Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes: 8 Easy Ideas That Use Up Everything

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The fridge is full, everyone is tired of plain turkey, and there are still three containers of mashed potatoes. These Thanksgiving leftover recipes turn what is left into meals that do not feel like a rerun: pot pie, a proper leftover sandwich, soup from the carcass, fried rice, crispy potato cakes and more. Each one lists exactly which leftovers it uses up.

You will also find how long Thanksgiving leftovers keep, how to freeze them, and a simple plan to turn the leftovers into a week of easy lunches.

Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes at a Glance

• Leftover turkey pot pie: turkey, gravy, vegetables
• The ultimate leftover turkey sandwich: turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing
• Turkey soup from the carcass: turkey bones and meat
• Turkey fried rice: turkey, any vegetables
• Crispy mashed potato cakes: mashed potatoes
• Stuffing waffles: stuffing, gravy
• Turkey cranberry quesadillas: turkey, cranberry sauce
• Turkey and sweet potato hash: turkey, sweet potatoes

8 Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes

1. Leftover Turkey Pot Pie

The best use for leftover gravy. It becomes the sauce, so this comes together in about 20 minutes of hands-on time.

Uses up: turkey, gravy, vegetables

Ingredients (serves 6):

• 3 cups chopped cooked turkey
• 2 cups leftover gravy (or 2 cups stock thickened with 3 tbsp flour and 3 tbsp butter)
• 2 cups mixed vegetables (peas, carrots, green beans), cooked or frozen
• 1 small onion, diced, and 1 tbsp butter
• 1/2 tsp thyme, salt and pepper
• 1 sheet store-bought pie crust or puff pastry
• 1 egg, beaten

Steps:

1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Soften the onion in the butter.
2. Stir in the gravy, turkey, vegetables and thyme, heat until bubbling and season.
3. Pour into a 9-inch pie dish or skillet, lay the pastry over the top and cut a few slits.
4. Brush with egg and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden.

2. The Ultimate Leftover Turkey Sandwich

Cranberry mayo and a slice of warm stuffing in the middle turn the day-after sandwich into something worth waiting for.

Uses up: turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, gravy

Ingredients (serves 1):

• 2 slices sourdough or a soft roll
• 1 tbsp mayonnaise mixed with 1 tbsp cranberry sauce
• 4 oz sliced turkey
• 1 slice leftover stuffing, warmed
• A handful of arugula or lettuce
• Warm gravy for dipping (optional)

Steps:

1. Toast the bread lightly.
2. Spread both slices with the cranberry mayo.
3. Layer the turkey, warm stuffing and greens.
4. Press together and serve with a small cup of warm gravy for dipping.

3. Turkey Soup from the Carcass

Simmering the carcass makes a rich stock that becomes a full pot of soup, and it freezes beautifully.

Uses up: turkey carcass and leftover meat

Ingredients (serves 8):

• 1 turkey carcass, broken into pieces
• 1 onion, 2 carrots and 2 celery stalks for the stock, plus the same again, diced, for the soup
• 2 bay leaves and a few peppercorns
• 2 to 3 cups chopped cooked turkey
• 1 cup egg noodles or 3/4 cup rice
• Salt, pepper and chopped parsley

Steps:

1. Cover the carcass, the stock vegetables, bay leaves and peppercorns with water in a large pot and simmer gently for 2 to 3 hours.
2. Strain the stock and discard the bones and vegetables.
3. Simmer the diced vegetables in the stock for 10 minutes, add the noodles or rice and cook until tender.
4. Stir in the turkey, season and finish with parsley.

4. Turkey Fried Rice

A 15-minute weeknight dinner. Day-old rice and leftover turkey are exactly what fried rice wants.

Uses up: turkey, leftover vegetables

Ingredients (serves 4):

• 3 cups cooked rice, cold
• 2 cups chopped cooked turkey
• 1 cup peas and carrots (or leftover roasted vegetables)
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 3 green onions, sliced, and 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp neutral oil

Steps:

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat and scramble the eggs, then set aside.
2. Stir-fry the garlic and white parts of the green onion for 30 seconds.
3. Add the rice and fry until hot and slightly crisp, then add the turkey and vegetables.
4. Stir in the soy sauce, sesame oil, eggs and green onion tops.

5. Crispy Mashed Potato Cakes

Cold mashed potatoes shape easily, and a hot pan gives them a crisp golden crust. Serve with gravy or a fried egg.

Uses up: mashed potatoes, gravy

Ingredients (serves 4):

• 3 cups cold mashed potatoes
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup flour, plus more for dusting
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar and 2 tbsp chives (optional)
• Oil or butter for frying

Steps:

1. Mix the potatoes, egg, flour, cheese and chives.
2. Shape into 8 patties and dust lightly with flour.
3. Fry in a thin layer of hot oil for 3 to 4 minutes per side until deep golden.
4. Serve with warm gravy, sour cream or a fried egg.

6. Stuffing Waffles

Pressing leftover stuffing in a waffle iron makes it crisp on the outside and soft inside. Top with turkey and gravy for brunch.

Uses up: stuffing, turkey, gravy

Ingredients (serves 4):

• 4 cups leftover stuffing
• 1 to 2 eggs
• A splash of stock if the stuffing is dry
• Nonstick spray
• To serve: warm turkey, gravy and cranberry sauce

Steps:

1. Heat and grease a waffle iron.
2. Mix the stuffing with the egg (and stock if needed) until it holds together.
3. Press about 1 cup into the iron and cook 5 to 7 minutes until crisp.
4. Top with turkey, gravy and a spoon of cranberry sauce.

