20 Ideas for Leftover Turkey

Swap turkey for roast pork in this Thanksgiving spin on a Cuban sandwich. (Or file this recipe for Christmas and pair leftover ham with deli turkey.)

Turn leftover turkey (or chicken) into soup by adding pantry staples, such as salsa, chicken broth and tortilla chips. Start to finish: 20 minutes 

Customize this recipe to suit your tastes and whatever meat and veggies you've got in your fridge. 

Tuck mango salsa, Gouda cheese, and chopped turkey or chicken into flour tortillas for this fresh twist on quesadillas.  

Short on time for a post-holiday meal? Try our quick and easy soup inspired by the flavors of Minnesota, which leads the nation in turkey production. Smoked turkey mixes with the state grain, wild rice. Meaty shiitake mushrooms add more substance to the bowl.

Turkey dominates the menu at the Strongbow Inn in Valparaiso, Indiana. Use your turkey leftovers in their meaty turkey pie recipe. Lighter eaters might prefer to split a pie. 

You'll only need six ingredients - and 20 minutes - to whip up this pasta dish. Use chopped leftover cooked turkey, chicken, pork, beef, or vegetables, and whatever kind of pasta you have on hand. 

Grilled sweet peppers and onion add crunch to the sweet-smoky Applejack Turkey Sandwich from a Gaylord, Michigan, restuarant.

Spinach and wild rice give a nutritional boost to traditional turkey and rice soup that simmers in your slow cooker. Use low-sodium condensed chicken soup and broth to make it even healthier. 

Roast turkey, cucumber, jicama (Mexican potatoes), onion, and cranberry jelly top fresh baby spinach. Toss it with tangy cranberry vinaigrette for extra festive flavor. 

This hotdish combines a handful of pantry ingredients. It's a great way to use up leftover chicken or turkey. 

This crowd-pleasing main dish makes the most of both leftover turkey and cranberry sauce— plus it has favorite enchilada fixings such as black beans, salsa, Monterey Jack cheese, and onion. 

Create your version of this classic with leftover turkey or other meats, selecting your favorite ingredients and crust options to use in our basic recipe. 

This variation of a classic quiche recipe combines smoked turkey breast with Swiss cheese, eggs and cream. Serve with fresh fruit and homemade sweet rolls for a hearty start to the day. The recipe comes from a Minnesota bed and breakfast.

Cranberry-orange relish, sliced turkey and fresh watercress or spinach leaves make a colorful appetizer-size sandwich. The recipe includes instructions for making focaccia, but purchased bread works fine, too. 

Pumpkin, dried cranberries, jalapeno peppers, and turkey add an unusual flavor twist to slow-simmering chili. 

Stone House Bread Cafe in Leland, Michigan, gave us the recipe for this version of the New Orleans classic, layered with olive relish. 

Pork sausage and wild rice blend with onion, mushrooms and water chestnuts in an easy-to-make casserole. Add 2 cups cubed, cooked chicken or turkey to make it a main dish. 

This twist on the classic Reuben trades the traditional corned beef for thin-sliced turkey (but you could use leftover holiday turkey, too). To reduce the sodium, rinse sauerkraut with cold water before using. 

Pile turkey on herbed focaccia along with Roma tomatoes, romaine lettuce and shredded cheddar for a comfort food sandwich.