20 Tasty Leftover Turkey Recipes

Turkey Tetrazzini, fondly known as "Turkey Etcetrazzini" when made with Thanksgiving leftovers, is a beloved American comfort dish that transforms turkey into a creamy, pasta-based casserole.

The dish combines turkey with pasta, usually spaghetti or linguine, in a rich, savory sauce, making it an ideal choice for cold weather and post-holiday meals.

The base of the dish is a creamy sauce made from butter, flour, chicken or turkey broth, and cream or milk. This white sauce is often enriched with mushrooms, peas, and a medley of seasonings such as garlic, onions, and herbs. The cooked turkey is mixed into the sauce, ensuring each bite of pasta is infused with tender meat.

This turkey pozole is an excellent option for repurposing holiday leftovers! It's a hearty and flavorful Mexican soup that substitutes the traditional pork with turkey, making it a lighter yet equally delicious variant. The dish features hominy, a type of dried maize kernel, which is soaked and cooked until it becomes tender and chewy.

The rich broth is seasoned with a variety of spices such as cumin, garlic, and chili. Topped with fresh ingredients like radishes, cilantro, lime, and avocado, turkey pozole provides a comforting and nutritious meal, ideal for gatherings or a hearty family dinner.

Turkey Torta is a sandwich that creatively repurposes Thanksgiving leftovers into a Mexican-inspired treat. This dish layers slices of roasted turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and sometimes even mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes between slices of bolillo or telera bread.

The sandwich is typically grilled or pressed to meld the flavors together, creating a warm, crispy exterior and a gooey, savory interior. What makes Turkey Torta unique is its fusion of traditional American Thanksgiving ingredients with Mexican culinary influences, such as the addition of spicy salsa or creamy avocado spread as condiments.

These enchiladas are filled with tender turkey meat, then rolled in soft corn tortillas and smothered with a tangy green salsa made from tomatillos, green chilies, cilantro, and garlic. The dish is topped with melted cheese, often queso fresco or Monterey Jack, and baked until bubbly and golden.

Garnish with sliced radishes, fresh cilantro, and a dollop of sour cream for a satisfying, comforting meal that’s easy to prepare and bursting with flavor. This recipe is perfect for utilizing leftover turkey from holiday meals, ensuring nothing goes to waste while offering a fresh, zesty twist.

Combining layers of turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and other holiday favorites, this casserole brings all the beloved flavors of Thanksgiving together in one bite. It's often topped with a layer of cheese or a crispy breadcrumb crust, then baked until everything melds together beautifully.

The process of making a TLC is both practical and nostalgic. It's a practical solution for managing leftovers, reducing food waste, and streamlining post-holiday meal prep. At the same time, it evokes the warm, communal spirit of Thanksgiving, allowing families to continue enjoying the flavors of the holiday in a new form.

This turkey potpie recipe combines leftover roast turkey with a variety of fresh and frozen vegetables, a flavorful sauce, and a buttery crust. Carrots, celery, and onion provide a burst of flavor and texture, while peas and potatoes add substance.

If you have any leftover roasted potatoes or carrots from your holiday meal, they make a great addition. For a decorative twist, use a cookie cutter to create shapes in the crust before placing it over the filling—arrange these shapes along the edges or across the top.

If you prefer, substitute leftover rotisserie chicken or roast chicken for the turkey, or skip the meat entirely for a vegetarian potpie option.

This dish usually includes diced or shredded turkey meat mixed with classic Thanksgiving sides like stuffing, mashed potatoes, and sometimes a bit of cranberry sauce or gravy. These ingredients are folded into a pocket of pizza dough or puff pastry, resulting in a hearty and flavorful filling.

What sets the Bistro Turkey Calzone apart is its elegant touch, often incorporating gourmet elements such as caramelized onions, brie cheese, or herbs like sage and thyme. This elevates the flavors to complement the atmosphere of a cozy bistro, where rustic and refined flavors come together seamlessly.

For those who adore wings and pizza alike, why not enjoy both? Substitute turkey for chicken in this recipe to transform your leftovers into something truly delightful. Tender turkey pieces are coated in buffalo sauce—a zesty mixture of hot sauce and butter—that gives the meat a tangy and spicy kick.

The buffalo turkey is then spread over a pizza crust along with mozzarella cheese, blue cheese crumbles, and occasionally celery or red onion for extra texture and freshness. Bake the pizza until the crust turns golden and the cheese melts to perfection.

This Italian-inspired creation features slices of roasted turkey layered with cranberry sauce and often includes additional ingredients like creamy brie or tangy goat cheese. The sandwich is then grilled or pressed, which not only warms the ingredients but also crisps the bread to perfection.

What makes this sandwich unique is its well-balanced mix of savory and sweet flavors, elevated by the melted cheese and toasted bread. This combination makes for a comforting yet sophisticated sandwich experience, ideal for enjoying leftover turkey in a fresh and flavorful way.

Imagine tender pieces of leftover turkey simmered in a flavorful broth with ramen noodles, alongside vegetables such as carrots and bok choy, garnished with green onions, sesame seeds, and a boiled egg. This dish combines the comfort of homemade soup with the unexpected twist of holiday flavors.

The broth, often prepared from scratch using turkey bones and aromatics like ginger and garlic, provides a robust base that complements the tender turkey meat and vegetables perfectly. The addition of soy sauce or miso paste enhances the savory profile, while chili oil or sriracha can add a spicy kick.

