Leftover Turkey Recipes

Give Thanksgiving leftovers new legs with these 16 inventive variations on the holiday bird, including turkey tacos, chili and sloppy joes.

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Photo By: Tara Donne

Next-Day Turkey Soup

Dice leftover turkey meat and Thanksgiving vegetables, like Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes and green beans, and turn them into a broth-based turkey soup.

Get the Recipe: Next-Day Turkey Soup with Mashed Potato Polpetti

Turkey Bolognese

Giada De Laurentiis takes leftover turkey to the next level, using shredded dark meat as the base for a simple, rich Bolognese that can be eaten as is or frozen for later use.

Get the Recipe: Turkey Bolognese

Turkey, Mushroom and Corn Mexican Casserole

Thanksgiving leftover sandwiches are great, but this Mexican-style casserole deserves a celebration all its own. Rachael Ray uses poblano peppers, garlic and onions to create a spicy sauce that perfectly complements the turkey and cheese.

Get the Recipe: Turkey, Mushroom and Corn Mexican Casserole

Leftover Turkey Sandwich with Spicy Cranberry Cream

Kelsey Nixon uses leftover cranberry-glazed turkey and dinner rolls in this plentiful Thanksgiving sandwich. Dress it with scallion- and jalapeno-spiked cranberry sauce and creamy, tangy Greek yogurt.

Get the Recipe: Leftover Turkey Sandwich with Spicy Cranberry Cream

Bird to the Last Drop

Alton Brown squeezes every last bit of flavor from the Thanksgiving turkey by simmering the bones in veggie stock and filling out the soup with frozen vegetables and rice. Toss in a little Old Bay and dried thyme to add fresh flavor and spice.

Get the Recipe: Bird to the Last Drop

Turkey Pot Pie

Give your leftover turkey a comfort food makeover with Kelsey's turkey pot pie recipe. What's her secret for keeping the prep time minimal? Use puff pastry for the crust.

Get the Recipe: Turkey Pot Pie

Kentucky Hot Browns

The Hot Brown — an open-faced turkey sandwich topped with bacon and Mornay sauce and then baked until the bread is crispy and the cheesy sauce browned — hails from a hotel in Kentucky. It's an ideal way to boost roasted turkey meat that's left behind after the holiday feast.

Get the Recipe: Kentucky Hot Browns

Poached Eggs with Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast and Sweet Potato Hash

Use the leftovers from Ellie's Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast recipe to prepare a hearty breakfast hash, complete with thyme-scented sweet potatoes and a perfectly poached egg on top.

Get the Recipe: Poached Eggs with Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast and Sweet Potato Hash

Turkey Chili

Customization comes easy to this chili recipe, with infinite possibilities for the beans and vegetables you choose to include. Leftover shredded turkey works wonders with a range of spices, and the chili is delicious served over rice or rolled up in warmed tortillas.

Get the Recipe: Turkey Con Chilli

Cobb Salad Panini

Tyler Florence creates the ultimate leftover dish –– panini sandwiches packed with cooked turkey breast and other hearty goodies –– for a supersized weekend meal.

Get the Recipe: Cobb Salad Panini

Turkey Sloppy Joes

There are more ways to adorn turkey than just cranberries and gravy: Try mixing extra meat with the savory flavors of a sloppy joe for an enticing leftover sandwich.

Get the Recipe: Turkey Sloppy Joes

Turkey Roast Dip with Melted Gruyere

Kelsey's turkey sandwich pairs leftover holiday meat with melted Gruyere cheese and a buttery French baguette.

Get the Recipe: Turkey Roast Dip with Melted Gruyere

Turkey and Mushroom Creamy Tomato "Gravy" with Gnocchi

For a hearty fall meal, Rachael cooks up leftover turkey with mushrooms and rosemary in a Dutch oven, then serves it over gnocchi.

Get the Recipe: Turkey and Mushroom Creamy Tomato "Gravy" With Gnocchi

Turkey Tacos

Turn shredded leftover turkey into a fiesta by adding cumin, coriander and chili powder to the meat and serving it in a corn tortilla.

Get the Recipe: Turkey Tacos

Roast Turkey, Avocado and Bacon Sandwich

Tyler specially roasts his own turkey for this ultimate stacked sandwich, but leftover meat is equally perfect for pairing with maple bacon and fontina cheese. The kicker is the fresh herbed butter that he slathers between the bread slices.

Get the Recipe: Roast Turkey, Avocado and Bacon Sandwich

Mexican Chorizo and Turkey Chili

Spicy chorizo gives this chili extra zest, but the leftover turkey breast and cornmeal hiding in the mix add festive flavor and thickening power for a doubly satisfying spoonful.

Get the Recipe: Mexican Chorizo and Turkey Chili