HONOLULU (KHON2) — Who doesn’t love leftovers? But after a couple of days feasting on them, you might get a little bored or disgruntled.
So, KHON2.com decided to do a bit of internet scouring to see what kinds of ideas could inspire us to get creative with all that food.
1. Turkey and cranberry sandwich
Ingredients: Turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, bread (or rolls).
Directions: Layer slices of turkey, a dollop of cranberry sauce, and stuffing between two pieces of bread or a leftover roll. You can even grill it for a crispy finish!
2. Turkey pot pie
Ingredients: Turkey, gravy, vegetables (like carrots, peas, or corn), mashed potatoes or pie crust.
Directions: Combine turkey, gravy, and veggies in a baking dish. Top with mashed potatoes or pie crust. Bake until golden and bubbly. This dish can easily be customized with what you have leftover.
3. Turkey and stuffing casserole
Ingredients: Turkey, stuffing, gravy, vegetables, cheese (optional).
Directions: Layer turkey, stuffing, and vegetables in a casserole dish. Pour gravy over the top and sprinkle with cheese if desired. Bake until heated through and the top is slightly crispy.
4. Thanksgiving leftover soup
Ingredients: Turkey, vegetables, broth, leftover mashed potatoes (for thickening).
Directions: Add chopped turkey, leftover veggies, and a bit of broth to a pot. Use mashed potatoes to thicken the soup, and simmer everything together. You can add herbs like thyme or rosemary to brighten up the flavors.
5. Turkey tacos or burritos
Ingredients: Turkey, tortillas, cranberry sauce, shredded cheese, lettuce, sour cream.
Directions: Shred leftover turkey and warm it up. Serve in tortillas with cranberry sauce, lettuce, cheese, and sour cream for a Thanksgiving twist on Mexican food.
6. Stuffing waffles
Ingredients: Leftover stuffing
Directions: Press leftover stuffing in a waffle iron and cook until crispy. Top with gravy or even fried eggs for a breakfast twist.
7. Thanksgiving nachos
Ingredients: Turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, cheese, chips.
Directions: Layer tortilla chips with shredded turkey, stuffing, and cheese. Bake until the cheese is melted, then drizzle with cranberry sauce for a sweet and savory touch.
8. Turkey salad
Ingredients: Turkey, mayo, celery, onion, grapes (optional), lettuce.
Directions: Shred turkey and mix with mayo, diced celery, onions, and grapes (for a touch of sweetness). Serve on a bed of lettuce or as a sandwich.
9. Mashed potato cakes
Ingredients: Mashed potatoes, breadcrumbs, egg, cheese (optional).
Directions: Form mashed potatoes into small patties, dip in breadcrumbs, and fry in a pan until golden brown. Serve with gravy for a crispy, savory treat.
10. Turkey chili
Ingredients: Turkey, beans (like black beans or kidney beans), tomatoes, chili spices (cumin, chili powder).
Directions: Shred leftover turkey and add it to a pot with beans, tomatoes, and chili spices. Let it simmer to meld the flavors together and serve with cornbread or cheese.
11. Thanksgiving fried rice
Ingredients: Turkey, rice, vegetables, soy sauce, eggs.
Directions: Stir-fry rice with vegetables like peas and carrots, add turkey for protein, and scramble in eggs. Finish with a splash of soy sauce for a simple and tasty meal.
12. Turkey and mashed potato shepherd’s pie
Ingredients: Turkey, mashed potatoes, mixed vegetables (like peas and carrots), gravy.
Directions: Layer chopped turkey, veggies, and gravy in a baking dish, then top with mashed potatoes. Bake until the potatoes are golden and crispy.
13. Cranberry sauce smoothie
Ingredients: Cranberry sauce, yogurt, honey, fruit (like banana or apple).
Directions: Blend cranberry sauce with yogurt, a little honey for sweetness, and some fruit to make a refreshing smoothie.
14. Turkey and veggie quesadillas
Ingredients: Turkey, cheese, tortillas, leftover veggies (like sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, or corn).
Directions: Fill tortillas with turkey, cheese, and vegetables. Cook in a pan until crispy and golden, then slice and serve with a side of cranberry sauce or sour cream.
15. Leftover Thanksgiving omelette
Ingredients: Eggs, turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cheese.
Directions: Make an omelette filled with chopped turkey, a spoonful of stuffing, mashed potatoes, and cheese. Serve with a dollop of cranberry sauce on the side.
16. Turkey and stuffing meatballs
Ingredients: Ground turkey or leftover turkey, stuffing, egg, breadcrumbs, herbs (like sage or thyme).
