We always have a ton of leftovers to bring home, and turkey is one of our favorites because you can use leftover turkey in so many delicious recipes! I have compiled a list of my favorite leftover turkey recipes, so you can ensure that delicious turkey doesn’t go to waste. If you’re wondering what to do with leftover turkey, look no further! Whether you want to completely recreate a new recipe like turkey soup or keep it simple with a turkey stack, don’t waste a single piece of that delicious turkey!
Leftover Turkey
The great thing about roasting turkey is that it’s cooked once and then you have easy prep for days (or months to come)! I personally try to use every bit of the turkey from the neck and backbone (that I remove when I make spatchcock turkey) to the bones after for making turkey broth for soup!
Turkey Cranberry Pasta SaladSlow Cooker Turkey Soup (Cajun Bean)Turkey Noodle SoupTurkey TetrazziniTurkey Roll Ups
How to Store Leftover Turkey
According to The Food Network, there are a few ways to properly store your Thanksgiving turkey leftovers. Storing leftover turkey is totally dependant on what you intend to do with it. If you plan to use it to make turkey stock, you need to save the bones and remove the meat. Making leftover turkey stacks? Keep the turkey sliced or shred them. Turkey soup? I like to cube my leftover turkey. Think about the recipes you are hoping to make, and get the turkey prepared accordingly. It is important to separate the meat and bones when you store turkey to keep the turkey fresh as long as possible. When reheating, make sure you only reheat what you’re eating, not a big portion at once. Leftover turkey should be stored in an air tight container in the fridge, lasting 3-5 days. If you intend to use it later than this, store it in the freezer for up to a month.
Leftover Turkey Recipes
Soups:
Slow Cooker Turkey Soup (Cajun Bean) Turkey Noodle Soup Creamy Wild Rice Soup (substitute leftover turkey)
Turkey Soup: This delicious turkey soup is comfort food heaven. Carrots, onions, celery, and leftover turkey are simmered in a homemade turkey broth to create the ultimate winter soup. Serve it alongside some dinner rolls for an easy and mouth watering leftover turkey dinner.
Turkey Tetrazzini Soup
Turkey tetrazzini soup is a creamy, comforting soup made from your leftover turkey. It is filled with bacon, peas, pasta, turkey (of course), and a creamy chicken broth. I like to substitute the chicken broth for turkey and use up the leftover turkey bones from turkey dinner!
Turkey Chowder
This turkey chowder is packed full of delicious leftover turkey pieces and has a beautifully smooth creamy base. You’ll also find other amazing classic chowder ingredients like potatoes, corn, chili peppers, and carrots. Don’t forget the bacon!
Turkey Salads and Sandwiches
Leftover turkey is of course great for meals like soups and casseroles but it makes for a great lunch too! We use it in place of chicken in our favorite Chicken Salad Sandwiches and add it to Dill Pickle Pasta Salad for a hearty meal! My absolute favorite way to enjoy leftover turkey is as a hot turkey sandwich! Leftover Turkey Salad For a great leftover turkey salad, combine:
2 cups leftover turkey 1 green onion 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1 stalk celery 3 tablespoons add ins such as: chopped water chestnuts, dried cranberries or raisins, slivered almonds
Turkey Cranberry Pasta Salad Who said pasta salad was just a summer food? This delicious turkey cranberry pasta salad uses up your leftover turkey in a pasta salad packed full of dried cranberries, toasted almonds, celery, and pasta with a creamy poppyseed dressing. It’s the perfect lunch! Turkey Bacon Brie Grilled Cheese Sandwich An amazing grilled cheese sandwich loaded with smoky bacon and creamy brie is pretty much the perfect bite! This easy Turkey Bacon Brie Grilled Cheese Sandwich is great for lunch or a quick dinner served alongside a bowl of tomato soup!
Leftover Turkey Sandwiches Layer your leftover turkey over bread and top it with hot gravy! This is one of my all time favorites to serve with Crispy Oven Fries! To take this meal to the next level, we make simplified Mashed Potato Cakes by combining 2 cups leftover mashed potatoes with 2 eggs and frying until crisp. Heat up any leftover stuffing and add stack it all up to make the best leftover sandwich (with or without bread) you’ve ever had!
