Don’t throw out your Thanksgiving leftovers. Save them to create these Thanksgiving leftover recipes. There are so many delicious options you will enjoy unique dishes for days!
Americans throw away around 200 million pounds of edible turkey meat at Thanksgiving, that’s about 35 percent of edible turkey meat. That’s around $282 million worth of meat! And think of all the sides that are wasted as well.
Considering the history of Thanksgiving and how starvation and lack of food played such a big role, it’s almost ironic how many Thanksgiving leftovers we now waste.
Reducing food waste is something I’m always working on. I feel such guilt when I waste food considering the resources and money needed for that food, plus knowing so many are going hungry.
We spend a lot of money on Thanksgiving and soon Christmas will be here, this isn’t a time to be wasteful. When you instead use Thanksgiving leftover recipes you save money and get to enjoy the delicious food longer.
Don’t worry, I’m not suggesting you eat the same meal for days. There are great ways to use your Thanksgiving leftovers in new and delicious ways.
Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes
Leftover Turkey
Use these delicious turkey recipes to use up all of that turkey meat you have leftover. These recipes can also be used with chicken and some can use ham.
Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey Pesto Panini
This loaded panini is one of the perfect ways to use up your leftover Thanksgiving turkey!
Easy Turkey Pot Pie Recipe
This simple pot pie can use leftover turkey, chicken, or ham. Be sure to throw in some leftover veggies as well.
SAVORY CREPES with THANKSGIVING TURKEY & STUFFING
Looking for a breakfast that not only tastes great but also helps to clear out some of the Thanksgiving leftovers in the fridge? These Savory Crepes with Turkey and Stuffing are fantastic additions to the menu!
Thanksgiving Leftovers Crescent Dough Bombs
Need an easy recipe to use up some of your Thanksgiving leftovers? These Thanksgiving Crescent Dough Bombs are the perfect baked lunch or appetizer recipe to use up leftover turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and sweet potato casserole.
Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey Pizza
Homemade pizza crust topped off with mashed potatoes, turkey, stuffing, and more!
Leftover Turkey Recipe
This Leftover Turkey Pho Recipe is ready in under 15 minutes but you’d never know it. It has a huge depth of flavor, just like traditional Pho.
Thanksgiving Leftovers Quiche Recipe
This Thanksgiving Leftovers Quiche recipe features cooked leftovers from a turkey holiday dinner. The addition of sweet potato casserole and cranberry sauce makes this quiche both sweet and savory.
Leftover Turkey-Cranberry Monte Cristo Sandwiches
Leftover turkey becomes next-level deliciousness with these Leftover Turkey-Cranberry Monte Cristo Sandwiches.
Turkey Enchiladas
Easy cheesy turkey and black bean enchiladas! Perfect for using up leftover turkey!
Crockpot Turkey Chili Recipe
This crockpot turkey chili is a really easy way to use up some leftovers without much cooking involved.
Turkey Corn Chowder Recipe
This turkey corn chowder recipe is my family’s favorite leftovers recipe. It’s hearty, satisfying, and healthy.
Thanksgiving Monte Cristo with Apricot Cranberry Dipping Sauce
Tired of turkey sandwiches or simply want to take it to a new level, try this Thanksgiving Monte Cristo. Add an apricot cranberry dipping sauce and you’ve got something truly special.
Leftover Mashed Potatoes
Not sure how to use mashed potato leftovers? Try these delicious recipes.
Homemade Gnocchi
You'll want to make extra mashed potatoes to be sure you have some leftovers to make this homemade gnocchi.
Leftover Mashed Potato Puffs
Let’s give thanks to eggs, sour cream, cheddar, Parmesan, and chives for giving leftover mashed potatoes (Or fresh – if you don’t have any leftovers!) a new lease on life!
Cheesy Leftover Mashed Potato Pancakes
Transform spare spuds into this quick and easy recipe for Cheesy Leftover Mashed Potato Pancakes!
Mashed Potato Soup
Mashed Potato Soup is a great way to use up leftover mashed potatoes. This quick-cooking soup comes together in 30 minutes with just 6 ingredients. Even better, your family will never know they are eating the leftover mashed potatoes!
Mom's Potato Rolls
Potato rolls are fluffy, soft, slightly sweet, and nearly perfect in every way! Plus, if you have leftover mashed potatoes, this is a great way to get rid of them!
Fried Mashed Potato Balls
These Fried Mashed Potato Balls are super creamy on the inside and crispy on the outside! A perfect appetizer recipe for using up leftover mashed potatoes!
Easy Shepherd's Pie
Easy Shepherd's Pie is a one-pan skillet dinner loaded with savory ground beef and colorful veggies. And it's the perfect recipe for using up those leftover mashed potatoes!
Loaded Mashed Potato Bake
This Loaded Mashed Potato Bake casserole is the most delicious way to use up leftover mashed potatoes. It’s loaded with bacon, cheese, and sour cream!
Pierogi Lasagna Rolls
Lasagna rolls stuffed with mashed potatoes and cheese! Comfort food at its best.
