Thanksgiving Leftovers Recipes

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Got Leftovers? Here's How to Use Them!

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For us, leftovers are one of the best parts of Thanksgiving. Here are quick and easy leftover recipes that recycle holiday food into new and delicious meals.

Truth be told, it’s the Thanksgiving leftovers that get us excited. (Rule: Make enough so Grandpa gets his beloved Thanksgiving sandwiches.) If you want to push your boundaries beyond the sandwich, here are some fun ideas—from cranberry parfaits to stuffing egg nests.

Day-After Turkey Hash

Here’s a tasty way to use turkey leftovers. Use an 11- to 12-inch skillet to recycle the leftovers from your Thanksgiving or Christmas feast into a breakfast hash.

Tukey hash
Day-After Turkey Hash
Photo by Elena Veselova/Shutterstock

Stuffing Egg Nests

This recipe uses two ingredients: leftover stuffing and eggs. That’s it! 

Egg nests
Stuffing Egg Nests

Tangy Turkey Salad with Cranberries

This recipe for turkey salad is a nice light option with fantastic flavor. The cranberries add a festive look and taste!

Turkey Salad on lettuce. Photo by Sam Jones.
Tangy Turkey Salad with Cranberries
Photo by Sam Jones/Vaughn Communications

Potato Bread

Use up the mashed potatoes to make this wonderfully soft and flavorful bread! 

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Potato Bread
Photo by Heike Rau/Shutterstock

Day-After Turkey Soup

What to do with turkey leftovers? Make soup! There’s just nothing like delicious homemade soup from scratch. Add whatever vegetables you have on hand, and you can cook the noodles in the soup.

Turkey Soup. Photo by Africa Studio/Shutterstock
Day-After Turkey Soup
Photo by Africa Studio/Shutterstock

Turkey Tacos

This recipe for Turkey Tacos makes a basic soft taco, but add or subtract ingredients as you see fit!

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Turkey Tacos

Cranberry Parfait

How about using extra cranberry sauce in a yogurt parfait? It’s great for Thanksgiving leftovers!

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Cranberry Parfait
Photo by Elena Veselova/Shutterstock

Turkey and Corn Spoonbread

You may be familiar with corn pudding and cornbread, but do you remember old-fashioned spoonbread? It’s heartier than a soufflĂ© but light enough for a satisfying lunch or supper, especially on a cool autumn day.

Turkey and Corn spoonbread. Photo by Sam Jones/Quinn Brien
Turkey and Corn Spoonbread
Photo by Sam Jones/Vaughn Communications

Squash Risotto

This squash risotto keeps on going! Use leftover acorn or butternut squash to make rice pancakes the next day.

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Squash Risotto
Photo by Josie Grant/Shutterstock

Cranberry Swirl Coffee Cake

Kids and adults love this—be prepared for lots of requests for the recipe! Serve it with coffee, but also as a snack or dessert.

cranberry swirl coffee cake
Cranberry Swirl Coffee Cake
Photo by Sam Jones/Vaughn Communications

We hope you enjoy some of these recipe ideas and would love to hear if you try any of them. Enjoy those Thanksgiving leftovers!

About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening so it’s not surprising that she and The Old Farmer’s Almanac found each other. She leads digital content for the Almanac website, and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana. Read More from Catherine Boeckmann

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