Besides celebrating with friends and family by eating delicious food all day long and binge watching football, leftovers is one of the best parts of Thanksgiving, but only when done right. So to help, we gathered the best thanksgiving leftover recipes we could find that will be sure to please everyone!
Thanksgiving Croquettes
Recipe by Serena Cosmo from the cooking blog Rustic Plate
These puppies offer the pillowy comfort of mashed potatoes, the savoriness of ground roasted turkey meat and the satisfying crunch of perfectly pan-toasted panko breakcrumbs. And the filling, which consists of cranberry sauce and a tiny piece of French triple cream cheese, adds the slightest hint of tartness and creaminess to boot. Get the recipe here.
Leftover Turkey Gumbo
Recipe by Jaden Hair from the Steamy Kitchen
Once the big meal is over, even after the late-night refrigerator raid (you sneak in and pick at the turkey in the refrigerator too, right?!), we’ll always have more than enough leftover turkey for Turkey Gumbo. It’s a lighter, milder version of gumbo than what you may be used to, a little more broth-y and no mouth-burning cayenne pepper or hot sauce, but feel free to douse your version with as much hot chili pepper as you like! Get the recipe here.
Turkey Pot Pie for Another Day
Recipe by Jennifer Ann from Food52
For those who love turkey on Thanksgiving, but then need to take a little break from it for a while, this is the perfect recipe! Plus, it’s a great dish to save in the freezer for later. Tossing the turkey breast in olive oil keeps it tender and moist, and the shallot, lemon zest, parsley, and vermouth give the final pie a little extra sparkle. Get the recipe here.
Leftover Breakfast Bowls
From The Perfect Pairing
Jam those leftovers (meat, veggies, stuffing) into a bowl of carbs (leftover rolls work great) and chow down the day after Thanksgiving with this recipe. They’re customizable, so just toss whatever you’ve got left right on in! Get the recipe here.
Sweet Potato Pancakes with Cranberry Maple Syrup
Still got mounds of mashed sweet potatoes? Too many spoonfuls of cranberry sauce? Try this recipe for a sweet and easy breakfast-take on Thanksgiving flavors. To make sure the pancakes are fluffy, use sweet potatoes that were whipped for the big meal and up the ‘lifters’ in the recipe. Add more egg and baking powder than a normal pancake recipe…to keep them in the fluffy category. Get the recipe here.
Pumpkin Parfait
Recipe by Emily Vikre from FiveandSpice
Sure, you could make a parfait with apples or pears, but whether or not we’ll admit it, we all want pumpkin as much as possible this time of year. And post-thanksgiving, when leftovers are plentiful, is the perfect time to get your fix. This parfait made with leftover pumpkin pie and yogurt has it all: pumpkin (obviously), cinnamon, nutmeg, and maple syrup! Get the recipe here.