Thanksgiving · The Friday after

20 things to make with Thanksgiving leftovers

Thursday is the big meal. Friday is the good one. I went through the cooks I follow and picked one leftover dish from each: turkey ramen from the carcass, stuffing waffles, a croque madame with gravy cheese sauce, dumplings, a pie milkshake. Tell me what's in your fridge and I'll sort the 20 by what you can make right now. Save any of them and it lands in your recipes, laid out the way we cook. Then go follow the people who made them.

— B.

For Friday, November 27 · 28 days to go. Bookmark it now.

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Tap what you have, or type it. Chef puts what you can make right now first.

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1. No.20Photo: Tastes Better From Scratch

   Turkey cranberry almond wrap

   A sandwich · 10 min · serves 4

   • Turkey
   • Cranberry sauce

   The no-cook one. Turkey, almonds, celery and cranberry stirred into a little mayo or Greek yogurt, rolled up in a big tortilla. Lunch for the drive home.

   From Lauren Allen at Tastes Better From Scratch · @tastesbetterfromscratch

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   Chopped turkey, almonds, celery and cranberry sauce stirred into mayonnaise or Greek yogurt and rolled up in large tortillas.

   You need

   • 3 cups cooked turkey, chopped
   • 1/2 cup chopped almonds
   • 2 ribs celery, diced
   • 3 to 4 tbsp mayonnaise or Greek yogurt
   • 1/4 cup cranberry sauce
   • Salt and black pepper
   • 4 large tortillas
   • Lettuce leaves (optional)

   How to make it

   1. Toast the almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking the pan, until fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes, then cool. (Optional, but it doubles the flavor.)
   2. Mix the turkey, almonds, celery, mayonnaise and cranberry sauce in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
   3. Lay a lettuce leaf on each tortilla if using, spoon a quarter of the filling across the lower third, fold in the sides and roll up tightly.
   4. Cut in half on the diagonal and serve, or wrap in foil for the road.

   Good to know

   • The filling keeps 3 days in the fridge; roll the wraps just before eating so they don't go soggy.

   Chef's own write-up of Lauren Allen's recipe, in our words. Save it and it opens in Chef Amazing with a timeline, mise en place and what you already have.

   Recipe: Turkey cranberry almond wrap, tastesbetterfromscratch.com

2. No.19Photo: Spend With Pennies

   Turkey à la king

   Dinner · 25 min · serves 4

   • Turkey
   • Rolls, if you have it

   Old school and I love it. Mushrooms, peppers, peas and pimentos in a creamy sauce, ready in about twenty minutes. Holly serves it over rice, pasta or biscuits. Leftover rolls work too.

   From Holly Nilsson at Spend With Pennies · @spendpennies

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   Turkey, mushrooms, green pepper, peas and pimentos in a creamy sherry-scented sauce, spooned over rice, pasta, biscuits or rolls.

   You need

   • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
   • 8 oz brown mushrooms, sliced
   • 1 small yellow onion, diced
   • 1 green bell pepper, diced
   • 2 tbsp dry sherry (optional)
   • 1 tsp garlic powder
   • 1/2 tsp black pepper
   • 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
   • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
   • 2 1/4 cups turkey or chicken broth
   • 1/2 cup half and half
   • 1 cup frozen peas
   • 1 jar (4 oz) pimentos, drained and chopped
   • 3 cups cooked turkey, chopped or shredded
   • Rice, pasta, biscuits or warm rolls, to serve

   How to make it

   1. Melt the butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the mushrooms, onion and pepper until they start to soften, about 5 minutes.
   2. Add the sherry if using and cook until it has mostly evaporated. Stir in the garlic powder, pepper and salt.
   3. Sprinkle in the flour and stir for 2 minutes. Gradually pour in the broth and half and half, stirring all the while.
   4. Turn to a low simmer and cook, stirring now and then, until the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon, 5 to 7 minutes.
   5. Add the peas, pimentos and turkey and heat through, 3 to 4 minutes. Taste for salt.
   6. Serve over rice, pasta, split biscuits or toasted leftover rolls.

   Good to know

   • A splash more broth loosens it when you reheat it the next day.

   Chef's own write-up of Holly Nilsson's recipe, in our words. Save it and it opens in Chef Amazing with a timeline, mise en place and what you already have.

   Recipe: Turkey à la king, spendwithpennies.com

3. No.18Photo: Well Plated

   Turkey tetrazzini

   Dinner · 1 hr 30 min · serves 8

   • Turkey

   Erin's lighter take on the classic: mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, smoked paprika and a sauce made creamy with a little cream cheese and Greek yogurt, under crunchy panko. Freezes beautifully.

   From Erin Clarke at Well Plated · @wellplated

   Save to my recipesMore from Well Plated ↗

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   Spaghetti, turkey, mushrooms, peas and sun-dried tomatoes in a smoky, creamy sauce made with a little cream cheese and Greek yogurt, baked under Parmesan, provolone and panko.

   You need

   • 16 oz whole wheat spaghetti, broken in half
   • 1/3 cup dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes
   • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
   • 1 tbsp olive oil
   • 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
   • 3 cloves garlic, minced
   • 16 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
   • 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
   • 1/4 cup white whole wheat flour
   • 3 to 4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
   • 4 oz reduced-fat cream cheese, in pieces
   • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
   • 1 tsp smoked paprika
   • 1 tsp kosher salt
   • 1/2 tsp black pepper
   • 3 cups cooked turkey, shredded
   • 10 oz frozen peas
   • 2/3 cup grated Parmesan
   • 2/3 cup shredded provolone or mozzarella
   • 1 cup whole-milk plain Greek yogurt
   • 1/2 cup panko

   How to make it

   1. Heat the oven to 350°F and grease a deep 9x13 dish.
   2. Cook the spaghetti in well-salted boiling water until just short of al dente (still too chewy to eat; it finishes in the oven). Drain.
   3. Cover the sun-dried tomatoes with hot water to soften.
   4. Melt the butter with the oil in a large pot over medium heat and cook the onion until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes, without browning.
   5. Add the mushrooms and garlic, raise to medium-high and cook until the mushrooms soften and give up their liquid, about 5 minutes. Add the sherry vinegar for 30 seconds.
   6. Sprinkle the flour over and stir 2 minutes until no white bits remain. Slowly pour in 3 cups broth, stirring to avoid lumps, and simmer until reduced by about a third, 6 to 8 minutes.
   7. Off the heat, stir in the cream cheese, Worcestershire, smoked paprika, salt and pepper until mostly melted. Drain and chop the tomatoes and add them with the turkey, peas, half the Parmesan, half the provolone and the yogurt. Fold in the pasta, loosening with more broth if it looks dry.
   8. Spread in the dish, top with the remaining cheese and the panko, and bake until bubbling and golden, 20 to 25 minutes.

   Good to know

   • Stir the yogurt in off the heat so it doesn't split.
   • Freezes well before baking; thaw overnight and bake 35 to 40 minutes.

   Chef's own write-up of Erin Clarke's recipe, in our words. Save it and it opens in Chef Amazing with a timeline, mise en place and what you already have.

   Recipe: Turkey tetrazzini, wellplated.com

4. No.17Photo: Damn Delicious

   Leftover Thanksgiving turkey enchiladas

   Dinner · 1 hr 10 min · serves 6

   • Turkey

   Turkey, green chiles and cheddar rolled in corn tortillas under red enchilada sauce. Chungah's makes a full 9x13, so it feeds everyone who stayed the weekend.

   From Chungah Rhee at Damn Delicious · @damn_delicious

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   Turkey, peppers, green chiles and cheddar rolled in corn tortillas, covered with red enchilada sauce and more cheese, and baked until bubbling.

   You need

   • 2 1/3 cups red enchilada sauce, divided
   • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
   • 1 medium sweet onion, diced
   • 1 red bell pepper, diced
   • 3 cloves garlic, minced
   • 1 1/2 tsp chili powder
   • 1 tsp ground cumin
   • 1 tsp dried oregano
   • 4 cups shredded turkey
   • 1 can (4 oz) diced green chiles
   • 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
   • 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar, divided
   • Salt and pepper
   • 12 corn tortillas (5-inch), warmed
   • 1/4 cup diced red onion
   • 1/4 cup crumbled cotija

   How to make it

   1. Heat the oven to 375°F. Oil a 9x13 baking dish and spread 1/3 cup of the enchilada sauce over the bottom.
   2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat and cook the onion and bell pepper, stirring, until tender, 3 to 4 minutes.
   3. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin and oregano for 1 minute, until fragrant, then take the pan off the heat.
   4. Stir in the turkey, green chiles, 1/2 cup enchilada sauce, the cilantro and 3/4 cup of the cheddar. Season with salt and pepper.
   5. Warm the tortillas so they bend without cracking. Spoon about 1/3 cup filling down the middle of each, roll up and lay seam side down in the dish.
   6. Pour the remaining sauce over and scatter with the remaining cheddar.
   7. Bake until bubbling at the edges and the cheese has melted, 35 to 40 minutes. Top with red onion and cotija and serve.

   Good to know

   • Warm tortillas wrapped in a damp towel in the microwave for 30 seconds.

   Chef's own write-up of Chungah Rhee's recipe, in our words. Save it and it opens in Chef Amazing with a timeline, mise en place and what you already have.

   Recipe: Leftover Thanksgiving turkey enchiladas, damndelicious.net

5. No.16Photo: Tiffy Cooks

   Spicy turkey chow mein

   Dinner · 30 min · serves 4

   • Turkey

   Tiffy's sauce is the reason: soy, oyster sauce, black vinegar, chili oil and a little sugar. Celery, cabbage and carrot for crunch. If you saved the turkey fat, fry in that.

   From Tiffy Chen at Tiffy Cooks · @tiffy.cooks

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   Egg noodles stir-fried on high heat with celery, cabbage, carrot, onion and leftover turkey in a soy, oyster sauce, black vinegar and chili oil sauce.

   You need

   • 450 g (1 lb) egg chow mein noodles
   • 1/2 carrot, sliced
   • 1/4 head cabbage, sliced
   • 5 stalks celery, cut into thin strips
   • 1/2 large onion, sliced
   • 3 scallions, cut into 2-inch pieces
   • 2 cups leftover turkey, shredded
   • 3 tbsp turkey fat or neutral oil
   • Sauce: 3 tbsp soy sauce
   • 2 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce
   • 1 tbsp sesame oil
   • 1 tbsp sugar
   • 3 tbsp Chinese black vinegar
   • 1/2 tsp black pepper
   • 1 1/2 tbsp chili oil

   How to make it

   1. Blanch the noodles in boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds, rinse under cold water, drain well and set aside.
   2. Mix the soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, sugar, black vinegar, pepper and chili oil in a bowl until the sugar dissolves.
   3. Heat the turkey fat or oil in a wok or large pan over medium-high heat. Stir-fry the onion and celery 2 to 3 minutes.
   4. Add the carrot for 1 to 2 minutes, then the cabbage for 2 to 3 minutes, until just wilted.
   5. Add the noodles and turkey, pour the sauce over and toss on high heat for 2 to 3 minutes until every strand is coated and glossy.
   6. Add the scallions, toss 1 minute more, and serve.

