At the moment, it’s all about 25 scrumptious leftover turkey concepts. For those who’ve ever regarded on the mountain of leftover turkey in your fridge the day after Thanksgiving and puzzled, “What else can I make moreover sandwiches?”, you’re not alone. Thanksgiving dinner is terrific, however by day two, we’re all craving one thing recent, quick, and slightly artistic.
The excellent news? Leftover turkey is likely one of the most versatile components in your kitchen. It’s already cooked, filled with taste, and simple to repurpose into soups, casseroles, sliders, wraps, and comfortable consolation meals that make the vacation weekend and past really feel easy.
Under are 25 straightforward and scrumptious leftover turkey recipes you may make with objects you seemingly have already got available. Whether or not you’re feeding the household, meal prepping, or trying to stretch your funds, these concepts will enable you reinvent each final chunk.
Let me know what you serve on Thanksgiving. I’ve heard folks smoke a turkey, deep-fry a turkey, some buy a spiral-cut ham, and a few serve steaks. I’m pondering filet mignon, oh yeah, that’s a bit dear, however it positive sounds yummy!
25 Straightforward and Scrumptious Leftover Turkey Concepts
1. Turkey Noodle Soup
A basic, comforting approach to make use of leftover turkey. Add celery, carrots, onions, garlic, broth, and egg noodles for a comfy bowl that tastes like house. Linda’s Straightforward-To-Make Turkey Soup
2. Turkey Pot Pie
Creamy gravy, tender turkey, and combined veggies baked underneath a flaky crust. Use pie dough, puff pastry, and even biscuits as a topping. Linda’s Turkey Pot Pie. Pie Pan.
3. Turkey Tacos
Shred leftover turkey, season it with taco seasoning, and cargo it into tortillas with lettuce, salsa, and cheese.
4. Turkey Enchiladas
Combine shredded turkey with cheese, roll in tortillas, cowl with enchilada sauce, and bake till bubbly.
5. Turkey Fried Rice
A fast stovetop recipe utilizing rice, peas, carrots, inexperienced onions, and soy sauce. Unbelievable for busy nights.
6. Turkey & Stuffing Casserole
Layer stuffing, turkey, and gravy in a baking dish. Add veggies for a full one-pan meal. Linda’s Stuffing/Dressing Recipe.
7. Turkey Quesadillas
Turkey plus cheese and slightly salsa or cranberry sauce equals a quick and flavorful lunch.
8. Turkey Chili
Swap hen or beef for turkey in your favourite chili recipe. Beans, tomatoes, and spices make this a hearty and filling dish.
9. Turkey Alfredo Pasta
Creamy Alfredo sauce combined with leftover turkey and fettuccine makes a restaurant-style dinner at house.
10. Turkey Cranberry Sliders
Dinner rolls, sliced turkey, Swiss cheese, cranberry sauce, and a buttery topping baked to perfection.
11. Turkey Salad Sandwiches
Diced turkey, celery, grapes, mayo, salt, and pepper. Serve on croissants or whole-grain bread.
12. Turkey Shepherd’s Pie
Layer turkey with gravy and veggies, then prime with mashed potatoes for a scrumptious next-day consolation dish.
13. Turkey Stuffed Peppers
Mix cooked turkey with rice, veggies, and seasonings, then bake inside bell peppers.
14. Turkey Curry
Simmer turkey with coconut milk, curry paste, and greens for a flavorful twist on leftovers.
15. Turkey Tetrazzini
A creamy pasta bake with mushrooms, peas, and cheese. Wealthy, cozy, and ideal for crowds.
16. Turkey Breakfast Hash
Turkey, potatoes, onions, peppers, and eggs cooked collectively in a single pan—a hearty breakfast or brunch concept.
17. Turkey Wraps
Use turkey instead of deli meat. Add lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, and your favourite dressing for a recent, fast meal. Linda’s How To Make Turkey Cranberry Roll-Ups.
Course:
Appetizer
Delicacies:
American
Servings: 8 folks
:
-
8
ounces
of cream cheese (softened) -
1/4
cup
mayonnaise -
1
14-ounce
can of whole-berry cranberry sauce -
6
10-inch flour tortillas (massive) -
12
slices of thinly sliced turkey -
12
slices of Havarti cheese (it rolls up the easiest) -
2
cups
recent spinach leaves
-
Collect your whole components. Mix the softened cream cheese, mayonnaise, and whole-berry cranberry sauce. I used a hand mixer to make it further easy.
-
Scoop the combination evenly onto the six massive flour tortillas. It’s essential to unfold it to the outer edges as a result of it would make the roll-ups keep collectively after rolling them up. It “seals” the roll-ups.
-
Place 2 slices of turkey in the midst of every tortilla. Subsequent, place the cheese on prime of the turkey slices. Now, place spinach leaves on prime of the cheese.
-
Begin rolling the tortillas in direction of the center of the turkey, cheese, and spinach. Roll the tortillas as tight as attainable.