7. Turkey Cranberry Quesadillas

Sweet cranberry and melted cheese with turkey is a combination that works much better than it sounds. Ready in 10 minutes.

Uses up: turkey, cranberry sauce

Ingredients (serves 4):

• 4 large flour tortillas
• 2 cups shredded turkey
• 1/2 cup cranberry sauce
• 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar
• A handful of baby spinach (optional)

Steps:

1. Spread cranberry sauce over half of each tortilla.
2. Top with turkey, cheese and spinach, then fold.
3. Cook in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes per side until crisp and melted.
4. Cut into wedges and serve.

8. Turkey and Sweet Potato Hash

A one-pan breakfast or dinner that uses leftover sweet potatoes (casserole without the topping works too).

Uses up: turkey, sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts or green beans

Ingredients (serves 4):

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cups diced cooked sweet potatoes
• 2 cups chopped cooked turkey
• 1 cup leftover roasted vegetables
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, salt and pepper
• 4 eggs (optional)

Steps:

1. Soften the onion in the oil in a large skillet.
2. Add the sweet potatoes and press them into the pan; cook without stirring until browned.
3. Stir in the turkey, vegetables and paprika and heat through.
4. Make 4 wells, crack in the eggs, cover and cook until set.

More Thanksgiving Leftover Ideas, by Ingredient

Only have a little of one thing left? These quick ideas use up small amounts without a full recipe.

• Turkey: toss with pesto and pasta, stir into a creamy white chili, fold into an omelet with cheese, or mix with mayo, celery and dried cranberries for a turkey salad that keeps 3 days for lunches.
• Stuffing: press into muffin tins and bake into crispy stuffing cups, crumble over a casserole as a topping, or use it as the base of a breakfast bake with eggs and sausage.
• Mashed potatoes: spread over turkey and vegetables for a quick shepherd’s pie, whisk into soup to make it creamy, or use for potato rolls and gnocchi.
• Sweet potatoes: blend into pancakes or muffins, stir into chili, or mash onto toast with a sprinkle of cinnamon.
• Cranberry sauce: swirl into yogurt or oatmeal, use as a glaze for chicken, or whisk with olive oil and vinegar for a quick salad dressing.
• Green beans and Brussels sprouts: chop into fried rice or the hash above, or toss into a grain bowl with the leftover turkey.
• Dinner rolls: make sliders with turkey and cranberry, cube them for bread pudding, or freeze them for soup night.
• Gravy: use it as the sauce for pot pie, a poutine-style topping for fries, or freeze it in small portions for later.

Tips for Better Leftovers

• Store sides separately. Mixing everything into one container makes it harder to reuse and everything turns soggy.
• Label and date containers so you know what needs eating first.
• Freeze in meal-sized portions, not one big block, so you only thaw what you need.
• Save the drippings and bones. They are the most flavorful part of the meal for soup and gravy.

How Long Do Thanksgiving Leftovers Last?

• Refrigerate within 2 hours of serving, and within 1 hour if the room is very warm.
• Fridge: cooked turkey and most leftovers keep 3 to 4 days. If Thanksgiving is Thursday, plan to eat or freeze them by Monday.
• Freezer: cooked turkey keeps its best quality for 2 to 6 months; slice or shred it and freeze it with a little gravy or broth so it does not dry out.
• Reheat to 165°F, and bring gravy to a rolling boil.
• Carve the turkey off the bone before refrigerating so it chills quickly.

Sources: the USDA’s leftovers and food safety guide and the FoodSafety.gov cold food storage chart.

Turn Leftovers Into a Week of Lunches

On Friday, spend 30 minutes portioning leftovers into containers: turkey with a scoop of stuffing and vegetables for lunches, mashed potatoes for potato cakes, and the carcass straight into the stock pot. Freeze anything you will not eat by Monday. For more ideas, see our high-protein lunch ideas for work, our freezer meal prep recipes and the 30-minute Sunday meal prep routine. Planning next year already? Start with our make-ahead Thanksgiving sides.

Storage Tools That Make Leftovers Last

Prices move a lot around Black Friday, so check the current price before you buy. Not sure which containers to choose? See our glass vs plastic meal prep container guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long are Thanksgiving leftovers good for?

Cooked turkey and most Thanksgiving leftovers keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge if they were refrigerated within 2 hours. Freeze anything you will not eat in that window.

Can you freeze leftover turkey?

Yes. Slice or shred it, add a little gravy or broth, and freeze it in airtight containers or vacuum-sealed bags. It keeps its best quality for 2 to 6 months.

What can I make with leftover mashed potatoes?

Crispy mashed potato cakes are the quickest option. Leftover mashed potatoes also work as a pot pie topping or stirred into soup to thicken it.

What is the best way to reheat leftover turkey without drying it out?

Reheat it covered with a splash of broth or gravy at 325°F until it reaches 165°F, or warm slices gently in a skillet with a little stock.

Can I make soup from a turkey carcass?

Yes. Simmer the carcass with onion, carrot, celery and water for 2 to 3 hours, strain it, then use the stock for turkey noodle or rice soup.

What can I do with leftover cranberry sauce?

Mix it into mayonnaise for sandwiches, spread it inside quesadillas, swirl it into yogurt or oatmeal, or use it as a glaze for chicken or pork.