Leftover Sweet Potatoes
While sweet potatoes can be used in some of the mashed potato recipes these recipes are made just for sweet potatoes and are so good!
Sweet Potato Pancakes
Leftover mashed sweet potatoes are not easy to reheat and serve without turning them too dry or worse, scorching them on the bottom of a pan. Instead of trying, use them as the base for moist, tender, and delicious pancakes for breakfast.
Sweet Potato Biscuits Recipe
Looking for Thanksgiving leftover recipes? This easy Sweet Potato Biscuits recipe uses leftover sweet potato casserole – even if you make it with marshmallows on top!
Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie
Shepherd’s pie gets a flavorful twist with whipped sweet potatoes scented with maple and orange zest. Comfort food you can feel good about eating.
Sweet Potato Spudnuts
Sweet Potato Spudnuts or Potato donuts are the lightest and fluffiest donuts you may ever eat.
Spiced Cornmeal Sweet Potato Waffles
Make breakfast wonderful with this delicious sweet potato waffle recipe made with aromatic spices, cubed sweet potatoes, and nutty cornmeal.
Sweet Potato Croquettes
Crispy and flavorful, these sweet potato croquettes are a great way to enjoy this popular tuber. Kids love snacking on these! Think of them as a sweet potato hash brown.
Sweet Potato Rolls
These rolls are a great way to use up old sweet potatoes or new sweet potatoes.
Leftover Stuffing/Dressing
No matter if you call it dressing or stuffing these are great ways to use up any you have leftover.
Mashed Potato & Stuffing Patties
These Mashed Potato and Stuffing Patties are the perfect recipe to use up not only stuffing but also mashed potatoes.
Leftover Stuffin' Muffins
These great little muffins are a super flexible way to combine your leftovers into a “new” meal and avoid Thanksgiving burnout.
Leftover Stuffing Waffles
Transform leftover stuffing into Leftover Stuffing Waffles! This favorite Thanksgiving side gets repurposed into a hot, crispy canvas perfect for topping with cranberry sauce, gravy or even a fried egg.
Turkey & Stuffing Turnovers
Turkey & Stuffing Turnovers are a delicious (and easy!) way to use your Thanksgiving dinner leftovers to create a second meal your family will love!
Leftover Stuffing and Chorizo Egg Cups
If you’re looking for new ways to make eggs, you’ll want to check this recipe out. You'll also be able to use up some leftover stuffing.
Stuffing Frittata
The perfect post-Thanksgiving brunch recipe.
Turkey, Stuffing and Cranberry Sausage Rolls
Turkey, Stuffing and Cranberry Sausage Rolls are a great use of Thanksgiving & Christmas turkey leftovers all rolled up in flaky puff pastry.
Leftover Cranberry Sauce
It doesn't matter if it's homemade cranberry sauce or store-bought, these recipes are great for using any you have leftover.
Cranberry Cream Cheese Danish Recipe
These cranberry cream cheese danishes are made using crescent roll dough making them easy to whip up.
Vintage Cranberry Banana Bread
This vintage recipe makes a delicious and unique banana bread using leftover cranberry sauce.
Vintage Cranberry Glazed Ham Recipe
Leftover cranberry sauce makes an amazing glaze for ham and is so easy to make.
French Toast Stuffed with Cranberry Cream Cheese
This is the sort of breakfast that makes someone feel special (and impressed) when you make it for them. And it’s oh so festive and pretty.
Cranberry Thumbprint Cookies With Almond Glaze
If you do, these cranberry thumbprint cookies are perfect for that last bit of cranberry sauce that didn’t get gobbled up.
Leftover Cranberry Sauce and Apple Crisp
This quick and easy recipe stars a simple crisp topping crumbled over green apple splices tossed with leftover cranberry sauce.
Cranberry Pecan Crusted Salmon
Snag some yummy leftover cranberry sauce to whip up this sweet + savory salmon! This Cranberry Pecan Crusted Salmon makes a perfect post-Thanksgiving lunch or dinner!
Cranberry Balsamic Glazed Cauliflower Wings
Cranberry Balsamic Cauliflower Wings are great gluten-free appetizers for Thanksgiving or Christmas, or a tasty veggie side dish any time.
Cranberry Sauce Grilled Cheese
This grilled cheese is like that brie en croûte appetizer everyone always loves, but you get your own entire sandwich. Gooey, melty cheese, perfectly toasted bread, and sweet-tart cranberry sauce–it’s just so right.
Get a Christmas Planner
Now that Thanksgiving is over, it’s time to start planning for Christmas. One of the easiest ways to do that is with my Christmas planner.
It’s a digital download so you can start using it right away! It’s also undated so you can use it year after year without having to buy anything new.
Green Bean
Totally pinning this! Always looking for ways to reduce holiday food waste. Some of these potato recipes look delicious!
anna@greentalk
Mashed potato soup? Wow. These are fantastic recipes. Sharing as well.
Betsy (Eco-novice)
Wow, stuffing waffles! So many of these recipes look AMAZING.
Hannah @ Eat, Drink, and Save Money
Thanks for featuring my cranberry salsa! These are all amazing ideas.