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101 Things to Do with Leftover Turkey

Updated on January 5, 2014

101 Best Leftover Turkey Recipes!

Looking for things to do with leftover turkey? If you want to put a new twist on the leftover turkey from your Sunday roast and liven up mealtimes, then you have come to the right place! And don't forget to check back during the holiday season, when you've got turkey coming out of your ears after your Christmas or thanksgiving dinner!

Here you'll find 101 different things to make with leftover turkey. From turkey salad to turkey casserole, turkey soup to turkey curry, turkey pie to turkey chili, you'll find everything you could possibly think of to do with a turkey!

So come on - no more moaning about dry turkey, or groaning at the sight of more turkey come Christmas or thanksgiving. Make sure everyone enjoys the whole turkey so much, they'll be begging you to get another one!

Photo Credit: Maple Roasted Turkey by Michael KMak via Flickr Creative Commons

How to Cook the Perfect Turkey

Photo Credit: Roast Turkey via Wikimedia Commons

Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-2.0 Generic License

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Before we get to those leftovers, how to cook the turkey in the first place? Here are some tips from the pros on how to cook a turkey that is tender and full of flavour:

Jamie Oliver Roast Turkey Recipe

Spiced and Juicy Nigella Lawson Roast Turkey Recipe

Gordon Ramsay Roast Turkey Recipe with Stuffing and Gravy

HOW TO MAKE TURKEY STOCK

You really can use up ALL of your roast turkey - including the bones! Here's how to make a really delicious turkey stock:

Ingredients:

* Turkey carcass * 1 onion (unpeeled, cut into 4) * 2 scrubbed carrots * 2 celery sticks * 2 bay leaves * Parsley stalks * 10 peppercorns

Break up the carcass to fit in a large saucepan with the vegetables. Cover with cold water and bring to the boil, before skimming the surface and simmering for 2-3 hours.

Keep the stock in the fridge or freeze to use at a later date. Season when adding to a recipe.

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10 Easy Recipes for Leftover Turkey

Photo Credit: Leftover Recipe Ingredients via Wikimedia Commons

Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-2.0 Generic License

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When you've made and enjoyed a big, rich roast, chances are you will want something quick and easy to make the following day, that is lighter or at least a bit different to the day before. Here are 10 easy ways to use up some of the leftovers in creative and delicious ways, whether for breakfast, lunch or dinner!

1. Mexican Turkey

A great and versatile way to use up turkey, as you can use this to make sandwiches, tacos, burritos and more!

2. Barbecued Turkey Pockets

Both tasty and tangy - this is a perfect family option as kids will love these yummy pockets as much as you!

3. Leftover Roast Turkey Hash Cakes

Healthy and a bit different, you can use up your cabbage and sprouts with this too. Get the kids helping to shape them for additional fun!

4. Turkey, Spinach and Stilton Burger

Make use of your Christmas cheese as well as leftover poultry with this delicious and easy-to-make, mouthwatering burger.

5. Easy Turkey Risotto

Tasty and great for chucking in leftover veg, too.

6. Turkey Hash with Fried Eggs

After a lot of roasts and similar food, it's nice to get back to basics - and I do love fried eggs, so this is a must for me!

7. Coronation Turkey

If you're a hot and spicy fan, then this will go down well the day after the turkey before.

8. Leftover Turkey Cacciatore

Go Italian and enjoy a delicious meal that will turn your turkey into something completely different.

9. Turkey Lasagne

If you want something warm and comforting on a wintery post-Christmas day, then try this for size!

10. Cheesy Turkey with Pasta

If you've nothing in the house but Christmas food and cupboard staples, then opt for this leftover recipe - everyone has some pasta hanging around in the kitchen, and is pretty much yummy with everything!

