Leftovers Reinvented: Delicious Post-Thanksgiving Meal Ideas

Who doesn’t love Thanksgiving leftovers? For many, they are the best part of the holiday because the stress of the main event is over, allowing you to sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labor. But if you have a ton of leftovers, you might start getting tired of turkey and dressing pretty quickly. You can make the most of your delicious food by repurposing it into new creations. 

Here are some ideas for post-Thanksgiving meals that reinvent the idea of leftovers.

1. Cranberry Turkey Sandwich

First things first — there’s nothing better than a good old turkey sandwich the day after Thanksgiving. This one is on toasted bread with your favorite greens and cheese, topped with plenty of leftover cranberry sauce. 

2. Turkey and Stuffing Quiche

This turkey and stuffing quiche is another way to make sure your leftovers don’t go to waste. Add an extra pie crust to your shopping list and include ingredients like leftover turkey and stuffing, shredded cheddar cheese, eggs, and fresh herbs. 

3. Turkey Barley Soup

This wholesome turkey barley soup is another way to use up your leftover turkey. Key ingredients include turkey, turkey or chicken broth, veggies, pearl barley, and various seasonings. 

4. Potato Biscuits

If you went overboard with the mashed potatoes, there are plenty of options to repurpose them into something delicious. These tender potato biscuits are an ideal choice. You can serve them with any meal. In addition to mashed potatoes, you need standard ingredients like flour, baking powder, and margarine. 

5. Green Bean Fries

Repurpose your leftover green beans as crispy, delicious green bean fries. Simply coat your green beans in panko bread crumbs mixed with garlic powder, paprika, oregano, egg whites, and flour. Then, bake and serve them with your favorite dipping sauce. 

6. Cranberries and Cream

This British-inspired recipe makes use of your extra Thanksgiving cranberry sauce. Add heavy whipping cream and Greek yogurt to create a creamy, cool treat that you can use as a dip for fruit or your favorite cookies. 

7. Turkey Waldorf Salad

Post-Thanksgiving feast guilt is real. Instead of indulging in a repeat of the big day’s meal, you can create a healthier dish using your leftover turkey. This classic Waldorf salad includes turkey, fruits, nuts, and fresh lettuce. 

8. Turkey Pot Pie

This post-Thanksgiving turkey pot pie recipe can be made with turkey or chicken. The filling includes ingredients like green peas, carrots, celery, and onion — all items that you are likely to have on hand after cooking a large feast. It can be ready to eat in just over an hour. 

9. Thanksgiving Leftover Casserole

This Thanksgiving leftover casserole combines many of the items you’re likely to have shoved into your refrigerator into a simple-to-make dish that is also so yummy. It includes ingredients like mashed potatoes, stuffing, green beans, turkey gravy, cranberry sauce, and cheese. 

10. Deep-Fried Stuffing

If you have an over-supply of stuffing, you can use it to make these Southern-inspired deep-fried stuffing balls. Simply combine your stuffing with some grated cheese, bread crumbs, eggs, milk, and seasoning before frying in oil until golden brown. 

11. Cranberry-Glazed Turkey Meatballs

If you have more cranberry than you know what to do with, consider making these cranberry-glazed meatballs. You can use any type of ground meat you wish, including turkey, and toss them in a simple cranberry-based glaze. 

12. Pumpkin Pie S-mores

Finally, here’s something you can do with all of that leftover pumpkin pie! These pumpkin pie s’mores are so sweet, delicious, and unique. You’ll need your leftover pie, the standard makings of s’mores, plus some warm caramel to drizzle over the top. 

13. Pumpkin Smoothie

You can do something else with any leftover pumpkin pie filling — create pumpkin smoothies for your guests. You only need a few additional ingredients, including whole milk, vanilla yogurt, and some ground cinnamon. 

14. Turkey Stock

Instead of tossing out all of those turkey bones, you can reuse them in a homemade turkey stock recipe. This one also includes olive oil, fresh thyme, fresh sage, and celery. 

Shop at Nick’s of Calvert for Your Thanksgiving Ingredients

Before you can have those delicious leftovers, you need to put the work in to create a memorable Thanksgiving meal. Nick’s of Calvert can help. As an established family grocery store, we take tremendous pride in bringing customers only the best quality foods at affordable prices. 

Nick’s offers a full-service meat counter that is the centerpiece of our store. We also have pre-made items, signature sauces, and a large selection of beer, wine, and spirits. Call us today at (410) 414-7105 or visit our Prince Frederick location.