PHOTOGRAPHY BY PAOLA + MURRAY; FOOD STYLING BY BARRETT WASHBURNE; PROP STYLING BY CARLA GONZALEZ-HART
Recipes

The Thanksgiving Leftovers Recipes You’ll Actually Want on Repeat

There’s more than turkey sandwiches on the horizon.

By SAVEUR Editors


Updated on November 25, 2022

More than any other holiday, Thanksgiving is all about food—and lots of it. Multiple casseroles, mashed potatoes, dressings, and usually way too much turkey are usually on the menu, which makes for a terrific feast. It also usually makes for a ton of leftovers. But after you’ve had your third leftover turkey sandwich, the appeal has begun to wane, big time. Veer off from the typical and turn leftovers into something special this year, from Caribbean pumpkin soup to a seasonal squash tart.

This open-faced turkey sandwich was created at the Brown Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky, by chef Fred K. Schmidt, who was looking for a unique midnight snack to serve to all the revelers dancing in the ballroom until the wee hours. Get the recipe >

Canned pumpkin cooks down into a rich, silky sauce in this dead-simple recipe that’s also fancy enough to serve at a dinner party. A couple handfuls of grated parm add richness, while the toasted pumpkin seeds bring a welcome crunch. Get the recipe >

Tender, hand-cut noodles are a hallmark of this delicious and tasty from-scratch soup. Get the recipe >

Feel free to get creative with the topping for this simple savory tart, which helps stretch leftover squash and other vegetables. Get the recipe >

This hearty breakfast dish is perfect for the morning after Thanksgiving. It uses up leftover cooked turkey and holiday pantry staples like cream, stock, and herbs. Get the recipe >

This classic British dish gets its name from the romantic notion that it was eaten by shepherds in northern England long ago. In keeping with that spirit, we make our version with lamb. When made with beef, the humble casserole is sometimes called cottage pie. Feel free to swap the protein out for any leftover roast meat or poultry. Get the recipe >

Gently spiced turkey in a rich and savory pepita gravy stars in this beloved Salvadorean sandwich. Get the recipe >

Though purportedly named after the Italian opera singer Luisa Tetrazzini, this baked noodle dish is American, not Italian, and recipes for it only date back to the early 20th century. This version, with a smattering of colorful vegetables and rich sherry-parmesan sauce, is a staff favorite. Get the recipe >

Green-skinned Caribbean calabaza squash can be found in local Latin and Caribbean markets, but butternut or sugar pumpkin also work nicely in this cream-laced soup from home cook Abigail Blake. Get the recipe >

Starch overload? Maybe. But in Iowa, these homemade noodles ladled over mashed potatoes, are just one more holiday tradition. Get the recipe >

Tender red-skinned potatoes are doused in herb vinaigrette in this warm, all-season salad. Get the recipe >

When you’re over mashed potatoes (hey, anything is possible), fold those starchy tubers into flour, sugar, and spice for these impossibly fluffy fried treats. Get the recipe >

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