63 Recipes to Use Up Your Thanksgiving Leftovers (2024)

By Janine 16 Comments

Filed Under: BLOG, round-up, Thanksgiving Tagged With: Leftovers, Roundup, Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving Leftovers Recipes

What will you do with those Thanksgiving Leftovers now?

Well we made it to the other side. That’s right, another Thanksgiving is in the books today.

But still Thanksgiving dinner is the meal that keeps on giving. See it seems like every year there are more leftovers than the year before! Usually, you end up throwing away more than half of it. Why? Because you can’t finish them before they go bad.

[clickToTweet tweet=”Need help with those Thanksgiving leftovers? Check out these 63 recipes to help now.” quote=”Need help with those Thanksgiving leftovers? Check out these 63 recipes to help now.” theme=”style1″]

If you are feeling overwhelmed by your fridge full of leftovers, then here are 63 recipes to make to use up your Thanksgiving leftovers.

63 Recipes to Use Up Your Thanksgiving Leftovers

63 Recipes to Use Up Your Thanksgiving Leftovers (1)

  1. Mexican Pizza

  2. Easy Turkey Stroganoff

  3. Stuffing Stuffed Mushrooms

  4. Tortilla Turkey Soup

  5. Thanksgiving Leftover Stromboli

  6. Turkey Stuffed Peppers

  7. Turkey Pot Pie Soup

  8. Turkey Enchiladas

  9. Turkey Vegetable Soup

  10. Thanksgiving Leftover Casserole

  11. Turkey Pesto Panini

  12. Turkey Salad with Cranberry Dressing

  13. Fried Mashed Potato Balls

  14. Extra-Veggie Frittata

  15. Loaded Potato Soup

  16. Green Bean Casserole Sandwich

  17. Turkey and Veggie Lasagna

  18. Day after Turkey Soup

  19. Cranberry Buttermilk Pancakes

  20. Turkey Noodle Casserole

  21. Turkey Cranberry Quesadillas

  22. Leftover Turkey Pot Pie

  23. Turkey Salad

  24. Turkey Pesto Roll ups

  25. Baked Turkey and Rice with Black Beans

  26. Turkey Tetrazzini

  27. Turkey and Mashed Potato Casserole

  28. Turkey Club Wrap

  29. Turkey Gyros

  30. Turkey Santa Fe Lettuce Wraps

  31. Turkey Alfredo Ziti

  32. Turkey Pot Pie with Cheddar Biscuit Crust

  33. Turkey Hash

  34. Butternut Squash Turkey Tacos

  35. Turkey and Cranberry Monte Cristo

  36. Thanksgiving Turkey Pizza

  37. Hot Turkey Sandwiches

  38. Turkey Ranch Quesadillas

  39. Creamy White Turkey Lasagna

  40. Turkey Dinner in a Biscuit

  41. Creamed Turkey Over Biscuits

  42. Spicy Turkey Nachos

  43. French Onion Turkey Casserole

  44. Turkey Butternut Squash Casserole

  45. Turkey Mexican Casserole

  46. Turkey Casserole with Cauliflower Rice

  47. Sweet Potato and Turkey Hash

  48. Turkey Cranberry BBQ Sauce Sliders

  49. Herbed Turkey Over Cornbread Waffles

  50. Leftover Turkey and Stuffing Crescent

  51. Turkey Spinach Lasagna

  52. Cranberry-Barbecue Turkey stuffed Sweet Potatoes

  53. Turkey Nachos

  54. Turkey Turnovers

Do you have Thanksgiving leftovers in your fridge now?

What will you do with all those Thanksgiving leftovers?

Now tell me in the comments…

63 Recipes to Use Up Your Thanksgiving Leftovers (2)

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About Janine

Janine is a published author of the books, The Mother of All Meltdowns and Only Trollops Shave Above the Knee. She has been featured on The Huffington Post, Mamapedia, Today Parenting Team and SheKnows. She also runs her own graphic design company at J9 Designs.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Diane Hill Roark says

    Janine,

    I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I also hope your baby girl had a great birthday and lots of fun a Disney. Thank you for sharing all these fantastic Thanksgiving leftover ideas. YUM!

    Blessings,
    Diane

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  2. AnnMarie John says

    I hope you and the family had an amazing Thanksgiving. I had no idea there were so many uses for my Thanksgiving leftovers. I may just have to do a couple of them. Thank you.

    Log in to Reply

    • Janine says

      Aw, you are so welcome and hope you and your family also had a wonderful Thanksgiving, AnnMarie 🙂

      Log in to Reply

  3. William Holland says

    Nothing complicated when I eat leftovers. Toss them on a plate, heat them in the microwave, and shove my face into the pile. 🙂 I hope you had a terrific holiday. We have another one tomorrow with the second half of the family. Bring on the eats!!!!!

    Log in to Reply

    • Janine says

      Well, Happy 2nd Thanksgiving tomorrow and wishing you a wonderful feast tomorrow now, too!! 🙂

      Log in to Reply

  4. J. Ivy Boyter says

    In years past, I probably could have used these! Now, I do Thanksgiving geared toward my food allergies and I plan leftovers to take to my in-laws house because they haven’t been able to figure out how to accommodate … I love having a plate of real Thanksgiving to take so as not to be left out LOL

    • Janine says

      Totally get it and makes total sense to me. thanks for sharing with me, too 😉

      Log in to Reply

  5. Aunt Gloria says

    I’d love to try some of these recipes…..without any leftovers. I’ll just start from scratch. So glad we had Thanksgiving together. It was very special….and delicious! xxoo

    Log in to Reply

    • Janine says

      Aw, I couldn’t agree more and looking forward to Christmas now, too together xoxo 😉

      Log in to Reply

  6. Jen says

    There were no turkey leftovers on Thursday at our family function 🙁 So today I am making another turkey and I will definitely need these then!

