61 Thanksgiving Leftover Ideas That'll Make Your Mouth Water

Give your Turkey Day extras new life by turning them into soups, pot pies, sandwiches, waffles and more.

September 22, 2022

By: Food Network Kitchen

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What to Do with Thanksgiving Leftovers

Thanksgiving dinner is one of the most highly anticipated meals of the year. Make the most of all that hard work and planning by transforming your leftover turkey and sides into delicious next-day dishes — that are just as good as the originals. As long as you store your Thanksgiving leftovers properly after your feast you’ll have them available in the coming days for whatever you're cooking up. We’re not only talking about a batch of turkey soup (with homemade turkey broth, of course!) or your go-to sandwich (although we’d gladly gobble either of those up, too). With these recipes you’ve also got creative options like savory waffles made with extra stuffing, pizza topped with creamy mashed potatoes, turkey shepherd’s pies — and so much more.

Leftover Mashed Potato Pizza

There's no need for tomato sauce on this pizza. It uses leftover mashed potatoes instead and is topped with Mozzarella, bacon, leek, garlic and basil.

Get the Recipe: Leftover Mashed Potato Pizza

Leftover Stuffing Waffles

Use up a whole lot of leftovers by cooking a stuffing-based batter in a waffle iron and topping the waffle with mashed potatoes, gravy and a dollop of cranberry sauce.

Get the Recipe: Leftover Stuffing Waffles

Leftover Turkey and Stuffing Reubens

Leftover turkey and stuffing find their way into a classic Reuben along with sauerkraut, Russian dressing and Swiss cheese.

Get the Recipe: Leftover Turkey and Stuffing Reubens

Leftover Cheese Dip

Don't let cheese board leftovers go to waste. Ree has a simple recipe that will turn whatever you have on-hand into a savory and delicious dip.

Get the Recipe: Leftover Cheese Dip

Turkey and Stuffing Quiche

A quiche is the perfect way to use leftover turkey and stuffing—and a little Cheddar too.

Get the Recipe: Turkey and Stuffing Quiche

Giada's Turkey Bolognese

A Bolognese sauce can sometimes take hours to prepare, but by using shredded cooked turkey, Giada whips up this classic Italian meal quickly.

Get the Recipe: Turkey Bolognese

Turkey Pot Pie

Toss leftovers vegetables plus shredded turkey into a cassreole dish and top with a prepared pie crust for dinner tonight.

Get the Recipe: Turkey Pot Pie

Bird to the Last Drop

This creamy stew uses both turkey bones and meat to give it some depth.

Get the Recipe: Bird to the Last Drop

Fried Stuffing Bites with Cranberry Sauce Pesto

Every Thanksgiving, Sunny looks forward to making this dish. Leftover stuffing is formed into two-bite snacks that are deep-fried and then served with a cranberry pesto.

Get the Recipe: Second Day Fried Stuffing Bites with Cranberry Sauce Pesto

Thanksgiving Leftovers Hand Pies

Stuffed full of our favorite Thanksgiving leftovers, these savory hand pies are best served with cranberry sauce and gravy for dipping.

Get the Recipe: Thanksgiving Leftovers Hand Pies

Turkey Vegetable Soup with Stuffing Dumplings

There's probably no better way to empty that overstuffed post-Thanksgiving refrigerator than a hearty soup. Using the turkey bones to make a broth for the soup is the best way to get every penny's worth from your bird. If your leftover stuffing is chunky and rustic, finely chop it to make these delicate dumplings.

Get the Recipe: Turkey Vegetable Soup with Stuffing Dumplings

Grilled Turkey, Brie, and Apple Butter Sandwich with Arugula

The ultimate next-day comfort food: turkey, brie, arugula and apple butter are sandwiched between two pieces of rye bread to create a grilled cheese sandwich you'll crave year-round.

Get the Recipe: Grilled Turkey, Brie, and Apple Butter Sandwich with Arugula

Turkey Milanese

Leftover turkey breasts are fried to a golden crisp and topped with leftover turkey gravy and mushrooms. Make it a complete meal by serving a side salad of arugula and blue cheese along side.

Get the Recipe: Turkey Milanese

Eggs in Purgatory

Perfect for next-day brunch, the star of this combo are the potato pancakes made from mashed potatoes, livened up with marinara sauce and Parmesan.

Get the Recipe: Eggs in Purgatory

Second Day Turkey and String Bean Pot Pies

Leftover green bean casserole is transformed into a main dish with the help of puff pastry and leftover turkey meat. You can find puff pastry in the frozen aisles of supermarkets.

Get the Recipe: Second Day Turkey and String Bean Pot Pies

Open Faced Hot Turkey Sammys

Rachael energizes the traditional open faced turkey sandwich by adding maple sausage to whole-grain bread stuffing and apple sauce to plain cranberry sauce.