Hot Turkey Sandwich Hot Turkey Sandwich is one of our favorite parts of a turkey dinner! It’s easy to make and quick to get on the table! If you have leftover mashed potatoes or stuffing, heat them up and add them in as well! If desired, replace the bread with leftover mashed potatoes. Combine 2 cups leftover mashed potatoes and 2 eggs. Form into 4 patties and fry in butter or olive oil until crisp on each side.
4 slices bread any kind 4 tablespoons mayonnaise 1 1/3 cup leftover gravy or canned or homemade gravy 10 oz leftover turkey or sliced deli turkey
Leftover Turkey Casserole Recipes
Casseroles are my favorite, easy to make ahead of time, low on dishes and belly warming for sure! Most Chicken Casserole recipes start with cooked chicken and it can almost always be substituted for cooked turkey (which is a big part of the reason I cook more turkey than I need). These are some of my favorite casserole recipes. Any that say chicken can easily use turkey in its place:
Easy Broccoli Rice Casserole with Turkey Turkey Stuffing Roll Ups Creamy Chicken Noodle Casserole Salsa Chicken Casserole
Cheesy Turkey Zucchini Casserole This easy casserole is the perfect weeknight solution when you’re all cooked out from Thanksgiving. Cheesy Turkey Zucchini Casserole features a delicious layer of cheese, zucchini, and leftover turkey. It is topped with a layer of stuffing (stovetop or leftover depending on what you have) and baked to golden perfection.
Turkey Broccoli Rice Casserole This easy casserole is packed full of turkey, tender rice, colorful broccoli, and a creamy flavorful base. We love making turkey broccoli rice casserole on busy weeknights for the family. My daughter can’t get enough of this one!
Loaded Cheesy Chicken Noodle Casserole Okay okay, this isn’t a turkey recipe. But use your leftover turkey! I love subbing turkey for chicken in this ooey gooey cheesy chicken noodle casserole. It is the ultimate comfort food, and perfect for busy weeknights. Casseroles for the win!
Turkey Tortilla Soup
This turkey tortilla soup is such a fun way to use up whatever leftover turkey you might have. It is packed full of fresh ingredients like peppers and jalapenos, and seasoned perfectly with cayenne, cumin, and chili powder. Serve it with some tortilla chips on top for the perfect crunch!
More Great ways to enjoy leftover turkey:
Leftover Turkey & Sweet Potato Soup Spicy Southwest Turkey and Bean Soup Leftover Turkey Lasagna Rolls with Sundried Tomatoes & Spinach
title: “Leftover Turkey Recipes” ShowToc: true date: “2024-10-04” author: “Oscar Marquez”
Leftovers are one of my favorite parts of the holidays since it means easy meals for days or weeks to come (YAY!!). Below is a collection of the best leftover turkey recipes and ideas. Create a new recipe like turkey soup or keep it simple with a hot turkey sandwich, the possibilities are endless!
What to Make With Leftover Turkey
When it comes to leftover turkey ideas there is no shortage. Especially when you consider that almost every recipe made with chicken is great with turkey too! A delicious turkey pot pie or turkey salad sandwich are just some of the delicious ways to use it.
Bones, Neck, Giblets, and Carcass
If you make roast or spatchcock turkey, keep the backbone to add to turkey broth for soup. Use the carcass or the neck from your Thanksgiving turkey for turkey stock. This can also be made in the Instant Pot or slow cooker. Use the giblets in gravy or add them to leftover stuffing. If you’d like, keep the livers to make patè.
Leftover Turkey Soups
A bowl of soups is a great way to enjoy thanksgiving leftovers and it’s easy to make. Use the crockpot or make them on the stove for an easy meal! Serve with some dinner rolls or a thick slice of garlic bread to soak up every last drop!
Creamy Turkey Soup Recipes
Hearty Turkey Stew (with leftover turkey) – Thick, cozy, and creamy with carrots and potatoes, this rustic turkey stew is a new favorite! Creamy Wild Rice Soup – A classic soup recipe for good reason. Wild rice, vegetables, and tender chunks of leftover turkey in a creamy broth. Leftover Turkey Soup with Potato Drop Dumplings – A simple turkey soup with mashed potato dumplings. A great way to use up broth and potatoes! Turkey Tetrazzini Soup – A delicious slurpable spin on a classic turkey tetrazzini.