Slow Cook your Turkey to Perfection

Slow Cooker Turkey - The Slow Cooker Aficionado Turkey Recipe Cookbook (The Slow Cooker Aficionado Recipe Cookbooks 5)
Slow Cooker Turkey - The Slow Cooker Aficionado Turkey Recipe Cookbook (The Slow Cooker Aficionado Recipe Cookbooks 5)
Even if you're planning on heading out to the sales after Christmas, you can still cook a perfect turkey meal. This book includes plenty of simple slow cooker recipes for your turkey, such as apple stuffed turkey breast, turkey drumsticks with plum sauce, turkey lasagnes and turkey & rice chili.
 
My turkey croquettes
My turkey croquettes

A tasty way to use up some turkey that is bound to be popular with the kids, too. Lovely creamy centre with a crunchy outside!

Cook time: 2 hours 30 min
Ready in: 2 hours 30 min
Yields: 6

Ingredients

  • 250 g cooked leftover turkey
  • 1 chopped onion
  • 25 g flour
  • 275 ml turkey stock (or you can use chicken or vegetable)
  • 30 ml double cream
  • 1 beaten egg
  • Butter and oil for frying
  • Squeeze of lemon juice
  • Bunch of chopped parsley
  • Bunch of chopped tarragon
  • Salt and pepper for seasoning
  • Seasoned flour (for the crust)
  • 125 g toasted breadcrumbs (for the crust)
  • 1 beaten egg (for the crust)

Instructions

  1. Finely chop up the leftover turkey (or pulse a couple of times in the food processor)
  2. Fry the onion on a low heat in some butter, until lightly browned. Add the flour, then the stock, cream, chopped turkey and egg. Squeeze in a little lemon juice, add the chopped herbs and finally season with the salt and pepper
  3. Spread the mixture out onto a large plate, cover with cling film and pop in the fridge for 1-2 hours
  4. Once cooled and thickened, roll the turkey mix into cylinders around 8cm long
  5. Roll each one in some seasoned flour, then roll in the beaten egg, then roll in the toasted breadcrumbs
  6. Warm a little butter and oil in a pan and fry the croquettes until golden (around 5 minutes) and keep warm in a low oven until ready to serve
  7. TIP: Any mixture that doesn't get made into croquettes can be frozen to use another time
Cast your vote for 11. Turkey Croquettes

Photo Credit: Leftover Turkey Sandwich by kthread via Flickr Creative Commons

Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License

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Whether you are after a more interesting Christmas or Thanksgiving tea, or simply want to create something nice for lunch with your leftovers, here are ten ways to invigorate the plain old turkey sandwich. Who says sarnies have to be boring?

12. Turkey Sandwich with Watercress and Apple

13. Baked Turkey Hoagie

14. Turkey Reubens

15. Turkey Sandwich with Apple and Walnut Mayo

16. Grilled Turkey Reuben Sandwiches

17. Chipotle Turkey Club Sandwich

18. Kentucky Hot Brown

19. Asian Turkey Sandwich with Hoisin Mayonnaise

20. Monte Cristo Sandwich

21. Turkey and Cranberry Chutney Sandwich

Bored of sandwiches already, too? How about these yummy turkey sandwich alternatives - tuck in for a delicious turkey tea!

Turkey and Bacon Sandwich by illustir via Flickr Creative Commons
Turkey and Bacon Sandwich by illustir via Flickr Creative Commons

Cook Time

Total Time: 10-15 mins

Serves: 2

27. Turkey and Bacon Sandwiches with Cream Cheese

  • 6 slices bacon
  • 6 oz roast turkey (or however much of the leftovers you want to use)
  • 4 tablespoons cream cheese
  • 4 slices rustic
  • raisin or walnut bread
  • Salad such as lettuce
  • tomatoes (optional)

Instructions

  1. Grill the bacon until it is as crispy as you like it. Transfer to a paper towel to dry off any fat.
  2. Spread the cream cheese on the bread slices
  3. Layer up the turkey and bacon (and salad if desired) to create deliciously thick and yummy sandwiches!

Photo Credit: Turkey Cobb Salad by cdorobek via Flickr Creative Commons

Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License

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A salad is the perfect antidote to that heavy feeling you're felt with after eating all that Christmas or Thanksgiving dinner! Use up some of that leftover turkey with a delicious healthy salad the next day. As with sandwiches, salads don't have to be boring, nor do they need to be complicated. Here's a super selection to get you started!

28. Jamie Oliver's Asian Turkey Salad with Pancakes

29. Turkey and Blue Cheese Salad

30. Cape Cod Turkey Salad

31. Turkey Tonnato Salad

32. Jubilee Turkey Salad

33. Turkey and Barley Salad

34. Vietnamese Turkey Salad

My tasty leftover turkey pasta
My tasty leftover turkey pasta

40. Turkey Fusilli Pasta with Mushrooms

This tasty pasta dish can use up leftover ham as well as turkey.

Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Ready in: 35 min
Yields: Up to 6

Ingredients

  • 450 g turkey cut into chunks
  • 350 g fusilli
  • 350 g carton wild mushroom sauce
  • Milk
  • 1 sliced onion
  • 1 seeded and chopped red pepper
  • 225 g ham cut into chunks
  • 225 g frozen leaf spinach
  • 100 g grated mature cheddar
  • Freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

  1. Heat the oil in a pan and cook the onion and pepper for around 5 minutes
  2. Add the turkey, stirring occasionally, and cook for another 5 minutes
  3. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in boiling water for around 10 minutes until just tender, and drain well
  4. Preheat the grill to high. Make the wild mushroom sauce up to 600ml/1 pint by adding the milk. Add to the turkey in the pan and bring to the boil, before adding the pasta, ham and frozen spinach. Stir well to mix
  5. Flavour the mix with seasoning and nutmeg, before simmering for 5 minutes until very hot
  6. Spoon into a shallow oven dish, cover with the grated cheese and grill until browned

Photo Credit: Turkey Tortilla Soup by Lori L. Staltori via Flickr Creative Commons

Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License

Soups are the staple of the leftovers pro. They are a great way to use up every last bit of your leftover turkey because you can make use of the carcass and bones, too. From healthy broths to comforting, creamy soups, here you'll find a wealth of tasty ideas to get you hubble bubbling in the kitchen.

41. Reinvented Turkey Leftovers Soup

42. Hearty Turkey Soup with Parsley Dumplings

43. Turkey Noodle Soup

44. Turkey Soup with Root Vegetables

45. Creamed Turkey and Mushroom Soup

46. Creamy Turkey Wild Rice Soup

47. Turkey, Dill and Orzo Soup

48. Spiced Parsnip and Ham or Turkey Soup

My spicy and warming leftover turkey soup
My spicy and warming leftover turkey soup

53. Perky Turkey Leftovers Soup

Add some spice to your leftover turkey with this tasty and warming soup.

Cook Time

Total Time: 25-35 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients

  • 250 g cooked turkey meat
  • cut into thin strips
  • 1 large onion
  • halved and cut into thin strips
  • 1 seeded red pepper
  • sliced into thin strips
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp ground coriander
  • 1/2 tsp chilli flakes (or 1/4 tsp depending on your taste)
  • 3 tbsp basmati rice
  • 1.5 litres turkey or chicken stock
  • 410 g can of chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
  • Handful of fresh roughly chopped flatleaf parsley (or coriander)

Instructions

  1. Heat the oil in a pan and cook the onion for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until it begins softening
  2. Add the pepper, chilli flakes, rice and ground coriander, and stir for about a minute
  3. Pour in the hot stock, followed by the turkey and chickpeas. Stir and season well
  4. Bring to the boil, and cover and simmer for about 10 minutes, until the rice and vegetables have become tender
  5. Stir in the fresh parsley or coriander and serve

Photo Credit: Spinach Curried Turkey by Mary Thompson via Flickr Creative Commons

Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License

If you fancy something a little spicier in the days following your roast, then a turkey curry makes an excellent meal to make from your leftovers. Some of these recipes use up other trimmings from the roast, too, such as veg and cranberry.

