheese
These easy grilled cheese sandwiches use leftover cranberry sauce, creamy brie, and shredded mozzarella. Leftover turkey is great in this recipe, too!
Easy Pumpkin Biscuits (Video)
Stuck with half a can of pumpkin purée after your Thanksgiving feast? Turn it into a big batch of flakey biscuits for weekend brunch! The perfect post-Thanksgiving comfort food.
Leftover Mashed Potatoes Gnocchi
This fan-favorite recipe uses leftover mashed potatoes (cold and straight out of the fridge is fine!) to make quick, pillowy gnocchi that are perfect in your favorite sauce or tossed with some butter and leftover herbs.
Recipes that have easy swaps for leftovers
These recipes weren't specifically developed as Thanksgiving leftover recipes (they'll sometimes call for rotisserie chicken, for example, or have a mashed potato component listed as part of the recipe) but they are super versatile and very leftover-friendly! We've added "how to swap" notes to each of the descriptions below to help you easily adapt each of these dishes.
Potato and Cheese Pierogi
Stuff any leftover mashed potatoes into these easy homemade pierogi! Cook the pierogi immediately or freeze them for several months. Serve with plenty of sour cream for dipping!
How to swap: Use your leftover mashed potatoes in place of the potato filling in this recipe.
30 Minute Creamy Chicken Spinach Pasta
Throw leftover turkey into this quick, alfredo-inspired pasta! Ready in under an hour with of fresh spinach (or any veggies you have on hand!)
How to swap: Use diced leftover turkey in place of the shredded chicken in this recipe.
Pesto Chicken Orzo Soup
This quick soup needs just a few ingredients for a grown-up spin on classic chicken noodle soup.
How to swap: Use diced leftover turkey instead of the chicken in this recipe.
Skillet Chicken Pot Pie
This easy pot pie is assembled and baked in a big cast iron skillet. Use the homemade pie crust as written or grab a store-bought crust to save time!
How to swap: Use leftover diced turkey instead of the chicken in this recipe.
Turkey Apple Salad Lettuce Wraps
Craving something a little lighter after too much Thanksgiving-ing? Serve this easy turkey salad in fresh lettuce wraps! Fresh diced apples make this recipe feel bright and refreshing.
How to swap: Use leftover diced turkey instead of the chicken in this recipe.
The Ultimate Turkey Avocado Sandwich
There are turkey sandwiches, and then there are TURKEY SANDWICHES. This recipe brings the flavor with fresh avocado, a quick herb aioli, toasted rye bread, and a fried egg.
How to swap: Use sliced leftover turkey instead of deli turkey.
This recipe comes from our friend Eden at Sweet Tea & Thyme!
Arugula Salad with Pears and Walnuts
This quick arugula salad recipe takes just a few minutes to make. With a quick homemade Dijon dressing!
How to swap: Use leftover turkey instead of the grilled chicken in this recipe.
Cilantro Turkey Chopped Salad
Here's another tasty option if you're in an I-NEED-VEGETABLES mode after your turkey day spectacular. Fresh greens, tomatoes, and corn tossed with a creamy avocado dressing.
How to swap: Use leftover diced turkey instead of the shredded chicken in this recipe.
Mushroom Spinach Lasagna
This easy spinach lasagna has a creamy mushroom and parmesan sauce. It freezes well (perfect for meal prep!) and is a perfect blank canvas for any leftover turkey. (I've also added leftover spinach dip to the sauce before - works like a charm!)
How to swap: Stir leftover diced turkey into the mushroom sauce just before assembling the lasagna.
Turkey, Corn, and Black Bean Chili (Video)
This easy turkey chili is ready in under an hour with just a few spices and pantry staples! It's hearty, cozy, and perfect with a variety of extra veggies (leftover roasted sweet potatoes or squash are great in this soup!)
How to swap: Omit the ground turkey in this recipe; add leftover diced turkey when you add the beans and corn to the chili.
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We hope you loved this collection of our best Thanksgiving leftover recipes! If you have any questions, drop a comment below or leave a comment on any of the recipe posts linked above. And don't forget to check out our full Thanksgiving recipe collection for more inspo. Happy holidays!
Dave Hurd
My favorite use for Turkey Day leftovers is to sautee the stuffing, scramble some eggs with it and serve it up in a burrito wrap. Yummo with cranberry wasabi!
Jessie
I love that idea! We did an awesome breakfast hash this year with our leftover stuffing and turkey, but I never thought to put it all in a burrito. I'm totally trying that!
Rhonda
Thanks for the awesome ideas and recipes!