Broth Based Soups
Turkey Soup – Simply perfect. No oddball ingredients, this leftover turkey recipe is full of goodness. Slow Cooker Turkey Vegetable Soup – Jam-packed with veggies in a tomato broth, this turkey soup is easy to make in the slow cooker. Add in leftover vegetables from dinner too! Slow Cooker Cajun Bean Turkey Soup– Cajun bean soup is a hearty and delicious way to enjoy leftovers and great to feed a crowd. This soup reheats beautifully. Turkey Noodle Soup – Turkey, vegetables, and noodles are cooked on the stovetop in just a few simple steps. Spicy Southwest Turkey and Bean Soup – Leftovers with a kick. This soup is great topped with sour cream, salsa, and some jalapenos.
Turkey Chili Recipes
White Turkey Chili – leftover turkey chili in a flavorful sauce. This recipe cooks in the slow cooker for an easy hands-off meal.
Leftover Turkey Casserole Recipes
Casseroles are my favorite, easy to make ahead of time, low on dishes, and belly-warming for sure! Most chicken casserole recipes start with cooked chicken and it can almost always be substituted for cooked turkey (which is a big part of the reason I cook more turkey than I need).
Rice Casseroles
Turkey Broccoli Rice Casserole – Instant rice (or Minute Rice) makes this recipe extra fast. Kids and adults alike love it. Wild Rice Casserole – Substitute the chicken for leftover turkey for an easy casserole.
Pasta Casseroles
Turkey Tetrazzini – This creamy pasta dish has leftover turkey and mushrooms with spaghetti in a creamy sauce. Top it all with cheese and bake until bubbly. Creamy Turkey Casserole – Super quick prep and any kind of pasta, this shortcut meal is great for leftovers.
Other Casseroles
Turkey Pot Pie – Literally perfect. Flaky crust, tender leftover turkey, a flavorful creamy sauce, and cozy veggies. Cornbread & Leftover Turkey Casserole – A bit like a turkey pot pie but with a fluffy cornbread topping. Leftover Turkey Enchiladas – Tortillas filled with leftover turkey, smothered in enchilada sauce and cheese, and baked until bubbly. Herbed Turkey Stroganoff – This saucy herby dish is full of flavor (and leftover turkey) and it’s perfect spooned over leftover mashed potatoes or pasta. Cheesy Turkey Zucchini Casserole – Zucchini and turkey mix with stuffing in a new family favorite casserole.l Turkey Stuffing Roll-Ups – All of the flavors of turkey dinner in turkey rolls. Use deli turkey or thin slices of leftover turkey. If your leftovers are too hard to roll, stack ’em up! Leftover Turkey Casserole – This leftover turkey recipe has all of the goodness of Thanksgiving dinner in one dish.
Leftover Turkey Salads & Sandwiches
Leftover turkey is, of course, great for meals like soups and casseroles but it makes for a great lunch too! We use it in place of chicken in our favorite chicken salad sandwiches and add it to dill pickle pasta salad for a hearty meal! My absolute favorite way to enjoy leftover turkey is as a hot turkey sandwich though (recipe below)!
Salads
Turkey Cranberry Pasta Salad – Creamy and flavorful, this is great for lunches throughout the week. Leftover Turkey Salad – This turkey salad is quick and creamy. Serve as a turkey salad sandwich or spoon over lettuce.
Sandwiches
Easy Turkey Wraps – Use deli turkey or leftover turkey. Add in some leftover cranberry sauce too! Club Sandwich – Turkey + BLT = club sandwich! This is one of our all-time favorites. Turkey Bacon Brie Grilled Cheese Sandwich – Crispy, melty, gooey goodness. Cranberry Turkey Pinwheels – Make ahead and serve for snacks, appetizers, or lunches. Monte Cristo Sandwich – A crisp coated sandwich filled with ham, turkey, and lots of melty cheese. Dip in jam or better yet, cranberry sauce. Turkey Sandwich – Simple and delicious.
