4 Easy Leftover Turkey Recipes

Every Thanksgiving, people scour the internet in search of leftover turkey recipes. After all, many families can’t finish all of their Thanksgiving meals. Is your fridge packed with turkey leftovers? Here are some yummy leftover Thanksgiving turkey recipes you can use after the holiday.

Delicious Leftover Turkey Recipes

So, you’ve finished all your Thanksgiving side dishes but are left with one problem: you’re not sure what to do with leftover turkey. Don’t worry, there are plenty of simple leftover turkey recipes you can prepare. Here are the best leftover turkey dishes to try after Thanksgiving.

1. Leftover Turkey Casserole

Are you looking for scrumptious recipes for leftover turkey breast? This casserole is perfect, especially if you want to prepare something ahead of time to eat for later!

Ingredients: 

• 6 tbsp. of butter, divided, plus more for the pan
• 2/3 cup of panko
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 3/4 cup of Parmesan, divided and freshly grated
• 1 1/4 cup of cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour
• 2 cups of cheddar, shredded
• 4 cups of low-sodium chicken stock
• 3 cups of cubed cooked turkey
• 1 cup of frozen peas
• 3 tbsp. of parsley, freshly chopped, plus more for garnish
• 8 ounces of egg noodles, cooked
• 1 tbsp. of lemon juice
• Kosher salt
• Black pepper, freshly ground

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Combine 1/4 of Parmesan with panko and 3 tbsp. of butter in a medium bowl. Season using salt.
3. Place a medium saucepan over the stove at medium-high heat. Melt the remaining butter and add mushrooms, onion, and salt. Stir and cook for 6 minutes. Add flour. Cook and stir for 1 more minute. Pour the stock into the saucepan and let it boil.
4. Lower heat to medium-low and let it simmer. Stir for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining Parmesan and cheddar until they melt.
5. Add peas, lemon juice, noodles, turkey, and parsley. Season with pepper and salt.
6. Take a baking dish of 9″ by 13″ in size. Brush it with butter and scrape the turkey casserole into the baking dish. Add buttered breadcrumbs. Bake for 20 minutes.
7. Top with parsley and serve.

2. Turkey Carcass Soup

The best leftover turkey recipes use all of the turkey’s carcass. That way, you waste no part of the leftover turkey. This turkey soup recipe is perfect for just that. It’s flavorful, warm, and comforting!

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. of fresh dill, roughly chopped
• 1 turkey carcass from roasted turkey, extra meat removed
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 3 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 8 ounces of egg noodles
• 2 cups of cooked turkey meat, shredded
• Kosher salt
• Black pepper, freshly ground

Directions:

1. Take a large pot and place the turkey carcass in it. Pour in cold water and bring it to a boil. Afterward, lower the heat and let the carcass simmer for 120 minutes.
2. Strain the carcass and reserve the stock. Pour the stock into the pot once more and bring it to a simmer again.
3. Add thyme, bay leaf, celery, shredded turkey, and carrots. Cook for 12 minutes.
4. Add noodles and cook according to the directions in the package. Season with pepper and salt. Afterward, garnish with dill and serve.

3. Turkey Pot Pie

This turkey pot pie recipe is a classic recipe and is one of the best turkey left over meals for a cozy autumn night.

Ingredients:

• For the Crust:
  • 1 1/2 tsp. of Kosher salt
  • 2 tbsp. of granulated sugar
  • 3 3/4 cups of all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups of butter, cut into small pieces
  • 6 tbsp. of ice water
  • 1 1/2 tbsp. of apple cider vinegar, chilled
• For the Filling:
  • 1 medium onion, finely diced
  • 4 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 3 tbsp. of butter, plus more for brushing
  • 2 medium carrots, medium diced and peeled
  • 3/4 cup of white wine
  • 1 1/2 cups of frozen peas
  • 3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/3 cups of heavy cream, plus 2 tbsp. for brushing
  • 3 sprigs of thyme, stems removed
  • 2 1/2 cups of turkey meat, shredded
  • 3 tbsp. of parsley, freshly chopped
  • Kosher salt
  • Flaky salt
  • Black pepper, freshly ground

Directions:

1. For the Crust:
   1. Put the butter in the freezer for 15 minutes. Pulse the sugar, salt, and flour in a large food processor. Add the butter and pulse until they become pea-sized with a few slightly larger pieces.
   2. Add vinegar and 4 tbsp. of ice water one tablespoon at a time into the feed tube. The dough should be moist but not wet, sticky but not too crumbly.
   3. Slightly flour a surface and turn the dough out. Knead to combine and divide into two balls. Flatten each into a disk and cover them with plastic. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
2. For the Filling:
   1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Melt butter over medium heat in a large and deep-sided skillet. Add carrots and onions and cook for 5 minutes. Afterward, add garlic and stir in flour until it starts to bubble. Whisk white wine gradually and bring it to a simmer. Cook for 3 minutes.
   2. Stream heavy cream slowly. Cook and stir for 5 minutes. Fold peas, thyme, parsley, and shredded turkey. Season with pepper and salt. Let cool.
3. To Assemble:
   1. Flour a surface lightly and roll one dough disk until it’s 1/4″ thick. Grease a 9″ shallow pie dish and trim the edges, leaving a 1″ overhang. Add cooled filling.
   2. Roll the second dough disk the same way and add it on top of the filling. Crimp and trim the edges. Make slits on top with a paring knife. Brush with heavy cream and sprinkle some flaky salt.
   3. Bake the pie for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Let it cool for 15 minutes. Serve afterward.

4. Giant Thanksgiving Leftover Sandwich

If you want some recipes using leftover turkey that yield several servings, consider making this giant leftover sandwich. It can yield 10 servings — great for big families.

Ingredients:

• 11 ounces of French bread dough, refrigerated
• 2 cups of cranberry sauce
• 1 tsp. of garlic powder
• 2 cups of baby spinach
• 1 cup of gravy
• 3 tbsp. of melted butter
• 1 cup of mashed potatoes
• 2 lbs. of sliced roast turkey
• 1 tsp. of dried oregano
• 2 cups of stuffing
• 1 cup of mayonnaise
• 1/2 tsp. of thyme leaves, finely chopped
• 1 tsp. of sage, finely chopped
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 tsp. of rosemary, finely chopped
• Pinch of paprika
• Kosher salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Use cooking spray to grease a bundt pan.
2. Place bread dough into the pan and pinch the ends to create a ring.
3. Bake the dough for 25-30 minutes. Let it cool for 5 minutes. Afterward, place it onto a wire rack.
4. Whisk garlic powder, a pinch of salt, melted butter, and oregano until combined in a small bowl. Halve the bread to create two layers.
5. Place one half cut on a large baking sheet, side-down. Afterward, place the other cut side-up. Brush both cuts with the butter mixture. Bake for 10 minutes.
6. Whisk herbs, lemon juice, mayo, a pinch of salt, and paprika. Afterward, spread it over the lower half.
7. Top with spinach, potatoes, stuffing, turkey, and cranberry sauce. Then drizzle with gravy. Afterward, add the baked bread on top to complete the sandwich.

No Turkey Left Unused

These leftover turkey recipes should help you eat up all of the turkey you haven’t used. As a result, you don’t have to waste any food (or money). Moreover, you get to enjoy more turkey in the following days even after Thanksgiving is over!

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