🦃 10 Easy Leftover Turkey Recipes for After Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving dinner may be over, but the turkey has officially entered its second act.

That leftover turkey sitting in the refrigerator can become everything from crispy quesadillas and cozy soup to creamy pasta, breakfast hash, and a ridiculously good turkey cranberry grilled cheese.

Instead of eating the exact same Thanksgiving plate for four days, turn those leftovers into completely new meals. Most of these recipes use ingredients you probably already have in the kitchen, making them perfect for the lazy days after the holiday.

Here are 10 easy leftover turkey recipes to keep the Thanksgiving leftovers delicious.

🥪 1. Turkey Cranberry Grilled Cheese

Sweet cranberry sauce, savory turkey, and gooey melted cheese make this one of those leftover combinations that sounds slightly strange until you take the first bite.

Ingredients

• 2 slices bread
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 cup shredded or chopped cooked turkey
• 2 tablespoons cranberry sauce
• 2 slices provolone, mozzarella, white cheddar, or your favorite melting cheese

Instructions

1. Butter one side of each slice of bread.
2. Place one slice butter-side down in a skillet over medium-low heat.
3. Layer the turkey, cranberry sauce, and cheese over the bread.
4. Top with the second slice of bread, butter-side up.
5. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is melted.
6. Slice and serve warm.

Crunchy Moon twist: Add a thin layer of leftover stuffing for an extra Thanksgiving-inspired sandwich.

🍲 2. Easy Leftover Turkey Noodle Soup

When the holiday is over and you're craving something simple and cozy, turkey noodle soup is the answer.

Ingredients

• 4 cups turkey or chicken broth
• 1 cup shredded cooked turkey
• 1 cup egg noodles or another short noodle
• 1 carrot, sliced
• 1 celery stalk, sliced
• 1/2 small onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Fresh parsley, optional

Instructions

1. Heat the butter or olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat.
2. Add the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook for about 4 minutes.
3. Pour in the broth and bring to a gentle boil.
4. Add the noodles and cook according to the package directions.
5. Stir in the turkey during the last few minutes of cooking.
6. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.

Easy shortcut: If you have leftover roasted vegetables, toss them into the soup instead of starting with fresh vegetables.

🧀 3. Crispy Leftover Turkey Quesadillas

Turkey gets a whole new personality when it's tucked inside a crispy, cheesy tortilla.

Ingredients

• 2 large flour tortillas
• 1 cup shredded turkey
• 1 cup shredded cheddar or Mexican-blend cheese
• 2 tablespoons salsa
• 2 tablespoons diced green onions, optional
• Sour cream or guacamole for serving

Instructions

1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat.
2. Place one tortilla in the skillet.
3. Sprinkle half of the cheese over one half of the tortilla.
4. Add turkey, salsa, and green onions.
5. Top with the remaining cheese.
6. Fold the tortilla in half.
7. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until golden brown and the cheese has melted.
8. Slice into wedges and serve with sour cream, salsa, or guacamole.

🍳 4. Turkey and Stuffing Breakfast Hash

Who says Thanksgiving leftovers are only for lunch and dinner? Turkey and stuffing make a surprisingly fantastic breakfast hash.

Ingredients

• 1 cup chopped cooked turkey
• 1 cup leftover stuffing
• 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
• 2 eggs
• Salt and black pepper
• Gravy, optional
• Green onions or fresh herbs, optional

Instructions

1. Heat butter or oil in a skillet over medium heat.
2. Add the stuffing and turkey.
3. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until hot and the stuffing begins to crisp.
4. Make two small wells in the mixture.
5. Crack an egg into each well.
6. Cover the skillet and cook until the eggs reach your preferred doneness.
7. Season with salt and pepper.
8. Serve with warm gravy if desired.

The good stuff: Let the stuffing sit undisturbed for a minute or two at a time so it develops crispy edges.

🥬 5. Easy Turkey Salad Wraps

After a giant holiday meal, sometimes you want something lighter. This simple turkey salad comes together in minutes.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups chopped cooked turkey
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise or Greek yogurt
• 1 celery stalk, finely diced
• 2 tablespoons finely diced red onion
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Lettuce leaves or tortillas
• Cranberries, chopped nuts, or sliced apple, optional

Instructions

1. Combine the turkey, mayonnaise or yogurt, celery, onion, and mustard.
2. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Stir until combined.
4. Spoon into lettuce leaves or tortillas.
5. Add sliced apple, dried cranberries, or chopped nuts if desired.
6. Roll up and serve.

🍝 6. Creamy Leftover Turkey Alfredo

This is the perfect solution for when you have turkey, pasta, and a jar of Alfredo sauce hanging around after the holiday.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces pasta
• 1 cup shredded cooked turkey
• 1 cup Alfredo sauce
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon butter
• Black pepper to taste
• Fresh parsley, optional

Instructions

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Reserve about 1/4 cup of the pasta water, then drain.
2. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-low heat.
3. Add the Alfredo sauce and turkey.
4. Stir in the cooked pasta.
5. Add a splash of reserved pasta water if the sauce is too thick.
6. Stir in Parmesan and season with black pepper.
7. Garnish with parsley and serve warm.

