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45 Easy Leftover Turkey Recipes You'll Be Coming Back to All Week Long

Transform Thanksgiving dinner into sandwiches, casseroles and more!

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turkey sandwich with mustard seeds, cheese and red onions on sourdough bread
Mike Garten

Many households will find themselves with leftover turkey after Thanksgiving dinner is done. And while we're certainly not opposed to eating plates of turkey and leftover stuffing for a few days, we don't blame you if you want to get creative with your Thanksgiving leftovers. We've gathered the best leftover turkey recipes that turn your Thanksgiving main into delicious tostadas, cozy soups, and more.

We'll let you in on a little secret: You can actually add turkey to any dish where you want to have a little protein. Chop it up and add it to healthy salads, pile it on sandwiches, add it to a quesadilla — the possibilities are endless! If you find yourself with more turkey than you can use, go ahead and freeze some that you can later use for an easy weeknight dinner. And here's another tip: You can use turkey anywhere you'd usually use rotisserie chicken. Don't be afraid to get creative with it.

If you're looking for even more Thanksgiving inspiration, be sure to check out our roundups of turkey sandwiches, guide on how to reheat turkey, Thanksgiving turkey recipes, and Thanksgiving vegetable side dishes to complete your meal.

1

Shortcut Turkey Enchiladas

red turkey enchiladas in a skillet
Mike Garten

Give your Thanksgiving turkey a whole new life with this easy enchilada recipe. You can swap in leftover turkey for the three cups of shredded rotisserie chicken in this recipe. You'll also need enchilada sauce, corn tortillas, and pepper Jack cheese.

Get the Shortcut Turkey Enchiladas recipe.

2

Avocado Turkey Salad Clubs

avocado turkey salad club sandwich with bacon and tomato
Mike Garten

Turn your leftover Thanksgiving turkey into game-day sandwiches. This recipe brings together salty bacon, creamy avocado, tomato, and shredded turkey or chicken.

Get the Avocado Turkey Salad Clubs recipe.

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3

Roasted Chickpea, Tomato and Turkey Bowls

roasted turkey tomato and chicken bowl with faro
Mike Garten

This protein-packed dish might be just what you need after a few days of heavy eating. Rather than cooking up the chicken breast, you can incorporate the leftover turkey into the salad with farro, roasted chickpeas, tomatoes and homemade dressing.

Get the Roasted Chickpea, Tomato and Turkey Bowls recipe.

RELATED: 36 Easy Mediterranean Diet Recipes That Are Absolutely Delicious

4

Smoky Turkey Tostadas

tostadas with turkey, avocado, and jalapenos
Mike Garten

These tangy, flavorful tostadas are a fresh way to use up leftover turkey. The star of the show is the spicy, tomato-based sauce, but the jalapeños definitely add an extra kick.

Get the Smoky Turkey Tostadas recipe.

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5

Snap Pea and Turkey Salad

snap peas and turkey salad on a black plate
Mike Garten

If you're craving something fresh and crunchy, try this easy salad that comes together quickly. Thinly sliced snap peas, herbs, lemon and leftover turkey or rotisserie chicken make for a satisfying but light meal.

Get the Snap Pea and Turkey Salad recipe.

6

Smoky Black Bean and Quinoa Soup

soup with black beans, quinoa, and roasted red tomatoes
Mike Garten

If you scroll down on this recipe, you'll see our suggestions for "powering up" this comforting soup with extra protein. Stir in your leftover shredded turkey, rotisserie chicken, or ground pork to make this cozy soup even more satisfying.

Get the Smoky Black Bean and Quinoa Soup recipe.

RELATED: 40 Easy Fall Soup and Stew Recipes for Cozy Autumn Nights

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7

Enchilada Pie

a slice of turkey enchiladas on a plate with fork
Mike Garten

Another spin on a leftover-turkey enchilada is this dish, that requires little more than layering meat, sauce, and beans in a cake pan. It's incredibly easy to make, and provides some fresh flavor.

Get the Enchilada Pie recipe.

8

BBQ Turkey Sweet Potato Nachos

bbq chicken sweet potato nachos with red onion, sour cream, jalapenos and cilantro on top
Mike Garten

This dish is full of fall flavors. You've got crispy sweet potato chips, leftover turkey and melty cheese. Add some jalapeños and pickled onions for the final touch.

Get the BBQ Turkey Sweet Potato Nachos recipe.

