After kitchen duty is over and the fancy dishes put away, Thanksgiving leftovers always remain. Since one person can have only so many Turkey, Stuffing and Cranberry sandwiches, we’ve rounded up this list of flavorful, easy meals that will help you clean out your refrigerator.
Leftover Turkey
These crispy Turkey Hash Patties make use of your leftover bird, mashed potatoes, and the carrots and celery you still have from your stuffing and stock. Served with a few over-easy eggs and your favorite hot sauce, they make the perfect morning-after Thanksgiving breakfast.
If your taste buds are tired of Thanksgiving flavors, give this healthy Turkey and Spinach Curry a try. Garlic, Ginger and traditional curry spices like cumin, coriander, and turmeric give this easy meal bright flavor. As a bonus, it comes together in less than 30 minutes. Less time in the kitchen? Please and thank you.
If you’re looking for a meal that’s comforting and feeds a crowd, then this easy recipe for Turkey Tetrazzini is a winner. Shredded turkey is mixed in a creamy sauce with mushrooms and peas and baked until golden brown and bubbly. If your crew is turkey-ed out, this recipe freezes well and can be baked off to solve a hectic holiday weeknight dinner dilemma that is sure to come.
After emerging from the Thanksgiving food coma, this spicy Turkey Tortilla Soup (pictured) is just the thing to reboot your healthy habits. You’ll likely find most of the ingredients in your pantry (besides the leftover turkey, of course), so there’s likely no need to schlep to the grocery store. Bonus points here for using that turkey stock you made.
Leftover Potatoes
Dollop a Vegan Lentil Shepherd’s Pie with leftover mashed potatoes (it can happen), smooth into an even layer, and bake until crisped and browned. This recipe is so comforting it might be gone before the leftover turkey is.
Got lingering sweet potatoes? You can add roasted, diced potatoes to hearty greens and farro for a fall grain bowl or mix mashed sweet potatoes with ricotta, parmesan, and pesto for the filling in these kid-friendly Vegetarian Lasagna Roll-Ups. Both are great vegetarian lunch options for work or school.
Leftover Stuffing
If, by some chance, you have leftover stuffing, spoon it into acorn squash and bake in the oven using this Acorn Squash with Leftover Stuffing as your guide. You can serve them as a savory side dish next to leftover turkey, or solo for a lighter option.
Leftover Cranberries
Rescue that half-used bag of fresh cranberries with this healthy, gluten-free Pear and Cranberry Crisp. Feel free to swap in any leftover apples for the pears in this recipe. The spiced walnut, oat, and almond topping make this recipe an excellent option for breakfast with some Greek yogurt.
With options ranging from turkey to cranberries, these leftover Thanksgiving recipes will help you ease back into the kitchen to make simple meals that everyone in your family will enjoy. Happy Holidays!
