Leftover Turkey Recipes (2024)

If you’re wondering what to do with leftover turkey, look no further!

Leftovers are one of my favorite parts of the holidays since it means easy meals for days or weeks to come (YAY!!).

Below is a collection of the best leftover turkey recipes and ideas. Create a new recipe like turkey soup or keep it simple with a hot turkey sandwich, the possibilities are endless!

Leftover Turkey Recipes (1)

What to Make With Leftover Turkey

When it comes to leftover turkey ideas there is no shortage. Especially when you consider that almost every recipe made with chicken is great with turkey too!

A delicious turkey pot pie or turkey salad sandwich are just some of the delicious ways to use it.

Bones, Neck, Giblets, and Carcass

  • If you make roast or spatchco*ck turkey, keep the backbone to add to turkey broth for soup.
  • Use the carcass or the neck from your Thanksgiving turkey for turkey stock. This can also be made in the Instant Pot or slow cooker.
  • Use the giblets in gravy or add them to leftover stuffing. If you’d like, keep the livers to make patè.
Leftover Turkey Recipes (2)
Leftover Turkey Recipes (3)

Leftover Turkey Soups

A bowl of soups is a great way to enjoy thanksgiving leftovers and it’s easy to make. Use the crockpot or make them on the stove for an easy meal! Serve with some dinner rolls or a thick slice of garlic bread to soak up every last drop!

Slow Cooker Turkey Soup (Cajun Bean)

Slow Cooker Turkey Vegetable Soup

White Turkey Chili

Slow Cooker

Creamy Turkey Soup Recipes

  • Hearty Turkey Stew (with leftover turkey) – Thick, cozy, and creamy with carrots and potatoes, this rustic turkey stew is a new favorite!
  • Creamy Wild Rice Soup – A classic soup recipe for good reason. Wild rice, vegetables, and tender chunks of leftover turkey in a creamy broth.
  • Leftover Turkey Soup with Potato Drop Dumplings – A simple turkey soup with mashed potato dumplings. A great way to use up broth and potatoes!
  • Turkey Tetrazzini Soup – A delicious slurpable spin on a classic turkey tetrazzini.

Broth Based Soups

  • Turkey Soup – Simply perfect. No oddball ingredients, this leftover turkey recipe is full of goodness.
  • Slow Cooker Turkey Vegetable Soup – Jam-packed with veggies in a tomato broth, this turkey soup is easy to make in the slow cooker. Add in leftover vegetables from dinner too!
  • Slow Cooker Cajun Bean Turkey Soup– Cajun bean soup is a hearty and delicious way to enjoy leftovers and great to feed a crowd. This soup reheats beautifully.
  • Turkey Noodle Soup – Turkey, vegetables, and noodles are cooked on the stovetop in just a few simple steps.
  • Spicy Southwest Turkey and Bean Soup – Leftovers with a kick. This soup is great topped with sour cream, salsa, and some jalapenos.

Turkey Chili Recipes

  • White Turkey Chili – leftover turkey chili in a flavorful sauce. This recipe cooks in the slow cooker for an easy hands-off meal.

Leftover Turkey Casserole Recipes

Turkey Tetrazzini

Recipes

Easy Broccoli Rice Casserole with Turkey

Casseroles

Turkey Pot Pie

Turkey

Leftover Turkey Casserole Recipes

Casseroles are my favorite, easy to make ahead of time, low on dishes, and belly-warming for sure! Most chicken casserolerecipes start with cooked chicken and it can almost always be substituted for cooked turkey (which is a big part of the reason I cook more turkey than I need).

Rice Casseroles

  • Turkey Broccoli Rice Casserole – Instant rice (or Minute Rice) makes this recipe extra fast. Kids and adults alike love it.
  • Wild Rice Casserole – Substitute the chicken for leftover turkey for an easy casserole.

Pasta Casseroles

  • Turkey Tetrazzini – This creamy pasta dish has leftover turkey and mushrooms with spaghetti in a creamy sauce. Top it all with cheese and bake until bubbly.
  • Creamy Turkey Casserole – Super quick prep and any kind of pasta, this shortcut meal is great for leftovers.

