45 Delicious Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes - Retro Housewife Goes Green (2024)

Table of Contents
Leftover Turkey Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey Pesto Panini Easy Turkey Pot Pie Recipe SAVORY CREPES with THANKSGIVING TURKEY & STUFFING Thanksgiving Leftovers Crescent Dough Bombs Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey Pizza Leftover Turkey Recipe Thanksgiving Leftovers Quiche Recipe Leftover Turkey-Cranberry Monte Cristo Sandwiches Turkey Enchiladas Crockpot Turkey Chili Recipe Turkey Corn Chowder Recipe Thanksgiving Monte Cristo with Apricot Cranberry Dipping Sauce Cheese Waffles With Creamed Ham Turkey Tetrazzini Leftover Mashed Potatoes Homemade Gnocchi Cheesy Leftover Mashed Potato Pancakes Mashed Potato Soup Mom's Potato Rolls Fried Mashed Potato Balls Easy Shepherd's Pie Leftover Mashed Potato Cakes + Apple Syrup Loaded Mashed Potato Bake Pierogi Lasagna Rolls Leftover Sweet Potatoes Sweet Potato Pancakes Sweet Potato Biscuits Recipe Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie Sweet Potato Spudnuts Spiced Cornmeal Sweet Potato Waffles Sweet Potato Croquettes Sweet Potato Rolls Leftover Stuffing/Dressing Mashed Potato & Stuffing Patties Leftover Stuffin' Muffins Leftover Stuffing Waffles Turkey & Stuffing Turnovers StuffingFrittata Turkey, Stuffing and Cranberry Sausage Rolls Leftover Cranberry Sauce Cranberry Cream Cheese Danish Recipe Vintage Cranberry Banana Bread Vintage Cranberry Glazed Ham Recipe Cranberry Thumbprint Cookies With Almond Glaze Leftover Cranberry Sauce and Apple Crisp Leftover Cranberry Sauce Coffee Cake (with Coffee Glaze) Cranberry Pecan Crusted Salmon Cranberry Noel Recipe Cranberry Balsamic Glazed Cauliflower Wings Cranberry Sauce Grilled Cheese FAQs References

Leftover Turkey

Use these delicious turkey recipes to use up all of that turkey meat you have leftover. These recipes can also be used with chicken and some can use ham.

45 Delicious Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes - Retro Housewife Goes Green (1)

Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey Pesto Panini

Photo Credit: damndelicious.net

This loaded panini is one of the perfect ways to use up your leftover Thanksgiving turkey!

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Easy Turkey Pot Pie Recipe

This simple pot pie can use leftover turkey, chicken, or ham. Be sure to throw in some leftover veggies as well.

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SAVORY CREPES with THANKSGIVING TURKEY & STUFFING

Photo Credit: butterwithasideofbread.com

Looking for a breakfast that not only tastes great but also helps to clear out some of the Thanksgiving leftovers in the fridge? TheseSavory Crepes with Turkey and Stuffingare fantastic additions to the menu!

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Thanksgiving Leftovers Crescent Dough Bombs

Photo Credit: www.sizzlingeats.com

Need an easy recipe to use up some of yourThanksgiving leftovers? TheseThanksgiving Crescent Dough Bombsare the perfect bakedlunchorappetizer recipeto use up leftover turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and sweet potato casserole.

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Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey Pizza

Photo Credit: www.bakedbyrachel.com

Homemade pizza crust topped off with mashed potatoes, turkey, stuffing, and more!

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Leftover Turkey Recipe

Photo Credit: cookthestory.com

This Leftover Turkey Pho Recipe is ready in under 15 minutes but you’d never know it. It has a huge depth of flavor, just like traditional Pho.

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Thanksgiving Leftovers Quiche Recipe

Photo Credit: www.sizzlingeats.com

ThisThanksgiving Leftovers Quiche recipefeatures cooked leftovers from a turkey holiday dinner. The addition of sweet potato casserole and cranberry sauce makes this quiche both sweet and savory.

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Leftover Turkey-Cranberry Monte Cristo Sandwiches

Photo Credit: noblepig.com

Leftover turkey becomes next-level deliciousness with these Leftover Turkey-Cranberry Monte Cristo Sandwiches.

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Turkey Enchiladas

Photo Credit: www.lecremedelacrumb.com

Easy cheesy turkey and black bean enchiladas! Perfect for using up leftover turkey!

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Crockpot Turkey Chili Recipe

Photo Credit: www.passionforsavings.com

This crockpot turkey chili is a really easy way to use up some leftovers without much cooking involved.

