Having enough food for Thanksgiving—or any family get-together for that matter— is something that my Italian-American family always worries about. If it so happened that we found ourselves not having enough food, it would be downright embarrassing, even a “sin.” Of course, that never happens and we always have way too much. I usually pack-up most of the extra food for our guests to take home and then we finish off what’s left throughout the weekend. Yet turkey day after day can get boring so if you’re looking for Thanksgiving leftover recipes, there are a ton of kid-friendly, creative ideas.
If you’re celebrating a low-key, scaled-back Thanksgiving this year (I hope you are), you probably won’t have a ton of leftovers anyway.
Still, if you’re looking for ways to re-purpose all that turkey, cranberry sauce and the other fixings, here are 17 Thanksgiving leftover recipes to try.
1. HEALTHY EASY TURKEY POT PIE
With a crispy topping thanks to phyllo sheets, and a warm filling of turkey and vegetables, this Healthy Easy Turkey Pot Pie is one of the best Thanksgiving leftover recipes your kids will love. The best part? It takes only 15 minutes to pull together.
2. CRANBERRY SAUCE QUICKBREAD
I love cranberry sauce but there’s always so much leftover. And besides, how much of it can you really eat?
That’s why I love this recipe for Cranberry Sauce Quickbread. Gluten-free, nut-free and vegan, this bread is a great option for breakfast, brunch, school lunch or after-school snacks.
3. EASY TURKEY SOUP WITH CABBAGE
If you’re looking for a way to transform leftover turkey into a healthy dinner, this Easy Turkey Soup With Cabbage is perfect. With a mix of herbs and spices, and packed with protein, this soup is a satisfying option to warm you up on cold nights.
4. THANKSGIVING LEFTOVERS SANDWICH
This Thanksgiving Leftovers Sandwich has the best of everything: turkey, potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and if you’re so inclined, throw in some lettuce.
5. COPYCAT PANERA TURKEY CHILI- INSTANT POT RECIPE
Panera Bread is known for their warm, savory soups and chilis and this Copycat Panera Turkey Chili – Instant Pot Recipe is the perfect way to enjoy it at home. With leftover turkey, simple ingredients and plenty of flavor, you can relax and do some online shopping on Black Friday because dinner will be ready in 15 minutes.
6. Leftover Turkey Dinner Tacos
If you’re looking for a non-sandwich idea for Thanksgiving leftovers, try these Leftover Turkey Dinner Tacos. Pick a hard or soft taco shell, pile in the turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce and gravy and you have a quick and easy meal over the weekend.
GET EVEN MORE THANKSGIVING LEFTOVER RECIPES
7. Turkey Cranberry Grilled Cheese — from Domestic Superhero
8. Leftover Turkey And Sweet Potato Frittata – from Skinnytaste
9. Thanksgiving Leftovers Quesadilla from The Cookie Rookie
10. Whole Wheat Sweet Potato Banana Muffins — from Running To The Kitchen
11. Leftover Cranberry Sauce Parfaits from Well Plated by Erin
12. Turkey, Pear and Apple Salad from Life at The Table
13. Leftover Turkey Corn Chowder from Creme De La Crumb
14. Leftover Turkey, Cranberry, and Almond Salad — from Fashionable Foods
15. Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey Pesto Panini — from Damn Delicious
16. Thanksgiving Leftover Turkey Nachos — from Bless Her Heart Y’All
17. Mom’s Turkey Soup from Simply Recipes