Other Casseroles

  • Turkey Pot Pie – Literally perfect. Flaky crust, tender leftover turkey, a flavorful creamy sauce, and cozy veggies.
  • – A bit like a turkey pot pie but with a fluffy cornbread topping.
  • Leftover Turkey Enchiladas – Tortillas filled with leftover turkey, smothered in enchilada sauce and cheese, and baked until bubbly.
  • Herbed Turkey Stroganoff – This saucy herby dish is full of flavor (and leftover turkey) and it’s perfect spooned over leftover mashed potatoes or pasta.
  • Cheesy Turkey Zucchini Casserole – Zucchini and turkey mix with stuffing in a new family favorite casserole.l
  • Turkey Stuffing Roll-Ups – All of the flavors of turkey dinner in turkey rolls. Use deli turkey or thin slices of leftover turkey. If your leftovers are too hard to roll, stack ’em up!
  • Leftover Turkey Casserole – This leftover turkey recipe has all of the goodness of Thanksgiving dinner in one dish.

Turkey Cranberry Pasta Salad

Pasta Salad

Turkey Sandwich

Sandwiches

Turkey Salad

Turkey

Easy Turkey Wraps

Sandwiches

Leftover Turkey Salads & Sandwiches

Leftover turkey is, of course, great for meals like soups and casseroles but it makes for a great lunch too! We use it in place of chicken in our favorite chicken salad sandwichesand add it todill pickle pasta salad for a hearty meal! My absolute favorite way to enjoy leftover turkey is as a hot turkey sandwich though (recipe below)!

Salads

  • Turkey Cranberry Pasta Salad – Creamy and flavorful, this is great for lunches throughout the week.
  • Leftover Turkey Salad – This turkey salad is quick and creamy. Serve as a turkey salad sandwich or spoon over lettuce.

Sandwiches

  • Easy Turkey Wraps – Use deli turkey or leftover turkey. Add in some leftover cranberry sauce too!
  • Club Sandwich – Turkey + BLT = club sandwich! This is one of our all-time favorites.
  • Turkey Bacon Brie Grilled Cheese Sandwich – Crispy, melty, gooey goodness.
  • Cranberry Turkey Pinwheels – Make ahead and serve for snacks, appetizers, or lunches.
  • Monte Cristo Sandwich – A crisp coated sandwich filled with ham, turkey, and lots of melty cheese. Dip in jam or better yet, cranberry sauce.
  • Turkey Sandwich – Simple and delicious.

What Can You Do With Leftover Turkey?

The great thing about roasting turkey or turkey breasts is that it’s cooked once and then you have easy prep for days (or weeks to come)! I use every bit of the turkey from the neck and backbone to the carcass.
Regardless of how you intend to use it, store leftover turkey meat and bones in airtight containers or zippered bags. This will help keep it fresh as long as possible.

How Long is Leftover Turkey Good For?

In the fridge, the leftover turkey should last 3-5 days.
In the freezer, it should last for up to a month if frozen. Perfect when you intend to use it later!

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Christmas, Kitchen Tips, Recipe Collections, Thanksgiving, Turkey

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About the author

Holly is a wine and cheese lover, recipe creator, shopping enthusiast and self appointed foodie. Her greatest passion is creating in the kitchen and making deliciously comforting recipes for the everyday home cook!
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Leftover Turkey Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What to do with over cooked turkey? ›

Place your carved meat in a shallow baking dish and cover it with stock. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and place in low oven, somewhere around 250 degrees, for 5-10 minutes. The dryness won't be entirely gone after this short broth bath, but the turkey will definitely be more moist than before.

How long is turkey good for in the fridge after cooking? ›

USDA recommends using cooked turkey within 3 to 4 days, kept refrigerated (40°F or less). Refrigeration slows but does not stop bacterial growth. Turkey can be frozen for 3 to 4 months. Although safe indefinitely, frozen leftovers can lose moisture and flavor when stored for longer times in the freezer.

