25 Ways to Use Leftover Turkey Besides Sandwiches
November 28, 2015
Are there ways to use leftover turkey besides sandwiches? As much as I love turkey, after a few days of eating it, I start to wonder that myself. The kids begin to roll their eyes when I suggest a leftover turkey sandwich for lunch and my husband has been known to resort to frozen pizza instead. Because I still have leftover turkey in the refrigerator, I like to offer them a few different options.
25 Ways to Use Leftover Turkey Besides Sandwiches
There are plenty of ways to use leftover turkey besides sandwiches. These are a few of my family’s favorites that we look forward to after Thanksgiving each year. We purposely buy a larger turkey than we will finish for Thanksgiving so that we can have leftovers for a few days. If you find that you don’t enjoy eating leftover turkey, consider a smaller turkey next year.
- Turkey and gravy on mashed potatoes, rice or biscuits
- Turkey chef salad
- Turkey a la king (a simple white sauce with turkey) on rice
- Turkey noodle or turkey rice soup. Remember to toss in those leftover vegetables too.
- Turkey chili (simply substitute cooked turkey for the beef)
- Turkey enchiladas
- Turkey pot pie with either a traditional crust or topped with biscuits
- Turkey fried rice. Just substitute turkey in your favorite recipe.
- Spicy turkey nachos
- Turkey hash with a poached egg on top
- Turkey and vegetable lasagna
- Shepherd’s pie topped with leftover mashed potatoes
- Turkey Stroganoff
- Turkey and stuffing cups topped with leftover gravy
- Turkey pizza
- Turkey and asparagus quiche
- Turkey and cheese quesadillas
- Turkey Cacciatore
- Turkey Cobb salad with buttermilk dressing
- Hot turkey sandwich (OK this one IS a sandwich)
- Turkey Divan
- Turkey twice stuffed potatoes with broccoli and cheese
- Stuffed peppers with wild rice and leftover turkey
- Scalloped turkey with toasted bread cubes or leftover stuffing
- Turkey noodle casserole (instead of tuna noodle casserole)
When your family rolls their eyes at the traditional turkey sandwiches, try offering them one of these ways to use up turkey leftovers. If you still fail to interest them in eating more leftover turkey, you can always freeze the turkey and try it again next month. Remember to use refrigerated turkey, stuffing, and gravy within three to four days to be safe. If you don’t plan on using it all up in that time, you can freeze it in a freezer safe container for up to three to four months. Make sure to label your leftovers clearly so they aren’t forgotten.
