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These easy Thanksgiving leftover recipes take your leftover turkey and sides and turn them into completely new dishes, from soups and salads to frittatas, epic sandwiches and pot pies.
Tasty Ways to Use Thanksgiving Leftovers
My favorite part of Thanksgiving are the leftovers — and honestly, that’s where the real cooking fun begins!
That’s where these Thanksgiving leftover recipes come in. They take your typical Thanksgiving leftovers, like turkey and mashed potatoes, and turn them into something completely new.
Turkey and mashed potatoes become a pot pie while turkey and sweet potatoes can be turned into an irresistible frittata perfect for any meal of the day. And that’s just two options!
10+ Easy Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes
And now, without further ado, let’s dive into my favorite Thanksgiving leftover recipes.
Turkey Cuban Sandwich
This turkey Cuban sandwich is an easy way to put those Thanksgiving leftovers to use, and my lightened up recipe won’t weigh you down either!
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Turkey Mashed Potato Pot Pie
Made with your choice of mashed potatoes or mashed sweet potatoes and leftover turkey, these Turkey Mashed Potato Pot Pies are comfort food at its finest. Easy to prepare and customizable.
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Leftover Turkey and Sweet Potato Frittata
Turn your leftover turkey into breakfast or brunch with this Turkey and Sweet Potato Frittata recipe. Made with leftover turkey, cubed sweet potatoes, spinach, and Gruyere it’s a savory and satisfying dish that takes just minutes of prep.
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Leftover Turkey Noodle Soup
Leftover Turkey Noodle Soup is a twist on classic chicken noodle soup and one of my favorite ways to use up any remaining turkey. With noodles and veggies in a simple broth, this is a great recipe for chilly days and freezes well too.
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Leftover Turkey Harvest Cobb Salad
If you’re looking for a lighter Thanksgiving leftover recipe, this Turkey Harvest Cobb Salad is an excellent option! It’s light yet filling, with leftover turkey, sweet potatoes, pecans, and more on a bed of greens.
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Baked Turkey Croquettes
Leftover turkey is combined with mashed potatoes and herbs then breaded and baked to make these Turkey Croquettes. Serve with leftover gravy as an appetizer or entree.
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Open-Faced Turkey Melts
Open-Faced Turkey Melts make a quick and easy lunch by repurposing leftover turkey into a sandwich. Serve with a few of your favorite sides and enjoy.
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Tortilla Soup
Tortilla Soup is made with leftover turkey, crushed tomatoes, and a few pantry staples for a flavorful Mexican-inspired dish. Top with avocado, tortilla strips, shredded cheese, or any other desired garnishes.
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How Long Do Thanksgiving Leftovers Last?
While it will vary slightly depending on the dish, most Thanksgiving leftovers will last for 3 to 4 days in the fridge. That gives you until Monday or so to enjoy them.
Note that if you prepared a dish in advance on Wednesday, that also counts as one day in the fridge, so you should try to eat those leftovers by Sunday.
Most Thanksgiving leftovers, including turkey, can be frozen for a few months. Just cover tightly in plastic wrap and foil or place in an airtight container and freeze.