Crunchy Moon tip: Add leftover roasted broccoli, peas, spinach, or mushrooms to turn this into a full one-dish meal.

🥗 7. Easy Turkey Caesar Salad

Turkey makes a quick Caesar salad much more substantial, and this is one of the easiest ways to use leftovers when you don't feel like cooking another meal.

Ingredients

• 4 cups chopped romaine lettuce
• 1 cup shredded or sliced cooked turkey
• 1/3 cup Caesar dressing
• 1/2 cup croutons
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Place the romaine in a large bowl.
2. Add the Caesar dressing and toss until lightly coated.
3. Add the turkey and Parmesan.
4. Top with croutons and freshly cracked black pepper.
5. Serve immediately.

For a little holiday crossover, add a few dried cranberries or toasted pecans.

🍠 8. Turkey and Sweet Potato Skillet

This one-pan meal is hearty without being heavy and is a great way to use leftover sweet potatoes, too.

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked sweet potato, cubed
• 1 cup chopped cooked turkey
• 1/2 small onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• Salt and black pepper
• Fresh parsley or green onions, optional

Instructions

1. Heat the oil or butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
2. Add the onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Add the sweet potatoes and cook until heated through and lightly browned.
4. Stir in the turkey.
5. Sprinkle with smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
6. Cook for another 3 to 4 minutes.
7. Garnish with fresh herbs or green onions.

Have leftover cranberry sauce? A small spoonful on the side is surprisingly good with this.

🥧 9. Easy Leftover Turkey Pot Pie

You don't need to make homemade pie crust to make a comforting turkey pot pie. Puff pastry does the heavy lifting beautifully.

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked turkey, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups mixed frozen vegetables
• 1 cup leftover turkey gravy
• 1/2 cup chicken or turkey broth
• 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
• 1 egg, beaten
• Black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Combine the turkey, vegetables, gravy, broth, and black pepper in a baking dish.
3. Place the puff pastry over the top.
4. Trim any excess pastry and gently press the edges around the dish.
5. Cut a few small slits in the pastry to allow steam to escape.
6. Brush the pastry with beaten egg.
7. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the filling is bubbling and the pastry is deeply golden.
8. Let it rest for about 10 minutes before serving.

Shortcut: Already have leftover mashed potatoes? Spoon the turkey mixture into individual ramekins and top with mashed potatoes instead of puff pastry for an easy shepherd's pie style dinner.

🍚 10. Easy Turkey Fried Rice

Thanksgiving turkey meets takeout night. Honestly, this one works ridiculously well.

Ingredients

• 2 cups cold cooked rice
• 1 cup chopped cooked turkey
• 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon vegetable or sesame oil
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or 1 minced garlic clove
• Black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat.
2. Add the vegetables and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Push the vegetables to one side and scramble the eggs in the empty side of the pan.
4. Add the rice and turkey.
5. Stir everything together.
6. Add the soy sauce and garlic.
7. Cook for several minutes, stirring frequently, until everything is hot and the rice begins to crisp slightly.
8. Stir in the green onions and serve.

Best rice for fried rice: Cold, day-old rice works especially well because it is drier and less likely to turn mushy.

🦃 More Easy Ways to Use Leftover Turkey

Once you've made your way through the big recipes, don't overlook the little things.

Use leftover turkey in:

• Turkey tacos
• Turkey nachos
• Turkey and avocado sandwiches
• Turkey chili
• Turkey breakfast burritos
• Turkey pizza
• Turkey and rice bowls
• Turkey stuffed baked potatoes
• Turkey pasta salad
• Turkey and vegetable casseroles
• Turkey sliders
• Turkey enchiladas

And don't forget the turkey bones. If you have a leftover turkey carcass, you can use it to make a flavorful homemade stock for soups, gravy, stuffing, or future recipes.

🧊 A Quick Note About Turkey Leftovers

Get leftover turkey into the refrigerator within about two hours of serving and store it in shallow, covered containers so it cools promptly. Use refrigerated cooked turkey within 3 to 4 days, or freeze it for longer storage.

When reheating leftovers, heat them thoroughly until steaming hot.

For the safest storage and reheating practices, follow current USDA food safety guidance.

🌙 The Crunchy Moon Takeaway

Thanksgiving leftovers don't have to mean eating the same plate of turkey, stuffing, and mashed potatoes until everyone starts avoiding the refrigerator.

A little creativity can turn yesterday's feast into grilled cheese, soup, quesadillas, breakfast hash, pasta, pot pie, fried rice, and plenty more.