Thanksgiving has come and gone, and now you have a fridge full of turkey and all the trimmings. Rather than making the same old sandwiches or re-heated plates, give your leftovers a makeover with one of these new takes on leftovers.
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10 amazing recipes to make with your Thanksgiving leftovers
Baked Stuffing
Use up your stuffing at breakfast the next morning with these stuffing “nests.” Use a muffin pan to create the base, then crack an egg into each one and bake until they’re perfectly poached. Recipe: Jillianharris.com
Buffalo Turkey Sandwich
Upgrade your traditional turkey sandwich with some Buffalo hot sauce. Toss the meat in the sauce of your choosing (melted butter and any old hot sauce will do, too), and load up on a bun along with a dollop of cool celery yogurt. Recipe: Fakefoodfree.com
Lemongrass Turkey Soup
Give a bit of Southeast Asian inspiration to your usual turkey soup with lemongrass, ginger, and cilantro. Top your bowl with bean sprouts, sliced hot peppers, and green onions for full flavour. Recipe: Myrecipes.com
Turkey Pocket Pies
Kids will love these leftovers in a pocket! Mix together a filling of turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and cranberry sauce, and roll them into pockets made from pastry dough. If you have lots of leftovers to work with, make enough to freeze for future snacks. Recipe: Marthastewart.com
Sweet Potato Hash
Transform your dinner into brunch the next morning—if you’re not already stuffed—with this sweet potato hash. Serve it as a main with a salad or leftover veggies, or as a side dish alongside a plate of breakfast eggs. Recipe: Finecooking.com
Turkey Tacos
Turn your turkey into Tex-Mex with these tacos that make it easy to use up every last little bit of bird. The finishing touch is a sweet and spicy kick with some cranberry-ginger salsa and as much jalapeno as you can handle. Recipe: Simplerecipes.com
Turkey Primavera
Pasta recipes are great for using up veggies and, best of all, a bowl of creamy primavera will feel like a totally different dinner from your Thanksgiving meal. Load up your pasta with any leftover vegetables—carrots, mushrooms, zucchini, and asparagus are all great—and toss with cream sauce. Recipe: Tasteofhome.com
Cranberry Cocktails
Surprise! Leftovers aren’t just good for re-heating and eating—you can also turn them into drinks, like these three cocktails that use up the last of your jellied cranberry sauce. Pick your poison: gin, rum, or rye, and mix accordingly. Recipe: Buzzfeed.com
Mashed Potato Patties
If you’ve got more potato left than you know what to do with, mix it with stuffing and turkey to create these fried patties. Serve them alongside turkey soup or a salad for an easy all-in-one lunch the next day. Recipe: Pocketchangegourmet.com
Turkey Bolognese
Pasta bolognese doesn’t have to be a red meat dish. Shredded turkey (preferably dark meat) works just as well and won’t seem like a typical leftover meal. Pair it with a glass of leftover wine—if there is any. Recipe: Foodnetwork.com
