The Best Post-Thanksgiving Recipes

I have a relatively small family, but I like making a good-sized turkey for Thanksgiving dinner, because there are so many wonderful things you can do with the leftovers! Here are just a few of the delicious recipes you can make with that leftover turkey.

Turkey Noodle Soup

There are many, many turkey soup recipes out there, but this one is basic and delicious. I like leaving the vegetables in good-sized chunks, since it's such a hearty soup. You can also make it using chicken. 

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
8 cups chicken (or turkey) broth
3 cups leftover turkey, chopped or shredded
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried
8 ounces wide egg noodles
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Minced fresh parsley for garnish

In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion, carrots, and celery and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in broth, turkey, and thyme. Bring to simmer and cook until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in noodles and cook until tender, about 5 minutes longer. Remove from heat, season to taste with salt and pepper, and garnish with fresh parsley.

Turkey Tetrazzini

My late father-in-law was famous for his turkey tetrazzini, so it's always a post-Thanksgiving treat in our house. The cream cheese makes it quite rich, so feel free to decrease or even omit if you like your sauce to be a bit lighter. 

1 tablespoon butter
1⁄2 cup finely chopped onion
1⁄3 cup finely chopped celery
1⁄2 teaspoon ground pepper
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
3⁄4 cup frozen peas
3⁄4 cup sliced carrots (fresh or frozen)
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
1⁄2 cup white wine
1⁄2 cup flour
4 cups chicken (or turkey) broth
1 cup parmesan cheese (divided)
4 ounces light cream cheese
1 (8 ounce) package thin spaghetti
2 cups turkey meat, cooked and shredded or chopped
1⁄2 cup panko

Melt butter in saute pan. Add onion, celery, pepper, salt, carrots, and mushrooms and saute until tender. Add flour and stir until vegetables are coated. Add wine and stir quickly until flour is absorbed. Gradually add broth, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Cook the pasta while the sauce simmers. Remove from heat and add 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and the cream cheese, stirring until cheese melts. Add the peas, turkey and cooked pasta and stir until blended. Coat a casserole dish with non-stick spray and transfer mixture to the casserole. Combine panko with remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and sprinkle evenly over the top of the casserole. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes until lightly browned. Let rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Turkey, Brie, and Cranberry Paninis

These sandwiches are an amazing flavor combination, with the tartness of the cranberries, the spiciness of the Dijon, the creaminess of the Brie, the bitter bite of the spinach, and the heartiness of the turkey. Delicious!

2 slices hearty white or wheat bread
Dijon mustard,
Brie cheese, thinly sliced
2 slices cooked turkey
2 to 3 tablespoons cranberry sauce
6 to 8 baby spinach leaves (optional)

Butter, for grilling

Spread one slice of bread with Dijon. Layer with Brie, turkey, cranberry sauce, spinach (if desired) and a second layer of Brie. Top with the second slice of bread and butter both outsides generously. Grill in a panini press or on a stovetop grill or griddle, until bread is golden and cheese is melted.

Thanksgiving Casserole

This recipe is a great way to use up multiple leftover Thanksgiving dishes. It's like your whole Thanksgiving dinner all over again, in a single pan!

4 cups leftover stuffing, divided
4 cups coarsely chopped cooked turkey
3/4 cup mayonnaise, divided
1/4 cup cranberry sauce
2 cups leftover mashed potatoes

1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Spray an 8-inch square or round baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Place half of the stuffing in the dish and top with all of the turkey. In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup mayonnaise and cranberry sauce; spread evenly over turkey. In a larger bowl, combine remaining 1/2 cup mayonnaise, mashed potatoes, and cheese and spread spread on top of cranberry sauce mixture. Top with remaining stuffing. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until heated through.

Turkey Chili

I'm always hesitant to substitute turkey in a dish originally made with beef, since its flavor is so much more mild. But the spices in chili provide plenty of flavor, and the turkey is really just there for the protein and the texture. Feel free to increase the amount of chili powder or even add some chopped chiles if you like more heat.

2 Tbsp olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
4 garlic cloves, chopped fine
2 Tbsp chili powder (adjust to taste)
1 Tbsp cumin
3 15-ounce cans crushed or diced tomatoes
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 cup of turkey or chicken stock
2 (15-oz) cans kidney beans, drained
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 Tbsp sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 to 4 cups of shredded cooked turkey
1 to 3 teaspoons sugar (optional)
Optional garnishes: shredded cheddar cheese, chopped green or red onion, sour cream

In a large, 8-quart, thick-bottom pot, heat the olive oil on medium high heat. Add the onions and green peppers and cook, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, chili powder, and cumin, and cook, stirring, for a minute or two more. Add a bit more olive oil if needed. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, stock, kidney beans, oregano, salt, pepper, and turkey. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to low. Simmer, partially covered, for an hour. Salt to taste. Add sugar to taste if needed to balance the acidity of the tomatoes.

The chili may be made in advance and chilled for 2 days, or frozen for 2 months.

Fiesta Turkey Soup

This is a very different soup option for leftover turkey. As with the chili, above, feel free to experiment with the levels of spice and add whatever other ingredients you like in your Mexican dishes.

1 cup onion, chopped
1 tsp canola oil
2 tsp minced garlic
4 cups chicken or turkey broth
3 cups chopped cooked turkey
1 (15-oz.) can black beans, drained
1 (11-oz.) can corn, drained
1 (10-oz) can diced tomatoes with green chiles
1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
Toppings: sour cream grated cheese, tortilla chips

Saute onion in a pan over medium heat in oil. Add garlic and saute one minute. Add in remaining ingredients except toppings. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Serve with desired toppings.

