19 Thanksgiving Leftover Turkey Recipes to Try
Turkey Reuben Hash
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
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
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
This couscous salad packs in raisins, walnuts, arugula, carrots, and thin strips of cooked turkey
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Turkey and Mushroom Potpie
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
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
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
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
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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Next-Day Turkey Sandwiches
Stack leftover turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and more in this serious sandwich from chef Barbara Lynch.
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Kentucky Hot Brown
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
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
“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
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
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
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
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
“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.