-
Minimize the ends off to make the tortillas even, if desired. That is non-compulsory, however it makes the rolls look higher once you slice them.
-
After rolling them up individually, place the rolls in plastic wrap, twist the ends of the plastic wrap, so they won’t dry out.
-
Place the roll-ups within the fridge for at the very least 4 hours or in a single day. Simply earlier than serving, take away the plastic wrap and slice them about 1-1/2 inches thick. I extremely advocate serving these with my “The Finest Cranberry Salsa Recipe.”
18. Turkey Pizza
Prime naan flatbread or pizza dough with Alfredo, BBQ sauce, pesto, or marinara. Add turkey and cheese. Bake till golden.
19. Turkey Minestrone Soup
Load your pot with beans, veggies, broth, pasta, and turkey for a nutrient-packed meal.
20. Turkey Cobb Salad
Turkey, avocado, bacon, eggs, tomatoes, cheese, and dressing. A lightweight however satisfying choice.
21. Turkey Stuffed Baked Potatoes
Combine turkey with bitter cream, chives, cheese, or gravy and pile it right into a heat baked potato.
22. Turkey BBQ Sandwiches
Stir the shredded turkey into the BBQ sauce and warmth. Serve on buns with coleslaw.
23. Turkey & Rice Casserole
Creamy, comforting, and budget-friendly. Add veggies, broth, and rice for an entire meal.
24. Turkey Ramen Bowls
Add turkey to ramen noodles with broth, greens, and a soft-boiled egg for a easy, upgraded lunch.
25. Turkey Stir-Fry
A quick approach to make use of leftover veggies and leftovers. Add teriyaki or soy sauce to carry all of it collectively.
The way to Retailer Leftover Turkey Safely (So It Stays Recent & Scrumptious)
After an enormous vacation meal, most of us find yourself with loads of leftover turkey—and storing it correctly is the important thing to preserving it secure, flavorful, and able to use in your favourite next-day recipes. Improperly saved turkey can spoil shortly or develop dangerous micro organism, however with a number of easy steps, you may lengthen its life and keep away from waste.
Right here’s your full information to storing leftover turkey safely within the fridge, freezer, and even for long-term meal prep. Fridge Containers.
1. Cool the Turkey Shortly
Micro organism develop quicker within the “hazard zone” between 40°F and 140°F, so cooling issues.
Ideas:
- Don’t go away cooked turkey out longer than 2 hours.
- Take away the meat from the carcass to hurry cooling.
- Unfold massive parts into shallow containers.
This helps the turkey attain a secure temperature shortly and evenly.
2. Retailer Leftover Turkey in Hermetic Containers
As soon as cooled, place the turkey into:
- Hermetic containers
- Resealable freezer baggage
- Glass meal-prep containers
- Vacuum-sealed baggage (finest for long-term storage)
Eradicating as a lot air as attainable retains it more energizing and helps forestall freezer burn.
3. Refrigerate Inside 2 Hours
After carving and cooling, leftovers should be refrigerated inside 2 hours.
Fridge Storage Time:
3–4 days at 40°F or under.
If you gained’t eat the turkey inside that point, freeze it straight away.
4. Freeze Leftover Turkey for Lengthy-Time period Use
Turkey freezes fantastically and retains its taste when appropriately packed.
Freezer Storage Time:
- As much as 3 months for highest quality
- As much as 6 months if vacuum-sealed
The way to freeze turkey:
- Portion it into usable quantities (1-3 cups per bag).
- Label with the date.
- Squeeze out extra air, then freeze flat.
You may as well freeze turkey in gravy, which helps it keep moist.
5. Reheat Turkey to a Protected Temperature
While you’re able to get pleasure from your leftovers, reheat them to (165°F) = (73°C) internally.
Straightforward reheating concepts:
- In a lined pan with a splash of broth to forestall dryness
- Within the oven, wrapped in foil
- Within the microwave with a humid paper towel
Keep away from reheating the identical leftovers greater than as soon as—solely heat what you’ll eat.
6. Know When to Throw It Out
In case your turkey has:
- A bitter odor
- Slimy texture
- Grey or uninteresting coloring
- Been within the fridge longer than 4 days
…it’s safer to discard it.
Meals security at all times comes first.
Remaining Phrase
Storing leftover turkey safely is easy as soon as the fundamentals: cool it shortly, retailer it in hermetic containers, refrigerate inside 2 hours, and freeze what you may’t use inside a number of days. These steps hold your vacation leftovers recent, scrumptious, and prepared for soups, casseroles, sliders, and all the comfortable meals you like.
Leftover turkey doesn’t must really feel repetitive. With just some pantry staples and slightly creativity, you may flip your vacation leftovers into scrumptious meals everybody will love. From cozy soups to straightforward casseroles and recent wraps, these recipes make it easy to reinvent Thanksgiving turkey all week lengthy. Could God bless this world, Linda