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Turkey Corn Chowder Recipe

Photo Credit: www.cookincanuck.com

This turkey corn chowder recipe is my family’s favorite leftovers recipe. It’s hearty, satisfying, and healthy.

Thanksgiving Monte Cristo with Apricot Cranberry Dipping Sauce

Photo Credit: lifewithdee.com

Tired of turkey sandwiches or simply want to take it to a new level, try this Thanksgiving Monte Cristo. Add an apricot cranberry dipping sauce and you’ve got something truly special.

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Cheese Waffles With Creamed Ham

You can make these delicious waffles with ham, turkey, or chicken!

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Turkey Tetrazzini

Photo Credit: www.julieseatsandtreats.com

Your family will love this turkey tetrazzini recipe using up your leftover turkey.

Leftover Mashed Potatoes

Not sure how to use mashed potato leftovers? Try these delicious recipes.

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Homemade Gnocchi

Photo Credit: www.theartofdoingstuff.com

You'll want to make extra mashed potatoes to be sure you have some leftovers to make this homemade gnocchi.

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Cheesy Leftover Mashed Potato Pancakes

Photo Credit: www.justataste.com

Transform spare spuds into this quick and easy recipe for Cheesy Leftover Mashed Potato Pancakes!

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Mashed Potato Soup

Photo Credit: www.katiescucina.com

Mashed Potato Soupis a great way to use up leftover mashed potatoes. This quick-cooking soup comes together in 30 minutes with just 6 ingredients. Even better, your family will never know they are eating the leftover mashed potatoes!

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Mom's Potato Rolls

Photo Credit: laurenslatest.com

Potato rolls are fluffy, soft, slightly sweet, and nearly perfect in every way! Plus, if you have leftover mashed potatoes, this is a great way to get rid of them!

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Fried Mashed Potato Balls

Photo Credit: www.mantitlement.com

TheseFried Mashed Potato Ballsare super creamy on the inside and crispy on the outside! A perfect appetizer recipe for using up leftover mashed potatoes!

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Easy Shepherd's Pie

Photo Credit: www.fivehearthome.com

Easy Shepherd's Pie is a one-pan skillet dinner loaded with savory ground beef and colorful veggies. And it's the perfect recipe for using up those leftover mashed potatoes!

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Leftover Mashed Potato Cakes + Apple Syrup

Photo Credit: mytherapistcooks.com

A perfect sweet+savory use for leftover mashed potatoes. These cakes fry quickly and the apple syrup is done by the time the potatoes are!

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Loaded Mashed Potato Bake

Photo Credit: foxeslovelemons.com

This Loaded Mashed Potato Bake casserole is the most delicious way to use up leftover mashed potatoes. It’s loaded with bacon, cheese, and sour cream!

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Pierogi Lasagna Rolls

Photo Credit: ourtableforseven.com

Lasagna rolls stuffed with mashed potatoes and cheese! Comfort food at its best.

Leftover Sweet Potatoes

While sweet potatoes can be used in some of the mashed potato recipes these recipes are made just for sweet potatoes and are so good!

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Sweet Potato Pancakes

Photo Credit: www.seriouseats.com

Leftover mashed sweet potatoes are not easy to reheat and serve without turning them too dry or worse, scorching them on the bottom of a pan. Instead of trying, use them as the base for moist, tender, and delicious pancakes for breakfast.

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Sweet Potato Biscuits Recipe

Photo Credit: homecookingmemories.com

Looking forThanksgiving leftover recipes?This easySweet Potato Biscuits recipeuses leftover sweet potato casserole – even if you make it withmarshmallows on top!

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Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie

Photo Credit: thelemonbowl.com

Shepherd’s pie gets a flavorful twist with whipped sweet potatoes scented with maple and orange zest. Comfort food you can feel good about eating.

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Sweet Potato Spudnuts

Photo Credit: www.spoonforkbacon.com

Sweet Potato Spudnuts or Potato donuts are the lightest and fluffiest donuts you may ever eat.

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Spiced Cornmeal Sweet Potato Waffles

Photo Credit: brooklynsupper.com

Make breakfast wonderful with this delicious sweet potato waffle recipe made with aromatic spices, cubed sweet potatoes, and nutty cornmeal.

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Sweet Potato Croquettes

Photo Credit: whiteonricecouple.com

Crispy and flavorful, these sweet potato croquettes are a great way to enjoy this popular tuber. Kids love snacking on these! Think of them as a sweet potato hash brown.

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Sweet Potato Rolls

Photo Credit: numstheword.com

These rolls are a great way to use up old sweet potatoes or new sweet potatoes.

