As Thanksgiving approaches, we're eagerly anticipating the cornucopia of delicious foods we plan to devour. From delectable appetizers and sweet and savory side dishes to the main event (we're talking about the turkey, obviously), it's a day that's all about indulgence. "It's just one day!" we say.
Except it's not one day, is it? Leftovers are as much a part of Thanksgiving as the turkey or your drunk uncle.
Seriously — can you imagine not eating plates of stuffing and sweet potatoes, spoonfuls of cranberry sauce and giant slices of pie, and piles of turkey for days afterward? While a turkey sandwich is the leftover standard, you can do better. Check out these inventive, easy, and totally delicious ways to use your Thanksgiving turkey leftovers.
Image via heatherchristo.com
Turkey Enchiladas
The perfect foil to the classic turkey dinner, her cheesy Mexican Turkey Enchiladas are "on the table in 30 minutes," says Tiffany of Creme de la Crumb. After spending hours preparing the Thanksgiving feast, a quick dinner is on the menu.
Leftover Turkey Pho
Pho — a traditional Vietnamese broth-based rice noodle soup — is a labor of love that can take hours to prepare. Employing a few tricks, Christine of Cook the Story whips up her tasty and comforting Leftover Turkey Pho in a mere 15 minutes, leaving plenty of time to watch football while ignoring your family's awkward political discussions.
Turkey Leftover Stomboli
Use prepared pizza dough and layers of turkey-day staples to make Betsy of Betsylife's genius Thanksgiving Leftovers Stromboli. She says, "Itâs like leftovers wrapped up in a brown, crispy hug." We say it's a delicious way to clean out the fridge.
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Leftover Turkey Fritatta
Katerina of Diethood adds spinach to her fluffy, 'lighter-on-the-belly' Leftover Turkey Fritatta, but this easy egg dish would also go well with other foods found in your kitchen — think mushrooms, peppers, or butternut squash.
Turkey Pot Pie Soup
Transform your leftovers into this rich, comforting Turkey Pot Pie Soup. Tessa of Handle the Heat serves her quick, one-pot recipe with cheesy biscuits, but says it "would also pair wonderfully with rounds of leftover baked pie dough or even rounds of puff pastry."
Mashed Potato & Stuffing Patties
Pocket Change Gourmet incorporate the trifecta of iconic Thanksgiving dishes — turkey, stuffing, and mashed potatoes — in their Mashed Potato & Stuffing Patties. The savory little cakes are a creative, tasty way to use leftovers.
Turkey Salad with Almonds & Dried Cranberries
Kara of Happy Go Lucky turns to her mom for this Turkey Salad with Almonds and Dried Cranberries recipe. Poultry seasoning and curry powder are secret ingredients, "adding the perfect flavor." Mix up a big bowl for a fresh twist on your typical leftover turkey sandwich.
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Cranberry Turkey Quesadilla
According to Emilie of The Clever Carrot, her Turkey Quesadillas stretch out the leftovers, and the ham âadds a nice salty flavor to the otherwise 'subtle'-tasting turkey.â Pair them with a bowl of hot soup for an easy Black Friday lunch.
Roasted Turkey, Cranberry & Brie Grilled Cheese
If your family eats dinner early, Heather Cristo suggests whipping her Roasted Turkey, Cranberry, and Brie Grilled Cheese for an easy post-feast dinner.
More from The Stir: 12 Tempting Sandwiches Using Holiday Dinner Leftovers
Yakisoba Japanese Stir Fried Noodles
A traditional Japanese noodle dish, Yakisoba is made with stir fried buckwheat noodles, veggies, and meat. Use leftover turkey to make Yakisoba Japanese Stir Fried Noodles, suggests Sarah and Tim of Curious Cuisiniere, and while you can usually find Yakisoba sauce in the Asian food aisle at your grocery store, "traditional Yakisoba flavor can be made using ingredients you probably already have in your pantry and fridge."