Get the Recipe: What a Face! Open Faced Hot Turkey Sammys with Sausage Stuffing and Gravy, Smashed Potatoes with Bacon, Warm Apple Cranberry Sauce

Turkey Waldorf Salad

Sweet, tart, crunchy and creamy: This turkey salad gets its wealth of flavor and texture from a deliciously satisfying mix featuring apples, celery and toasted pecans.

Get the Recipe: Turkey Waldorf Salad

Turkey Dumpling Stew

With its use of classic fall herbs like thyme and parsley, this dumpling soup is the perfect warming stew for a chilly night.

Get the Recipe: Turkey Dumpling Stew

Dressing Griddle Cakes with Turkey and Cranberry Barbecue Sauce

Put your leftover turkey, cranberry and dressing to good use with Trisha’s reimagined meal. She uses the dressing to make savory griddle cakes and tops everything with an easy, homemade barbecue sauce.

Get the Recipe: Dressing Griddle Cakes with Turkey and Cranberry Barbecue Sauce

Potato Cakes with Fried Eggs and Turkey-Red Pepper Hash

You can use almost any herbs to flavor these potato cakes, and turkey and gravy can be transformed into a tasty hash to go on the side.

Get the Recipe: Potato Cakes with Fried Eggs and Turkey-Red Pepper Hash

Turkey Frittata

Enjoy this cheesy filled egg skillet using leftover turkey for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Add plenty of vegetables and top with cheddar, Monterary jack or Mozzerella cheese.

Get the Recipe: Turkey Frittata

Waffled Leftover Thanksgiving Brunch

Invite friends and family back over to re-celebrate the holidays with this unique brunch made from leftovers. The stuffing works perfectly in waffle form, topped with all the trimmings.

Get the Recipe: Waffled Leftover Thanksgiving Brunch

Turkey and Mashed Potato Croquettes

Looking for a fun way to use up Thanksgiving leftovers? Try these crispy/creamy turkey and mashed potato croquettes, best served with cranberry sauce and turkey gravy for dipping.

Get the Recipe: Turkey and Mashed Potato Croquettes

Stuffing-Stuffed Mushrooms

Put leftover stuffing in portabella mushroom caps and top them with freshly grated parmesan cheese to create an easy post-Thanksgiving meal.

Get the Recipe: Stuffing-Stuffed Mushrooms

Hot Brown Turkey Sandwiches

Baking this dish in onion gravy and then topping it with melted cheese makes for an extra juicy sandwich.

Get the Recipe: Hot Brown Turkey Sandwiches

Rachael's Turkey Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie

Rachael's shepherd's pie is a great way to use all of your Thanksgiving leftovers at once and create a complete meal.

Get the Recipe: Turkey Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie and Cran-applesauce Sundaes

Turkey Hash with Country Gravy

Sandra serves her artful turkey hash with poached eggs and leftover country graving. For an extra amount of semi-thick graving just add chicken broth into the gravy bowl.

Get the Recipe: Turkey Hash with Country Gravy

Leftover Turkey Chili

Put leftover roast turkey to good use in this simple, flavor-packed chili. Using fire-roasted tomatoes gives it an extra layer of toasty flavor, but regular diced tomatoes work fine, too. For a change-up from the traditional cornbread side, try it ladled over leftover mashed potatoes.

Get the Recipe: Leftover Turkey Chili

Turkey Crostini

Put a California twist on your leftover turkey by adding avocado and bacon and serving it on crusty bread.

Get the Recipe: Turkey Crostini

Thanks Benedict on Stuffing Cakes with Sage Hollandaise

Giada uses leftover stuffing to make cake patties with Italian style breadcrumbs. Put crispy panchetta in between the stuffing cakes and eggs for maximized flavor and coat the bread with eggs so that it all holds together.

Get the Recipe: Thanks Benedict on Stuffing Cakes with Sage Hollandaise

Turkey Tetrazzini

Leftover turkey, caramelized mushrooms and egg noodles drizzled with Veloute (a classic French sauce) makes a filling post-Thanksgiving casserole dish. Garnish with tasty topping like toasted almonds.

Get the Recipe: Turkey Tetrazzini

Leftover Thanksgiving Panini

Ree piles leftover turkey on top of fresh sourdough, along with leftover cranberry sauce, gravy and Swiss cheese, to make a crusty grilled panini.

Get the Recipe: Leftover Thanksgiving Panini

Turkey, Mushroom and Corn Mexican Casserole

Rachael begins building her make-ahead casserole by creating a base mixture of mushrooms, corn and chunks of roast turkey. Spicy poblano sauce, charred tortillas and shredded cheese go on top to create dense, flavorful layers.