How do you make leftover turkey juicy again? ›

Instructions
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 350°F.
  2. Slice the turkey and spread into a baking dish. ...
  3. Cover the turkey with broth and dot with the butter. ...
  4. Reheat in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes. ...
  5. Serving.

Can I freeze cooked turkey after 3 days? ›

If your turkey has been properly handled, you can refrigerate and eat it for up to four days. If you are planning to freeze it, it's best to freeze it within one day of cooking for optimal texture and taste. However, leftover turkey can be frozen after three days and it will be fine.

What to do with turkey once out of oven? ›

The simplest way to keep a turkey warm is to cover it. To do so, remove the turkey from the oven when it's done cooking and let it cool down for about 20 minutes. If you cover it right away, the trapped heat will continue to cook your bird and will result in overcooked (aka dry) meat.

Is a 3 year old frozen turkey still good? ›

Frozen Turkey

Turkeys can be kept in the freezer indefinitely. However, cook turkeys within 1 year for the best quality.

Is it OK to eat turkey that's been in the fridge for 2 weeks? ›

Once the turkey is thawed, you can keep it in the refrigerator for one to two additional days before cooking.

Can a turkey sit in the fridge for 5 days? ›

If properly stored, raw turkey can last in the fridge for 1–2 days, while cold cuts last up to 5 days. How long does cooked turkey last in the fridge? If you have leftovers that include cooked turkey, you can expect those to last in the refrigerator for 3–4 days.

Is it okay for turkey to be a little pink? ›

The color of cooked meat and poultry is not always a sign of its degree of doneness. Only by using a meat thermometer can one accurately determine that a meat has reached a safe temperature. Turkey, fresh pork, ground beef or veal can remain pink even after cooking to temperatures of 160°F. and higher.

Why does leftover turkey taste different? ›

Though it's especially obvious in leftover fish and poultry, discerning connoisseurs can pick out the WOF bouquet in most reheated meats. These flavors are the result of a series of chemical reactions that begins with the deterioration of specific kinds of fats known as polyunsaturated fatty acids, or PUFAs.

What can I do with leftover turkey grease? ›

Dispose of it the Right Way

Pour the grease into a seal-tight container and throw in the waste bin. Some homeowners pour the grease down the drain or even the toilet. This can be catastrophic if the grease solidifies in the septic tank, leading to solid globs that clog the system.

What to do if my turkey is still frozen after 5 days? ›

If your turkey is still frozen solid:

Try a safe quick-thawing method. Cold water: Keep the bird in its airtight packaging or a leak-proof bag, submerge it in cold water, and change the water every 30 minutes. Microwave: Use your manufacturer guidelines to thaw for about 6 minutes per pound.

Is it OK to leave a frozen turkey in the fridge for a week? ›

So, for example, if you're cooking a 20-24-pound bird, you need to stick it in the fridge to thaw at least six days before you'll be eating it (so it has time to fully thaw), and no more than eight days before you'll be eating it (to stay within that two-day window).

Can you reheat turkey after 4 days? ›

Safety tips for reheating turkey

Cold, cooked turkey meat will keep in the fridge for up to four days, but always use your best judgement. Always reheat cold turkey until it's piping hot, not just warmed through. Only reheat cooked turkey once.

How do you fix a fully cooked turkey? ›

To reheat, preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Keeping the turkey in the roasting pan, pour a bit of stock (chicken, turkey, or veggie stock or broth will work) over the meat to moisten it. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes to an hour, or until the turkey is warmed through.

What to do with a turkey that is done too early? ›

If it's done around an hour early, let it rest uncovered for about 20 to 30 minutes. Then cover your turkey with some foil and a thick towel or blanket to keep it warm. By letting it first rest you release the initial heat. That way it won't overcook once it's covered.

Can you eat overcooked turkey? ›

When a turkey is cooked too long, the meat can become dry and tough, making it difficult to enjoy. Additionally, overcooked turkey can be less flavorful, as the heat can cause the natural juices to evaporate.

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