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9

Thanksgiving Sandwich Melt

turkey sandwich with mustard seeds, cheese and red onions on sourdough bread
Mike Garten

If you ask us, the best part of Thanksgiving just might be the post-Turkey Day sandwich. This one is made with leftover turkey, toasted sourdough, sliced cornichons, Gruyère and whole-grain mustard.

Get the Thanksgiving Sandwich Melt recipe.

10

Creamy Turkey Pasta Casserole

creamy turkey pasta casserole in a baking dish
mike garten

This dish is pure comfort food. You've got turkey, pasta, Gruyère, and earthy cremini mushrooms. The family won't even realize it's made with leftovers!

Get the Creamy Turkey Pasta Casserole recipe.

RELATED: 50 Best Casserole Recipes for the Ultimate Comfort Food

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11

Turkey Pot Pie Soup

chicken pot pie soup with a biscuit
mike garten

If you're craving something cozy on a chilly weekend afternoon, we'd highly recommend whipping up a pot of this soup, topped with puff pastry. Though it calls for rotisserie chicken, you can swap in your leftover turkey.

Get the Turkey Pot Pie Soup recipe.

12

Turkey Taquitos

turkey taquitos with sour cream and pico de gallo on top
mike garten

These bites incorporate tender shredded turkey, cream cheese and enchilada sauce encased in a crispy corn tortilla.

Get the Turkey Taquitos recipe.

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13

Turkey Bacon Ranch Wrap

bacon and chicken ranch wraps
mike garten

Classic flavors come together in this wrap. Pack for Black Friday shopping or for a game day weekend!

Get the Turkey Bacon Ranch Wrap recipe.

14

Chinese Turkey Salad Wraps

chinese chicken salad wraps
Mike Garten

Toss shredded turkey in a spicy sesame oil sauce to load into wraps with roasted almonds and crispy chow mein noodles. Yum!

Get the Chinese Turkey Salad Wraps recipe.

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15

Buffalo Turkey Cobb Salad

buffalo turkey cobb salad with hard boiled eggs, tomatoes, and dressing
mike garten

See ya, boring turkey! Dress shredded leftovers in wing sauce for a flavor-packed protein to top your salad.

Get the Buffalo Turkey Cobb Salad recipe.

RELATED: 70 Healthy, Tasty Lunch Ideas That'll Power You Through Any Afternoon

16

Turkey, Cranberry and Brie Wraps

turkey, cranberry, and brie wraps
mike garten

Wrap up your favorite Thanksgiving leftovers to make the perfect on-the-go meal for your Black Friday shopping spree.

Get the Turkey, Cranberry and Brie Wraps recipe.

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17

Cobb Salad

cobb salad with avocado, bacon, red onion and soft boiled eggs
Mike Garten

We could all probably use a little extra green in the days after Thanksgiving, top this classic salad with your leftover turkey ... and lots of crispy bacon.

Get the Cobb Salad recipe.

18

Waldorf Turkey Salad

waldorf turkey salad with chicken, walnuts and apples
mike garten

In only 20 minutes, you'll have a refreshing, crisp salad using up your leftover turkey.

Get the Waldorf Turkey Salad recipe.

RELATED: 50 Easy 30-Minute Meals for a Quick and Healthy Family Dinner

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19

Turkey Enchiladas Verdes

green turkey enchiladas in a baking dish with pickled red onions on top
mike garten

Homemade salsa verde and melty cheese will spice up your leftover turkey.

Get the Enchiladas Verdes recipe.

20

Turkey Salad Sandwiches

turkey salad sandwiches with potato chips
MIKE GARTEN

Fresh herbs give your Thanksgiving turkey new life in this crowd-pleasing sammie.

Get the Turkey Salad Sandwiches recipe.

Headshot of Samantha MacAvoy
Samantha MacAvoy
Senior Editor

Samantha (she/her) is the Senior Editor at Delish, where she edits the most-talked-about food news and features on the internet. In her previous role as Assistant Editor in the Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen, she taste-tested hundreds of products and recipes (tough job!). A graduate of Fordham University, she considers the kitchen to be her happiest place.

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Jamie Ballard
Contributing Writer

Jamie Ballard (she/her) is a freelance writer and editor who covers news, lifestyle, and entertainment topics, including sex and relationships, TV, movies, books, health, pets, food and drinks, pop culture, shopping, and personal finance. She regularly contributes to Cosmopolitan, Woman’s Day, Good Housekeeping, and YouGov, among other publications. When she’s not working, you can find her running, traveling, or scrolling TikTok. Follow her on Twitter.

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turkey sandwich with mustard seeds, cheese and red onions on sourdough bread
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