27 Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes to Bookmark Now and Pull Out Once the Guests Leave

The days after Thanksgiving often leave a fridge full of turkey, sides, and bread that need a new plan. These recipes turn holiday extras into soups, casseroles, pot pies, sliders, and breakfasts for the days that follow. Choose a few for lunch and dinner, then use the rest to make the most of what is already on hand.

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A bowl of creamy soup garnished with sautéed green onions and herbs. — Leek and Potato Soup. Photo credit: My Reliable Recipes.

Baked Sweet Potato

Three roasted sweet potatoes on a plate with chives. — Baked Sweet Potato. Photo credit: Splash of Taste.

Comfortable on a holiday plate or in a weekday lunch, Baked Sweet Potato gives Thanksgiving extras a simple, familiar place in the meal plan. Serve it alongside turkey or another main dish, then keep a portion for the days after guests leave. Its straightforward role makes it easy to pair with soups, casseroles, and other leftovers without turning lunch into another large project.
Get the Recipe: Baked Sweet Potato

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

A pot of creamy vegetable and chicken soup with mushrooms, corn, peas, carrots, and herbs. — Chicken Pot Pie Soup. Photo credit: My Reliable Recipes.

With its spoonable take on a familiar comfort dish, Chicken Pot Pie Soup can put leftover chicken to use after Thanksgiving. Serve a bowl for lunch or a relaxed dinner, especially when a full pot pie feels like more than the day calls for. It brings a warm, filling option to the days after the gathering and can sit beside bread or a small side.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Breakfast Casserole

Morning plans feel easier with Breakfast Casserole ready to serve after a busy holiday. Set out portions for guests staying overnight, or save some for breakfast once the house is quiet again. It gives Thanksgiving leftovers a different moment on the menu, helping the day after the feast start with a prepared meal instead of another cooking session. That makes it useful when the week is already full.
Get the Recipe: Breakfast Casserole

From Mandy's kitchenStuck on what is for dinner? The Everyday Dinner Book is the one I open for easy meals the whole family will eat.

Sweet Potato Soup

A bowl of creamy soup containing chunks of orange squash, leafy spinach, and visible seasoning, with a spoon lifting a portion. — Sweet Potato Soup. Photo credit: Splash of Taste.

Cool-weather comfort comes in a bowl with Sweet Potato Soup, a useful way to carry Thanksgiving flavors into lunch the next day. Serve it as a lighter meal after a large dinner or pair it with a small sandwich. Leftover portions also give the week a ready-made option when holiday cleanup and regular routines overlap. The portions suit a planned lunch as well as dinner.
Get the Recipe: Sweet Potato Soup

Turkey Chili

A close-up of a pot of chili with beans, avocado slices, red onion, sour cream, and garnished with chopped cilantro. — Turkey Chili. Photo credit: Hungry Cooks Kitchen.

Hearty and warming, Turkey Chili can turn leftover turkey into a different meal after Thanksgiving. Set it out for a casual lunch, or portion it for dinners during the week when cooking from scratch is not appealing. The chili format changes the feel of the holiday bird and makes the remaining servings easier to use beyond a second plate. It works in a weekday meal rotation, too.
Get the Recipe: Turkey Chili

Homemade Bread Pudding

A close-up of decadent bread pudding, topped with creamy vanilla sauce, is being lifted from a serving plate. — Homemade Bread Pudding. Photo credit: Pocket Friendly Recipes.

Sweet leftovers have a place in Homemade Bread Pudding, which can make extra bread part of a dessert or breakfast plan. Serve a portion after Thanksgiving dinner, then keep the rest for a quiet morning once guests have gone. It offers a softer finish to the holiday menu and gives a familiar pantry staple another use during the days ahead.
Get the Recipe: Homemade Bread Pudding

Chicken Noodle Soup

The day after a feast calls for easy comfort, and Chicken Noodle Soup fits a lunch or simple dinner. Leftover chicken can help make the holiday meal stretch, while a bowl gives everyone a break from heavier casseroles and pies. Keep servings ready for colder days when a warm meal sounds good and the kitchen needs less attention. It keeps weekday meals connected to the holiday menu.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Noodle Soup

Turkey Bolognese

A plate of spaghetti topped with meat sauce, grated cheese, and chopped herbs, with a fork resting on the plate. — Turkey Bolognese. Photo credit: Hungry Cooks Kitchen.

After the feast, a familiar pasta night gets a holiday-season update with Turkey Bolognese. Use it as a way to carry leftover turkey into dinner, then serve it over pasta for a meal that feels different from the Thanksgiving plate. Extra portions can cover another lunch or dinner, making the bird useful after the sandwiches and first round of leftovers are gone.
Get the Recipe: Turkey Bolognese

Beet Salad

A close-up of a salad featuring chopped beets, cucumber, feta cheese, walnuts, and fresh herbs on a white plate. — Beet Salad. Photo credit: Your Perfect Recipes.

