Last Updated on November 17, 2024 by Kimberly Crawford
Once the holiday has passed and stomachs are hungry again, there is an abundance of leftover food. Try out some new twists on ideas besides the usual turkey sandwich.
One thing about Thanksgiving is for sure; everyone loves the leftovers that seem to last for days after the holiday. The usual favorites, turkey sandwiches with cranberry and mashed potato filling or cold pumpkin pie, could withstand some updating. It’s best to use fresh food so that it will last even longer, and to make Thanksgiving fit into your budget.
Try out these eleven ideas for turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and vegetable leftovers from your Thanksgiving feast, ranging from stuffing-stuffed mushrooms to turkey stir-fry.
Ideas For Turkey Leftovers
#1. Turkey Crostinis
Toast up some crostinis, sliced french bread or rolls in the oven until they are crisp, and top with a thin layer of mayonnaise or mustard, chopped chives, shredded turkey and salt and pepper. Add sliced avocado or crumbled bacon for even more bliss.
#2. Turkey Stir-fry
Use turkey as your main meat for a quick tasty stir-fry. Throw in vegetables from thanksgiving dinner such as broccoli, snow peas, or carrots, and toss in chunks of turkey right before serving so they get quickly seared, then sprinkle with soy sauce and white rice.
#3. Turkey Lasagna
Turn to Italian food after Thanksgiving. Substitute turkey instead of beef for the meat in the lasagna, along with leftover vegetables such as red peppers, spinach or stuffing. Drizzle gravy or turkey sauce over the lasagna right before serving.
#4. Turkey Salad Sandwich
Chop up or shred turkey and mix it up with a little mayonnaise and Dijon mustard, diced celery and onion, and salt and pepper. It’s an interesting twist on the usual turkey sandwich.
#5. Turkey, beef or ham pasta bake
Combine pasta, your cooked main course meat, random veggies such as peas, peppers, carrots, broccoli, etc., and toss in olive oil in a skillet. Add a cream sauce such as gravy if desired, then bake in a dish for about 25 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
#6. Turkey Fajitas
Not feeling the Italian turkey lasagna? Try out turkey fajitas by mixing turkey slices with fajita seasoning and frying it up with onions and peppers in a skillet. Add guacamole, salsa, sour cream, or any other fixings you desire and wrap it up in a warm tortilla.
Ideas For Side Dish Leftovers
#1. Stuffing-stuffed Mushrooms
Mix up leftover stuffing with a handful of grated Parmesan cheese, a dashing of olive oil, some chopped herbs like parsley and minced garlic. Stuff the mixture into mushroom caps and bake for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees. This a great recipe to use up leftover herbs and spices too.
#2. Veggie Packed Frittata
Whip this up for breakfast for a light, filling morning after Thanksgiving breakfast. Gather all leftover veggies (in particular, cauliflower, broccoli, peppers, onion, celery, etc.). Beat together 8 eggs, 1 cup milk, chopped herbs like parsley or chives, salt and pepper.
Add a generous handful of stuffing and two to three cups of the vegetables. Cook the mixture in a skillet until it thickens, then add grated cheddar cheese, letting it simmer for another ten minutes. Broil the pan in the oven for about two to three minutes, then let cool and slice.
#3. Rolls and Bread
Cube these up and freeze them to use in the future for breadcrumbs or croutons. Or, rip them up into bits and serve with spinach and artichoke dip.
#4. Cranberry Freeze
Top ice cream of desserts with the cranberry sauce or salad, or freeze it in cups and eat as a frozen treat topped with whipped cream.
#5. Mashed Potato Patties
Shape these into hash brown patties and cook them in sizzling oil in a skillet for breakfast. Top casseroles or potpies with the mashed potatoes and bake to crisp it on top.
These recipes can take any sort of leftovers from a Thanksgiving feast and turn it into something delicious, simple to create, and also provide a little variation for the taste buds after a large American dinner.
Of course, there is always the old faithful Thanksgiving favorite: a turkey sandwich topped with stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, warmed up in the oven. And if you catch the cold or a flu, consider using leftover turkey to make a Cure A Cold Chicken or Turkey soup.
