28 Best Fridge-Clearing Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes (2024)

Updated January 25, 2023

• Mom's Turkey Soup

  

  It just isn't Thanksgiving without a pot of turkey soup. Use the turkey carcass to make a flavorful broth, and add substance with either egg noodles or rice.

  Get Recipe

• Hot Turkey Sandwich

  

  I don't make hot, open-faced sandwiches enough, but you bet this recipe is hitting the table when I have leftover turkey and gravy. I prefer to use sourdough for the base of this sandwich, but whole wheat bread works well here, too. MR
  

  Get Recipe

• Curried Turkey Soup

  

  This one-pot meal repurposes leftover turkey and any apples you didn't throw into your Thanksgiving pie. The fragrant curry broth is a fantastic way to use any stock you might have made from turkey bones. MR
  

  Get Recipe

  See Also

  A Healthier Leftover Turkey Tetrazzini Recipe13 Healthy Recipes Using a Rotisserie Chicken50+ Keto Thanksgiving Recipes (Low Carb, Sugar Free) - 40 ApronsSmoky Bacon & Turkey Chowder Recipe - Low Carb

• Bubble and Squeak

  

  All sorts of leftover cooked vegetables get chopped up and thrown into this great British post-holiday classic. It's bound with mashed potatoes and fried until crisp. Make it for dinner or serve it for brunch, topped with eggs.

  Get Recipe

  Continue to 5 of 28 below.

• Turkey Black Bean Enchiladas

  

  Make a quick, easy sauce to pour over these enchiladas filled with leftover turkey, black, beans, cheese, and other flavorful fillings. Bake and then garnish with chopped avocado, sour cream, cilantro, or whatever your favorite toppings are. Yum. RS

  Get Recipe

• Turkey Chili (with Leftover Turkey)

  

  Shred leftover white or dark meat cooked turkey to add to this terrific chili. It makes a large pot, big enough to feed a crowd. It also freezes well for up to two months. If you're a little tired of turkey after Thanksgiving, make this chili, freeze it, and pull it out of the freezer on a cold January night. Don't forget to make a side of cornbread. RS

  Get Recipe

• Wild Rice Salad with Cranberries and Pecans

  

  I'm usually swimming in dried cranberries after Thanksgiving, same with pecans, but this colorful side dish allows me to use them in a refreshing way. The brightness of orange peel and lemon juice pairs nicely with roast pork or even leftover turkey. MR
  

  Get Recipe

• Vegan Pumpkin Bread

  

  This spiced pumpkin bread is dairy and egg-free, but it isn't free of flavor. An added bonus is that this recipe makes two loaves of warmly spiced tender pumpkin bread. That's perfect for gifting to any buddies who braved Black Friday with you. MR

  Get Recipe

  Continue to 9 of 28 below.

• Leftover Turkey Pot Pies

  

  As splendid as the big meal is, there's something so promising about the potential meals afforded by all that leftover turkey, and turkey pot pie is a can't-miss classic. Use a premade crust or throw your own together. This recipe makes its own gravy, but this is a good place to use your leftover gravy as a stand-in.

  Get Recipe

• Cajun Turkey Pot Pie

  

  I don't know about you, but I'm pretty straight-laced regarding my turkey pot pie seasoning. Instead of playing it safe, I'll add more excitement to my bird and fold it into some Cajun spices. Use any leftover pie dough to top this pot pie and let the good times roll. MR
  

  Get Recipe

• Ultimate Turkey Club Sandwich with Garlic Aioli

  

  A Thanksgiving leftover roundup is incomplete without a traditional turkey sandwich. What makes this one more impressive is the bold garlic aioli it's slathered with. Leftover dinner rolls? Make these into sliders instead of standard 'wiches. MR
  

  Get Recipe

• Creamy Green Beans and Mushrooms

  

  Green beans, mushrooms, onion...you may have one or all of these left over after Thanksgiving. This is the dish that uses all of them. Leftover cooked green beans, as long as they were simply prepared, will work. These vegetables come together with sour cream and butter to make a tasty side dish. RS

  Get Recipe

  Continue to 13 of 28 below.

