Your search for Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes ends here, because we’ve rounded up 48 of the best dishes to make after the Holiday meal has been served and packed away in the fridge. Give leftovers new life, and you won’t get tired of them until they are all gobbled up.
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I start with leftover turkey recipes, then I move on to crowd-favorite sides, like mashed potatoes, green beans, and so on, listing easy, tried-and-true dishes your family (and any lingering Holiday company) will love the next day. I hope you find this list super helpful, especially after a full day in the kitchen when you want to maximize your time and money. These recipes are fantastic, versatile, and scalable!
How to Store Thanksgiving Leftovers
Before making any Thanksgiving leftover recipes, let’s review the USDA recommendations for food storage so leftovers won’t get lost in the back of the fridge. Be sure to review this detailed chart for safe storage.
- The 2-hour Rule: refrigerate perishable items within 2 hours of removing them from the oven or refrigerator. It’s best to put leftovers away as soon as you’re done serving.
- Reheat to 165˚F: Reheat leftovers to 165˚F on a food thermometer. Sauces, soups, and gravies should be reheated to a rolling boil.
- Cooked turkey and other meats: store in airtight containers or zip-top bags for 3–4 days in the fridge, or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Side dishes – Things like stuffing, mashed potatoes, veggies, and casseroles will keep refrigerated for 3–5 days, or freeze for up to 6 months.
- Desserts: Cakes and pies without fruit or dairy can stay at room temperature. Anything with fruit, cream, custard, or dairy fillings should be refrigerated.
Before we go on, here’s a peek at one of our typical Thanksgiving dinners. I call it the Olympics of food, and I am here for it! I especially love it when we have Thanksgiving leftovers to take home.
Leftover Turkey Recipes
Let’s get to it! You’ll love these easy and tasty recipes for using leftover Thanksgiving Roast Turkey or Spatchcock Turkey meat. You can use the meat and carcass. In most recipes, it’s ok to swap turkey for chicken 1:1, since they taste so similar.
Thanksgiving Stuffing Leftover Recipes
If you have any leftover Stuffing, It re-crisps and reheats perfectly, or try one of these recipes with your leftover stuffing.
- Stuffing Muffins – Scoop into a muffin dish and bake at 350°F for 10-15 minutes for the perfect stuffing muffins on the go.
- Stuffing Waffles – spread into a hot waffle iron (no extra oil needed) and cook until crisp. Serve with poached eggs or leftover turkey gravy.
- Stuffed Mushrooms filling
- Breakfast Casserole – instead of potatoes
- Stuffed Peppers
- Meatloaf – replace bread crumbs
- Freeze it: place in a zip-top bag and freeze for 2-3 months, and re-crisp in the oven.
Leftover Mashed Potato Recipes
Mashed potatoes and Gravy make a great base for many meat entrees, and also as a topping for casseroles. Don’t miss all the creative ways to use leftover mashed potatoes:
Leftover Thanksgiving Vegetable Recipes
Roasted Vegetables leftovers, like Boiled Corn, Green Beans, and Roasted Carrots, are so versatile to toss into a recipe to create delicious dishes!
Cranberry Sauce
Cranberry Sauce makes the best Thanksgiving leftover recipes, because it’s the taste of the season, and ready to make in place of jelly or jams in baked goods, marinades, or spread on toasted slices of Sourdough Bread.
Thanksgiving Bread Leftover Recipes
Whether you served rolls or slices of crusty bread, don’t miss these creative ways to use leftover bread from Thanksgiving.
This list of 48 Thanksgiving leftover recipes makes it easier than ever to enjoy every bite of your Thanksgiving meal. So let us know in the comments what your favorite Thanksgiving leftover recipes are after the big Holiday meal!
Thanksgiving Leftover Recipe: Shepherd’s Pie
Shepherd’s Pie gets even easier when you use leftover vegetables and mashed potatoes from Thanksgiving! This recipe is perfect for any roasted or steamed vegetables, including green beans, corn, broccoli, cauliflower, peas, or asparagus. For the full recipe, see my fan-favorite Shepherd’s Pie Recipe.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
- 4 cups leftover mashed potatoes, warmed until spreadable
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb lean ground beef or ground lamb*
- 1 1/2 tsp salt, divided, or added to taste
- 1/2 tsp black pepper, plus more to taste
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped (1 cup)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup dry red wine, such as Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet, Sauvignon
- 1 cup beef broth or chicken broth
- 1 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 1/2 cups leftover vegetables of choice, green beans, asparagus, peas, carrots, and corn
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Heat a large skillet to medium heat and preheat the oven to 400°F. Add oil to the pan and brown the ground beef or lamb, breaking it up until no pink remains. Season with salt and pepper.
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Add the chopped onions to the ground beef, cooking about 3 minutes until the onions soften, and then add the minced garlic. Cook another minute until fragrant.
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Add the flour over the ground beef mixture, stirring for 1 minute, and a film covers the pan.
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Add the red wine to the pan, using a wooden spatula to scrape the bottom of the pan to deglaze, and then add the broth, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce, stirring to combine.
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Bring the mixture to a boil, cooking for 5-10 minutes until the sauce thickens some, and then add the leftover veggies. Stir to combine.
Assemble the Casserole
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Add the ground beef mixture to a rectangular 11×7 or square 9×9 casserole dish or deep pie dish.
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Spread the leftover mashed potatoes over the top of the casserole dish all the way to the edges, so the filling won’t bubble over the sides.
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Place the dish on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips. Drizzle the melted butter over the mashed potatoes, and then place into the oven to cook for 25-30 minutes. The mashed potatoes will turn golden brown. Remove the dish and allow the casserole to sit for 15 minutes before serving.
Storage Directions:
- Make ahead – Build the casserole completely and then cover with foil. Refrigerate for up to 24 hours until ready to bake, or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
- Refrigerator – Cool leftovers and refrigerate within 2 hours in an airtight container.
- Freeze – Cover with plastic wrap and foil to prevent freezer burn, and freeze the casserole for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight
- Reheat – Heat portions in the microwave or reheat in the air fryer or oven at 350°F until heated through to 165°F.
264kcal Calories26g Carbs14g Protein11g Fat
Nutrition Facts
Thanksgiving Leftover Recipe: Shepherd’s Pie
Amount per Serving
% Daily Value*
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Best Christmas Recipes to Try this Year
After Thanksgiving is all said and done and the leftovers are eaten, I begin to plan for Christmas, so here are some of my favorite recipes to celebrate the Holiday season:
