Reviewed by: Audrey Johnson
What to do with your leftover Thanksgiving turkey — 4 great recipes
Reading time: 3 minutes
There’s always so much amazing food to eat on Thanksgiving, it can be hard to eat it all in one evening. You’re bound to have some leftovers — why would you just eat some reheated turkey when you have the opportunity to make an all-new, tasty dish?
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, you should only keep your cooked turkey in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, so be sure to try out these recipes sooner rather than later.
1. Turkey, Brie + Cranberry Panini
This recipe is great when you have some leftover cranberry sauce from your Thanksgiving meal, too. Try making this panini that is healthy and packed with flavor that maintains the holiday spirit. We’ve linked a recipe from The Inspired Home above, and you can check out these other recipes:
- Cranberry Turkey Brie Melts by Francesca Zani
- Cranberry Turkey Sandwiches with Brie from The Nessy Kitchen
- Turkey Cranberry Brie Panini from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe
2. Turkey Casserole
If you want to upgrade your leftover turkey into a savory pasta dish, this recipe is for you. The holiday of comfort food just got a little more cozy. We’ve linked a recipe from Food Wishes above, and you can check out some more recipes here:
- Turkey Casserole by Makinze Gore
- Creamy Turkey Casserole from Spend With Pennies
- Easy Turkey Casserole by Sara Welch
3. Thanksgiving Leftover Salad
Turkey salad is delicious and has multiple different applications — spread it on a croissant, put it in a wrap or simply eat it by itself as a side. We’ve linked a recipe from Mama Sue’s Southern Kitchen above, and you can check out some more recipes below:
- The Best Leftover Turkey Salad by Kelly Senyei
- Leftover Turkey Salad from Simply Whisked
- Leftover Turkey Salad from Ahead of Thyme
4. Turkey Chili
Transform your leftover Thanksgiving turkey into a healthy and filling bowl of turkey chili. While this is one of the more simple recipes on this list, it’s nonetheless a tasty comfort food. We’ve attached a recipe for turkey chili mac from Food Wishes above, and be sure to check out some of these extra versions:
- Turkey Chili Recipe by Pierre Franey
- Turkey Chili from Budget Bytes
- The Best Healthy Turkey Chili You’ll Ever Eat from Ambitious Kitchen
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