   Good to know

   • Dry noodles fry; wet noodles steam. Shake them well after rinsing.

   Chef's own write-up of Tiffy Chen's recipe, in our words. Save it and it opens in Chef Amazing with a timeline, mise en place and what you already have.

   Recipe: Spicy turkey chow mein, tiffycooks.com

6. No.15Photo: Salt and Lavender

   Thai turkey soup

   A bowl · 30 min · serves 4

   • Turkey

   Red curry paste, coconut milk and rice noodles. Thirty minutes and the turkey tastes brand new. Basil, cilantro, a squeeze of lime.

   From Natasha Bull at Salt and Lavender · @saltandlavender

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   Turkey and rice noodles in a red curry and coconut milk broth with bell pepper, finished with basil, cilantro, scallions and lime.

   You need

   • 1 tbsp olive oil
   • 1/2 medium onion, chopped
   • 3 cloves garlic, minced
   • 3 heaping tbsp Thai red curry paste
   • 4 cups chicken broth
   • 2 cups water
   • Juice of 1/2 lime
   • 2 cups cooked turkey, shredded or chopped
   • 7 oz rice noodles
   • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
   • 1 can (13.5 oz) full-fat coconut milk
   • A handful each of fresh basil, cilantro and chopped scallions
   • Salt and pepper
   • Lime wedges, to serve

   How to make it

   1. Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat and cook the onion until soft, about 5 minutes.
   2. Add the garlic and curry paste and stir 30 seconds, until fragrant.
   3. Add the broth, water, lime juice, turkey, rice noodles and bell pepper. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil.
   4. Lower to medium-low, stir in the coconut milk and simmer 10 minutes, until the noodles are tender.
   5. Stir in the basil, cilantro and scallions, season with salt and pepper, and serve right away with lime wedges.

   Good to know

   • Rice noodles keep drinking the broth; if you're making it ahead, cook them separately and add to each bowl.

   Chef's own write-up of Natasha Bull's recipe, in our words. Save it and it opens in Chef Amazing with a timeline, mise en place and what you already have.

   Recipe: Thai turkey soup, saltandlavender.com

7. No.14Photo: Pinch of Yum

   Loaded turkey panini

   A sandwich · 10 min · serves 1

   • Turkey
   • Cranberry sauce

   Lindsay's one-person lunch: turkey, fresh sage, cranberry, goat cheese, bacon and Muenster, pressed until it melts. Ten minutes, start to finish.

   From Lindsay Ostrom at Pinch of Yum · @pinchofyum

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   Turkey, sage, cranberry sauce, goat cheese, bacon and Muenster pressed between buttered bread until golden and melted.

   You need

   • 2 slices thick, sturdy white or wheat bread
   • 1 tbsp butter, softened
   • A few slices leftover turkey
   • A few fresh sage leaves
   • A few spoonfuls cranberry sauce (or raspberry jam)
   • 1 oz goat cheese
   • 2 slices cooked bacon
   • 1 slice Muenster cheese

   How to make it

   1. Heat a skillet or panini press to medium-high.
   2. On one slice of bread layer the turkey, sage, cranberry sauce, crumbled goat cheese, bacon and Muenster. Top with the second slice.
   3. Butter the outsides of both slices.
   4. Cook in the press, or in the skillet with a heavy pan pressed on top, until the outside is deep golden and the cheese has melted, 3 to 4 minutes a side in a skillet.
   5. Slice in half and eat hot.

   Good to know

   • Low and slow beats high and fast: if the bread browns before the cheese melts, turn the heat down a notch.

   Chef's own write-up of Lindsay Ostrom's recipe, in our words. Save it and it opens in Chef Amazing with a timeline, mise en place and what you already have.

   Recipe: Loaded turkey panini, pinchofyum.com

8. No.13Photo: Jessica Gavin

   Turkey cranberry sliders

   To share · 30 min · 12 sliders

   • Turkey
   • Cranberry sauce
   • Rolls, if you have it

   A whole pack of sweet rolls sliced in one go, provolone, turkey, cranberry, and a honey-Dijon butter brushed over the top. Twelve sliders, twenty minutes, football on.

   From Jessica Gavin · @jessica_gavin

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   A pan of sweet rolls layered with provolone, turkey and cranberry sauce, brushed with honey-Dijon butter and baked until melty.

   You need

   • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
   • 2 tsp Dijon mustard
   • 2 tsp honey
   • 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
   • 1/4 tsp onion powder
   • Pinch of salt
   • 12 Hawaiian sweet rolls (one 12-oz pack), or leftover rolls
   • 8 oz sliced provolone (about 10 slices)
   • 8 oz cooked turkey, sliced
   • 3/4 cup cranberry sauce
   • 1 tsp everything bagel seasoning or poppy seeds

   How to make it

   1. Heat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the middle. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
   2. Stir the melted butter, mustard, honey, Worcestershire, onion powder and salt together.
   3. Keep the rolls joined and slice the whole slab in half horizontally with a serrated knife.
   4. Set the bottom half cut side up on the sheet. Cover with 6 slices of provolone, then the turkey. Brush the turkey with half the butter sauce, spread the cranberry sauce over, and lay the last 4 slices of cheese on top.
   5. Put the top half on, brush with the rest of the butter and sprinkle with the seasoning.
   6. Cover with foil and bake 15 minutes, then uncover and bake until the cheese has melted and the tops are golden, about 5 minutes more.
   7. Cut into sliders and serve hot.

