Recipes Holidays & Events Thanksgiving Recipes Thanksgiving Turkey Recipes 14 Leftover Turkey Recipes That Are Sure to Become Family Favorites These soups, pies, and casseroles are so good, you'll want to roast an extra Thanksgiving turkey just to ensure you have enough meat to make them. By Anna Kovel Anna Kovel Anna Kovel is a former food editor for Martha Stewart Living. Anna brings 30 years of professional experience as a restaurant chef, writer, food stylist, and recipe developer. Anna's work can be found in Better Homes and Gardens, MarthaStewart.com, The Via Carota cookbook, and more. Editorial Guidelines Published on October 23, 2024 Close Photo: Johnny Miller Leftovers are an essential and much-loved part of Thanksgiving—and figuring out what to do with all that leftover turkey is one of our favorite post-holiday challenges. Most of us opt for a turkey sandwich, layered with cranberry sauce and stuffing. But that certainly isn't your only option, especially if you're willing to get creative. Beyond the beloved sandwich, there is a treasure trove of leftover turkey recipes to explore after the big dinner, since this protein is an easy, adaptable ingredient with many possibilities. In this leftover turkey recipe collection, you’ll find dishes that are sure to become annual day-after-Thanksgiving traditions in your home—and as cherished as the feast itself. 16 Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes That Go Beyond Turkey Sandwiches 01 of 14 Turkey Breakfast Tacos Julia Gartland Maybe you have weekend guests post-Thanksgiving; these turkey tacos are a cheerful add to the breakfast table. Plus, they pull double duty, using up leftover mashed sweet potatoes, too. Feel free to vary toppings to suit different tastes. View Recipe 02 of 14 Turkey-and-Watercress Salad Julia Gartland A fresh, peppery watercress salad with a clever cranberry vinaigrette and cooked turkey is served over cooked and cooled grains (we used farro, but you could substitute your favorite grain), elevating this salad to main course status. View Recipe 03 of 14 Pocket Pies Filled With Leftovers A fun way to get the entire family in the kitchen is to let them choose their own filling for these easy-to-make turkey pocket pies. Will they pack in sweet or mashed potatoes or stuffing and cranberry sauce? (There are no wrong answers!) These bites can be enjoyed warm from the oven—or tuck them into a cooler for a post-holiday road trip. View Recipe 04 of 14 Classic Potpies Grant Webster This recipe uses a homemade butter pastry for that satisfying, nostalgic touch. Use leftover cooked turkey in place of the chicken that's called for. You can also assemble and freeze it for up to 4 months. View Recipe 05 of 14 Quick Turkey Tetrazzini Mike Krautter Turkey tetrazzini may be a post-Thanksgiving cliché, but it's one worth trying. With sautéed mushrooms and Parmesan, our recipe hits the spot. View Recipe 06 of 14 Turkey Monte Cristo Bryan Gardner This turkey Monte Cristo sandwich plays on the diner classic, which is usually made with ham. Really, it's a savory turkey-French toast hybrid. Will you serve it with cranberry sauce or maple syrup? View Recipe 07 of 14 Thanksgiving-Leftovers Shepherd's Pie All the savory Thanksgiving leftovers you have left in your fridge go into this crowd-pleasing dish. Pop it into the oven and voila—you have dinner. View Recipe 08 of 14 Turkey Salad Sandwich Bryan Gardner Open-faced and light, this turkey salad sandwich has fresh, green apples, lemon, and golden raisins. View Recipe 09 of 14 Easy Turkey Stock Go ahead and make a batch of turkey stock. It’s an investment that pays off, since you can freeze and use it for soups, stews, sauces, and more. Plus, it's the best way to spend a few hours on a brisk autumn day. View Recipe 10 of 14 Turkey Noodle Soup For traditionalists, turkey noodle soup will always be the best leftover turkey recipe around. View Recipe 11 of 14 Creamy Leftover-Turkey-and-Rice Soup Johnny Miller Turkey and lemon offer a bright take on avgolemono soup, a restorative dish scented with fresh dill. View Recipe 12 of 14 Turkey Curry Dinner Bryan Gardner A store-bought Indian simmer sauce produces a quick, weeknight curry when you add leftover turkey to it. Make it fun for everyone by placing an assortment of extras, such as coconut, yogurt, and herbs, on the table, and let everyone top their bowls as they like. 13 of 14 Turkey Cobb Salad Serve this lighter meal the day after the big Thanksgiving feast, making use of leftover turkey. View Recipe 14 of 14 Thanksgiving Leftovers Pie Julia Gartland A golden, rustic pie filled to the brim with turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce makes the day after Thanksgiving, or the day after that, feel like a brand-new celebration. View Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit