Thanksgiving leftover recipes

Thanksgiving leftovers are almost as much of a tradition as the meal itself. Try these new ideas to use up those leftovers in three delicious ways!


Turkey Cranberry Panini
Turn your usual turkey sandwich into a crisp, delicious Panini, bursting with sweet-savory flavor. This is comfort food at its finest! Note: we used canned cranberry sauce for the sake of nutritional info, but if you make homemade, it’s likely better for you!

Makes 2 sandwiches

Roughly 1 cup of turkey slices/pieces
½ cup cranberry sauce
2 slices mozzarella, gouda, or Swiss cheese (more if you prefer more cheese)
½ red onion (optional)
1 tbsp olive oil
4 slices bread (crusty artisan bread is best but any kind will do)

Slice the onion into half-moons and sauté in a medium skillet in olive oil over medium heat, stirring to coat with oil. Caramelize, stirring occasionally, for about 8-10 minutes until soft and beginning to brown.

Meanwhile, lay out the slices of bread. Place half of the turkey pieces or slices on two slices of bread. Smear the remaining slices with cranberry sauce, then lay the cheese over it. If you like mustard on your turkey sandwich, add it now overtop the turkey.

If you have a Panini press or George Foreman grill, use that to cook the sandwich, about 3-4 minutes, just long enough to get the cheese bubbling and the bread toasting. Otherwise, heat a skillet over medium heat and drop a bit of olive oil in the pan. Place the (closed) sandwiches side-by-side in the pan, then settle a smaller, heavy pan overtop of them so that they’re pressed into the pan. Flip after about 3 minutes or when the underside is toasted, and cook three minutes more on the other side.

Nutritional info per serving: 571 calories, 20 g fat, 44 mg cholesterol, 845 mg sodium, 467 mg potassium, 77 g carbohydrates, 6.5 g fiber, 27 g sugar, 23 g protein. 22% DV Vitamin B-12, 31% DV calcium.


Cheesy Mashed Potato Soup
This soup is so easy to make! Grab that whisk and get ready for some stirring.

Serves 4

2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp mustard powder
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded and tossed with about 1 tbsp flour
2 cups mashed potatoes
A few fresh chives, diced
Black pepper

Heat a stockpot and bring the 2 cups of stock to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and mustard powder, whisking to incorporate the powder. Add the cheese a handful at a time, constantly stirring to melt it before adding the next handful. When the mixture is combined, add a cup of the mashed potatoes, breaking them up with the whisk, and whisking until smooth. Add the other cup, then whisk until smooth again. At this point, check the soup—if it’s too thin, feel free to add more mashed potatoes. If you prefer a thinner soup, add more stock. Pour into bowls and top with some freshly cracked black pepper, a sprinkle of cheese, and a few of the diced chives. Serve hot, and with a green salad.

Nutritional info per serving: 227 calories, 12.5 g fat, 37 mg cholesterol, 506 mg sodium, 526 mg potassium, 18.5 g carbohydrates, 1.3 g fiber, 0 g sugar, 10.8 g protein. 18% DV Vitamin C, 22% DV calcium.


Thanksgiving Pizza
You can experiment with this one as much as you want! Here we’ve started with cranberry sauce, but feel free to use regular tomato sauce while sticking with more savory toppings. This would be perfect as a single-serving pizza with just a bit of dough and enough ingredients to fit.

Serves 2 as mains, 3-4 as a side

1 ball of thin-crust pizza dough (or store-bought thin crust dough)
½ cup cranberry sauce (canned if you don’t have fresh)
1 cup turkey, cut into small pieces
3 oz feta, brie, or mozzarella cheese, crumbled or sliced in cubes (optional)
1 cup sweet potato pieces (if using mashed, use a teaspoon to measure pieces of it around the pizza)
½ cup gravy

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll dough into a 10-inch circle, and lay it out on a pizza stone or on a greased baking sheet. Let bake in the oven for about 3 minutes—not enough to brown, just enough to begin rising.

When removed, spread with cranberry sauce, then arrange turkey pieces on top. Add your cheese of choice, followed by the sweet potato pieces. Lastly, top with the gravy, drizzling all over the pizza. Put in the oven for about 6-8 minutes, checking every few minutes. When the crust is golden and the cheese is beginning to melt and bubble, you’re done! Take it out and give it a few minutes to cool before slicing it up and serving.

Nutritional info: It varies per serving depending on the types of ingredients you’ll use! For an accurate measurement, use this recipe calculator to determine the nutritional info of your pizza.