The Best Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes for Turkey, Potatoes and More

Quesadillas are one of the best Mexican dishes to make at home. This easy 10-minute recipe works with any leftover potatoes. 

For the Mashed Potato Quesadillas recipe, click here.

It’s important to know how long your Thanksgiving leftovers last. If you want to use it all up before it spoils, consider piling up all your extra food onto slices of crusty white or sourdough bread and baking until good and gooey.

For the Day After Thanksgiving Paninis recipe, click here.

Comfy, cheesy and cozy casseroles are prime pick-me-up food. This recipe is a turkey take on a traditional tuna noodle casserole for any seafood skeptics. 

For the Turkey Noodle Casserole recipe, click here.

Commonly one of the best things to make with leftover chicken and pantry staples, chicken pot pie is simple to make and sure to warm any hungry belly. For a holiday twist, swap out chicken for leftover turkey. 

For the Turkey Pot Pie recipe, click here.

If not in the mood to bake an entire pot pie, mix all the dish’s traditional ingredients in a medium saucepan and top with a crispy cracker made with refrigerated pie crust. 

For the Sage and Turkey Pot Pie Soup recipe, click here.

Bake leftover turkey alongside melty Mexican cheese, green chiles, tomatoes and onions to give your day-after-Thanksgiving dinner a signature Southwestern kick.

For the Southwestern Turkey Noodle Bake recipe, click here.

For a sandwich better than mom ever made, stack cold turkey, cranberry sauce, spinach and stuffing on halved dinner rolls. Elevate the easy sammy with homemade sage-infused aioli. 

For the Miniature Leftover Turkey Sandwich recipe, click here.

A hearty lunch is well-deserved the day after a hectic holiday. We recommend you cook with beans and add leftover turkey into a flavorful pot of piping hot chili. 

For the Turkey Chili recipe, click here.

Cupcakes are made for more than vanilla frosting and boxed cake mix. These buttermilk biscuits are frosted with all your favorite Thanksgiving fixings: stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, turkey and gravy. 

For the Thanksgiving Dinner Cupcakes recipe, click here.

Flaky crescent rolls provide a doughy crust for shredded turkey, cheddar cheese, taco seasoning and veggies to fill when cooking this retro recipe. For best results, bake until bubbly and serve with guacamole. 

For the Leftover Turkey Taco Crescent Ring recipe, click here.

Covered in crispy fried onions, this turkey and mashed potato bake has a homey feel and creamy taste. Even before preparing this bake, set yourself on the right foot by following one of our best mashed potato recipes. 

For the Hearty Turkey & Mashed Potato Bake recipe, click here.

If you're running low on bread, opt for this open-faced hot turkey sandwich. If you have more bread than you know what to do with, take your pick from these recipes to finish off a loaf.

For the Open-Faced Hot Turkey Sandwiches recipe, click here.

Chock full of red potatoes, corn, cooked turkey and bacon, this chowder is peak New Englander lunch. Plus, it’s easy to prepare and fully cooks in just half an hour. 

For the Leftover Turkey Chowder recipe, click here.

Thyme, paprika, crushed red pepper and allspice are all part of what makes this turkey take on a historic Mexican meal a post-holiday hit. Didn’t make turkey? You can swap out leftover turkey with leftover chicken, ham, pot roast or whatever meat you have in the fridge.

For the Turkey Quesadillas recipe, click here.

Be warned. You may need to take a nap after snacking on these turkey Cuban sliders made with turkey, honey ham, yellow mustard, swiss cheese and pickles. 

For the Turkey Cuban Slider Sandwiches recipe, click here.

Typically made with seafood or chicken, paella can also benefit from perfectly cooked and carved turkey. Flavor yours with an apple sofrito made of apples, fennel and mushrooms. 

For the Leftover Turkey Paella recipe, click here.

Unlike other leftover sandwich recipes, this one calls for piling all the best side dishes and turkey up on a sandwich bun, not a slice of bread. Extra cranberry sauce is also cooked with mustard, ketchup and brown sugar for an unexpected homemade gravy. 

For the Thanksgiving Turkey Sandwich recipe, click here.

Casseroles are among the best holiday dishes to make ahead and freeze. They make for equally easy and filling cooking after the big day too. 

For the Turkey and Stuffing Casserole recipe, click here.

Parents listen up, this is one easy lunch kids will actually eat. You will also be glad to know these BBQ turkey sliders take just 20 minutes to prepare and cook. With the extra time, queue up that happy show you’ve been meaning to binge-watch and relax.

For the BBQ Turkey Sandwiches recipe, click here.

Pumpernickel slices star in this ultimate leftover panini. Is it unseasonably warm where you are? This recipe also makes an excellent addition to any picnic basket menu.

For the Ultimate Leftover Turkey Panini recipe, click here.

Turkey noodle soup is one of the best soups to make in the fall. To taste this turkey noodle soup, cook powerhouse veggies in chicken broth, boil for three hours, add in turkey and noodles, cook for another 15 minutes and enjoy.

For the Turkey Noodle Soup recipe, click here.

Although the games may have been played Thanksgiving Day, game day food tastes just as good the day after. Case in point, these leftover turkey nachos. 

For the Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey Nachos recipe, click here.

Rice is the unsung hero of your pantry. Lay this flavorful turkey recipe over a bed of plain white rice for an easy and fail-proof way to fill your belly. 

For the Turnaround Turkey and Rice recipe, click here.

Counted among our best burger recipes, this turkey burger is topped with a homemade cranberry chutney you can make with any berries left over from yesterday’s pie. 

For the Turkey Burgers With Cranberry Chutney and Brie recipe, click here.

It’s up to you to decide whether you prepare this leftover casserole the day of Thanksgiving or make it a primetime dish alongside some of the other 101 best Thanksgiving recipes. 

For the Thanksgiving Leftover Turkey Casserole recipe, click here.

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