27 Best Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes and Ideas

Enjoy your feast a second time with these Thanksgiving leftover recipes!

From turkey casseroles and sandwiches to pasta and chili, there are so many great ways to use those leftovers.

Don’t we all go over the top for the holidays?

Between the leftover turkey, potatoes, veggies, and more, you could enjoy the same plate of food all weekend!

Or you could try some of these Thanksgiving leftover recipes and make something new.

Whether it’s a simple sandwich or an unlikely dessert, I’m sure you’ll find something here to love.

Leftover Thanksgiving Recipes & Ideas

1. Leftover Turkey Sandwich

Let’s kick things off with the most obvious choice.

Making a sandwich out of leftover turkey is the easiest way to use up all that leftover meat, and one of the most delicious ones, as well.

However, this is way more than just simply stuffing two pieces of bread with a holiday turkey.

Also loaded with artichokes, pesto, sun-dried tomatoes, grilled red onions, and gouda cheese, this sandwich is the stuff of Thanksgiving legends.

2. Leftover Turkey Thanksgiving Pot Pie

Pot pies are one of the best comfort foods out there.

How can you go wrong with rich and creamy meat and vegetable filling baked into a flaky, buttery crust? 

One bite of this bad boy is enough to make you all warm and fuzzy inside. It’s love and happiness on a plate. 

3. Leftover Mashed Potato Pancakes

As a collective fan of mashed potatoes, our family rarely ends up with leftovers of this phenomenal side dish.

So, what I do instead is whip up a big batch and reserve a big serving of it in the fridge.

That way, I have enough to make these ridiculously delicious mashed potato pancakes.

Mashed potatoes are transformed into a batter and made even tastier with scallions and cheese.

They’re pan-fried to golden perfection, resulting in this amazing breakfast dish. 

4. Leftover Turkey Chili

Another fantastic way to breathe new life into a leftover turkey is to transform it into chili. 

A mix of ground turkey, beans, tomato sauce, vegetables, and seasonings, you’d be surprised at how delectable this chili is. 

It may not be made from the typical ground beef, but its flavors and textures are absolutely on point.

Top it off with shredded cheddar cheese, scallions, and sour cream and you’re golden.

5. Fried Mashed Potato Balls

Say hello to another spectacular way of making mashed potatoes even more phenomenal. 

You guys, these mashed potato balls are the appetizer that’s missing in your life. Your minds will be blown with how insanely scrumptious these balls are.

Mashed potatoes are mixed with cheese, chives, and bacon. That step alone already makes the spuds even more addictive.

Then, they are formed into balls, coated with breadcrumbs, and deep-fried to perfection. How outrageously awesome is that?

6. Leftover Cranberry Sauce Muffins

Cranberry sauce may not be the star of a Thanksgiving meal, but in these muffins, they definitely are.

These muffins have the best texture – a perfect balance of tender, moist, and crumbly. 

As for the flavor, you can trust the sweet and tangy taste of your cranberry sauce to beautifully shine through.

7. Leftover Stuffing Waffles

Turn your leftover stuffing into a waffle batter and make the most delightful, post-Thanksgiving breakfast meal.

All you need is to mix in that stuffing with eggs and chicken stock and voila, you’ll have created a wonderful batter! Brilliant idea, am I right?

Here’s a tip to make all your leftover items disappear faster: serve the waffles with leftover cranberry sauce and gravy.

8. Leftover Turkey Soup

Looking for a cozy and comforting soup to chase the chill away? Look no further than this leftover turkey soup.

This soup has chunks of turkey and vegetables swimming in a rich and creamy broth. One spoonful will warm your body and make your heart happy.

Pro-tip: this recipe is forgiving, so go ahead and throw in all the veggies you can find in your fridge!

9. Mashed Potato Donut Holes

Yes, I’m a mashed potato addict, and no, this isn’t the last mashed potato recipe on this list.

This time, however, we’ll give savory dishes a break and make dessert. Yep, it’s possible to make a sweet treat out of mashed potatoes. 

These donut holes are super soft, pillowy, and wonderfully sweet. I bet that’ll make you love mashed potatoes even more!

10. Leftover Cranberry Sauce and Apple Crisp

Granny Smith apples and cranberry sauce join forces to create the perfect fall dessert. This cranberry and apple crisp is what autumn dreams are made of.

In this dessert, expect a crumbly and buttery oat topping and a crisp and fruity apple-cranberry filling. 

Served with vanilla ice cream on top, this dessert is guaranteed to disappear in a snap.

11. Roasted Vegetable Pasta

If you served grilled vegetables on Thanksgiving, here’s an idea: turn the leftovers into pasta!

Your favorite pasta noodles are coated in an olive oil sauce and loaded with sweet roasted vegetables and earthy mushrooms and sprinkled with lots of parmesan cheese.

Seriously, this roasted vegetable pasta is so good, even the kids will enjoy it. 

It comes together in just 30 minutes, making it a perfect lunch or dinner option for busy moms and dads.

12. Leftover Turkey Panini

Take out that panini press from the cupboard and whip up this leftover turkey panini! It’s similar to a sandwich but fancier. 

Oh, how I love how a panini press transforms white bread into perfectly toasted bread.

It’s crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, which is truly a mouthwatering experience.

Inside are slices of turkey, bacon, cranberry sauce, sage, goat cheese, and melty Muenster cheese.

It’s so crazy delicious, eating feels like celebrating Thanksgiving a second time.

