Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes - Best Ideas for Lasting Meals

Discover delicious Thanksgiving leftover recipes with the best ideas for lasting meals. Get inspired and find new ways to make the most out of the leftovers from your Thanksgiving gathering. Try these recipes now!

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Whenever there is a big festival and grand celebration, it is likely that there will be a lot of dishes and leftovers which will get piled up in the refrigerator. But what to do with so much extra? Of course, you can not simply throw away everything from the party leftovers, can you?

Then what can you do with it? Well, with us, you do not have to worry so much! There are several dishes that you can cook with leftovers! But the first thing that you must do is store them right! Let's first learn everything that you need to know about leftovers before we proceed to the list of recipes.

How long can you use and reuse the leftovers?

Now not all of us have the same notion about enjoying leftovers! Many might not be so excited about leftovers because heating the same food and then eating them again and again is not something we like to do during the holidays.

But if you are not aware then there are a lot of good things which you will find out about leftovers. They are in fact good! So let's see! What are the benefits of enjoying leftovers? First of all, you are saving up the energy to cook the next day! The excess food is supplied for later so you do not use more resources from the kitchen.

What makes a good leftover dish

There are basically two types of leftovers, to be honest! The intentional leftovers and the unintentional ones! The former is present in your refrigerator when you know you wish to enjoy something as leftover because that is how it will taste good, whether you want the extra turkey with a panini or sandwiches and so on.

So when we make intentional leftovers it applies to rice, braised meat, and some extra roasted veggies. As we all know you can combine meat and veggies to be used in soup, tacos, pasta, chicken salad, sandwich, loaded nachos, and so on.

However, unintentional leftovers are slightly different. It can be anything that you could not finish unlike the former where you aim to make some extra. These are meatloaf, stew, baked pasta, and so on. Noodles, curries, and meatballs can be added to the list as well.

What are some of the guidelines you are expected to follow while having leftovers?

Leftover food should be allowed to remain at room temperature for too long! This can impact the quality of the dish. Remember that it is something that you shall reuse and hence it is only wise that you take proper care if you want them to last for the next day.

You are also expected to leave them uncovered when they are steaming hot! If you cover the leftover dish when it is hot or immediately brought out of the oven then the dish might become the breeding ground for bacteria.

The steam will collect under the cover and turn your food soggy eventually. When you put them inside the refrigerator, you should let the food cool down completely! Wrapping them in airtight containers is very important in terms of making sure they last longer.

It depends on how well you handle the dish, that it shall remain fresh. More or less, leftover dishes can last up to one to two days and even three if you are storing them in the right way!

Now that we have discussed more or less everything we must know about the leftover dishes, it is time for us to try out some!

Delicious Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes - The Best Ideas for Your Leftovers

1. Dairy-free turkey tetrazzini

The succulent and cozy turkey tetrazzini is lovely and loaded with great taste! Savory, and packed with breadcrumbs, this one turns out to be a great idea indeed. Shall we try it then?

2. Thanksgiving stuffing balls

If you have loads of stuffing left behind then you should go ahead with making this lovely recipe right away! Packed with great taste, you will definitely enjoy this refreshing dish right away! And guess what, this one is so easy to make!

3. Leftover stuffing cake

When we came across this leftover stuffing cake, we knew you would like this dish and hence decided to add it to the list. Savory and crumbly, topped with eggs, do give it a try for sure. Shall we then?

4. Leftover Thanksgiving turkey pizza

The turkey pizza is made from shredded leftover turkey! If you have some left from last night then get ready to make this wonderful pizza for dinner tonight. Creamy and topped with cheese, this recipe is one of its dishes! Shall we?

5. Cinnamon spice sweet potato bread

The wonders of spiced sweet potato bread are lovely and flooded with great taste! Savory and rich, sweet potato bread is one of the best ideas to make your holidays special! So what are you waiting for? Bake this one right away!

6. The best pumpkin cream cheese bread

The best pumpkin cream cheese bread is flavorful and leaves you asking for more. Cheese cream bread with a flavorful essence is exactly what you need for a treat! Put on your mittens and begin to bake right away!

7. Harvest bread with fruit and nuts

The combination of fruit and nuts in harvest bread tastes so magnificent! Magnificent and rich, the harvest bread carries a seasonal aura and is ideal even for beginners. This is an incredible idea to indulge in this season.

8. Rosemary garlic pull-apart bread

The combination of rosemary and the garlicky hint in the pull-apart bread makes them the best duo in the world. Prepared with the leftover seasoning from other dishes, you must try this one out for sure. So shall we?

9. Mini Thanksgiving turkey with cranberry pot pies

The combination of turkey with cranberries is the best thing to make if you have some shredded turkey meat left from last night. These pot pies are incredibly good and so easy to make in a jiffy! Shall we then?

10. Thanksgiving leftover sandwiches

All that is left from morning's brunch, you can serve for dinner tonight! Rich and creamy, the Thanksgiving leftover sandwich is so easy to come up with! Tender and succulent, this offers you a juicy bite. Make it for sure!

11. Leftover turkey dinner hash

Instead of using them as filling for your sandwiches this recipe helps you to make a hash out of the leftover meal from last night! Give a totally revamped look to your dinner hash with this recipe right here.

12. Thanksgiving leftover balls

Well, if you have some leftovers from last night and are wondering what to do with that then we can suggest something good to you! Check out this recipe for leftover balls! Flooded with cheese filling in the center, do give it a try for sure.

13. Thanksgiving pizza

If you are craving pizza for Thanksgiving then this recipe is exactly what you need for a treat! Topped with cheese, veggies, and leftover meat, this recipe is the best thing that you will come across in a while.

14. Thanksgiving stuffed shells

Well, well, well! Right from the coastal regions, the Thanksgiving stuffed shells will never disappoint you! In fact, if you are having a gathering then you should make it and see how impressed the guests will be! Thank us later for the idea!

15. Thanksgiving leftover turkey and stuffed muffins

The gorgeous and gooey Thanksgiving leftover turkey with stuffed muffins is one of a kind. Drizzled with cranberry sauce, you must indulge in its blissful taste. Try out this dish right away! Do give us your feedback on how much you like it!

16. Turkey, brie, and cranberry panini

Ah, here is a great way to make use of the leftovers from last night! Made in three layers, the combination of turkey, brie, and cranberry creates a burst of flavor in the taste buds.

17. Ross geller's leftover Thanksgiving sandwich

No wonder Ross became so sensitive when someone at work ate his sandwiches! That is how good these sandwiches are! Delicious and packed with meat and rich cranberry sauce, Monica did a great job! Shall we try it then? Let's go!

18. Leftover Thanksgiving turkey pesto panini

Here is another panini recipe for you! The turkey pesto can be indeed turned into a panini with this recipe right here. Succulent and wholesome, this is enough to call a quick brunch after the event when you are too tired to cook.

19. Cranberry turkey sandwich

Ah, what a brilliant idea! With the holidays knocking at the doors, it is true that you will have celebrations and so will there be leftovers every time. This cranberry turkey sandwich is easy not to let the meat go to waste.

20. Mini turkey bites

Instead of making some old sandwiches and so on, let's try something unique! We have this extraordinary turkey bites recipe reserved for you. These are perfect to go with tea as snacks the next day! Wish you luck and happy holidays.