Thanksgiving Leftovers Have Never Tasted So Good — 14 Easy and Delicious Recipe Ideas
These fun dishes are sure to become a part of your holiday traditions!
The big feast may get all the attention on Thanksgiving, but there’s another part of the holiday to be grateful for: leftovers! And while we enjoy reheating a plate of roast turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing and more, there are also so many ways to transform those leftovers into fun new dishes. We love getting creative in the Woman’s World test kitchen and have whipped up all sorts of ideas from classic casseroles to spicy enchiladas, Asian-inspired noodles and more. And here we’ve gathered our favorite Thanksgiving leftover recipes to keep the good times with good food going. So keep scrolling and get ready to be delighted!
14 best-ever Thanksgiving leftover recipes
You won’t believe all the different types of dishes you can whip up with that extra turkey. Even better,they’re super easy to make too. Looking for more ideas? Click through for our favorite turkey sandwich recipes. And to make it even more fun, check out our ideas for a Thanksgiving leftovers party.
1. Turkey Tostadas
Leftover mashed sweet potatoes or candied yams work just as well as baked ones on this tostada, so use whatever you have on hand.
2. Turkey-Stuffed Peppers
Like your stuffed peppers with an extra kick? Use Pepper Jack cheese instead of Monterey Jack.
3. Biscuit-Topped Turkey Pot Pie
Cream of chicken soup, biscuit dough and veggies help transform Thanksgiving turkey into a comfort-food classic.
4. Crispy Onion Turkey Casserole
Love green bean casserole? Try our broccoli version made extra filling with cooked turkey, red pepper and water chestnuts.
5. Turkey-Mushroom Enchiladas
Turkey, veggies and just the right amount of fiery jalapeño gives this simple Mexican dish bold flavor.
6. Turkey Vegetable Lasagna
This lasagna is ready for the oven in a flash, thanks to no-boil noodles, leftover turkey and storebought red pepper pasta sauce.
7. Turkey Tex-Mex Bake
Filled with turkey, beans, corn and rice, our hearty Tex-Mex casserole is guaranteed to satisfy a hungry crowd.
8. Turkey Bolognese
One Italian dish that’s always a hit is spaghetti Bolognese, and to amp it up we used leftover turkey and dressed-up marinara sauce.
9. Turkey Milanese
The secret to making day-old turkey shine? Using a rich mushroom sauce to moisten the meat and add an extra layer of flavor!
10. Turkey Pad Thai
This take on turkey leftovers is sure to win raves and stretch into a crowd-pleasing meal for your crew!
11. Smoky Ancho Turkey Chili
We livened up classic chili with a few splashes of coffee, beer and just the right amount of fiery ancho chile powder
12. Mini Turkey Pot Pies
Transform leftover green bean casserole and hearty turkey into a down-home comfort food favorite. The best part? We used premade puff pastry to ensure these delights only take 15 minutes to prep!
13. Green Chile Turkey Enchiladas
Turkey goes Tex-Mex in these enchiladas topped with green chile sauce and plenty of melted cheese.
14. Bow-Tie ‘n’ Bean Turkey Soup
Full of fiber thanks to red kidney beans and sliced zucchini, this hearty soup is a real soother.
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