Holidays & Entertaining Holidays Thanksgiving 14 Genius Ways to Transform Thanksgiving Leftovers Trust us, you can never have too much turkey and mashed potatoes. By Betty Gold Betty Gold Betty Gold is the former senior digital food editor at Real Simple. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on November 6, 2020 Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Getty Images Truth: Almost as exciting as the meal itself is knowing you'll have leftovers to enjoy on Friday. After waking up at the crack of dawn to peruse Black Friday sales online, there's nothing better than diving into a second Thanksgiving meal. And why shouldn't we? We spent hours chopping, sautéing, roasting, and baking to create a fabulous meal we look forward to all year. This year, we suggest skipping the sad microwave-soggy reheated stuffing and make one of these delicious Thanksgiving leftover recipes instead; like Turkey pot pie, Brussels sprout flatbread, or Zucchini and black bean stuffed sweet potatoes. After all, most of the work's already done. Let's honor our favorite meal of the year in the proper way, because repurposing the ingredients gives us the perfect excuse to eat it all again. 20 Delicious Ideas for Leftover Mashed Potatoes 01 of 14 Brussels Sprout Flatbread With Lemon and Pecorino If you've got store-bought pizza dough and a bag of brussels sprouts, you're halfway to zesty, spicy, cheesy nirvana. The best part? Feed a crowd with this flatbread as an appetizer, or cut it into larger pieces to make it a meal. It doesn't get much easier than that. Get the Recipe: Brussels Sprouts Flatbread. Brie Passano get the recipe Don't let those roasted Brussels sprouts go to waste. This seasonal flatbread feeds a crowd, which makes it a delicious, veggie-packed option for brunch the morning after your meal. 02 of 14 Turkey Banh Mi Brie Passano get the recipe Save some leftover turkey for a delicious Vietnamese sandwich known as a bahn mi. Traditionally made with pork, this variation is a smart way to use your leftover bird. Simply sandwich inside a toasty baguette and add pickled veggies, creamy mayo, fresh herbs, and a squeeze of Sriracha. 03 of 14 Turkey-Pumpkin Chili Caitlin Bensel get the recipe Cold weather have you craving comfort food? Here's an extra-warming way to put your leftover turkey to work. Simply swap the ground turkey with extra meat from the holiday bird—it'll pair perfectly with the beans, pumpkin, and smoked paprika. 04 of 14 Zucchini and Black Bean Stuffed Sweet Potatoes Greg DuPree Get the Recipe The morning after a heavy meal, you'll be grateful for these healthy sweet potatoes topped with black beans and fresh zucchini. Of course, you can also dress them up with sour cream, cheddar cheese, and crunchy tortilla chips. 05 of 14 Chocolate Zucchini Cake With Sweet Potato Frosting Romulo Yanes Although it tastes indulgent, this cake is packed with good-for-you ingredients. The base of the cake is filled with whole grains and fresh zucchini—both of which can be repurposed ingredients from the night before. And the rich chocolate frosting is made almost entirely from your leftover sweet potatoes. Genius? We think so. 06 of 14 Quick and Easy Turkey Pot Pie Get the Recipe You spent enough time cooking Thanksgiving dinner, so let's give you a break with a streamlined version of a classic pot pie.While this recipe calls for rotisserie chicken, swap it out with leftover turkey. And instead of a frozen vegetable blend, use your leftover veggies. Finally, a sheet of puff pastry makes quick work of the lid (no bottom crust needed). Just make sure the filling is boiling before adding the puff pastry; that's the key to getting a fully cooked—not soggy—crust. 07 of 14 Pumpkin Spice Martini Joseph De Leo get the recipe If you have extra pumpkin puree and/or pumpkin pie spice after Thanksgiving, let this cocktail extend your holiday spirit. 08 of 14 Vanilla Bean Dutch Baby With Cranberry Relish A puffy, golden Dutch baby is an unbelievably easy and impressive centerpiece for breakfast or brunch—and the only equipment it requires is a sturdy 12-inch skillet. (We love cast iron.) Tip: Take care to coat only the bottom of the pan with melted butter, as getting butter on the sides will prevent the batter from climbing the sides of the pan. And no peeking! Opening the oven door during baking puts your pancake at major risk of deflating. This version uses leftover cranberry relish, but your favorite jam or preserves could easily take its place. Get the recipe:Vanilla Bean Dutch Baby With Cranberry Relish. Heather Meldrom A puffy, golden Dutch baby is an unbelievably easy and impressive centerpiece for breakfast or brunch—and the only equipment it requires is a sturdy 12-inch skillet. (We love cast iron.) Tip: Take care to coat only the bottom of the pan with melted butter, as getting butter on the sides will prevent the batter from climbing the sides of the pan. And no peeking! Opening the oven door during baking puts your pancake at major risk of deflating. This version uses leftover cranberry relish, but your favorite jam or preserves could easily take its place. 