Home Holidays Thanksgiving
ByCaroline Stanko
Taste of Home's Editorial Process
Updated: Mar. 05, 2024
We spend hours preparing a lavish meal, so why let a single bite go to waste? Reinvent spare turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing and cranberry sauce with these Thanksgiving leftover recipes.
1/23
Anytime Turkey Chili
I created this dish to grab the voters’ attention at a chili contest we held in our backyard. With pumpkin, brown sugar and cooked turkey, it’s like an entire Thanksgiving dinner in one bowl. –Brad Bailey of Cary, North Carolina
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2/23
Turkey Enchiladas Verdes
Planning a fiesta night? These authentic-tasting enchiladas in spicy green sauce will please the whole family and you’ll be thankful for turkey leftovers. —Karyn Power, Arlington, Texas
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3/23
Talk about a fun way to use holiday leftovers! Making this turkey and stuffing patty is so fast. The family looks forward to this breakfast treat every year. —Kellie Ferea, Casa Grande, Arizona
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Check out our other leftover stuffing recipes.
4/23
47 Best Leftover Turkey Recipes
There’s no better way to enjoy Thanksgiving extras than with these delicious leftover turkey recipes. With these easy recipes, you’ll never wonder what to do with leftover turkey again.
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5/23
Turkey Biscuit Skillet
My mother always made this while we were growing up. Now I make it for my own husband and kids. I use the small-size biscuits because they brown up so nicely on top. I also add mushrooms to this recipe sometimes because my family loves ’em. —Keri Boffeli, Monticello, Iowa
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6/23
BLT Turkey Salad
This variation of a BLT salad goes great with a side of garlic bread or garlic toast, and will satisfy even the pickiest eaters. —Sherry Conley, Noel Hants County, Nova Scotia
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7/23
Sweet Potato-Cranberry Doughnuts
I grew up near Idaho, which is famous for spudnuts, a doughnut made from mashed potatoes. I reworked a recipe using sweet potatoes and cranberries to come up with this variation. I like to serve them for dessert. —Joni Hilton, Rocklin, California
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8/23
Southwestern Turkey Bake
I make this turkey bake as a way to get my husband and nieces to eat their vegetables. It’s also perfect if you’re wondering what to do with leftover turkey. This creamy entree will fill you up fast. —Crystal Kolady, Henrietta, New York
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9/23
Fried Sweet Potato Pies
With my dad being a farmer who grew them, sweet potatoes have graced our table for as long as I can recall. This recipe, however, resulted from an experiment at a church bake sale when we had excess pastry. People couldn’t get enough! —Marilyn Moseley, Toccoa, Georgia
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10/23
Turkey Dinner Muffins
“I love experimenting in the kitchen,” relates Margaret Berardi of Bridgeport, Connecticut. “That’s how I created these muffins that use up leftovers from a turkey dinner. Team them with a bowl of soup and some fresh fruit for a satisfying lunch,” she suggests.
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11/23
Sweet Potato Cinnamon Bread
My family loves quick breads. This one is moist and spicy. If you don’t have mini loaf pans it works just as well in regular size pans. —Nancy Foust, Stoneboro, Pennsylvania
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12/23
Turkey Lattice Pie
With its pretty lattice crust, this cheesy baked dish looks as good as it tastes. It’s easy to make, too, since it uses ready-to-go crescent roll dough. —Lorraine Naig, Emmetsburg, Iowa
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13/23
Cranberry Sweet-and-Sour Pork
This fresh take on a beloved Asian-style dish is sure to cause a stir at the dinner table. —Gert Snyder, West Montrose, Ontario
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14/23
Spicy Turkey Quesadillas
A bit of spice livens up cranberries and turkey while fat-free cream cheese rounds out the bold flavors in this easy dish. You’ll love this recipe from our Test Kitchen!
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15/23
16/23
Cranberry-Walnut Oatmeal
My family loves cranberries but we can get them fresh only during the holiday season. This recipe lets us enjoy the tartness of cranberry with the comfort of oatmeal all year long. —Teena Petrus, Johnstown, Pennsylvania
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17/23
Weeknight Turkey Tortilla Soup
This is now my family’s most requested soup—so much so that they will make sure I have leftover turkey. You can spice up this soup and make it more hearty by adding smoked sausage or andouille and some Cajun seasoning to taste. —Gail Lucas, Olive Branch, Mississippi
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18/23
19/23
20/23
21/23
Mallow-Topped Sweet Potatoes
My grandmother always served this sweet potato casserole at Thanksgiving. The puffy marshmallow topping gives the dish a festive look, and spices enhance the sweet potato flavor. —Edna Hoffman, Hebron, Indiana
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22/23
Acorn Squash with Leftover Stuffing
Our Test Kitchen offer up this unique way to present leftover stuffing. Serve this squash as a hearty side dish or as a meatless entree.
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23/23
47 Best Leftover Turkey Recipes
There’s no better way to enjoy Thanksgiving extras than with these delicious leftover turkey recipes. With these easy recipes, you’ll never wonder what to do with leftover turkey again.
Go to Article
Originally Published: November 21, 2022
Author
Caroline Stanko
As editor, Caroline researches, writes and edits all things food and beverage and helps produce videos for Taste of Home. With seven years at TOH under her belt, Caroline has worked on the print, SIP and digital teams. When she’s not at her desk, you can probably find Caroline mixing up a killer co*cktail, reading a dog-eared library book or cooki...
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