13. Leftover Cranberry Sauce Bars

Say hello to another dessert recipe that will knock your socks off. These cranberry sauce bars are soft, chewy, and insanely delicious.

With a chewy and buttery base and a sweet and ooey-gooey cranberry sauce filling, these bars are spectacular, to say the least.

14. Leftover Turkey Tacos

These turkey tacos are the Thanksgiving-Tex Mex mash-up you didn’t know you needed.

Perfectly seasoned shredded turkey is stuffed in soft tortillas and filled with cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, avocado slices, and sour cream.

Man, I can eat these tacos all day! 

15. Leftover Turkey Tetrazzini

Who can say no to a creamy and dreamy tetrazzini? I certainly can’t.

What makes tetrazzini outrageously rich is its sauce made from cream of mushroom soup, milk, and tons of cheese.

This alone makes the pasta dish so addictive.

To add a more festive, Thanksgiving feel to it, toss in chunks of leftover turkey. Delicious.

16. Thanksgiving Leftover Nachos

Take out all your holiday leftovers from the fridge, throw them all in a casserole, and pop it in the oven.

This is how quick and easy these leftover nachos are to make.

Corn chips are loaded with all your favorite Thanksgiving treats – stuffing, turkey, gravy, and cranberry sauce. Don’t forget to top it with lots of cheese!

17. Cornbread Pudding

Got tons of cornbread leftovers? This is just the recipe for you.

Think of it as taking delicious cornbread up three levels. Loaded with fresh herbs, green onions, and cheese, this pudding will absolutely blow your taste buds away.

It’s crisp on the outside with a custard-like center. 

And the flavor is outstanding as well! The combination of sweet, salty, earthy, and cheesy is like a party in your mouth.

18. Leftover Turkey Salad With Cranberry Vinaigrette

Let’s take a break from all the rich and heavy dishes and focus our attention on this salad.

Sure, salads are not the most exciting appetizers, but this one definitely is.

Filled with baby spinach leaves, turkey, crumbled goat cheese, avocado slices, pomegranate seeds, candied pecans, and a cranberry vinaigrette dressing, this salad gets an A+ in color, flavor, and texture combinations.

19. Mashed Sweet Potato Cakes

These cakes boast an amazing combination of sweet and savory. 

They’re not made with your typical pancake batter, but with leftover mashed sweet potatoes.

The cakes are stuffed with gooey cheese and green onions, coated in breadcrumbs and pan-fried until golden brown.

So yes, expect nothing but greatness from them.

20. Thanksgiving Leftovers Quesadilla

Have tortilla bread? Rather than making a turkey sandwich, why not make quesadillas instead?

It’s just as easy, but the results are much better.

These quesadillas are filled with turkey, cheese, sage, and cranberry sauce.

Salty, savory, and sweet, they have all the wonderful flavors of Thanksgiving transformed into a delicious Tex-Mex treat.

21. Leftover Thanksgiving Pizza

No matter the day, no matter the occasion, pizza is always a good idea.

Whether you’re having a gathering of friends or just a quiet meal with the family, you can’t go wrong with this classic Italian dish.

But, instead of the usual toppings, use up all those Thanksgiving leftovers! 

I’m talking stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, turkey – the works. You already know the flavors go well together, so it’ll be a guaranteed hit.

22. Thanksgiving Leftover Wontons with Cranberry Salsa

If you’re looking for something new and unique, well, the search is over.

This recipe gives the classic American Thanksgiving dishes a wonderful Asian twist!

A mix of turkey, stuffing cream cheese, and gravy is stuffed in wonton wrappers and deep-fried to perfection.

If you think these wontons are way too rich, don’t worry. A dip of sweet, tart, and spicy cranberry salsa will provide a nice flavor balance.

23. Turkey Cranberry Wrap

I’m such a sucker for wraps. I think these delectable treats are underrated. If you love them as much as I do, you’ll surely enjoy these, too.

Chunks of turkey, cream cheese, lettuce, and cranberry sauce are rolled inside a soft tortilla, creating a healthy but delicious burrito-ish dish.

It’s light and refreshing, which is ideal if you want to rest your body from all the holiday eating.

24. Thanksgiving Ring

A Thanksgiving ring is a delicious pastry filled with your favorite Thanksgiving treats.

Store-bought crescent rolls are stuffed with a mix of mashed potatoes, stuffing, turkey, and cranberry sauce, arranged into a circle, and baked until golden. 

It’s just as festive and flavorful as your Thanksgiving feast!

25. Leftover Turkey Noodle Soup

Chicken noodle soup is classic comfort food we all know and love. But during Thanksgiving season, ditch the chicken and use turkey, instead!

Trust me, this soup is just as cozy and comforting as the traditional chicken noodle soup. The only difference is, you get to make use of all that leftover meat.

26. Turkey Enchiladas

First of all, look at how colorful and bright these enchiladas are! Just by looking at them, you can already tell how scrumptious they are.

These enchiladas are not just filled with turkey, but with loads of delicious things as well.

With beans, jalapenos, shredded cheese, cotija cheese, and pepitas, these enchiladas are mega-loaded, to say the least.

27. Leftover Pumpkin Pie Milkshake

Last but not least is an extraordinary milkshake for an extraordinary you.

Made with milk, pumpkin pie, and ice cream, this milkshake is so freakin’ delicious, I could cry.

Whoever came up with the idea of using leftover pumpkin pie to make a milkshake is pure genius.