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If you’re still making your way through Thursday’s bountiful leftovers, look to one of these simple, cozy ways to transform your turkey into a whole new meal!
These dinners, from veggie-loaded stews to high-stacked sandwiches, mix the savory, herby flavors of Thanksgiving with some pantry ingredients, like rice, frozen vegetables and sandwich bread, so you can stay in and finish those leftovers. Recipes like our Turkey Enchiladas and Turkey Hand Pies are tasty ways to keep enjoying one of the best meals of the year.
Turkey Enchiladas
Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf
These turkey enchiladas take only 10 minutes to prep, so you’ll have dinner ready in a jiff.
Cream of Turkey & Wild Rice Soup
This delicious dish is a twist on a classic creamy turkey and wild rice soup that hails from Minnesota. Serve with a crisp romaine salad and whole-grain bread.
Turkey Hand Pies
These hand pies are Thanksgiving all wrapped up in flaky pastry so you can enjoy all of your holiday favorites in one bite.
Leftover Turkey Stew
This hearty stew is just about the best use of Thanksgiving leftovers we can think of. And we don’t just mean the turkey—leftover gravy is used to add flavor and body.
Turkey Potpie
This potpie is loaded with veggies, a creamy sauce and turkey, of course. It’s topped with a prepared whole-wheat crust so there’s no need to make dough.
Open-Face Hot Turkey Sandwich
This open-face sandwich tastes like Thanksgiving on a plate. Classic holiday flavors like cranberry sauce, sage and thyme make for a delicious use of leftovers.
Lemon-Turkey Soup
This healthy veggie-loaded soup is an easy way to use up leftover Thanksgiving turkey. Adding the lemon juice right before serving sharpens the taste, making it light and bright.
Foh Gai Jook (Turkey Jook)
Jook is what the Cantonese call rice porridge. Frequently eaten either at breakfast or as a late-night snack, jook is a comfort food beloved in many Asian cultures—Chinese, Japanese, Malaysian, Thai, Filipino and more. This homey rice porridge is a delicious way to repurpose your turkey carcass.
Hot Turkey Pesto Sandwich
This sandwich features herby pesto and fresh mozzarella cheese, which melts beautifully, creating a gooey, cheesy bite.
Baked Sweet Potatoes with Cranberries & Turkey
Give leftover turkey new life with these delicious stuffed potatoes. A drizzle of homemade honey-mustard dressing soaks into the hot potatoes, adding tons of flavor.
Turkey, Pasta & Vegetable Soup
This simple soup is full of vegetables and shredded turkey, making it perfect for after the holidays. Adding Parmesan rind provides a rich umami flavor.
The Ultimate Turkey Avocado Sandwich
Packed with leftover turkey, bacon, cranberry sauce and more, this sandwich is sure to satisfy. If you really want to do this sandwich up, sear a slice of stuffing or bread pudding until it’s nice and crispy and put it between the turkey and avocado.
Creamy Turkey & Vegetable Soup
The vegetables in this comforting turkey soup are perfectly tender and the broth is creamy and flavorful—perfect for when there’s a chill in the air!
Turkey-Apple-Brie Sandwiches
Hollowed-out baguettes hold a satisfying combo of tart apples, creamy Brie and protein-rich, shredded turkey.
Turkey & Brown Rice Chili
This hearty chili takes just 35 minutes to prep. While it’s cooking, you’ll have time to throw together a green salad and warm up some crusty bread to complete the meal.
Turkey & Leek Shepherd’s Pie
The mashed potato-covered shepherd’s pie was originally created to use up the leftovers from a festive roast. This version blends peas, leeks and carrots with diced turkey, all in a creamy herb sauce.