Leftover Stuffing/Dressing

No matter if you call it dressing or stuffing these are great ways to use up any you have leftover.

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Mashed Potato & Stuffing Patties

Photo Credit: pocketchangegourmet.com

TheseMashed Potato and Stuffing Pattiesare the perfect recipe to use up not only stuffing but also mashed potatoes.

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Leftover Stuffin' Muffins

Photo Credit: www.budgetbytes.com

These great little muffinsare a super flexible way to combine your leftovers into a “new” meal and avoid Thanksgiving burnout.

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Leftover Stuffing Waffles

Photo Credit: www.justataste.com

Transform leftover stuffing into Leftover Stuffing Waffles! This favorite Thanksgiving side gets repurposed into a hot, crispy canvas perfect for topping with cranberry sauce, gravy or even a fried egg.

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Turkey & Stuffing Turnovers

Photo Credit: www.afamilyfeast.com

Turkey & Stuffing Turnovers are a delicious (and easy!) way to use your Thanksgiving dinner leftovers to create a second meal your family will love!

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StuffingFrittata

Photo Credit: mylastbite.wordpress.com

The perfect post-Thanksgiving brunch recipe.

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Turkey, Stuffing and Cranberry Sausage Rolls

Photo Credit: culinaryginger.com

Turkey, Stuffing and Cranberry Sausage Rolls are a great use of Thanksgiving & Christmas turkey leftovers all rolled up in flaky puff pastry.

Leftover Cranberry Sauce

It doesn't matter if it's homemade cranberry sauce or store-bought, these recipes are great for using any you have leftover.

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Cranberry Cream Cheese Danish Recipe

These cranberry cream cheese danishes are made using crescent roll dough making them easy to whip up.

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Vintage Cranberry Banana Bread

This vintage recipe makes a delicious and unique banana bread using leftover cranberry sauce.

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Vintage Cranberry Glazed Ham Recipe

Leftover cranberry sauce makes an amazing glaze for ham and is so easy to make.

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Cranberry Thumbprint Cookies With Almond Glaze

Photo Credit: lovelylittlekitchen.com

If you do, these cranberry thumbprint cookies are perfect for that last bit of cranberry sauce that didn’t get gobbled up.

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Leftover Cranberry Sauce and Apple Crisp

Photo Credit: www.justataste.com

This quick and easy recipe stars a simple crisp topping crumbled over green apple splices tossed with leftover cranberry sauce.

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Leftover Cranberry Sauce Coffee Cake (with Coffee Glaze)

Photo Credit: foodmeanderings.com

This delicious cake is an amazing way to use up any leftover cranberry sauce.

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Cranberry Pecan Crusted Salmon

Photo Credit: peasandcrayons.com

Snag some yummy leftover cranberry sauce to whip up this sweet + savory salmon! This Cranberry Pecan Crusted Salmonmakes a perfect post-Thanksgiving lunch or dinner!

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Cranberry Noel Recipe

This delicious and light dessert uses leftover cranberry sauce and whipped cream.

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Cranberry Balsamic Glazed Cauliflower Wings

Photo Credit: cupcakesandkalechips.com

Cranberry Balsamic Cauliflower Wingsare greatgluten-free appetizersfor Thanksgiving or Christmas, or a tasty veggie side dish any time.

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Cranberry Sauce Grilled Cheese

Photo Credit: www.kelseysappleaday.com

This grilled cheese is like that brie en croûte appetizer everyone always loves, but you get your own entire sandwich. Gooey, melty cheese, perfectly toasted bread, and sweet-tart cranberry sauce–it’s just so right.

45 Delicious Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes - Retro Housewife Goes Green (2024)

FAQs

What is made from Thanksgiving leftovers? ›

Instead, try turning your leftovers into a casserole, like our turkey divan, our chicken stuffing casserole, or our turkey pot pie; a soup, like our turkey noodle soup, our leftover turkey & wild rice soup, or our homemade turkey stock (made from your turkey carcass); or something lighter or more flavorful than before, ...

What should you do with leftovers from Thanksgiving that has sat out for longer than 2 hours? ›

If foods have been left out for more than two hours, discard items to prevent foodborne illness.

Are Thanksgiving leftovers still good? ›

The answer is simple: leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for three to four days. This means you have until the Monday after Thanksgiving to eat all those delicious leftovers or place them in the freezer to enjoy later. If you store leftovers in the freezer, they will be of best quality within 2-6 months.

How do you deal with leftovers on Thanksgiving? ›

10 ways to use Thanksgiving leftovers (besides just reheating them)
  1. Roasted turkey and vegetable salads. ...
  2. Turkey tacos. ...
  3. Potato pancakes. ...
  4. Make a turkey pot pie. ...
  5. Turkey pizza. ...
  6. Turkey soup. ...
  7. Turkey grilled cheese. ...
  8. Turn stuffing into muffins.
Nov 23, 2023

What is the day after Thanksgiving usually called? ›

Black Friday, the day following Thanksgiving, has evolved into one of the busiest shopping days in the United States. Contrary to popular belief that the term originated from businesses going from "in the red" to "in the black" in profits after Thanksgiving, it actually traces back to 1960s Philadelphia.

What are 4 commonly consumed foods at Thanksgiving other than turkey? ›

Cornish game hen, goose, duck, ham, beef, salmon, and mushroom recipes make worthy centerpieces for holiday meals.

What is the 2 2 2 rule for leftovers? ›

Non-profit organisation Love Food, Hate Waste recommends the 2:2:2 rule. Two hours to get them in the fridge. Two days to eat them once they're in there. Or freeze them for up to two months.

Is it safe to eat cooked turkey after 5 days? ›

USDA recommends using cooked turkey within 3 to 4 days, kept refrigerated (40°F or less). Refrigeration slows but does not stop bacterial growth. Turkey can be frozen for 3 to 4 months. Although safe indefinitely, frozen leftovers can lose moisture and flavor when stored for longer times in the freezer.

Is it safe to eat cooked turkey that was left out overnight? ›

The exact time period cooked turkey can sit out depends on a few different factors. As a rule of thumb, if your meat has been out in the temperature danger zone for more than two hours, even after being refrigerated, throw it out. If the turkey was just cooked and is cooling down, try to put it away within two hours.

What percent of Americans prefer Thanksgiving leftovers? ›

Turkey and sides for several more meals, none quite as good as the first, in my opinion. Apparently I'm in the minority, as this poll reported that 80 percent of Americans prefer the leftover version.

Why do Thanksgiving leftovers taste better? ›

The flavor compounds – the herbs, the spices, the reactions that take place during cooking, sort of cool back and depending on how you have cooled and refrigerated your food, actually get back into the food and get trapped into the starches and the proteins.

Are Christmas leftovers still good? ›

Your guide to post-holiday food safety. Health officials recommend eating or freezing turkey and other leftovers within three to four days.

How do you not eat too much on Thanksgiving? ›

Here's what you can do to avoid overeating this holiday season:
  1. Plan and prepare for the occasion. Some people expect to overeat, so they skip meals beforehand, “saving” their calories. ...
  2. Opt for healthful and nutritious foods. ...
  3. Be more mindful. ...
  4. Adopt healthy habits. ...
  5. Remember why you're celebrating the holiday.
Nov 15, 2022

What are 3 ways that you can save money on Thanksgiving dinner? ›

But there are several things you can do to save money and still create a traditional Thanksgiving dinner everyone will love.
  • Plan a Budget. ...
  • Scale Back the Menu. ...
  • Start Shopping Early. ...
  • Use Coupons & Savings Apps. ...
  • Buy In-Season Produce. ...
  • Don't Go Overboard on Appetizers. ...
  • Keep Beverages Simple. ...
  • Have a Plan for Leftovers.

How do you digest Thanksgiving meals? ›

Better Digestion After the Thanksgiving Feast
  1. Start with some mild exercise after your holiday meal. Help clear and wash the dishes. ...
  2. Return to lighter, healthier foods post-holiday. Nutrition and health experts agree that letting yourself indulge within reason for Thanksgiving is acceptable. ...
  3. Add probiotics to your diet.

What foods make great leftovers? ›

  • Meatloaf. Though meatloaf is often restricted to the weeknight dinner table, it is a powerhouse leftover. ...
  • Lasagna. Sure, there's nothing better than lasagna coming out of the oven hot with bubbling cheese. ...
  • Pulled Pork. ...
  • Beef Stew. ...
  • Chili. ...
  • Frittatas, Quiches and Tarts.

What invention was the result of Thanksgiving leftovers? ›

TV dinners were invented thanks to Thanksgiving leftovers, and 22 other delicious Thanksgiving food facts.

What can I have for Thanksgiving dinner besides turkey? ›

So go ahead and shake things up this Thanksgiving with one of these flavorful alternatives to cooking up a whole bird this year, like mushroom, Gruyère, & spinach-stuffed pork tenderloin, vegan mushroom pot pie, or a juicy prime rib.

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