Thanksgiving leftovers meals that are better than just *turkey sandwiches*
We all know that the best thing about Thanksgiving dinner are the leftovers. But the worst thing IN THE WORLD is when you’ve got too many leftovers and they wind up going bad in the fridge. (Did Aunt Mary really need to triple that stuffing recipe for six people?) Last year you vowed you’d never let that happen again, and we’re here to help. We’ve compiled ten of the best ideas for Thanksgiving leftovers. From puff pastries to croissants, to chili to pizza, you’ll never let your leftovers spoil again. Right?? Promise us. PROMISE US.
Thanksgiving Leftover Curry Puffs
Ummm… YUM. This is SUCH a great idea, we can’t even. And it’s easy, too! Basically, in the recipe from the Omnivore’s Cookbook , you’ll cook your leftover mashed potato and turkey in thawed puff pastry. The ingredients are pretty minimal: egg, peanut oil, onion, garlic, chicken stock and leftover. And the process seems simple, too.
Egg a la leftovers
The instructions for this delectable looking breakfast pastry are in the Instagram post. Shape some crescent dough, put some Thanksgiving leftovers on it, crack an egg on top, and bake it at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. We know what we’re having for breakfast every last day of November.
Turkey Cranberry and Brie Sandwich
https://www.instagram.com/p/-0EpW-q8WS
Another easy as pie recipe, this one from Adorned With Love. They used rustic multigrain bread, olive oil, brie, sliced roasted turkey, arugula, and cranberry sauce. Dang delectable looking, ain’t it?
Thanksgiving Bounty Veggie Crustless Quiche
Quiche is our weakness. It’s like a savory pie that is not unhealthy! So, maybe we should say quiche is our greatest strength. This recipe from My Utensil Crock requires potatoes, leftovers (suggestions: roasted turkey, asparagus, creamed spinach, stuffing), 4 eggs and 4 egg whites, shredded cheese, and cranberry sauce. Cranberry sauce in a quiche, yes, all the way yes.
Leftover Turkey Carnitas
Genius idea, and again, so do-able. The recipe from Recipe from Serious Eats says that pan-frying shredded cooked turkey meat adds crisp texture and browned flavors. Mixed with sour orange — our mouths are seriously watering.
Thanksgiving Pizza
Pizza is the perfect vehicle for your Thanksgiving leftovers, because you can put literally anything on it. The recipe from The Gunny Sack uses a puff pastry in a pie tin as the base, but you could totally use regular old pizza dough.
First, spread mashed potatoes over the bottom and drizzle with a couple tablespoons of gravy. Next, sprinkle on some corn and green bean casserole. Top that with leftover turkey, stuffing and another drizzle of gravy. Finally, sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese before baking.
Done, and DONE.
Turkey Nachos
Another put-everything-on-it vehicle: nachos! Just put all your leftovers on some tortilla chips, throw ’em in the oven, and voila! Nosh. This recipe from Bless Her Heart Y’all calls for gluten free chips, for all you GFs out there.
Cran-Turkey Chili
Sweet and spice and everything nice. A Dash of Sanity gives us this straight forward recipe, that involves making a traditional chili, but adding your leftover turkey and cranberry sauce to give it a Thanksgiving-appropriate flavor.
Leftover Stuffing Waffles
This is your new favorite. Just a Taste brings us maybe the most drool-worthy leftovers idea of all time. Leftover stuffing waffles, what???
Just mix your stuffing with some eggs, press with your waffle iron, top with cranberry sauce or gravy or both. Somebody make us some of these, stat.
Turkey Holiday Hash
This recipe from Boulder Locavore wins the everything-and-the-kitchen-sink award. Basically, you just cook everything up in a skillet. Onion, garlic, red pepper, turkey, gravy, browned onions, and top with mashed potatoes. And we’d throw some cranberry sauce on there. And some green bean casserole into the hash. And some brussel sprouts. Well, you get the drill.