  See Also

  Ham and Asparagus Frittata Recipe - A Quick & Easy One Pan Meal

• Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie

  

  Shepherd's pie is usually a go-to for leftover mashed potatoes, but this year, make it vegetarian. Meaty mushrooms stand in for ground meat, and the abundance of vegetables bathed in a rich sauce might make this your regular shepherd's pie recipe. MR
  

  Get Recipe

• Cranberry Orange Scones

  

  Leftover fresh or frozen whole cranberries from preparing Thursday's Thanksgiving dinner become part of the weekend's breakfast or brunch. These scones are crumbly, tender, and delicious. The recipe makes 12, If you won't eat all 12 over the weekend, put what you won't eat into the freezer before you bake them. Pull out individual uncooked scones and pop them into the oven frozen whenever you want fresh, hot scones. RS

  Get Recipe

• Easy Breakfast Casserole

  

  Start with whatever leftover bread you have. If it's a little stale, all the better. Then take a look at what other leftovers you have—corn, mushrooms, broccoli, spinach, ham, or even turkey shredded up—throw it all together in a casserole dish with cheese and an egg mixture. Bake it right away or leave it in the fridge overnight so breakfast or brunch is ready to pop right in the oven in the morning. RS

  Get Recipe

• Sweet Potato, Mushroom, Leftover Turkey Casserole

  

  Leftover turkey and mashed sweet potatoes get a second showing in this casserole that's filled with bacon, mushrooms, and Gruyere cheese, then topped with crushed saltines. If you have leftover regular mashed potatoes, you can use them instead of the sweet potatoes. RS

  Get Recipe

  Continue to 17 of 28 below.

• Bread Pudding

  

  Bread pudding is a great way to repurpose leftover dinner rolls. Just allow the bread to sit, uncovered, overnight on the countertop, then cut them into 1-inch cubes to use in this recipe. If you have any leftover cranberry sauce, a few dollops on top of the bread pudding before baking will add a sweet-tart vibe to it. MR
  

  Get Recipe

• Sweet Potato Latkes

  

  Why wait for Hanukkah? If you have a couple of uncooked sweet potatoes left hanging around, make latkes. Shred the raw potatoes with onion, ring out the excess water, combine with eggs, flour and seasoning, and then fry. Serve with sour cream on the side. RS

  Get Recipe

• Turkey Tacos with Cranberry Salsa

  

  Use leftover cranberries to make a salsa that comes together quickly in the food processor, no cooking required. As that sits and the flavors meld for a bit, make the tacos filled with leftover turkey, cheese, and lettuce. Serve together and enjoy the Thanksgiving flavors in a new way. RS

  Get Recipe

• Broccoli Rice Casserole From Scratch

  

  Turn leftover cooked broccoli into one of the ingredients for this cheesy casserole. Leftover green beans or Brussels sprouts would work well in place of the broccoli if you have those instead. If you overbought onions, caramelize one and throw that in there with the green veggie before baking. RS

  Get Recipe

  Continue to 21 of 28 below.

• Codfish Cakes

  

  You won't feel like you're eating leftovers with these fish cakes, but they're a great way to use up leftover mashed potatoes. Full of the flavors of flaked cod, mashed potatoes, Parmesan cheese, and garlic, these cook up quickly. Serve with a green salad, and you have an easy dinner. RS

  Get Recipe

• Homemade Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup

  

  If you used heavy cream to make your mashed potatoes and have some left over, here's a clever way to use up 1/4 cup of it. Use this homemade condensed cream of chicken soup 1-for-1 in place of canned condensed soup in recipes like cheesy funeral potatoes. RS

  Get Recipe

• Chai Ice Cream

  

  You won't get caught with tons of unused spices this year. This tea-flavored ice cream is a chilly, creamy nod to chai, complete with whole spices infused in a milk and cream ice cream base. MR
  

  Get Recipe

• Pecan Pralines

  

  Pies shouldn't have all the pecan fun. Make these buttery pecan candies with your surplus nuts and gift them (or keep them for yourself). Freeze half the batch for future candy cravings. Pro-tip: using a rolling pin to break up frozen pralines is a genius way to top ice cream. MR
  

  Get Recipe

  Continue to 25 of 28 below.

• S'mores Cookies

  

  Have a few marshmallows left over from making sweet potato casserole? Use them up by adding to these graham crackers and chocolate-laced cookies. Mini marshmallows work best, though, in a pinch, I have been known to cut standard marshmallows down to size. MR
  

  Get Recipe

• Chicken and Apples in Honey Mustard Sauce

  

  This year, apples need a little bit more shine. Add them to savory dishes like this one-pot chicken. The honey mustard sauce is nothing to shake a stick at, so be sure to serve it with a side dish that will capture it all, like steamed white rice or buttered noodles.MR

  Get Recipe

• Greens, Eggs, and Ham Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

  

  We swap entrees every year. One year it's turkey; the next, it's ham. Using up leftover ham and the eggs I always seem to overbuy is easy, thanks to these cheesy sandwiches. Pro tip: swap the spinach for drained, leftover collard greens. MR

  Get Recipe

• Air Fryer Cranberry Brie Canapes

  

  Canapes make great snacks for the day after Thanksgiving, especially if you're into Black Friday shopping. These quick-fix appetizers put that leftover cranberry sauce to good use and can sit at room temperature for up to 2 hours. That makes them great for grazing on a lazy Friday. MR
  

  Get Recipe