Directions: Mix shredded turkey with stuffing, egg, breadcrumbs, and herbs. Form into meatballs and bake until golden. Serve with gravy or cranberry sauce on the side.
17. Cranberry BBQ turkey sandwich
Ingredients: Turkey, cranberry sauce, barbecue sauce, sandwich rolls, lettuce.
Directions: Mix cranberry sauce with barbecue sauce to make a tangy spread. Layer on sandwich rolls with sliced turkey and lettuce. Grill for a warm, tasty meal.
18. Leftover Thanksgiving pizza
Ingredients: Pizza dough, turkey, stuffing, mozzarella cheese, gravy (for sauce), cranberry sauce.
Directions: Roll out pizza dough and spread a thin layer of gravy as the sauce. Top with turkey, stuffing, and cheese. Bake until the crust is crispy and the cheese is melted. Drizzle with cranberry sauce before serving.
19. Mashed potato and turkey croquettes
Ingredients: Mashed potatoes, shredded turkey, breadcrumbs, egg, herbs, flour.
Directions: Combine mashed potatoes with shredded turkey and herbs, form into small balls, dip in flour, beaten egg, and breadcrumbs. Fry until golden and crispy. Serve with dipping sauce, like gravy or ranch.
20. Turkey and sweet potato hash
Ingredients: Turkey, leftover sweet potatoes, onions, bell peppers, eggs.
Directions: Sauté diced sweet potatoes, onions, and bell peppers in a skillet. Add chopped turkey and cook until heated through. Top with fried eggs for a hearty breakfast or brunch.
21. Stuffing-Stuffed Mushrooms
Ingredients: Large mushroom caps, stuffing, cheese, garlic, parsley.
Directions: Stuff mushroom caps with leftover stuffing, top with a bit of cheese and garlic, then bake until the mushrooms are tender and the cheese is bubbly. Perfect as an appetizer or side dish!
22. Thanksgiving leftover frittata
Ingredients: Eggs, turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cheese, herbs.
Directions: Whisk eggs and pour into a skillet. Add diced turkey, leftover stuffing, mashed potatoes, and cheese. Cook on low until set, then broil for a crispy top. Slice and serve warm.
23. Turkey and cranberry gravy skillet
Ingredients: Turkey, leftover gravy, green beans, potatoes (or mashed potatoes).
Directions: Sauté turkey in a skillet with green beans. Pour leftover gravy over the top, add a spoonful of cranberry sauce, and heat through. Serve with mashed potatoes or roasted potatoes on the side.
24. Leftover Thanksgiving stuffing and turkey queso dip
Ingredients: Stuffing, turkey, cheese, cream cheese, salsa, sour cream.
Directions: In a saucepan, combine cream cheese, shredded cheese, and salsa to make a cheesy base. Stir in chopped turkey and stuffing. Cook until bubbly and serve with tortilla chips for a fun, creamy dip.
25. Turkey and pumpkin soup
Ingredients: Turkey, pumpkin puree, broth, spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, cumin), cream.
Directions: In a pot, combine turkey, pumpkin puree, broth, and spices like cinnamon and cumin. Simmer until everything is warmed through, then swirl in some cream for richness. Blend if you prefer a smoother soup.
26. Cornbread casserole
Ingredients: leftover cornbread, cream style corn, cheddar cheese, milk, eggs, melted butter, salt and seasonings to taste.
Directions: In a bowl, combine leftover cornbread, cream style corn, milk, eggs and butter. Fold in in the cheddar cheese. Transfer to a casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.
27. Sweet potato pancakes
Ingredients: leftover sweet potato casserole, egg, milk, flour, seasonings.
Directions: In a bowl, mix wet ingredients, add dry ingredients and combine. Heat griddle and cook to desired texture.
28. Ham and potato soup
Ingredients: Leftover ham, leftover potatoes, onion, garlic, chicken/vegetable broth, milk, cheddar cheese.
Directions: In a pot, combine all the ingredients (mash potatoes if not already) and mix. simmer for 5-10 minutes until flavors meld together.
29. Pumpkin pie oatmeal
Ingredients: leftover pumpkin pie, rolled oats, milk, brown sugar and spices to taste.
Directions: Cook oats in milk according to directions. crumble leftover pie in and mix. Stir in brown sugar and spices. Drizzle with a bit of maple syrup.
30. Pecan pie flapjacks
Ingredients: Slice of pie, pancake mix, egg, milk, butter for frying, maple syrup.
Directions: Heat up the griddle. In a bowl, prepare pancake mix. Crumble and gently fold the slice the pie into mixture. Heat on griddle. Drizzle with maple syrup.
We hope you have a wonderful holiday weekend and that these recipes inspire you to experiment and have fun!