Turkey is the heart of Thanksgiving, but a whole roast bird is only the beginning. These recipes cover the turkey dishes worth bringing to the table and, just as importantly, the best ways to turn the leftovers into meals you will actually look forward to.
You will find a festive crescent ring and stuffing balls for the feast itself, turkey meatballs in a pumpkin-sage sauce for an autumn dinner, and a run of chilis, soups, skillets and sandwiches built for the days after. Many of the ground-turkey recipes work just as well with shredded leftover roast turkey, so you can cook once and eat well all week.
Every recipe links through to the full method, with real times, serving sizes and a cook’s tip. Build your menu from it and let the leftovers do the heavy lifting.
Four Turkey Dishes to Start With
- Turkey and Cranberry Crescent Ring: A golden, festive centrepiece that turns leftover turkey into a showpiece.
- Turkey, Cranberry and Brie Egg Rolls: The best use of Thanksgiving leftovers, crisp and melty in twenty-five minutes.
- Turkey Chili: A lighter, hearty chili that happily takes leftover roast turkey.
- Cranberry Turkey Stuffing Balls: Make-ahead stuffing balls, brilliant for a buffet or using up the bird.
How to Get the Most from Your Thanksgiving Turkey
- Cook once, eat all week. Shredded leftover roast turkey slots straight into the chilis, soups, skillets and sandwiches here, so a single bird stretches across days.
- Ground turkey is your year-round stand-in. When the leftovers run out, lean ground turkey gives you the same comfort in burgers, meatballs and bakes.
- Store it safely. Keep cooked turkey in the fridge for up to four days, or freeze it for up to three months, and reheat it until piping hot.
- Make the festive dishes ahead. The stuffing balls and crescent ring can be assembled in advance and baked when you need them, taking pressure off the oven.
19 Thanksgiving Turkey Recipes
1. