After Thanksgiving dinner, you’ll indeed have some delicious leftovers. But, instead of reheating them, try one of these 10 Thanksgiving leftover recipes in the following days. Creativity comes into play when deciding what to make with leftover turkey, casseroles, or stuffing.
There are two things to consider; you want to preserve the taste and texture, and the leftover recipes have to look appetizing. More than combining two dishes is required; you must add a little flair to your meals. You have many options, from leftover turkey sandwiches to savory mashed potato and chicken casserole.
Below are some of my favorite thanksgiving leftovers;
1. Leftover Turkey Noodle Soup
A bowl of warm, hearty soup is always a good idea on a cold morning. And this leftover turkey noodle soup is a favorite for my family (and hopefully yours soon!).
It’s a quick, delicious recipe with savory and spicy flavors. Thanks to the potatoes and splash of cream, this light soup has a creamy texture with veggies for crunch. Aside from its light texture, it’s also nutritious and perfect for a low-carb diet. A helpful tip is to put the turkey in minutes before the dish is ready because it was previously cooked.
The garlic and sauteed onions elevate the final taste of the soup. Allow cooling a bit before serving to allow it to thicken a bit.
2. Leftover Cranberry Sauce Muffins
The sweet-tart flavor of cranberries makes it an excellent addition to pastries, so why not make some tasty muffins? Consider this to be a combination of croissants and muffins…so cruffins? Whatever you decide to call them, they are delectable!
These handheld treats are surprisingly easy and quick to make; you can have a batch ready in less than 30 minutes. The cranberry sauce is used for these treats as a filling in the soft and fluffy muffins. You can add orange zest to the sauce for tanginess or cinnamon for a hint of heat, but it’s entirely up to you.
Serve with a light dust of sugar when ready.
3. Thanksgiving Leftover Pizza
Who doesn’t love a yummy slice of pizza? This leftover pizza combines different Thanksgiving leftovers, and it’s insanely delicious. Everyone, including your kids, will love it.
For this scrumptious treat, you need leftover stuffing, mashed potatoes, turkey, cranberry sauce, and gravy sauce. The combination of these meals delivers a savory, spicy, and tart flavor to your pizza. You can use a homemade or store-bought pizza crust for this dish, and if you can make it on a pizza stone, you’ll get a crispy finish.
It’s simple and quick to make. Serve with some fresh parsley, and you have a winner!
4. Leftover Mashed Potato Pancakes
These mashed potato pancakes are appropriate for the morning after Thanksgiving. Crispy on the outside and moist in the middle, rest assured you’re in for a treat.
Grab your mashed potatoes from the fridge, and mix some eggs, ranch seasoning, flour, and cheddar cheese. Add salt and pepper for a taste before frying on medium heat until both sides are golden. The creativity of this dish is both fantastic and effortless. It takes less than 15 minutes to make these fluffy pancakes.
Serve with mushroom sauce, ranch dressing, sour cream, or a drizzle of cranberry sauce.
5. Chicken Pot Pie with Leftover Gravy
There’s more than you can do with leftover gravy besides drizzling it over a dish. This chicken pot pie recipe is an excellent example; plus, it’s savory and tasty.
This show-stopping, homemade meal is hearty, filling, and delicious. Loaded with veggies and shredded chicken, it’s flavored with your creamy leftover gravy sauce, garlic, salt, and pepper. Fill them in a buttery pie crust, cover them with the same crust, and bake.
In the end, you have a perfectly made chicken pot pie suitable for lunch and dinner.
6. Thanksgiving Leftover Ham & Noodle Casserole
Leftover casseroles are a no-brainer the day after Thanksgiving. Many people make different casseroles on the big day, so it’s possible to have several leftovers. You can mix different flavors as you like.
This specific recipe is loaded with savory chopped ham, veggies, noodles, and a creamy sauce. The salty and savory ham combined with the tangy and milky taste of the cheesy sauce is divine. Not to mention several vegetables for a delectable finish. Egg noodles and shredded mozzarella are best to get the perfect consistency and flavor.
Dried thymes give the dish a delightful balance. Bake and allow to cool a bit before serving.
7. Pumpkin-Chocolate Chip Cookies
If you have leftover pumpkin pie filling, turn them into delicious cookies! Chocolate chip cookies are my favorite type of cookie, so I was elated when I found this recipe.
They are soft, chewy cookies bursting with pumpkin and chocolate flavor. Easy to make and incredibly delicious, the blend of spices gives it an irresistible spiciness. Usually, the pumpkin pie filling replaces pumpkin puree, providing a cake-like texture. It’s a tasty treat you can enjoy all day!
Serve with your favorite beverage or milk.
8. Thanksgiving Leftover Sandwiches
Nothing beats a well-prepared sandwich. So whether you love turkey, chicken, or ham sandwiches, you can use your leftovers to prepare a delicious sandwich.
This scrumptious sandwich takes a few minutes to put together with a moist maker. Loaded with leftover turkey, you also need some gravy, cranberry sauce, veggies, sliced Gouda cheese, and bread. A helpful tip is to use toasted wheat bread because of the nutty flavor it adds to the snack.
Depending on your preference, you can add mayo, aioli, or mustard to your sandwich. Ultimately, you’ll get a delicious sandwich you can enjoy every day.
9. Turkey Wild Rice Soup
This dish is one of the coziest meals you can make on a cold holiday morning. It’s simple, quick, easy, and affordable. Plus, it’s low-carb, which makes it perfect for guests who prefer keto-friendly meals.
Flavored with Italian seasoning, garlic, salt, and pepper, the broth is irresistibly tasty. Many people don’t know this, but wild rice is the tail of aquatic grass. It has a chewy texture compared to regular rice, which pairs excellently with the broth.
Serve with french or sourdough bread for a completely balanced meal.
10. Sweet Potato Brownies
I can’t think of a single person that dislikes brownies. They’re sweet, moist, gooey, and handheld treats that put a smile on everyone’s face.
These brownies are my favorite because they replace leftover sweet potato as a substitute for sweet potato puree. They have a fudgy texture and taste as impressive as your standard chocolate brownies. In addition, they are dairy, soy, and gluten-free.
Who can say no to those appealing brownies? So serve with a glass of milk, and enjoy!
10 thanksgiving leftover recipes
You don’t have to repeat the same meals the day after Thanksgiving, try these delicious 10 thanksgiving leftover recipes!
Ingredients
Leftover Turkey Noodle Soup
Leftover Cranberry Sauce Muffins
Thanksgiving Leftover Pizza
Leftover Mashed Potato Pancakes
Chicken Pot Pie with Leftover Gravy
Thanksgiving Leftover Ham & Noodle Casserole
Pumpkin-Chocolate Chip Cookies
Thanksgiving Leftover Sandwiches
Turkey Wild Rice Soup
Sweet Potato Brownies
Directions
- Select your favorite recipe
- Assemble all the necessary ingredients
- Prepare a Thanksgiving leftover recipe in 30 minutes or less!