25 New Ideas for Thanksgiving Leftovers

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

Cranburgers with Sweet Potato Fries

Do you have leftover cranberry sauce? Put it to good use with these hearty, yummy turkey burgers, and finish it up with some sweet potato fries. Voila! Dinner is done.
– Nancy Bourget, Fort Hood, Texas

Sweet Potato Mini Loaves

Here’s a wonderful present for drop-in visitors, the kids’ teachers or neighbors. One batch makes six adorable mini loaves-and you might add some butter or cream cheese for an extra-special present.

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

Crispy Mashed Potato & Stuffing Patties

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

Check out our other leftover stuffing recipes.

Cranberry Salsa Turkey Wraps

Once your family tastes these mouthwatering roll-ups, they’ll never look at leftover turkey the same way! The cranberry salsa combines both sweet and spicy flavors.—Elke Rose, Waukesha, Wisconsin

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Glazed Cranberry Sweet Potato Bread

This recipe stars one of our state’s crops. Topped with an easy orange glaze, slices of the moist bread make a sweet snack
to enjoy anytime. —Sweet Potato Festival Committee, Vardaman, Mississippi

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

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

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!

Day-After-Thanksgiving Turkey Stir-Fry

I work for a priest, Fr. Leo, who loves to cook and shared this recipe with me. Perfect for the day after Thanksgiving, the dish encompasses the holiday spirit, while adding a twist. —Stefen Lovelace, Marriottsville, Maryland

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

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

Cran-Apple Turkey Skillet

You need only one skillet to pull off this delicious meal. Talk about simple! —Lisa Renshaw, Kansas City, Missouri

Turkey & Stuffing Eggs Benedict

This is a fun way to enjoy holiday leftovers as if presenting them for the first time. Serve for brunch, with champagne and cranberry juice. —Brittany Allyn, Mesa, Arizona

Baked Sweet Potato Pudding

I always have lots of leftover sweet potatoes, but when I make this, they're gone faster than you can say "Thanksgiving!" Any ice cream flavor will do, though vanilla bean seems to be an ideal companion. —Joyce Welling, Swanton, Ohio

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.

Turkey-Cranberry Bagels

Take care of that leftover Thanksgiving turkey in a way your family loves. It’s good with all sorts of cranberry sauces and chutneys, so have fun playing around. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen