Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes (2024)

Christin Mahrlig

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In our family Thanksgiving leftovers are looked forward to as much as Thanksgiving dinner. There’s always a few turkey sandwiches with mayo to be had in the days following Thanksgiving, but I also like turning Thanksgiving leftovers into a whole new meal. Below is a great list of recipes for turning ham, turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing , and even green bean casserole into something entirely new. Make the most of your Thanksgiving leftovers by trying a few of them.

Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes (2)

Turkey Recipes

Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes (3)

Leftover Turkey Jambalaya is one of my favorites. I think turkey tastes even better than chicken in Jambalaya. It has an ever so slightly bolder, gamier flavor that really stands up well to the spices in jambalaya.

Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes (4)

Creamy Leftover Turkey Wild Rice Soup is full of onion, carrots, celery, parsley, thyme, wild rice, and chopped turkey. Pure comfort food in a bowl.

Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes (5)

This Turkey Tetrazzini is one of my favorite things to make with leftover turkey. This is a made from scratch recipe that’s wonderfully creamy.

Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes (6)

Southwestern Turkey Rice Casserole is perfect for feeding crowd. It’s a creamy, cheesy casserole full of rice, diced turkey, sour cream, spinach, green chiles, southwestern spices all topped off with a crushed dorito topping.

Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes (7)

Turkey, Cranberry, and Brie Crescent Braid makes a wonderful holiday appetizer and it’s easy to make with a tube of crescent roll dough.

Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes (8)

Turkey Salad is full of cranberries, celery, and pecans in a mayonnaise-based dressing. Makes a great turkey salad sandwich

This easy Turkey Corn Chowder can be made in just 30 minutes and is a great way to breathe new life into leftover turkey.

Turkey Broccoli Alfredo is an easy to make pasta dish that’s ultra creamy and rich tasting.

Ham Recipes

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This made from scratch Cheesy Ham and Potato Chowder is thick and creamy and the perfect way to breathe new life into your leftover ham. This is one harty and delicious soup that’s perfect for a cold night.

Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes (10)

This Easy Ham and Cheese Quiche gets rave reviews. It really is the perfect quiche recipe.

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Ham Pot Pie is another great way to use up leftover ham. This pot pie has a double crust and a thick, rich filling full of diced ham, potato chunks, and corn.

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This Pineapple and Ham Cheese Ball is a great make-ahead appetizer. Lots of great sweet and salty flavor!

Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes (13)

Mac and Cheese with Ham is a creamy, cheesy, comforting meal. The addition of diced ham turns mac and cheese into a hearty main dish meal.

Broccoli and Ham Jiffy Cornbread is nearly a meal on its own. Wonderfully moist and loaded with broccoli, ham, and cheddar cheese.

More Recipes Using Thanksgiving Leftovers

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This amazing Thanksgiving Eggs Benedict has a waffle made out of stuffing, topped with sliced roasted turkey, a poached egg, and hollandaise sauce. There’s no better breakfast for the day after Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes (15)

Turn your leftovers into a delicous appetizer with this Thanksgiving Wontons recipe. They fry up super crispy and are stuffed with turkey, cream cheese, a little stuffing, and cranberry sauce.

Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes (16)

If you’re a fan of pot pie, this Turkey Pot Pie with Stuffing Topping is a must try. It has a buttery pie crust stuffed full with a creamy turkey filling and topped with a savory stuffing. Pot Pie never tasted so good.

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Use up your leftover Sweet Potato Casserole with this Sausage and Sweet Potato Soup. It’s both sweet and spicy with lots of meaty flavor from smoked sausage.

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These Mashed Potato Croquettes are made from leftover mashed potatoes, ham, cheddar cheese and Ranch seasoning. They fry up wonderfully crispy on the outside.

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Another great recipe for using up leftover mashed potatoes is this Fried Mashed Potato Balls recipe. They are flavored with bacon and cheese plus some green onion and served with a Ranch-flavored sour cream dip.

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Deep-Fried Stuffing turns leftover Thanksgiving stuffing into a delicious appetizer that’s great for gameday. They taste great on their own and even better dipped in an easy and creamy cranberry sauce.

Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes (21)

Just 4 ingredients are needed for these delicious Green Bean Casserole Stuffed Mushrooms. If you’re a fan of green bean casserole, they are a must try.

Thanksgiving Crescent Rolls– leftover turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and cranberry sauce all wrapped up in crescent roll dough and served with gravy! Thanksgiving leftovers don’t get any more delicious.

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Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is a creative way to eat Thanksgiving leftovers? ›

Instead, try turning your leftovers into a casserole, like our turkey divan, our chicken stuffing casserole, or our turkey pot pie; a soup, like our turkey noodle soup, our leftover turkey & wild rice soup, or our homemade turkey stock (made from your turkey carcass); or something lighter or more flavorful than before, ...

