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.
Start Slideshow

1 of 19

Turkey Reuben Hash

Go to Recipe

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

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 19

Lentil Soup with Smoked Turkey

Go to Recipe

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

3 of 19

Turkey Shepherd's Pie with Two-Potato Topping

Go to Recipe

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.

Advertisement

4 of 19

Couscous Salad with Turkey and Arugula

Go to Recipe

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

5 of 19

Turkey and Mushroom Potpie

Go to Recipe

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.

6 of 19

Risotto with Smoked Turkey, Leeks, and Mascarpone

Go to Recipe

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.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 19

Turkey Breast with Ginger-Scallion Sauce

Go to Recipe

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.

8 of 19

Soy-Braised Turkey with Turkey Rice

Go to Recipe

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.

9 of 19

Fettuccine with Turkey and Brandied Mushrooms

Go to Recipe

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

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 19

Vegetable Turkey Soup with Cornmeal Noodles

Go to Recipe

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

11 of 19

Next-Day Turkey Sandwiches

Go to Recipe

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

12 of 19

Kentucky Hot Brown

© BARNARD & MEYER
Go to Recipe

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.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 19

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

Go to Recipe

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

14 of 19

Farmhouse Turkey 
Hot Dish


John Kernick
Go to Recipe

“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.

15 of 19

Walnut-Cranberry Turkey Salad

Go to Recipe

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

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

16 of 19

Mason Jar Salads – Turkey Waldorf

Go to Recipe

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.

17 of 19

Turkey Mole Rojo

Johhny Miller
Go to Recipe

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.

18 of 19

Turkey Tetrazzini

Go to Recipe

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

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

19 of 19

Leftover Roast Turkey and Chinese Egg Noodle Soup

Alison Miksch
Go to Recipe

“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.

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Up Next

By Food & Wine