   Good to know

   • Assemble up to the foil stage a few hours ahead and keep it in the fridge; add 5 minutes to the bake.

   Chef's own write-up of Jessica Gavin's recipe, in our words. Save it and it opens in Chef Amazing with a timeline, mise en place and what you already have.

   Recipe: Turkey cranberry sliders, jessicagavin.com

9. No.12Photo: Sugar Spun Run

   Mashed potato pancakes

   Breakfast · 25 min · 8 pancakes

   • Mashed potatoes

   Cold mash, cheddar, an egg, a little flour. Sam's rule: dust them well with flour and get the oil shimmering, and they come out crisp outside and creamy in the middle. Sour cream and chives.

   From Sam Merritt at Sugar Spun Run · @sugarspun_sam

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   Cold leftover mashed potatoes mixed with cheddar, egg and a little flour, shaped into cakes and fried golden in a hot pan.

   You need

   • 2 cups cold leftover mashed potatoes
   • 3/4 cup shredded cheddar
   • 1 large egg
   • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
   • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
   • 1/4 tsp onion powder
   • 1/4 tsp black pepper
   • 1/4 tsp salt
   • 2 tbsp oil (avocado or vegetable)
   • Sour cream and chives or scallions, to serve

   How to make it

   1. Stir the mashed potatoes, cheddar, egg, 2 tbsp flour, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper and salt together in a large bowl.
   2. Dust a baking sheet with flour. Drop 1/4-cup scoops onto it, dust the tops well with more flour, and press each into a cake about 3/4 inch thick. They should be firm enough to pick up; if your mash was loose, work in a little more flour.
   3. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. The oil should coat the whole bottom of the pan.
   4. Fry the pancakes in batches, 2 inches apart, until deep golden underneath, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until golden and hot through.
   5. Drain on a rack or paper towels and serve warm with sour cream and chives.

   Good to know

   • Use mash straight from the fridge: warm mash makes soft, flat pancakes.

   Chef's own write-up of Sam Merritt's recipe, in our words. Save it and it opens in Chef Amazing with a timeline, mise en place and what you already have.

   Recipe: Mashed potato pancakes, sugarspunrun.com

10. No.11Photo: Mexico in My Kitchen

    Crispy turkey tacos with mole

    Dinner · 35 min · serves 6

    • Turkey

    Mely rolls seasoned turkey into thin corn tortillas, fries them crisp, then spoons warm mole over the top with crema and cotija. Turkey and mole is the oldest pairing there is in Mexico. It works on day two too.

    From Mely Martínez at Mexico in My Kitchen · @mexicoinmykitchen

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    Seasoned turkey rolled tightly in corn tortillas and fried crisp, then covered with warm mole, crema and cotija.

    You need

    • 12 thin corn tortillas
    • 2 cups shredded leftover turkey
    • 1/2 tsp onion powder
    • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
    • Salt and pepper
    • About 3/4 cup vegetable oil
    • 1 1/3 cups mole sauce, warmed
    • 1 cup grated cotija or crumbled queso fresco
    • 1/2 cup Mexican crema
    • Avocado slices and red onion rings, to serve
    • Toothpicks (optional)

    How to make it

    1. Season the turkey with the onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
    2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
    3. Warm the tortillas a few seconds each on a hot griddle until soft and bendy, and keep them under a towel. Cold tortillas crack when you roll them.
    4. Put a line of turkey along one edge of a tortilla and roll it up tightly. Lay it seam side down in the oil and hold it with tongs for a few seconds so it doesn't unroll (or pin it with a toothpick).
    5. Fry in batches, turning, until golden and crisp, about 2 minutes a side. Drain on paper towels.
    6. Arrange on plates, spoon warm mole over, drizzle with crema, and top with cotija, avocado and onion.

    Good to know

    • Jarred mole paste works: thin it with warm stock over low heat until it coats a spoon.

    Chef's own write-up of Mely Martínez's recipe, in our words. Save it and it opens in Chef Amazing with a timeline, mise en place and what you already have.

    Recipe: Crispy turkey tacos with mole, mexicoinmykitchen.com

11. The top ten.

    The ones I'd make first.
12. No.10Photo: RecipeTin Eats

    Leftover turkey pot pie with a garlic bread top

    Dinner · 55 min · serves 5

    • Turkey
    • Roasted vegetables, if you have it

    No pastry to roll. Nagi tops a creamy turkey, mushroom and pea filling with garlic-butter bread chunks and melted cheese. The bread goes crunchy on top and soft underneath.

    From Nagi Maehashi at RecipeTin Eats · @recipe_tin

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    A creamy turkey, mushroom, carrot and pea filling in one skillet, topped with garlic-butter bread chunks and melted cheese instead of pastry.

    You need

    • 1 tbsp olive oil
    • 5 oz mushrooms, sliced
    • 4 tbsp butter
    • 1 onion, finely chopped
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1 carrot, peeled and diced
    • 4 tbsp all-purpose flour
    • 2 1/2 cups milk
    • 4 cups (about 1 1/4 lb) cooked turkey, chopped
    • 1 1/2 cups frozen peas
    • 1 tsp chicken stock powder (or 1 cube)
    • 1/4 tsp salt
    • 1/2 tsp black pepper
    • For the topping: 4 tbsp salted butter, melted
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 5 packed cups bread chunks (1-inch cubes)
    • 2 tbsp grated Parmesan (optional)
    • 1 cup shredded mozzarella or other melting cheese

    How to make it

    1. Heat the oven to 350°F.
    2. Topping: stir the melted butter and garlic together, pour over the bread chunks in a bowl and toss to coat.
    3. Heat the oil in a large ovenproof skillet over high heat and brown the mushrooms, about 4 minutes. Tip them out.
    4. Lower the heat to medium-high, melt the butter in the same pan and cook the onion and garlic 2 minutes. Add the carrot and cook 1 minute, then the flour, stirring 1 minute into a paste.
    5. Pour in half the milk while stirring hard to dissolve the paste, then the rest. Add the stock powder, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until it bubbles and thickens enough to coat a spoon, 2 to 3 minutes.
    6. Stir in the turkey, peas and mushrooms.
    7. Cover the top with the bread, then the Parmesan and mozzarella.
    8. Bake until the cheese has brown spots, 12 to 15 minutes, then lay foil loosely over the top and bake 10 minutes more so the filling is bubbling hot.