One of the highlights of roasting a whole turkey is the abundance of leftover meat that follows the main meal. A standout among leftover turkey recipes is this simple turkey shepherd’s pie, known for its adaptability as you can incorporate leftover side dishes from the rest of your dinner.

It features layers of succulent turkey, corn, turkey gravy, stuffing, and a creamy mashed potato topping. This dish promises a delicious and versatile meal, with fresh thyme and sage complementing the turkey perfectly, offering an additional layer of flavor when sprinkled lightly throughout the pie.

If you have leftover turkey and crave something beyond traditional holiday fare, try making this turkey curry with cauliflower, carrots, and mango chutney to serve over rice. The curry simmers until the turkey absorbs the rich flavors of the sauce, resulting in tender, flavorful meat.

Depending on personal preference, the dish can be mild or spicy, with additional ingredients like onions, garlic, tomatoes, and bell peppers adding depth and complexity to the curry.

Perfect for colder months or whenever you desire a hearty and flavorful meal, this dish celebrates both Western and Asian culinary traditions.

You only need one pot and half an hour to prepare this delicious and hearty chowder, which cooks quickly and is packed with turkey, potatoes, and corn. This Turkey Corn Chowder is essentially a "dump and cook" soup, where you simply add all the ingredients to the pot and let it simmer for about 30 minutes. It's that easy!

The flavor is so satisfying that you'll appreciate having leftover turkey. The dish is often enhanced with herbs like thyme or parsley, as well as seasonings such as garlic powder or paprika, adding depth to the flavors.

Another great thing? You're not limited to just turkey; you can also use leftover chicken, baked ham, shrimp, or whatever you prefer.

Grape tomatoes and avocado chunks contribute vibrant colors and refreshing flavors to this salad that can serve as a main dish. If needed, you can replace whipping cream with half-and-half or milk gradually until you achieve the desired texture.

In a large bowl, whisk together canola oil, sour cream, heavy whipping cream, salt, and minced garlic until the mixture is smooth. Add greens, turkey, avocado, and tomatoes to the bowl, tossing everything together until evenly coated. Finish by sprinkling coarse ground pepper on top. Serve promptly.

This recipe is perfect when craving Mexican flavors and looking to use turkey. These roll-ups are both fun and delicious, appealing even to kids. It's a creative way to enjoy leftover turkey, featuring thinly sliced turkey combined with ingredients like black beans, corn, diced tomatoes, and shredded cheese.

These fillings are wrapped in flour tortillas, which are then rolled up and baked until the tortillas are crispy and the cheese is melted. Ingredients such as salsa, cilantro, avocado slices, and lime juice may also be added for extra freshness and zing.

Serve the roll-ups with sour cream, guacamole, or extra salsa on the side for dipping.

This risotto typically includes diced or shredded turkey combined with a variety of mushrooms such as cremini or shiitake, which are sauteed to bring out their earthy flavors.

The dish begins with Arborio rice, which is slowly simmered in broth (chicken or turkey broth) until it becomes creamy and tender, absorbing the robust flavors of the mushrooms and turkey.

White wine is often added during cooking to deepen the flavor profile. Parmesan cheese and butter are stirred in towards the end to impart a luxurious texture and richness to the risotto. It is often garnished with fresh herbs like parsley or thyme for added freshness and aroma.

This one-pan dish begins with lean ground turkey cooked to perfection, seasoned with classic Italian herbs like oregano, basil, and thyme for an aromatic base. Fresh garlic and onions sauteed in olive oil add depth, while vibrant bell peppers and juicy tomatoes bring a burst of color and freshness.

To enhance the richness, tomato paste and a splash of red wine are added, creating a robust sauce that coats every ingredient. The dish is finished with a generous handful of grated Parmesan cheese, melting into the sauce and adding a creamy, salty note that ties everything together.

Serve it piping hot, ideally over al dente pasta or alongside crusty Italian bread.

Despite being packed with nutritious vegetables and turkey, this soup is surprisingly low in calories. The sweetness of the squash complements the richness of the turkey, creating a balanced and satisfying dish.

Aromatics such as onions, garlic, and herbs elevate the soup's complexity, while a savory broth brings all the flavors together seamlessly.

Variations may include subtle additions of warming spices or a dollop of cream to enhance its texture with a creamy richness. This soup is ideal for chilly days or whenever you desire a comforting and nourishing dish.

This turkey and biscuit casserole is an ideal way to make use of any leftover turkey you might have on hand. It features flavors reminiscent of a classic chicken pot pie but with a twist—biscuits serve as the crust! Plus, it's all prepared in a single skillet, making cleanup a breeze.

Whether you opt for homemade or store-bought biscuits, they bake up beautifully golden in the oven. The biscuits not only contribute fluffiness and texture but also absorb the savory goodness of the filling as they cook.

This dish is adaptable, allowing for customization with a variety of herbs and spices to cater to different preferences.

You can turn your leftover turkey into wonderfully crispy, juicy shreds that closely resemble carnitas, without the need for lard or extended cooking time. This method works best with leftover dark meat from thighs, drumsticks, wings, and carcass scraps. Simmer the meat until it's tender and falling apart.

Then, simply shred it finely and fry it until crispy. Fold and gently stir the crisped bits back into the meat until it reaches your desired crispiness. It's a straightforward technique that produces delicious turkey carnitas, perfect for tacos, burritos, quesadillas, and nachos.