09 of 14 Farro and Brussels Sprouts Salad Italian farro, pomegranate seeds, and ricotta salata add up to a big batch salad you’ll want to eat all week. The hearty, fiber-rich Brussels sprouts will absorb the sweet shallot dressing without wilting in the fridge—but feel free to perk up each serving with a splash of lemon juice. Get the recipe: Farro and Brussels Sprouts Salad. Iain Bagwell Get the Recipe Here, you'll combine your leftover grains (farro's great but brown rice, quinoa, or barley also work) with crispy Brussels sprouts, sweet-tart pomegranate seeds, and ricotta salata. The result? A satisfying leftover grain salad that's as delicious as it is forgiving. 10 of 14 Fresh Tagliatelle With Turkey Puttanesca Get the Recipe Puttanesca is a lightning fast, bold sauce that is perfect for a quick weeknight dinner. For a hint of spice, try adding a pinch of crushed red pepper to the sauce before adding the pasta. As fresh tomatoes aren't in season, you can opt to replace them with your favorite store-bought marinara sauce instead. 11 of 14 Thanksgiving Egg Rolls With Spicy Cranberry Dipping Sauce This is a fun way to use up a variety of Thanksgiving leftovers. Here, cranberry sauce fills in for the duck sauce that’s typically served with egg rolls to add tang to the dish. Any mixture of finely chopped vegetables can be used in place of the carrot and Brussels sprouts. Be creative! Get the recipe: Thanksgiving Egg Rolls With Spicy Cranberry Dipping Sauce. Heather Meldrom Get the Recipe This is a fun way to use up a variety of Thanksgiving leftovers. Here, cranberry sauce fills in for the duck sauce that's typically served with egg rolls to add tang to the dish. Any mixture of finely chopped vegetables can be used in place of the carrot and Brussels sprouts. Be creative! 12 of 14 Turkey and Potato Pierogies With Crispy Sage Leaves This Polish-style dish is endlessly adaptable, and would be equally tasty made with mashed butternut squash or sweet potato in place of (or combined with) the mashed potato. Tossing the dumplings with browned butter and crispy sage leaves is simple and delicious—though, if you’re after something a bit more luxurious, you could also pair them with warmed turkey gravy or a healthy dollop of creme fraiche. Look for fresh lasagna sheets in your supermarket’s refrigerator section. Get the recipe: Turkey and Potato Pierogies With Crispy Sage Leaves. Heather Meldrom Get the Recipe This Polish-style dish is endlessly adaptable, and would be equally tasty made with mashed butternut squash or sweet potato in place of (or combined with) the mashed potato. Tossing the dumplings with browned butter and crispy sage leaves is simple and delicious—though, if you're after something a bit more luxurious, you could also pair them with warmed turkey gravy or a healthy dollop of creme fraiche. Look for fresh lasagna sheets in your supermarket's refrigerator section. 13 of 14 Thanksgiving-Style Eggs Benedict Stuffing and mashed potatoes replace English muffins in this post-Thanksgiving version of the brunch classic. If your family serves creamed spinach for Thanksgiving, that would also be a tasty substitute for the fresh baby spinach leaves—just reheat it gently and place a dollop on top of the potato and stuffing cakes. And, if making poached eggs for a group sounds a little daunting, using fried or sunny-side up eggs would be equally delicious. Get the recipe: Thanksgiving-Style Eggs Benedict. Heather Meldrom Get the Recipe Stuffing and mashed potatoes replace English muffins in this post-Thanksgiving version of the brunch classic. If your family serves creamed spinach for Thanksgiving, that would also be a tasty substitute for the fresh baby spinach leaves—just reheat it gently and place a dollop on top of the potato and stuffing cakes. And, if making poached eggs for a group sounds a little daunting, using fried or sunny-side up eggs would be equally delicious. 14 of 14 Brown Butter and Pecan Sweet Potato Muffins These delicate, subtly sweet muffins are a great way to make use of mashed sweet potatoes from your feast. If all you have are cooked, cubed sweet potatoes, simply mash them into a smooth paste before proceeding. Tip: Brown butter lends the muffins a rich nuttiness. Get the recipe:Brown Butter and Pecan Sweet Potato Muffins. Heather Meldrom These delicate, subtly sweet muffins are a great way to make use of mashed sweet potatoes from your feast. If all you have are cooked, cubed sweet potatoes, simply mash them into a smooth paste before proceeding. Tip: Brown butter lends the muffins a rich nuttiness. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit