6 Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes For Turkey, Stuffing And More

As Turkey Day swiftly approaches, one may be left wondering how best to use any leftovers. And with a reputation for being even better the second time around, leftovers are often considered one of the best parts of holiday festivities. While there are many ways to spice up that refrigerated gravy and turkey, International Business Times has rounded up several creative recipes to put Thanksgiving dishes to good use post-holiday.

1. Turkey Bacon Avocado Grilled Cheese

A grilled cheese with turkey, bacon and avocado are one way to quickly turn leftover poultry into a savory sandwich.

-3 slices bacon
-1 tbsp. butter
-2 slices bread
-2 slices turkey
-1/2 avocado, sliced
-2 slices cheddar

The grilled cheese takes about 25 minutes to make and serves one.

2. Strongbow Turkey Pie

This recipe for a Strongbow turkey pie offers a good way to feed the whole family using most of what's leftover from traditional holiday dinners.

-Pot Pie Pastry
-1/4 cup butter
-1 cup sliced celery
-1/2 cup chopped onion
-1/4 cup all-purpose flour
-1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
-1/4 teaspoon salt
-1 3/4 cups turkey stock or chicken broth
-3 cups cubed cooked turkey
-1 egg white, lightly beaten
-Turkey gravy
-Steamed peas and mashed potatoes (optional)

The pie will serve four and takes about an hour to make.

3. Turkey Enchiladas

This recipe for turkey enchiladas is among the more creative ways to turn those Turkey Day leftovers into something with a bit more spice.

-6 dried ancho chiles
-1 c. vegetable oil
-1 tbsp. vegetable oil
-1 medium onion
-6 clove garlic
-1 can diced tomatoes
-½ ripe banana
-½ c. roasted pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds) or sunflower seed
-½ tsp. ground cinnamon
-¼ tsp. ground allspice
-.13 tsp. coriander
-Kosher salt
-Pepper
-⅓ c. semisweet chocolate chips
-12 small corn tortillas
-2 c. shredded cooked turkey or rotisserie chicken
-1 c. chopped fresh cilantro
-8 oz. Monterey Jack cheese

The enchiladas take 50 minutes to make and serves six people.

4. Second Day Fried Stuffing Bites With Cranberry Sauce Pesto

Stuffing is a long-favored side dish traditional of most holiday dinners, and this recipe for fried stuffing bites takes a mere 15 minutes to make.

-Leftover stuffing
-2 eggs
-2 teaspoons milk
-1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
-1 cup cranberry sauce
-1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
-1/2 cup walnuts
-Oil, for frying

This recipe for fried stuffing bites makes four to six servings.

5. Leftover turkey And Stuffing Stuffed Peppers

How about a dish where you can put both leftover turkey and stuffing to good use? This recipe for turkey and stuffing-filled peppers does that.

-1 large egg, beaten
-2 c. leftover turkey, shredded
-2 c. leftover stuffing
-Kosher salt
-Freshly ground black pepper
-4 red and yellow bell peppers, hollowed out
-1 1/2 c. shredded mozzarella
-Fresh parsley, for garnish

The stuffed peppers take about 40 minutes to make and serves four.

6. Homemade Turkey Soup

With a ton of turkey leftover, a good way to savor the taste of Thanksgiving is to make a soup. This recipe for homemade turkey soup will have to cook for 2 hours and 35 minutes on the stove but will probably be worth it.

-1 leftover turkey carcass (from a 10- to 12-pound turkey)
-2 quarts water
-1 medium onion, cut into wedges
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-2 bay leaves
-1 cup chopped carrots
-1 cup uncooked long grain rice
-1/3 cup chopped celery
-1/4 cup chopped onion
-1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup, undiluted

The soup serves 8 to 10 people.