Fresh contrast helps Beet Salad bring balance to the richer dishes that often remain after Thanksgiving. Serve it beside leftover turkey or pot pie, or make it part of a lighter lunch when the holiday spread has felt especially filling. Its salad format adds variety to the days after the feast and gives the table an option beyond reheated casseroles.
Get the Recipe: Beet Salad

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Close-up of a bowl of creamy butternut squash soup garnished with herbs, seeds, and two slices of seasoned bread. The soup has a swirled texture and a vibrant orange color. — Roasted Butternut Squash Soup. Photo credit: Splash of Taste.

Silky and seasonal, Roasted Butternut Squash Soup offers a calm change of pace after Thanksgiving dinner. Serve it for lunch with bread or as a small first course when family is still gathered. The soup carries a seasonal feel into the days after the holiday and leaves room for other leftovers to be served in smaller portions. The option keeps everyday meals from feeling repetitive.
Get the Recipe: Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Chicken Noodle Casserole

Comforting and filling, Chicken Noodle Casserole a practical option for using leftover chicken in a family meal. Serve it for dinner after the holiday, then save portions for lunch when everyone is back to work or school. It brings a familiar casserole format to the post-feast menu and gives the remaining chicken a different place at the table. It can return when a simple lunch is needed.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Noodle Casserole

Turkey Pot Pie

A steaming chicken pot pie with a golden-brown crust, partially cut open to reveal chunks of chicken, peas, carrots, and mushrooms. Sprigs of rosemary garnish the top. — Turkey Pot Pie. Photo credit: Hungry Cooks Kitchen.

The classic pot pie format gives Turkey Pot Pie a natural place in a Thanksgiving leftover plan. It turns remaining turkey into a dinner that feels distinct from the holiday plate, with portions that can also cover lunch the next day. Bring it out when guests have gone and the household wants one comforting meal from what is already on hand.
Get the Recipe: Turkey Pot Pie

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Tortilla soup brings a lively change with Chicken Tortilla Soup changes up leftover chicken after a few days of traditional holiday food. Serve it for lunch or dinner when the family wants something warm with a different style from stuffing and casseroles. It is a convenient way to extend the bird into another meal and gives everyone a reason to look forward to leftovers.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Tortilla Soup

Meatloaf

Hearty slices of Meatloaf offer a filling option for the days around Thanksgiving, especially when the fridge also holds sides from the feast. Serve it with leftover potatoes or vegetables for an easy dinner, then save a portion for lunch. The familiar main dish can help round out a post-holiday menu without relying on turkey at every meal. It is easy to serve beside other planned dishes.
Get the Recipe: Meatloaf

Taco Soup

A bowl of red soup topped with avocado slices, sour cream, cilantro, sliced onions, corn, and shredded cheese. — Taco Soup. Photo credit: My Reliable Recipes.

Comfort in a bowl comes with Taco Soup adds variety when Thanksgiving leftovers start to feel repetitive. Serve it for a casual lunch or dinner, and use remaining turkey as part of the post-holiday plan if it suits the recipe. The soup format is easy to portion for more than one meal, offering a warm break from sandwiches and reheated sides.
Get the Recipe: Taco Soup

French Toast

Slow mornings after Thanksgiving make French Toast a welcome option for breakfast or brunch. It can help use extra bread from the holiday table, while a prepared batch gives overnight guests something familiar to eat. Bring it out the morning after the feast or save it for a relaxed weekend breakfast when there is no need to rush into the day.
Get the Recipe: French Toast

Turkey Cranberry Sliders

A close-up of a tray of sesame seed slider buns filled with shredded meat, melted cheese, and cranberry sauce. — Turkey Cranberry Sliders. Photo credit: Pocket Friendly Recipes.

Sweet and savory holiday flavors come together in Turkey Cranberry Sliders, an easy fit for leftover turkey. Put them out for a casual lunch after guests leave, or serve them as a small dinner when no one wants another formal meal. Their handheld format makes it simple to use turkey and cranberry sauce in a way that feels different from the Thanksgiving plate.
Get the Recipe: Turkey Cranberry Sliders

Vegetable Soup

Light and vegetable-based, Vegetable Soup can balance the richer foods that linger after Thanksgiving. Serve it for lunch between larger meals, or pair it with a sandwich when the fridge is full of holiday dishes. It gives the days after the feast a simple option and helps keep a vegetable-based meal in the rotation amid the leftovers. It brings another texture to a table of shared sides.
Get the Recipe: Vegetable Soup

Savory Cranberry and Turkey Stuffing Balls

A close-up of two baked savory stuffing balls with visible chunks of onion, celery, herbs, and bread on a golden tray. — Savory Cranberry and Turkey Stuffing Balls. Photo credit: Pocket Friendly Recipes.

