21 Recipes with Thanksgiving Leftovers
There's more to be made than a turkey sandwich!
When you clear the table after an inexpensive Thanksgiving dinner, you'll probably have a variety of leftovers that need to be used or frozen. While everyone has their favorite leftover turkey sandwich, there are more creative ways to repurpose the Turkey Day spread! This collection of recipes with Thanksgiving leftovers will ensure you don't waste food while creating exciting recipes to elevate the same few ingredients.
The trick to a perfect leftover recipe is to change the flavor of the leftovers with just a few additions. You can choose to repurpose one or all of your leftovers with a single recipe that may only require the addition of a base and some seasonings. These leftover Thanksgiving recipes will ensure your next few after-holiday meals are budget-friendly, delicious, and conscious of your potential food waste. What more could you ask for?
Leftover Recipes Using the Whole Dinner
Thanksgiving dinner leaves a lot of great ingredients that can be repurposed into individual dishes, but what about meals that combine the entire meal in an exciting variation? These recipes make the most of the whole Turkey Day meal for new day-after favorites!
1. Thanksgiving Pizza
Pizza is the perfect canvas for a variety of ingredients! Simply sprinkly leftovers over a crust with a sauce of your choice for a new meal with the same food! You can even use your leftover cranberry sauce for a dessert pizza!
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2. French Onion Leftover Turkey Casserole
You won't believe that this casserole is made from leftovers. Substitute leftover stuffing for the bread, and you've got a new dish from your former feast!
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3. Thanksgiving Dinner Casserole
Casseroles are an easy way to elevate leftovers! Bake your Thanksgiving feast for a new vessel to consume it.
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4. Leftovers Galette
Leftovers can easily be turned into brunch for the next day! Roll them up in a pizza dough, and you're ready to go!
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5. Leftovers Panini
Okay, we had to include at least ONE ultimate leftover sandwich. These leftover paninis bring the perfect second life to your entire spread!
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Leftover Turkey Recipes
Repurpose your poultry with these exciting leftover recipes! It's easy to overprepare the main dish, but luckily, this bird is very versatile and can make many new meals!
6. Turkey Hash Brown Casserole
Add your turkey to hashbrowns and a variety of vegetables for a creative casserole! Customize the flavors to spice up the holiday ingredients.
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7. Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey Soup
Combat the cold winter weather with this leftover turkey soup! Warm up after a Black Friday shopping trip or time spent playing in the snow with this soup.
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8. Hearty Leftover Turkey Pot Pie
Make some pot pies just like Grandma's with this recipe! Add your leftover veggies for a cheap solution to the day-after dinner.
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9. Leftover Turkey Enchiladas
Turn your turkey into a Southwest treat with these enchiladas! Put a fresh twist on your leftover recipes!
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10. Thanksgiving Leftover Mac and Cheese
The kids will quickly get tired of the eating the same meal so treat them with their favorite mac and cheese while slipping in some leftover poultry!
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Leftover Cranberry Sauce Recipes
After the big meal, you may be tempted to throw away the leftover cranberry sauce, but don't give in! There are many phenomenal ways to repurpose the side into desserts, dips, and more!
11. Cranberry Sauce Cheesecake Brownies
These cheesecake brownies are the perfect post-Thanksgiving dessert. They not only repurpose your cranberry sauce, but they also invite the Christmas spirit into your home.
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12. Cosmo Cranberry Aioli
Turn your cranberry sauce into an award-winning sandwich spread! This garlic aioli use cranberry sauce to add sweet and tart flavors making it the perfect sandwich and burger topping!
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13. Cranberry Stuffed Squash
Combine two festive fall ingredients into one exciting stuffed dish with this acorn squash recipe! Cranberry sauce adds a depth of flavor to the sensational squash.
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14. Cranberry Pockets
These pockets work as breakfast or dessert! They are basically hand pies stuffed with cranberry cheesecake; what's not to love?
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Leftover Mashed Potato Recipes
Mashed potatoes are as important as turkey on Thanksgiving. Make the most of your leftover starches with these helpful recipes.
15. Loaded Leftover Mashed Potato Casserole
Give your potatoes a new lease on life by introducing all of your favorite toppings. Mashed potatoes are usually plain for the holidays, but the day after is the time to introduce bacon, cheese, and even other leftovers to the party!
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16. Cheesy Mashed Potato Pancakes
These mashed potato pancakes are crispy on the outside but moist on the inside. Serve with a side of sour cream and green onion for the perfect dip!
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17. Chocolate Potato Cookies
Chocolate and potatoes? This can't be real! This reader-favorite turns your leftover potatoes into delectable desserts!
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18. Leftover Mashed Potato Cakes
These darling potato cakes take your leftover potatoes from fridge to table in less than fifteen minutes. These light and airy delights will elevate your next day meal!
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19. Potato Puffs
These potato puffs will add an elegant element to your day-after-Thanksgiving meal! These puff poppers will turn your dining room into an entertaining gala!
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Leftover Sweet Potato Recipes
The last leftover item from your Thanksgiving spread: the sweet potato. Depending on how you prepared them for the big meal, you can easily add a few ingredients to alter them for the next meal.
20. Sweet Potato Cottage Pie Recipe
These cottage pies add a touch of sweetness to a traditional shepherd's pie. Make the dish thrifty with leftover turkey and a sweet potato topper!
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21. Sweet Potato Breakfast Hash Recipe
Breakfast hash is an inexpensive way to start the day with leftover ingredients! This recipe uses sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes for a way to reuse Thanksgiving fare!
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What's your favorite Thanksgiving leftover recipe?