    Good to know

    • No ovenproof skillet? Make the filling in a pot and transfer it to a baking dish.

    Chef's own write-up of Nagi Maehashi's recipe, in our words. Save it and it opens in Chef Amazing with a timeline, mise en place and what you already have.

    Recipe: Leftover turkey pot pie with a garlic bread top, recipetineats.com

13. No.9Photo: Pamela Salzman

    Avgolemono soup with leftover turkey

    A bowl · 20 min · serves 4

    • Turkey
    • Roasted vegetables, if you have it

    Twenty minutes. Eggs and lemon whisked into hot stock until it turns silky, then rice, turkey and dill. Pamela says leftover roasted vegetables can go in too. The lightest thing you'll eat all weekend.

    From Pamela Salzman · @pamelasalzman

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    Greek egg-lemon soup: hot turkey stock thickened with eggs and lemon until silky, with rice, shredded turkey and dill.

    You need

    • 6 cups turkey or chicken stock
    • 3 large eggs
    • 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
    • 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
    • Black pepper
    • 1 cup cooked rice or orzo, and/or leftover roasted vegetables
    • 2 to 3 cups shredded cooked turkey
    • 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill or parsley
    • Lemon zest, olive oil and Parmesan, to finish (optional)

    How to make it

    1. Bring the stock to a boil in a 3-quart saucepan, then lower to a simmer.
    2. Beat the eggs in a medium bowl until smooth, then whisk in the lemon juice.
    3. Temper: ladle about 2 cups of the hot stock into a measuring cup and pour it into the eggs in a thin stream, whisking all the time, so the eggs warm up without scrambling.
    4. Pour the egg mixture back into the pot, stirring. Add the rice or vegetables and the turkey.
    5. Heat gently, stirring, until everything is hot and the soup thickens slightly and turns silky, 3 to 5 minutes. Don't let it boil hard or the eggs will curdle.
    6. Season with the salt and pepper, stir in the dill, and finish each bowl with zest, a drizzle of olive oil or Parmesan if you like.

    Good to know

    • Reheat leftovers gently over low heat, never at a boil.

    Chef's own write-up of Pamela Salzman's recipe, in our words. Save it and it opens in Chef Amazing with a timeline, mise en place and what you already have.

    Recipe: Avgolemono soup with leftover turkey, pamelasalzman.com

14. No.8Photo: Korean Bapsang

    Spicy soup with leftover turkey (dakgaejang)

    A bowl · 2 hr 30 min with the stock, 30 min without · serves 4

    • Turkey
    • The carcass, if you have it

    Hyosun blooms gochugaru in sesame oil until it goes red, marinates the turkey in it with bean sprouts and mushrooms, then drops it all into stock from the carcass. Fiery, clean, and nothing like Thursday.

    From Hyosun Ro at Korean Bapsang · @koreanbapsang

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    Turkey, bean sprouts, mushrooms and scallions marinated in chili-red sesame oil, then boiled in stock from the carcass with gochujang and soup soy sauce.

    You need

    • For the stock: the turkey carcass and scraps
    • 1 medium onion, halved
    • 1 large carrot, in big chunks
    • 1 large celery stalk, in big chunks
    • 5 to 7 garlic cloves
    • 1 to 2 bay leaves
    • For the soup: 8 cups turkey stock
    • 2 cups or more cooked turkey, shredded into bite-size pieces
    • 1 to 2 bunches scallions, cut into 4-inch lengths
    • 8 oz mung bean sprouts
    • 5 fresh shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced (or 3 soaked dried ones)
    • 2 tbsp sesame oil
    • 2 tbsp gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes)
    • 1 tbsp gochujang
    • 3 tbsp guk ganjang (soup soy sauce), divided
    • 1 tbsp minced garlic
    • Salt and pepper
    • Steamed rice, to serve

    How to make it

    1. Stock: put the carcass in a large pot, breaking it up to fit, and cover with water by about three-quarters of the pot. Bring to a boil and skim the foam. Add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic and bay leaves, then simmer covered on medium-low for 1 to 2 hours. Strain and skim off the fat.
    2. Blanch the bean sprouts in boiling water for 1 minute and drain (optional, but it keeps them crisp-tender).
    3. Put the sesame oil and gochugaru in a pan over low heat. As soon as the oil turns red, turn off the heat and stir until the flakes go pasty. Don't let them burn or the soup turns bitter.
    4. Add the turkey, bean sprouts, mushrooms, 1 tbsp of the soup soy sauce and the garlic to the pan and mix well. Leave to marinate 10 to 15 minutes.
    5. Bring 8 cups of stock to a boil. Add the marinated turkey and vegetables, stir in the gochujang and the remaining 2 tbsp soup soy sauce, and boil 5 minutes on medium-high.
    6. Add the scallions and boil 3 to 4 minutes more, until soft. Season with salt and pepper and serve with a bowl of rice.