Small, savory portions make Savory Cranberry and Turkey Stuffing Balls a natural way to use holiday turkey and stuffing. Set them out for a casual lunch or add them to a snack table when family is still visiting. Their compact shape gives Thanksgiving leftovers a new presentation and makes it easy to serve just a few alongside other dishes. This helps cover lunch without repeating the same dinner.
Get the Recipe: Savory Cranberry and Turkey Stuffing Balls

French Toast Casserole

Brunch plans after the holiday are easier with French Toast Casserole ready to share. It can put extra bread to use and give overnight guests a breakfast option without starting from scratch that morning. Serve it the day after Thanksgiving or save portions for the weekend, when a slower breakfast fits the pace of a quiet house. Its familiar role works beyond Thanksgiving week, too.
Get the Recipe: French Toast Casserole

Vegetable Beef Soup

A bowl of beef stew with chunks of meat, potatoes, carrots, and peas in a brown broth, garnished with chopped parsley. — Vegetable Beef Soup. Photo credit: My Reliable Recipes.

Vegetables and beef make Vegetable Beef Soup makes a practical lunch once the Thanksgiving meal is behind you. Serve it when the remaining sides need a lighter partner, or keep portions ready for dinner during the week. Its soup format makes a change from baked dishes and helps the household move through the post-holiday stretch with a meal already planned.
Get the Recipe: Vegetable Beef Soup

Shepherds Pie

Comforting layers give Shepherds Pie a place in the days after Thanksgiving, especially when extra potatoes and vegetables need a second use. Serve it for a filling dinner once guests have left, then portion leftovers for lunch. It offers a distinct meal from the holiday spread and brings several familiar comfort-food elements together in one dish. The plan leaves space for both a weekday meal and a gathering.
Get the Recipe: Shepherds Pie

Turkey Soup

A bowl of chicken soup with rice, carrots, celery, herbs, and pepper sprinkled on top. — Turkey Soup. Photo credit: Hungry Cooks Kitchen.

Warm bowls of Turkey Soup is a familiar answer when leftover turkey still needs a place in the meal plan. Serve bowls for lunch or dinner after the holiday, then keep extra portions for the week ahead. It turns the remaining bird into something warm and easy to serve, giving the family a welcome break from sandwiches and reheated plates.
Get the Recipe: Turkey Soup

Chicken and Biscuits

A close-up of a baked chicken pot pie topped with six round biscuits and garnished with chopped parsley. — Chicken and Biscuits. Photo credit: My Reliable Recipes.

Tender comfort belongs on the post-holiday menu with Chicken and Biscuits. It can help use leftover chicken for a filling lunch or dinner once Thanksgiving guests have gone. Serve it when the household wants a warm meal without returning to the full holiday spread, then save any extra portions for another day during the busy week. That makes it a flexible choice for the days around Thanksgiving.
Get the Recipe: Chicken and Biscuits

Potato Croquettes

Breaded and fried patties garnished with chopped parsley are arranged on a plate next to a bowl of creamy dipping sauce with herbs. — Potato Croquettes. Photo credit: Splash of Taste.

Crisp-edged bites offer a new way to use extra potatoes with Potato Croquettes. Serve them beside leftover turkey or add them to a casual lunch after Thanksgiving, when a full plate of reheated sides sounds less appealing. Their smaller shape makes them easy to share, and they bring a different texture to the holiday leftovers on the table. Set aside portions for a later lunch or dinner.
Get the Recipe: Potato Croquettes

Turkey Sliders

Close-up of a seasoned bagel sandwich with melted cheese and turkey slider filling, topped with seeds. — Turkey Sliders. Photo credit: My Reliable Recipes.

Handheld and easy to serve, Turkey Sliders turn remaining turkey into a relaxed meal after Thanksgiving. Set them out for lunch when family is still around, or make them for dinner once the formal gathering is over. They offer a simple alternative to another plated turkey dinner and help use leftovers in a format that works for sharing. It gives the meal another use after the holiday.
Get the Recipe: Turkey Sliders

Leek and Potato Soup

Silky and warming, Leek and Potato Soup makes a gentle change of pace after a large Thanksgiving meal. Serve it for lunch with bread, or as a lighter dinner while the family works through remaining sides. The soup gives the holiday week a warm, easy meal and can help balance heavier leftovers without adding another elaborate dish to the table.
Get the Recipe: Leek and Potato Soup