19 Leftover Turkey Recipes That Are Sure to Become Family Favorites (2024)

Why Do We Eat Cranberry Sauce on Thanksgiving?

Spicy Turkey Medianoches

Midnight snack, anyone? This pressed sandwich inspired by a Cubano uses turkey and prosciutto.

Turkey Breakfast Tacos

Maybe you have weekend guests post-Thanksgiving; these turkey tacos are a cheerful add to the breakfast table. Plus, they pull double duty, using up leftover mashed sweet potatoes, too. Feel free to vary toppings to suit different tastes.

Turkey-and-Watercress Salad

A fresh, peppery watercress salad with a clever cranberry vinaigrette and cooked turkey is served over cooked and cooled grains (we used farro, but you could substitute your favorite grain), elevating this salad to main course status.

Pocket Pies Filled With Leftovers

A fun way to get the entire family in the kitchen is to let them choose their own filling for these easy-to-make turkey pocket pies. Will they pack in sweet or mashed potatoes or stuffing and cranberry sauce? (There are no wrong answers!) These bites can be enjoyed warm from the oven—or tuck them into a cooler for a post-holiday road trip.

Leftover Turkey Curry

Spinning your leftover turkey into a spiced curry gives it new life and will fill your kitchen with the aroma of sizzling ginger. If you have homemade turkey stock, use it in place of chicken stock.

Turkey and Mashed Potato Potpies

Individual pot pies are simple to assemble, especially if you have leftover mashed potatoes to use for their topping.

Quick Turkey Tetrazzini

Turkey tetrazzini may be a post-Thanksgiving cliché, but it's one worth trying. With sautéed mushrooms and Parmesan, our recipe hits the spot.

Chunky Turkey Vegetable Soup

Try this version of turkey soup with escarole and tomatoes for a minestrone-like take on the classic.

Turkey Monte Cristo

This turkey Monte Cristo sandwich plays on the diner classic, which is usually made with ham. Really, it's a savory turkey-French toast hybrid. Will you serve it with cranberry sauce or maple syrup?

Thanksgiving-Leftovers Shepherd's Pie

All the savory Thanksgiving leftovers you have left in your fridge go into this crowd-pleasing dish. Pop it into the oven and voila—you have dinner.

Turkey Salad Sandwich

Open-faced and light, this turkey salad sandwich has fresh, green apples, lemon, and golden raisins.

Easy Turkey Stock

Go ahead and make a batch of turkey stock. It’s an investment that pays off, since you can freeze and use it for soups, stews, sauces, and more. Plus, it's the best way to spend a few hours on a brisk autumn day.

Turkey Noodle Soup

For traditionalists, turkey noodle soup will always be the best leftover turkey recipe around.

Creamy Leftover-Turkey-and-Rice Soup

Turkey and lemon offer a bright take on avgolemono soup, a restorative dish scented with fresh dill.

Turkey Curry Dinner

A store-bought Indian simmer sauce produces a quick, weeknight curry. Make it fun for everyone by placing an assortment of extras, such as coconut, yogurt, and herbs, on the table, and let everyone top their bowls as they like.

Turkey and Sweet Potato Hash

When it's comfort you need after all the activity of the week, try this leftover turkey recipe that combines the meat in a creamy sauce with sweet potatoes and apples. We like to serve it spooned over toast.

Turkey Banh Mi

This turkey banh mi will give you what you crave after a few heavy meals: cilantro, chilis, and crunchy, fresh vegetables in a whole wheat baguette.

Thanksgiving Leftovers Pie

A golden, rustic pie filled to the brim with turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce makes the day after Thanksgiving, or the day after that, feel like a brand-new celebration.