    Good to know

    • Soup soy sauce is saltier and lighter than regular soy; if you only have regular, use 2 tbsp and salt to taste.

    Chef's own write-up of Hyosun Ro's recipe, in our words. Save it and it opens in Chef Amazing with a timeline, mise en place and what you already have.

    Recipe: Spicy soup with leftover turkey (dakgaejang), koreanbapsang.com

15. No.7Photo: How Sweet Eats

    Leftover cranberry sauce Greek yogurt coffee cake

    Something sweet · 1 hr 30 min, plus cooling · serves 12

    • Cranberry sauce

    The best answer to the half bowl of cranberry sauce. Jessica swirls it through a Greek yogurt bundt with cinnamon-cocoa streusel. Bake it Friday, eat it all weekend.

    From Jessica Merchant at How Sweet Eats · @howsweeteats

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    A tender Greek yogurt bundt cake with leftover cranberry sauce swirled through it and a cinnamon-cocoa streusel.

    You need

    • For the streusel: 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
    • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
    • 2 tsp cinnamon
    • 1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, in pieces
    • For the cake: 3 cups all-purpose flour
    • 2 tsp baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp baking soda
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
    • 1 1/2 cups sugar
    • 3 large eggs
    • 2 tsp vanilla extract
    • 1 1/4 cups plain Greek yogurt (full-fat or 2%)
    • 3/4 cup leftover cranberry sauce (whole-berry, not jellied)

    How to make it

    1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 10-inch bundt pan thoroughly and dust it with flour, tapping out the excess. Butter and flour, not spray, is what lets it release.
    2. Streusel: whisk the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, cocoa and salt, then rub in the cold butter with your fingertips until it looks like damp sand.
    3. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl.
    4. Beat the butter on medium until creamy, add the sugar and beat until pale and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, a full minute after each, then the vanilla and the yogurt, scraping the bowl.
    5. On low speed add the dry ingredients and stop as soon as no flour shows.
    6. Spoon in half the batter, dot with half the cranberry sauce and swirl it with a knife, then scatter over two-thirds of the streusel. Add the rest of the batter, the rest of the cranberry, swirl again, and finish with the last of the streusel.
    7. Bake until a skewer in the thickest part comes out clean, 45 to 55 minutes.
    8. Cool in the pan 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a rack and let it cool completely before moving or slicing.

    Good to know

    • Jellied canned cranberry sauce melts into streaks; whole-berry or homemade keeps its swirl.

    Chef's own write-up of Jessica Merchant's recipe, in our words. Save it and it opens in Chef Amazing with a timeline, mise en place and what you already have.

    Recipe: Leftover cranberry sauce Greek yogurt coffee cake, howsweeteats.com

16. No.6Photo: The Recipe Critic

    Leftover pie milkshakes

    Something sweet · 5 min · serves 1

    • Pie

    One slice of whatever pie survived, two cups of vanilla ice cream, half a cup of milk. Blend. Pecan is my favorite. Crust and all, that's the point.

    From Alyssa Rivers at The Recipe Critic · @alyssa_therecipecritic

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    One slice of any leftover pie blended with vanilla ice cream and milk, topped with whipped cream.

    You need

    • 1 slice leftover pie, any kind (pumpkin, apple, pecan, cherry)
    • 2 cups vanilla ice cream
    • 1/2 cup milk
    • Whipped cream, for topping

    How to make it

    1. Cut the pie slice into chunks, crust and all.
    2. Put the milk in the blender first, then the ice cream and the pie.
    3. Blend until smooth, 30 to 45 seconds. Too thick, add a splash of milk; too thin, add a scoop of ice cream.
    4. Pour into a tall glass and top with whipped cream. Crumble a bit of extra crust over if you have it.

    Good to know

    • Freeze the slice for 30 minutes first for a thicker shake.
    • Pecan pie with butter pecan ice cream is the best version.

    Chef's own write-up of Alyssa Rivers's recipe, in our words. Save it and it opens in Chef Amazing with a timeline, mise en place and what you already have.

    Recipe: Leftover pie milkshakes, therecipecritic.com

17. No.5Photo: Omnivore's Cookbook

    Turkey dumplings

    Dinner · 50 min · 24 dumplings

    • Turkey
    • Sweet potatoes or squash, if you have it
    • Mashed potatoes, if you have it
    • Gravy, if you have it
    • Cranberry sauce, if you have it

    Maggie mashes leftover squash or sweet potatoes with butter, a little gravy and nutmeg, folds in turkey and spinach, then pan-fries them. Cranberry sauce is the dipping sauce. Genius, and the kids will fold them for you.

    From Maggie Zhu at Omnivore's Cookbook · @omnivorescookbook

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    Pan-fried dumplings filled with mashed squash or sweet potato, turkey, garlicky spinach and a little gravy, with cranberry sauce to dip.