    Log in to Reply

    • Janine says

      Man, I wish I could say there were no leftovers, but alas there were. But also love you were making another turkey only a day later 😉

      Log in to Reply

  7. Tamara says

    You had me at “mashed potato balls.” We still have leftovers if you can believe that! Actually, I bet you can believe it just fine.

    Log in to Reply

    • Janine says

      I am with you on those mashed potato balls. And you had me giggling at that actually though, too 🙂

      Log in to Reply

  8. Christine Carter says

    Well, I’m late for this – as I JUST threw out the remains of the turkey. Darnit!

    BUT- these recipes look amazing, so I’m going to check them out to use with CHICKEN! 🙂

    Log in to Reply

    • Janine says

      Chris, chicken would totally work, too 😉

      Log in to Reply

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63 Recipes to Use Up Your Thanksgiving Leftovers (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? ›

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. If you store leftovers in the freezer, they will be of best quality within 2-6 months.

What ratio of Americans like leftovers better than the Thanksgiving meal itself? ›

Turkey and sides for several more meals, none quite as good as the first, in my opinion. Apparently I'm in the minority, as this poll reported that 80 percent of Americans prefer the leftover version.

What is the best way to reheat Thanksgiving leftovers? ›

Transfer the turkey and mashed potatoes into oven-safe dishes, add a little stock to the turkey and butter to the potatoes, and cover both dishes. Reheat them together for about 30 minutes at 350°F. You're winning the leftover dinner game right now.

What are the 10 creative ways to use leftovers? ›

10 Creative Ways To Repurpose Leftovers
  • Frittata. Combine leftover vegetables, meats or cheeses with beaten eggs, and cook them in a skillet to make a delicious frittata. ...
  • Stir-Fry. ...
  • Casserole. ...
  • Pizza. ...
  • Soup or Stew. ...
  • Quesadilla or Wrap. ...
  • Salad. ...
  • Stuffed Peppers.

Why do Thanksgiving leftovers taste better? ›

The flavor compounds – the herbs, the spices, the reactions that take place during cooking, sort of cool back and depending on how you have cooled and refrigerated your food, actually get back into the food and get trapped into the starches and the proteins.

What are the symptoms of food poisoning on Thanksgiving Day? ›

Symptoms of food poisoning often include diarrhea, vomiting, upset stomach, or nausea. Call your healthcare provider if you have severe symptoms such as: Diarrhea and a fever higher than 102°F. Diarrhea for more than three days that is not improving.

Are the leftovers the best part of Thanksgiving? ›

Out of 2,000 U.S. residents surveyed who celebrate Thanksgiving, 70% said they believe leftovers taste better than their original meal served on Thanksgiving day, according to survey results from Stasher. More than half of the same participants said their Thanksgiving holiday would be ruined if there were no leftovers.

Which president refused to celebrate Thanksgiving? ›

While Thanksgiving technically isn't a religious holiday, the “giving thanks” part of it struck Jefferson as being far too religious for his tastes. As our nation's third president, he stirred controversy by refusing to recognize Thanksgiving.

What is the main meal for most Americans on Thanksgiving? ›

Turkey is the most common main dish of a Thanksgiving dinner, to the point that Thanksgiving is sometimes colloquially called "Turkey Day." Alexander Hamilton proclaimed that "no citizen of the United States should refrain from turkey on Thanksgiving Day", and Benjamin Franklin had high regard for the wild turkey as an ...

What is the average Americans favorite Thanksgiving side dish? ›

Mashed potatoes, meanwhile, is the most popular side dish in the U.S. and the top-ranking side in Ohio-bordering states such as Pennsylvania, Michigan, West Virginia and Kentucky.

What leftovers should not be reheated? ›

The 9 foods you should never reheat or risk potentially deadly consequences
  • Rice. First up on the watch list is any dish involving rice - think curries, stir fries and risottos. ...
  • Eggs. Eggs shouldn't be reheated full stop, according to Dr Duvenage. ...
  • Mushrooms. ...
  • Spinach. ...
  • Potatoes. ...
  • Seafood. ...
  • Chicken. ...
  • Oil.
Sep 25, 2023

What are 2 tips with regards to reheating leftovers? ›

Reheating leftovers
  • Reheat leftovers to a safe internal temperature of 74ºC (165ºF).
  • Use a digital food thermometer to check the temperature.
  • Bring gravies, soups and sauces to a full, rolling boil and stir during the process.
  • Discard uneaten leftovers after they have been reheated.
Nov 23, 2020

How do you reheat potatoes for Thanksgiving? ›

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Add a dash of cream or milk, and some more butter to the dish before baking. To further avoid dryness, don't skimp on butter and other dairy products. Reheat the potatoes until they're warm throughout—the potatoes should reach 165 degrees before serving.

How long are Thanksgiving leftovers good for? ›

What are some guidelines for storing 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.

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

Get creative in the kitchen. Leftover vegetables are easily combined or baked into new dishes. Reinvent grains and meats into fried rice, hash, scrambles, and soups.

What else can you serve besides turkey on Thanksgiving? ›

Whatever the reason, here are 20 Thanksgiving recipes for a turkey-free table.
  • Roast Chicken With Maple Butter and Rosemary. Image. ...
  • Beef Wellington. Image. ...
  • Ombré Gratin. Image. ...
  • Skillet Pork Chops and Apples With Miso Caramel. Image. ...
  • Samosa Pie. Image. ...
  • Maple-Baked Salmon. Image. ...
  • Lasagna. Image. ...
  • Ina Garten's Make-Ahead Coquilles St.
Nov 10, 2022

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