20+ Easy Thanksgiving Leftover Ideas

You’ve spent so many hours preparing a decadent Thanksgiving feast; why let the leftovers go to waste? Having a fridge full of turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, gravy, and pies doesn’t mean you have to eat the same thing day after day after day! These 20+ Thanksgiving leftover ideas will inspire you to come up with easy but delicious meals:

What to do with Thanskgiving leftovers?

Have more leftover Thanksgiving food than you know what to do with? Consider the following:

• Portion out individual meals using leftovers and freeze them for easy grab-and-go lunches.
• Use leftovers from poultry, veggetable cuttings, and meat bones to make stock or broth.
• Compost leftovers that you won’t be able to eat.
• Donate upopened cans and unused packaged meals to your local food pantry.
• Use the leftovers in a new recipe, like the ideas shown below.

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Président Brie Cheese, Soft‑Ripened (8 oz)

Store Brand Pie Crust Tender & Flaky 9 Inch - 2 CT (15 oz)

Kraft Finely Shredded Cheese, Mild Cheddar (8 oz)

La Tortilla Factory Tortillas, Flour, Low Carb, Soft Taco Size (8 each)

Our Family Chicken Broth (32 oz)

Organic Yellow Onion (each)

Cal-Ore Produce Best Available Russet Potatoes 5Lb Bag (5 lb)

La Victoria Mild Red Enchilada Sauce (28 oz)

Garofalo Fusilli Pasta (16 oz)

Red Bell Pepper (each)

Classico Traditional Basil Pesto Sauce & Spread (8.1 oz)

Smithfield Thick Cut Bacon (16 oz)

O Organics Maple Syrup, 100% Pure (8.5 fl oz)

First Street Cinnamon, Ground (19 oz)

Simple Thanksgiving leftover recipe ideas for the week

The keyword here is “easy.” These recipes take a laid-back approach to cooking without compromising on flavor:

1. Turkey, brie, and cranberry sandwich

The easiest way to use up leftovers is to make a sandwich. Toast two slices of your favorite bread and layer leftover turkey (chicken and ham would also work), brie, and cranberry sauce.

2. Mini turkey and veggie pot pies

You could also make small pot pies in muffin tins using leftover turkey, frozen veggies, and stuffing. Cover with cut-out circles of pie crust, and you’ve got yourself an easy dinner or snack.

3. American-style shepherd’s pie

Shepherd’s pie is an excellent way of using up leftover mashed potatoes. Simply follow a traditional recipe but swap out the minced meat with turkey. Don’t forget a healthy helping of gravy on the side.

4. Simple turkey and veggie casserole

If you can’t be bothered to get out a pan or skillet, a simple casserole is just what you need. Line a baking tray with turkey and leftover veggies, add sweet potatoes and stuffing, and sprinkle shredded cheese. Then bake until you’ve got a golden crust on top.

5. Light turkey wraps

Another way of using up leftover turkey is to make wraps. Layer lettuce, turkey, and cranberry sauce on a flour tortilla. Wrap it up, cut it in half, and enjoy.

6. Easy, filling fall soup

Add pumpkin purée, leftover veggies, gravy, and chicken broth to a large pot. Bring to a boil, season with salt and pepper, and let it simmer for 30 minutes. Next, blend the soup and top it with shredded turkey before serving.

7. Tukey, carrot, and rice soup

If you want a chunkier soup, this one is for you. Sauté onions and carrots in a large pot. Add wild rice, a bay leaf, cover with chicken broth, a splash of cream, and cook until the rice is tender. Finally, add your leftover turkey and season the soup to taste.

8. Comforting turkey noodle soup

You can reinvent the classic chicken-and-noodle soup on the days after Thanksgiving. Follow your favorite recipe but swap out the chicken with turkey. Easy and delicious.

9. Turkey and waffles

Another classic you can put a Thanksgiving spin on is chicken and waffles. This version calls for homemade or storebought waffles topped with shredded turkey and cranberry sauce.

10. Veggies and turkey skillet hash browns

Sauté your leftover Thanksgiving veggies on a large skillet. Add cubed potatoes, turkey, and gravy. Either let the mixture simmer on the stove or finish it off in the oven until the potatoes are cooked through.

11. Stuffed mashed potato patties

Yes, you can make small patties from mashed potatoes. Whisk together eggs, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and turkey and fry up this mixture as you would pancakes. Soggy potatoes get turned into golden, crunchy goodness.

12. Thanksgiving frittata

The basics of making a frittata go like this: sauté veggies and protein in an oven-safe skillet, add whisked eggs, and bake until the mixture sets. Pretty easy, right? Feel free to customize this recipe so you can use up all your Thanksgiving leftovers in one go.

13. Turkey and sweet potato enchiladas

Wrap turkey, sweet potatoes, green beans, and stuffing in flour tortillas. Lay them on a baking tray, pour gravy (or enchilada sauce if you prefer), and top with shredded cheese. Bake until the cheese has melted and serve.

14. Cheesy turkey bake

This is another straightforward recipe. Combine pasta, turkey, leftover veggies, stuffing, gravy, and chicken broth and bake until everything is cooked through. 

15. Turkey and stuffing peppers

Cut the tops and clean the insides of six bell peppers. Fill them with shredded turkey and stuffing and top with shredded cheese. Bake until the cheese has turned a golden brown and serve.

16. Leftover savory stuffing muffins

Looking for a quick snack that can be frozen and enjoyed later? Then these muffins are for you. Combine whisked eggs, stuffing, and shredded turkey in a large bowl. Then, pour the mixture into muffin cups and bake for 30 minutes.

17. Turkey, cream cheese, and cranberry bagels

Spread cream cheese on a toasted bagel, place a thick layer of turkey on top and add cranberry sauce. Quick, simple, and delicious.

18. Pesto chicken lunch sandwiches

Coat your leftover chicken or turkey in green basil pesto. Then toast two slices of sourdough bread, spread the pesto mixture on top, and add a few slices of tomato.

19. Cheesy fried mashed potato balls

Turn your leftover mashed potatoes into something more decadent with these croquettes. Combine mashed potatoes, bacon, shredded cheddar, and green onions in a bowl. Spoon into balls, coat in egg and breadcrumbs, and fry.

20. Sweet potato and pumpkin loaves

If you still have leftover sweet potatoes and pumpkin purée in the fridge, bake a loaf. It’s just like baking banana bread or a sweet bread loaf, only with Thanksgiving ingredients. It makes the perfect breakfast and can even be frozen!

21. Thanksgiving cranberry spudnuts

Spudnuts may not be as popular as donuts, but they’re still delicious—and a great way of using up mashed potatoes. Plus, when you mix leftover cranberry sauce and fall spices, you end up with an irresistible dessert.

22. Sweet potato breakfast oatmeal

Purée sweet potatoes and add them to your morning oatmeal. Don’t forget the cranberry sauce, cinnamon, and maple syrup for an extra decadent breakfast.

23. Homemade pumpkin spice latte

Pumpkin spice latte is popular for a reason, but you don’t have to spend $5 or more to get a taste! All you need is milk, coffee, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and leftover pumpkin purée.

Make the most of your leftovers this year

Thanksgiving leftovers are far from boring, and you don’t have to stick to these recipe ideas. Let your creativity run wild and experiment with different flavor combinations. That’s how the best family recipes are invented.

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