66. Easy Turkey Curry

67. Turkey and Cranberry Biryani

68. Rustie Lee's Leftover Christmas Curry

69. Turkey and Parsnip Curry

70. Turkey and Chickpea Coconut Curry

71. Old Fashioned Turkey Curry

Photo Credit: Turkey Pie by JeffreyW via Flickr Creative Commons

Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License

A turkey pie is one of my most favourite ways to use up leftover turkey - especially at Christmas, because you can just throw in everything that's left over from Christmas dinner! You can also make it as easy or complex as you wish, by using ready to roll pastry or cooking your own from scratch. You can also use up other meats you might have had at Christmas, too, such as goose, ham and duck. The possibilities are endless!

72. Turkey and Ham Pie

73. Mini Turkey and Cranberry Pies

74. Jamie Oliver's Turkey and Sweet Leek Pie

75. The Hairy Bikers' Turkey and Ham Pie with Amazing Cranberry Topping

76. Turkey and Ham Pie with Brussels Sprout Salad

77. Puff Pastry Turkey Triangles

78. Dad's Leftover Turkey Pot Pie

79. Grandma Carlson's Turkey Pot Pie

Leftover Turkey Video Tutorials - More Great Ideas with Video Instructions!

Photo Credit: Turkey Chili by seekingthomas via Flickr Creative Commons

Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License

If you want a hot way to spice up your turkey bits, then you don't have to be limited to a curry. Think chili, spicy rice, hot sauces and other yummy winter warmers.

80. Spicy Rice and Turkey With Chorizo

81. Jamie Oliver's Turkey Con Chilli

82. Quick and Spicy Turkey Rice

83. Turkey and Poblano Chili

84. Coronation Turkey with Homemade Chapattis

85. Ragin' Cajun Turkey Rice and Beans

86. White Turkey Chili

More Ways with Leftovers - Helpful Recipe Books and Top Tools for Cooking with Leftovers

Photo Credit: Turkey Sausage Hash by tvol via Flickr Creative Commons

Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License

There are so many versatile ways to use up that turkey! Think about how you can incorporate it into your favourite dish, or create a totally new meal using turkey in place of something else. Here are some more delicious meals you can make, combining turkey with everything from noodles to sweet potatoes. How creative can you get? You'll even find a recipe below for a turkey "cupcake"!

87. Leftover Turkey Tetrazzini

88. Stir Fry Turkey

89. Turkey and Wild Mushroom En Croute

90. Turkey and Noodles Skillet

91. Winter Pilaf with Leftover Turkey

92. Alfredo Turkey Divan

93. Leftover Turkey Spring Rolls with Cranberry Sweet and Sour Dipping Sauce

94. Sweet Potato Turkey Hash

95. Turkey a la King

96. Turkey and Potato Kuku

97. Turkey Cranberry Wreath Bake

98. Korean Rice Pot with Leftover Turkey and Healthy Veg

99. Turkey and Broccoli Baked Potato Topping

100. Leftover Turkey Cupcakes

My ultimate turkey leftovers pie
My ultimate turkey leftovers pie

101. Ultimate Christmas Leftover Pie

This is a great way to use up ALL your Christmas or Thanksgiving leftovers as you can pop it all in the one pie - yummy!

Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Ready in: 55 min
Yields: 6-8

Ingredients

  • 375 g ready to roll shortcrust pastry
  • 350 g cooked and shredded leftover turkey
  • 300 g leftover roast potatoes
  • chopped
  • 150 g leftover stuffing
  • 100 g peas
  • 570 ml thick turkey gravy (mix granules with any leftovers)
  • 1 tbsp fresh or dried tarragon
  • 1 beaten egg

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C / Gas mark 6
  2. Break up the leftover stuffing and put in a bowl with the turkey, potatoes, peas and tarragon. Mix together well
  3. Add the gravy until the mixture is well coated, then mix in
  4. Transfer to a deep round or oval baking dish
  5. Roll out the pastry, brush the edge of the baking dish with beaten egg, and lay the pasty over the top. Cut away any excess, press down and crimp or decorate the edge if desired
  6. To aid cooking, glaze the top of the pie with more of the beaten egg and carefully put 3 slits in the top
  7. Bake for 35 minutes or until well cooked and browned on the top
  8. Serve with Christmas veg or a salad

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