19 Thanksgiving Leftover Turkey Recipes to Try

By Food & Wine
Updated October 14, 2020
Alison Miksch
Thanksgiving leftovers are one of the best parts of the holiday. You can always reheat them and enjoy as-is for Thanksgiving 2.0, but they also can be repurposed into all different kinds of meals. Take turkey, for example—you can include it in a casserole, use it to make stock, add it to salads, and of course, enjoy it in a next-day sandwich situation, too. Read on for those recipes, and more thanksgiving leftover turkey dishes.
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Turkey Reuben Hash

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This 25-minute hash from Kay Chun pairs leftover turkey with potatoes, sauerkraut, and caraway for a fun play on a Reuben sandwich.

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Lentil Soup with Smoked Turkey

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Simmering the broth with a Parmesan rind gives the soup an even richer taste than sprinkling the cheese on top.

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Turkey Shepherd's Pie with Two-Potato Topping

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This recipe, from chef Jimmy Bradley, makes a large pie, but you can also prepare the dish in individual 1 1/2-cup ramekins. Check them for doneness after 20 minutes.

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Couscous Salad with Turkey and Arugula

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This couscous salad packs in raisins, walnuts, arugula, carrots, and thin strips of cooked turkey

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Turkey and Mushroom Potpie

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This potpie is made with leftover turkey, with a quick and easy puff–pastry crust and plenty of flavorful sauce to keep the meat moist.

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Risotto with Smoked Turkey, Leeks, and Mascarpone

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The mascarpone gives this risotto its delectable creaminess. If you like, you can make a close substitute with 2 ounces of cream cheese, at room temperature, and 7 ounces of heavy cream. Whir them in a blender just until smooth; don't blend the mixture too long or it may curdle. Also, you can use a large onion in place of the leeks.

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Turkey Breast with Ginger-Scallion Sauce

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David Chang recommends poaching turkey breast in leftover turkey stock before serving it with ginger-scallion sauce, based on his favorite condiment at Great N.Y. Noodletown in Chinatown.

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Soy-Braised Turkey with Turkey Rice

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To add flavor to dark turkey meat, David Chang simmers it in a deeply savory combination of brown sugar and soy sauce. Cooking jasmine rice with rendered turkey fat adds a wonderful richness. The topping—pickled shallot rings—adds a pretty pink color and piquancy.

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Fettuccine with Turkey and Brandied Mushrooms

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A hint of brandy flavors the sautéed mushrooms. You might use port or sherry. For a special treat, try an assortment of wild mushrooms.

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Vegetable Turkey Soup with Cornmeal Noodles

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The perfect way to add leftovers and make a great warming dish.

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Next-Day Turkey Sandwiches

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Stack leftover turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and more in this serious sandwich from chef Barbara Lynch. 

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Kentucky Hot Brown

Credit: © BARNARD & MEYER
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Star chef Bobby Flay smothers an open-face turkey sandwich with cheese sauce and bacon for his version of the over-the-top Louisville classic.

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Penne with Turkey, Arugula, and Sun-Dried-Tomato Vinaigrette

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Peppery arugula adds a distinctive bite to this appealing dish, but if arugula is unavailable, you can substitute watercress with similar results.

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Farmhouse Turkey 
Hot Dish


Credit: John Kernick
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“Hot dish” is Minnesotan for baked layers of starch, meat, vegetable and, typically, canned soup. In TV host and Twin Cities native Andrew Zimmern’s version, crisp brown Tater Tots provide the starch. “Nothing beats Tater Tots for this. Period,” says the chef. And the meat comes from freshly braised turkey legs, though 4 cups of shredded leftover meat would be excellent, too. Instead of the classic condensed mushroom soup, however, Zimmern makes a velouté sauce with the turkey braising liquid and sautéed mushrooms.

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Walnut-Cranberry Turkey Salad

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The dressing for this light, delicious turkey salad is made with mayonnaise, yogurt, and chopped herbs.

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Mason Jar Salads – Turkey Waldorf

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Packed in pint-sized Mason jars, our turkey Waldorf salad is perfect for a picnic or desk lunch. To keep the pears, grapes and celery crisp, store the dressing separately and shake together just before serving.

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Turkey Mole Rojo

Credit: Johhny Miller
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T.J. Steele’s version of turkey mole calls for turkey or chicken broth, as well as three pounds of leftover roasted turkey. It also uses a slow cooker in the sixth step to cook the mole mixture on high.

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Turkey Tetrazzini

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This recipe calls for three cups of chopped cooked turkey, but you can use rotisserie chicken if you’d prefer.

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Leftover Roast Turkey and Chinese Egg Noodle Soup

Credit: Alison Miksch
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“This is a great recipe for whether you’re roasting a traditional whole bird, using a spatchcocked (butterflied) turkey, or the separate parts,” Andrea Nguyen writes.

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