Get the Recipe: Turkey, Mushroom and Corn Mexican Casserole

Roasted Turkey Lasagna

Made with leftover roasted turkey, this straightforward, easy-to-assemble big ol' pan of lasagna is exactly what we want to eat the day after Turkey Day. It's a comforting crowd pleaser that is just different enough from yesterday's feast.

Get the Recipe: Roasted Turkey Lasagna

Leftover Roast Turkey Pho

Reinvent your Thanksgiving turkey into a bowl of intensely flavorful Vietnamese pho. Fortify store-bought chicken broth with turkey bones, charred vegetables and toasted spices to create a rich broth that goes from stovetop to table in less than two hours.

Get the Recipe: Leftover Roast Turkey Pho

Day-After Dip

This four-ingredient dip get its fluffy texture from sweet potatoes and mashed white beans. Top it with crushed, toasted nuts for added crunch!

Get the Recipe: Day-After Dip

Deep-Fried Green Beans

The cornmeal-buttermilk batter gives these deep-fried green beans a flavorful crunch, and a touch of cayenne adds just the right amount of heat.

Get the Recipe: Deep-Fried Green Beans

Sweet-and-Spicy Turkey Pitas

Curry powder and scallions give this pita sandwich a spicy bite, while the cranberry sauce provides juiciness.

Get the Recipe: Sweet-and-Spicy Turkey Pitas

Roast Turkey, Avocado and Bacon Sandwich

Avocado and pepper lettuce freshen up this craveworthy leftover turkey sandwich.

Get the Recipe: Roast Turkey, Avocado and Bacon Sandwich

Bubble and Squeak with Corn Puree

Use almost every category of leftovers - mashed potatoes, stuffing, turkey, corn and cranberry sauce - to make dinner tonight.

Get the Recipe: Bubble and Squeak with Corn Puree

Rigatoni with Braised Giblet Sauce

Giblets and the neck of leftover turkey help give depth of flavor to this tomato-based sauce.

Get the Recipe: Rigatoni With Braised Giblet Sauce

Turkey, Cranberry and Fontina Panini

Assemble these sandwiches as soon as Thanksgiving dinner is done and all you'll need to do the next day is heat up a skillet for a warm, satisfying winter supper in minutes.

Get the Recipe: Turkey, Cranberry and Fontina Panini

Cranberry-Carrot Muffins

Using leftover cranberry relish adds both tart sweetness and extra moisture to these muffins.

Get the Recipe: Cranberry-Carrot Muffins

Sweet Potato Soup with Blue Corn Tortillas

Give your leftover mashed potatoes a southwestern flair by mixing in some spicy chipotle peppers.

Get the Recipe: Sweet Potato Soup with Blue Corn Tortillas

Turkey and Mushroom Creamy Tomato "Gravy" with Gnocchi

Gnocchi simmered in a creamy turkey and tomato sauce makes for the ultimate comforting fall meal.

Get the Recipe: Turkey and Mushroom Creamy Tomato "Gravy" With Gnocchi

Leftover Thanksgiving Nachos

Use up your Thanksgiving leftovers in a surprising way by making these hearty nachos.

Get the Recipe: Leftover Thanksgiving Nachos

Turkey Broth

If your family gobbled up all the turkey meat, you can still get a smart second-day dish out of the carcass. Use it to make broth, which you can save for soups later.

Get the Recipe: Turkey Broth

Stuffed Meatloaf

Giada takes her ciabatta stuffing with chestnuts and pancetta and pairs it with with ground meat and sauce for a hearty second dinner.

Get the Recipe: Stuffed Meatloaf

Day-After Turkey Soup

You can literally throw the whole leftover turkey carcass into the pot to make the broth for this next-day soup, which includes Thanksgiving staples like sweet potato, green beans and thyme.

Get the Recipe: Day-After Turkey Soup

Cinnamon Sugar Scrap Cookies

Ree seamlessly transitions into the holiday season with these super-simple cookies. She rolls her leftover pie dough in cinnamon and sugar, then uses star-shape cookie cutters to make the sweet treats.

Get the Recipe: Cinnamon Sugar Scrap Cookies

Potato Puppies

Have extra mashed potatoes? Add just a few ingredients and deep-fry them to make golden-brown hushpuppies that are crunchy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.

Get the Recipe: Potato Puppies

Antipasti Skewers

Don’t throw out those salad scraps! Giada uses hers to make these fun, snackable skewers. Assemble the skewers when you have 10 minutes of downtime and they’ll be ready to eat at the first sign of hunger.

Get the Recipe: Antipasti Skewers

Roasted Potato Peels

Ree makes the most of her potatoes with these crispy roasted peels. They can be eaten on their own as a snack, or added to soups and salads for an extra crunch.