    You need

    • 24 dumpling wrappers, thawed
    • 1/2 lb (about 1 1/2 cups) cooked squash, mashed potatoes or sweet potato casserole
    • 2 tbsp butter, softened
    • 2 tbsp chicken or vegetable broth
    • 2 tsp leftover gravy or turkey drippings (optional)
    • 1/4 tsp black pepper
    • 1/8 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/8 tsp cardamom
    • 2 tsp vegetable oil, plus more for frying
    • 2 cloves garlic, minced
    • 5 oz spinach
    • 1 cup leftover turkey, shredded
    • 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
    • Leftover cranberry sauce, for dipping

    How to make it

    1. Mash the squash with the butter, broth, gravy, pepper, nutmeg and cardamom in a bowl until smooth.
    2. Heat 2 tsp oil in a skillet over medium heat, add the garlic and stir 30 seconds until fragrant, then add the spinach and cook until wilted and the liquid has cooked off. Cool a few minutes, then chop finely.
    3. Stir the spinach, turkey and salt into the squash. The filling should taste a little salty and hold its shape like thick mashed potatoes; add a splash of broth if it's dry.
    4. Set up: a bowl of water, the wrappers under a damp towel, the filling and a tray. Wet the edge of a wrapper, put 1 to 1 1/2 tbsp filling in the middle, fold in half and pinch the edges shut, pleating if you like. Keep finished dumplings covered.
    5. Heat a thin layer of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add dumplings flat side down in one layer and fry until the bottoms are golden, about 2 minutes.
    6. Pour in 1/3 cup water, cover at once and steam until the water is gone and the wrappers look translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Uncover and fry another minute to re-crisp the bottoms.
    7. Serve hot with cranberry sauce for dipping.

    Good to know

    • Freeze uncooked dumplings on a tray, then bag them; cook from frozen, adding 2 minutes of steaming.

    Chef's own write-up of Maggie Zhu's recipe, in our words. Save it and it opens in Chef Amazing with a timeline, mise en place and what you already have.

    Recipe: Turkey dumplings, omnivorescookbook.com

18. No.4Photo: Budget Bytes

    Holiday leftovers wreath

    To share · 40 min · serves 8

    • Turkey
    • Stuffing
    • Mashed potatoes
    • Cranberry sauce, if you have it
    • Gravy, if you have it

    Two cans of crescent rolls arranged in a ring around a bowl, filled with mash, stuffing, turkey and cranberry, folded over and baked. The gravy goes in the middle for dunking. Put it out Friday afternoon and watch it disappear.

    From Beth Moncel at Budget Bytes · @budgetbytes

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    Crescent dough arranged in a ring and filled with mashed potatoes, stuffing, turkey, mozzarella and cranberry, baked golden with a bowl of hot gravy in the middle.

    You need

    • 2 cans (8 oz each) crescent rolls
    • 1 cup leftover mashed potatoes
    • 1 cup leftover stuffing
    • 1 1/2 cups leftover turkey, chopped
    • 1 cup grated mozzarella
    • 1/4 cup leftover cranberry sauce
    • 1 egg, whisked
    • 1 cup leftover gravy

    How to make it

    1. Heat the oven to 375°F with a large baking sheet or pizza stone inside, so the bottom of the wreath crisps.
    2. Lay parchment on a board and set a 5-inch bowl in the middle. Unroll the crescent triangles and arrange them around the bowl with the wide ends overlapping at the center and the points out, like a sunburst. Take the bowl away and press the overlapping dough flat.
    3. Spoon the mashed potatoes in a ring over the wide part of the dough, then the stuffing, then the turkey. Scatter the mozzarella over and dot with cranberry sauce.
    4. Fold each point up over the filling and tuck it under the inner edge, all the way round, until the ring is closed.
    5. Brush the dough all over with the egg.
    6. Slide the parchment onto the hot sheet and bake until deep golden, about 20 minutes. Rest 5 minutes.
    7. Heat the gravy, pour it into the small bowl and set it in the middle of the wreath for dunking.

    Good to know

    • Any leftover sides work in the ring: green beans, roasted squash, Brussels sprouts.

    Chef's own write-up of Beth Moncel's recipe, in our words. Save it and it opens in Chef Amazing with a timeline, mise en place and what you already have.

    Recipe: Holiday leftovers wreath, budgetbytes.com

19. No.3Photo: Half Baked Harvest

    The Thanksgiving leftovers croque madame

    A sandwich · 25 min · serves 4

    • Turkey
    • Mashed potatoes
    • Gravy
    • Cranberry sauce, if you have it
    • Roasted vegetables, if you have it

    Tieghan turns the gravy into a Gruyère cheese sauce, piles everything into a croissant, bakes it and puts a fried egg on top. It is completely over the top, which is exactly what the day after deserves.

    From Tieghan Gerard at Half Baked Harvest · @halfbakedharvest

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    Croissants layered with mustard, mashed potatoes, turkey and cranberry under a gravy and Gruyère cheese sauce, baked and topped with a fried egg.

    You need

    • 1 cup leftover gravy
    • 1/2 cup milk
    • Pinch of nutmeg
    • 2 cups shredded Gruyère, divided
    • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
    • 4 croissants, halved
    • 4 tbsp Dijon mustard
    • 1 cup leftover mashed potatoes, warmed
    • 1 cup leftover turkey
    • 1 cup leftover cranberry sauce
    • 1/2 cup leftover vegetables (optional)
    • 4 slices prosciutto, baked until crisp
    • 4 eggs
    • Butter or oil for frying
    • Sage leaves, fried crisp, for serving

    How to make it

    1. Make the cheese sauce: bring the gravy and milk to a gentle boil in a small pot, add the nutmeg, take it off the heat and stir in 1 cup of the Gruyère and the Parmesan until smooth.
    2. Heat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
    3. Put the croissant bottoms on the sheet and spread each with 1 tbsp mustard. Add a layer of mashed potatoes, a spoonful of cheese sauce, then turkey, cranberry sauce, any vegetables and a slice of crisp prosciutto.
    4. Put the tops on, spoon the rest of the sauce over and scatter with the remaining Gruyère.
    5. Bake until the sauce bubbles and the cheese is browned in spots, 3 to 5 minutes. Watch it: croissants burn fast at this heat.
    6. Meanwhile fry the eggs in butter until the whites are set and the yolks still runny, about 3 minutes.
    7. Top each sandwich with an egg and a few crisp sage leaves. Eat with a knife and fork.

