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Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Micah Morton, Prop Stylist: Kathleen Varner
The big meal is over, and now you have loads of leftover turkey. So who says the feasting has to be over, too? We're not saying you have to give up the beloved leftover turkey sandwich, but why not explore a few new ways to enjoy your Thanksgiving leftovers?
For the sake of your family's sanity, we've put together a list of leftover turkey recipes that will give your Thanksgiving leftovers a facelift. From breakfast casseroles to lunch to dinner, you can enjoy these dishes at any time of day. Turkey soups, salads, and casseroles are just a few of the dishes that are bringing new life to your dry leftover turkey.
Turkey Pita Pockets
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Jennifer Causey, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen
Instead of a turkey sandwich, turn toward Greek flavors like olives and tzatziki sauce in a handheld pita.
Turkey Frittata
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Jennifer Causey, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen
Who says you have to wait for lunch or dinner to enjoy Thanksgiving leftovers? Use the turkey in this frittata at breakfast or brunch. Bonus: You can also use leftover vegetables to fill out the frittata.
Turkey Pot Pie
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Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
A great dish for leftover turkey, this pot pie is creamy and comforting. In fact, it's so good, you may look forward to it more than the holiday main dish itself.
Turkey Noodle Soup
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Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Use the leftover turkey bones and skin to make the broth for this soup extra savory and flavorful. Then, leftover turkey, vegetables, and egg noodles make up the rest of this comforting bowl.
Barbecue Turkey Sandwich
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Jennifer Causey, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen
With a few shortcut ingredients like bottled barbecue sauce and coleslaw, you can make these saucy sandwiches.
Creamy Turkey Pasta Bake
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Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Micah Morton, Prop Stylist: Kathleen Varner
If you're still craving a bit of comfort food satisfaction, this baked pasta dish is the best option for leftover turkey. It mixes with savory cheese, tender collard greens, and juicy mushrooms for a one-of-a-kind dinner you might like more than the original meal.
Crispy Turkey Nuggets
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Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox
The kids will especially love this leftover turkey remake. Fry pieces of them until crisp but still tender and juicy inside. Offer up an array of dipping sauces, and serve this during the weekend's football games.
Quick Turkey Chili
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Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Caleb Clarke; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall
In place of ground turkey, use shredded leftover turkey. Skip the browning step and stir the meat in during simmering.
Turkey BLT Pinwheels
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Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Torie Cox
In place of deli turkey meat, use thinly-sliced turkey from your leftover meat.
Kentucky Hot Browns
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Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Drab, cold turkey sandwiches are a thing of the past. Blanketed in warm melty cheese, these signature open-faced sandwiches bring new life to your leftover turkey. Made with a smooth and creamy Mornay sauce, it's an indulgent mess of a sandwich that requires a knife and fork to eat.
Leftover Turkey Hash
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When the family's starting to tire of those endless turkey sandwiches, change things up and sneak that leftover turkey into a crispy breakfast hash. Add a bit of bacon grease for double the flavor, as well as onions, bell peppers, and sunny-side-up eggs. This all-encompassing breakfast recipe delivers an entire meal in one skillet.
Kentucky Hot Brown Casserole
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When it comes to leftovers, our strategy usually involves tossing lots of ingredients into a casserole dish and letting it bake together. And more often than not, it's oh-so-good. Case in point: this Kentucky Hot Brown Casserole.
Smoked Turkey-and-Andouille Gumbo
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If your family serves smoked turkey on Thanksgiving, this one's for you. Make a big pot of this warm, award-winning gumbo and you'll have leftovers of your leftovers. But trust us—nobody will be complaining.
Turkey, Apple, and Brie Sandwich
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This quick and easy sandwich is baked in about three minutes. Sweet apples meet creamy brie to perfectly complement that leftover turkey, along with spicy and sweet hot pepper jelly. Pack it up to take on-the-go for holiday adventures or road trips.
Turkey Salad
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Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Trade out the chicken for leftover shredded turkey in this new cult-favorite Turkey Salad. The pleasant tang is provided by sour cream and apple-cider vinegar. If you're feeling adventurous, try one of our creative variations, like Golden Curry Turkey Salad or Pickle-and-Dill Turkey Salad.
Turkey Tetrazzini
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Tetrazzini is a staple on our dinner tables during the school year because it is delicious and filling, but we also think it's a great dish for implementing after Thanksgiving leftovers. You can make this rich and creamy casserole with leftover turkey, and you can either eat it that night for Thanksgiving day dinner, or you can freeze it for a busier day (aka: when school is back in session and you're pressed for time).
Mini Hot Browns
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Hosting a holiday cocktail hour or dinner party? These miniature Hot Browns will be gone in a flash. The Southern dish originally gained popularity in the 1920s at Louisville's Brown Hotel, and since then, countless variations of the iconic meal have been made, including this version you can just pop in your mouth.
New Turkey Tetrazzini
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Spinach and mushrooms update the classic turkey tetrazzini to make it a bit more modern and a bit healthier. This recipe also makes good use of that extra box of stuffing mix in the cupboard.
Leftover Turkey Casserole
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This comforting casserole is like a warm hug. The list of ingredients is as familiar as your favorite tuna casserole, but enhanced with herbs and spices. Top with a delicious, crunchy mixture of panko breadcrumbs, butter, and cheese.
Slow-Cooker Turkey and Dumplings Soup
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Imagine old-fashioned chicken and dumplings, but better. Leftover turkey and vegetables simmer in a slow cooker until tender and succulent in a simple, well-seasoned broth, but the real star of the show here is the dumplings. The buttermilk dumplings are dropped into the simmering broth at the end, along with a spoonful of leftover gravy.
Hot Brown Party Rolls
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Victor Protasio; Food Stying: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis
Just in time for kicking off the holiday season, leftover turkey makes these Hot Brown sandwiches the perfect appetizer. Use sweet Hawaiian rolls for a nice contrast to the salty bacon, cheese, and juicy tomatoes.
Thanksgiving Leftovers Sandwiches
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Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
You'll want to make sure there is plenty of turkey left over from the Thanksgiving meal to make these stacked sandwiches. Layer cranberry sauce, green bean casserole, cheese, and peppery arugula with the turkey for the ultimate day-after Thanksgiving meal.
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