Turkey, Apple, Cranberry & Pecan Salad

This recipe makes a wonderful light lunch for the day after Thanksgiving, when we're all still ruing eating that second (or third, or fourth) piece of pie. It's basically Waldorf salad with turkey, so it's elegant as well as delicious.

2 cups cooked diced turkey
1/2 cup diced celery
1 cup diced sweet apple
1/4 cup Craisins
1/4 cup chopped roasted and salted pecans
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1- 2 tsp. cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. sugar

kosher salt and pepper, to taste

In a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, vinegar, and sugar. Season with salt and pepper. Add all other ingredients and stir to coat. Allow flavors to blend in refrigerator for about 30 minutes before serving. Serve on greens or in a sandwich.

Turkey with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

This is an easy stovetop dish with only a few ingredients, so it's a relief to make after all the intensity of preparing the Thanksgiving meal. And there's no actual cream in the sauce, so it's not overly rich or heavy.

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb mushrooms, sliced
1 small onion, finely chopped
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
3 Tbsp flour
1 1/2 to 2 cups chicken (or turkey) broth
Salt and pepper to taste
4-6 cups cooked turkey, torn into bite-sized pieces

Fresh parsley to garnish (optional)

Heat a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Add 2 Tbsp olive oil and onions and sauté until soft and golden (4-5 minutes, stirring frequently). Add mushrooms and sauté until soft and golden (5-7 min,), stirring frequently. Remove mushrooms and onions from pan and add 4 Tbsp butter. When melted, whisk in 3 Tbsp flour and cook, whisking continually, until roux is a golden brown (1½ to 2 min), then whisk in 2 cups broth. Bring to a simmer and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add mushrooms and onions back to the pan. Stir in turkey and heat until turkey is just heated through. Garnish with finely chopped parsley if desired.


Mexican Turkey Casserole

Another Mexican-themed dish? What can I say, the mild flavor of turkey pairs really well with vivid Mexican flavor profiles! 

1 (15-oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups of cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon cumin
2 (10-oz) cans green enchilada sauce
1 large package of cheese tortellini, cooked (follow package instructions)
2 cups chopped, cooked turkey
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1 small can of olives, sliced
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese

In a medium bowl, stir together beans, tomatoes, cilantro and cumin. Spray a 9x13" baking dish with non-stick spray and spread 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce in baking dish. Arrange half of the tortellini over sauce. Top with half of the bean mixture, half of the turkey, half of the olives and half of the onions; pour 1/2 cup enchilada sauce over top. Repeat layers. Top with remaining enchilada sauce and the cheese. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated and lightly browned. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Creamy Turkey Stew

This stew is heartier and richer than the soup recipes above - it's pretty much the filling for turkey pot pie. You can throw in any other vegetables you like, such as corn or peas, instead of - or as well as - the carrots.

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1/4 cup flour
3 potatoes, peeled and diced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
4 cups chicken (or turkey) broth
1-1/2 cups half and half
3 carrots, peeled and diced
4 cups shredded cooked turkey
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste

In a large dutch oven, melt butter over medium high heat. Add onion and celery and season with a pinch of salt. Saute for about 2 minutes, then stir in the flour and cook for one minute. Pour in the broth, half and half, potatoes, sage, thyme, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and cover. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the carrots and simmer for another 5 minutes or until the carrots are tender. Stir in the turkey and remove from heat. Add parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Turkey Divan

This old-fashioned dish is an elegant and delicious casserole, with rich flavors and a crunchy golden topping of toasted panko. Wonderful tastes, wonderful textures. 

½ pound fresh broccoli florets

½ pound cooked turkey, cubed

2 cups turkey gravy

¼ cup half and half

1 tablespoon sherry (or use red wine, cider, or champagne vinegar)

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

Fresh nutmeg

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup panko 

¼ cup sliced almonds

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

½ cup shredded Gruyère cheese

Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil and plunge in the broccoli. Cook two minutes then remove to paper towels to drain and cool. Once cool, place in a small casserole dish. Place cut up turkey in with broccoli. In a medium saucepan, heat gravy and whisk in the cream, sherry, mustard, mayonnaise and a few grinds of nutmeg. Heat just to hot and pour over the turkey and broccoli.

In a medium sauté pan, melt butter over medium heat and add panko. Cook until browned, about five minutes, stirring often. Sprinkle almonds, Parmesan and Swiss over gravy then top with toasted panko. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until hot, bubbly and browned. Serve immediately.

Turkey Ranch Quesadillas

Another quick and easy lunch sandwich, these quesadillas also make a great late-night snack when you're picking through the fridge on Thanksgiving night. 

3/4-1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup cooked turkey, cut into bite-sized pieces

Ranch dressing

2 medium tortillas

1 tbsp melted butter

Butter a large skillet and layer one tortilla, cheddar cheese, turkey pieces and a drizzle of ranch dressing to taste. Top with another tortilla and cook on medium heat for 2-3 minutes on one side, and 1-2 minutes on the other.  Serve with sour cream, if desired.

Beer-Battered Deep Fried Turkey

Back the truck up - batter and deep fry your leftover turkey? Sounds good to me. I'd even go to the fancy grocery store to buy the rice flour called for in this recipe. That's how amazing this looks. 

1 cup flour (plus additional for dredging)

1 cup rice flour

1/2 tsp teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

1 large egg, lightly beaten

2 1/4 cups beer (or soda water or club soda)

3 to 4 pounds of thickly cut cooked turkey

Canola oil for deep frying

Combine dry ingredients. Add the egg and beer and whisk together just until the liquid is incorporated. Batter may be lumpy. Dip the turkey pieces into plain flour and then into the batter and carefully drop them into a canola oil filled deep fryer that has been preheated to 375 degrees F. Fry for a few minutes, just until golden brown on both sides. Drain on a wire rack placed over a cookie sheet. Serve immediately.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!