    Good to know

    • To crisp prosciutto, bake it on a sheet at 400°F for 8 to 10 minutes.
    • No gravy left? Use 1 cup of stock thickened with 1 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp flour.

    Chef's own write-up of Tieghan Gerard's recipe, in our words. Save it and it opens in Chef Amazing with a timeline, mise en place and what you already have.

    Recipe: The Thanksgiving leftovers croque madame, halfbakedharvest.com

20. No.2Photo: Just a Taste

    Leftover stuffing waffles

    Breakfast · 25 min · serves 2

    • Stuffing
    • Cranberry sauce, if you have it
    • Gravy, if you have it

    Stuffing, two eggs, a splash of broth, into the waffle iron. Kelly's tip is the whole trick: leave the lid shut until it's deep golden. Cranberry on one side, hot gravy on the other. Breakfast is solved.

    From Kelly Senyei at Just a Taste · @justataste

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    Leftover stuffing bound with eggs and a little broth, pressed in a waffle iron until crisp, with cranberry sauce and hot gravy.

    You need

    • 4 cups crumbled leftover stuffing (a plain one works best)
    • 2 large eggs
    • Chicken broth or turkey stock, as needed (start with 1/4 cup)
    • Cooking spray
    • Leftover cranberry sauce, for serving
    • Leftover gravy, warmed, for serving

    How to make it

    1. Heat the waffle iron and grease it well with cooking spray.
    2. Warm the stuffing for 30 seconds in the microwave so it's easier to mix, then stir in the eggs in a big bowl.
    3. Add 1/4 cup broth and mix. Keep adding a splash at a time until the stuffing is evenly moist and clumps when squeezed, but isn't soupy.
    4. Spread half the mixture over the iron in a thin, even layer, right to the edges. It won't spread on its own like batter.
    5. Close the lid and leave it shut until the waffle is deep golden and crisp, 6 to 10 minutes. Opening it early tears the waffle; the egg needs to set all the way through.
    6. Lift it out and repeat with the rest. Serve straight away with cranberry sauce and hot gravy.

    Good to know

    • Stuffing with big chunks of sausage or vegetables falls apart; chop it finer first.
    • A fried egg on top makes it brunch.

    Chef's own write-up of Kelly Senyei's recipe, in our words. Save it and it opens in Chef Amazing with a timeline, mise en place and what you already have.

    Recipe: Leftover stuffing waffles, justataste.com

21. No.1Photo: The Woks of Life

    Leftover turkey ramen

    A bowl · 3 hr 15 min (mostly simmering) · serves 4

    • Turkey
    • The carcass, if you have it
    • Roasted vegetables, if you have it

    The best thing you can do with the carcass. The Leungs simmer it with ginger, scallions and dried shiitake for three hours, so Friday's broth tastes like it took all week. Bacon, a jammy egg, fresh noodles. This is my Friday.

    From the Leung family at The Woks of Life · @thewoksoflife

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    A real stock from the carcass with ginger, scallion and dried shiitake, then fresh ramen, shredded turkey, crisp bacon and a soft egg.

    You need

    • 1 leftover turkey carcass, plus any vegetables left in the roasting pan
    • 6 scallions, divided
    • 8 slices fresh ginger
    • 6 dried shiitake mushrooms
    • 16 cups water (less for a small bird)
    • 4 eggs
    • 4 oz bacon
    • 22 oz fresh ramen noodles (4 portions)
    • 2 cups leftover turkey, shredded
    • Salt or soy sauce, to taste

    How to make it

    1. Pull the meat you want for the bowls off the carcass, shred it and refrigerate it.
    2. Put the carcass and any roasting-pan vegetables in a big stockpot with 3 of the scallions, the ginger, the dried shiitake and the water. Bring to a boil, skim off any foam, then turn it down so it barely bubbles. Simmer 3 hours, uncovered. The stock is ready when it tastes rich and has turned golden.
    3. Strain the stock through a fine sieve into a clean pot and season with salt or a little soy sauce until it tastes good on its own. Keep it hot.
    4. While it simmers, soft-boil the eggs: cover them with cold water by an inch, bring to a boil, take the pot off the heat and leave 4 minutes, then move them to ice water. Peel when cool.
    5. Fry the bacon over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes, drain on paper towels and chop. Thinly slice the remaining 3 scallions.
    6. Cook the fresh noodles as the packet says (usually 1 to 2 minutes), drain and divide among 4 deep bowls.
    7. Ladle hot stock over the noodles, then top each bowl with turkey, bacon, scallions and a halved egg. The hot broth warms the turkey through.

    Good to know

    • No carcass? Use 12 cups of good chicken stock simmered 30 minutes with the ginger, scallion and shiitake.
    • The stock freezes for 3 months.

    Chef's own write-up of the Leung family's recipe, in our words. Save it and it opens in Chef Amazing with a timeline, mise en place and what you already have.

    Recipe: Leftover turkey ramen, thewoksoflife.com

How I picked

One dish per cook, so you get 20 different kitchens instead of five turkey sandwiches. Every one is built on what's actually left on Friday: the turkey, the carcass, stuffing, mash, cranberry sauce, gravy, pie. Every recipe page was read on October 30, 2026. The photos are theirs and say so. Who did I miss? Tell me at hello@chefamazing.com.

More Thanksgiving

Every photo is the creator's own, from the recipe it goes with, and every recipe is theirs; what you save is Chef's own write-up in our words, credited and linked to the original. Chef Amazing isn't paid by anyone on this list.