Get the Recipe: Roasted Potato Peels

Leftover Thanksgiving Pull-Apart Sliders

Food Network Kitchen takes all the best dishes on the holiday table and put them between toasted buns for the easiest party hit — what's not to like?

Get the Recipe: Leftover Thanksgiving Pull-Apart Sliders

Stir-Fried Broccoli Stems

Ree’s motto is waste not, want not — and it's easy to see why with recipes like this. She stir-fries her broccoli stems until browned, then punches up with the flavor with garlic, ginger and cilantro.

Get the Recipe: Stir-Fried Broccoli Stems

Cranberry-Rosemary Julep

Giada muddles frozen cranberries with sugar and rosemary, then adds a splash of bourbon to make this festive mixed drink.

Get the Recipe: Cranberry-Rosemary Julep

Italian Hot Brown Crostini

Giada’s crostini are the perfect appetizer for your day-after Thanksgiving party. A simple pesto and Dijon mustard add a kick to the bite-size sandwiches, which she tops with leftover turkey and gravy.

Get the Recipe: Italian Hot Brown Crostini

Cheese and Chipotle Scrap Crackers

Leftover pie dough gets the Southwestern treatment with Ree’s spicy cracker recipe.

Get the Recipe: Cheese and Chipotle Scrap Crackers

Mashed Potato Zeppole

Transform your Thanksgiving mashed potatoes into sweet, fluffy donuts with Giada’s zeppole recipe. She deep-fries her pastries until golden-brown, then rolls the hot zeppole in sugar to create a crisp, crunchy crust.

Get the Recipe: Mashed Potato Zeppole

Extra-Veggie Frittata

What tastier way to enjoy a veggie surplus? A few key ingredients (eggs, bread cubes, cheddar cheese) and a few minutes of skillet time is all you need.

Get the Recipe: Extra-Veggie Frittata

Vegetable Samosas

Mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce get an Indian kick with this creative samosa recipe, which incorporates turmeric, ginger and curry powder.

Get the Recipe: Vegetable Curry Puffs

On Tonight

Top Thanksgiving Leftovers

61 Thanksgiving Leftover Ideas That'll Make Your Mouth Water

Related To:

What to Do with Thanksgiving Leftovers

Leftover Mashed Potato Pizza

Leftover Stuffing Waffles

Leftover Turkey and Stuffing Reubens

Leftover Cheese Dip

Turkey and Stuffing Quiche

Giada's Turkey Bolognese

Turkey Pot Pie

Bird to the Last Drop

Fried Stuffing Bites with Cranberry Sauce Pesto

Thanksgiving Leftovers Hand Pies

Turkey Vegetable Soup with Stuffing Dumplings

Grilled Turkey, Brie, and Apple Butter Sandwich with Arugula

Turkey Milanese

Eggs in Purgatory

Second Day Turkey and String Bean Pot Pies

Open Faced Hot Turkey Sammys

Turkey Waldorf Salad

Turkey Dumpling Stew

Dressing Griddle Cakes with Turkey and Cranberry Barbecue Sauce

Potato Cakes with Fried Eggs and Turkey-Red Pepper Hash

Turkey Frittata

Waffled Leftover Thanksgiving Brunch

Turkey and Mashed Potato Croquettes

Stuffing-Stuffed Mushrooms

Hot Brown Turkey Sandwiches

Rachael's Turkey Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie

Turkey Hash with Country Gravy

Leftover Turkey Chili

Turkey Crostini

Thanks Benedict on Stuffing Cakes with Sage Hollandaise

Turkey Tetrazzini

Leftover Thanksgiving Panini

Turkey, Mushroom and Corn Mexican Casserole

Roasted Turkey Lasagna

Leftover Roast Turkey Pho

Day-After Dip

Deep-Fried Green Beans

Sweet-and-Spicy Turkey Pitas

Roast Turkey, Avocado and Bacon Sandwich

Bubble and Squeak with Corn Puree

Rigatoni with Braised Giblet Sauce

Turkey, Cranberry and Fontina Panini

Cranberry-Carrot Muffins

Sweet Potato Soup with Blue Corn Tortillas

Turkey and Mushroom Creamy Tomato "Gravy" with Gnocchi

Leftover Thanksgiving Nachos

Turkey Broth

Stuffed Meatloaf

Day-After Turkey Soup

Cinnamon Sugar Scrap Cookies

Potato Puppies

Antipasti Skewers

Roasted Potato Peels

Leftover Thanksgiving Pull-Apart Sliders

Stir-Fried Broccoli Stems

Cranberry-Rosemary Julep

Italian Hot Brown Crostini

Cheese and Chipotle Scrap Crackers

Mashed Potato Zeppole

Extra-Veggie Frittata

Vegetable Samosas

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