How do you deal with leftovers on Thanksgiving? ›

10 ways to use Thanksgiving leftovers (besides just reheating them)
  1. Roasted turkey and vegetable salads. ...
  2. Turkey tacos. ...
  3. Potato pancakes. ...
  4. Make a turkey pot pie. ...
  5. Turkey pizza. ...
  6. Turkey soup. ...
  7. Turkey grilled cheese. ...
  8. Turn stuffing into muffins.
Nov 23, 2023

How long are Thanksgiving leftovers good for in the fridge? ›

How long do the turkey and trimmings stay safe in the refrigerator or freezer? The answer is simple: leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for three to four days. This means you have until the Monday after Thanksgiving to eat all those delicious leftovers or place them in the freezer to enjoy later.

What leftovers from Thanksgiving can you freeze? ›

Meat that is still leftover after four days should be cut up, vacuum sealed and frozen for future use. Stuffing can be vacuum sealed and frozen. Mashed potatoes don't freeze well so they could be reused to make soup. Cranberry sauce, even canned, is good to put on yogurt or ice cream.

What are the 10 creative ways to use leftovers? ›

10 ways to use leftovers
  • Pizza. Friday night pizza night at home is great way to save some dollars and clean out the fridge. ...
  • Chicken salad. ...
  • Soup. ...
  • Put an egg on it. ...
  • Stir Fry. ...
  • Flatbread. ...
  • Quesadillas. ...
  • Smoothie or juice.
Mar 28, 2018

What is a good alternative Thanksgiving dinner? ›

Alternatives could be:
  • Baked Stuffed Shrimp dinner or any seafood, saffron herbed rice, seasonal vegetables.
  • Beef Crown Rib Roast dinner with Potatoes Gratin Dauphinoise and asparagus.
  • Roast Leg of Lamb with wine, lemon, garlic, and rosemary, Brussel sprouts, wild rice.
Nov 5, 2023

What percentage of people prefer Thanksgiving leftovers? ›

Apparently I'm in the minority, as this poll reported that 80 percent of Americans prefer the leftover version.

What is the rule for leftovers? ›

Leftovers can be kept for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. After that, the risk of food poisoning goes up. If you don't think you'll be able to eat leftovers within four days, freeze them right away. Frozen leftovers will stay safe for a long time.

What is the best thing to do with leftovers? ›

What to do with leftover food
  • Don't throw them out. Whether you're eating at home or out at a restaurant, don't let leftover edible food go to waste in the trash or compost bin. ...
  • Make them tomorrow's lunch. Saving leftovers is a quick way to pack a low-effort lunch. ...
  • Reinvent them. ...
  • Freeze them. ...
  • Swap them. ...
  • Prevent them.

Is it OK to eat 5 day old leftovers? ›

According to the FDA Food Code, all perishable foods that are opened or prepared should be thrown out after 7 days, maximum. No leftovers should survive in your fridge for longer than that. Some foods should be even be thrown away before the 7 day mark.

When should you throw out Thanksgiving leftovers? ›

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service recommends throwing out refrigerated leftovers after three to four days. If foods are kept in the freezer, they can usually still be consumed for three to four months.

Can you eat turkey 5 days after Thanksgiving? ›

Turkey: 3-4 days.

Eat turkey within three to four days of cooking. If you use the turkey in a new dish like a soup or casserole, only consume within those initial four days. Another option is freezing the cooked turkey. Turkey can last up to four more months if frozen.

Can I freeze leftover turkey and stuffing? ›

According to the USDA, cooked turkey, gravy, and leftovers can be safely refrigerated for up to 4 days and frozen for 3 to 4 months. Technically, frozen food is safe indefinitely however, the quality of the food may decrease as the food loses moisture.

Can I freeze leftover mashed potatoes? ›

Yes, you can. Freezing mashed potatoes is a great way to plan for the holidays or avoid wasting any leftovers.

What are the best leftovers to freeze? ›

Do Freeze: soups, stews, casseroles, saucy pasta and rice dishes, raw meat or seafood, broth, bread, cookies, baked goods, tortillas, cheese (grated or in block form), tomato paste, pesto, buttermilk, butter, ginger, cooked beans, cooked rice or pasta, fresh fruit for smoothies or baking, vegetables for soups or stews.

What to do with leftovers you don't like? ›

Don't Throw That Away! 10 Creative Ways to Use Leftovers
  1. Create leftovers purposefully. ...
  2. Store leftovers smartly. ...
  3. Dedicate a leftovers night. ...
  4. Turn dinner into lunch. ...
  5. Think “ingredients,” not “leftovers.” ...
  6. Make soup. ...
  7. Salvage stale bread. ...
  8. Stash vegetable scraps.

What foods make great leftovers? ›

  • Meatloaf. Though meatloaf is often restricted to the weeknight dinner table, it is a powerhouse leftover. ...
  • Lasagna. Sure, there's nothing better than lasagna coming out of the oven hot with bubbling cheese. ...
  • Pulled Pork. ...
  • Beef Stew. ...
  • Chili. ...
  • Frittatas, Quiches and Tarts.

How do you enjoy leftovers? ›

Here are just a few ideas:
  1. Turn side dishes into a main course like a vegetable plate on a meatless Monday.
  2. Add new ingredients to leftovers. ...
  3. There is nothing that isn't made better when you Put An Egg On It like burgers, rice, or salad.
  4. Make it a wrap or sandwich. ...
  5. Turn it into a soup or stew.
Dec 28, 2022

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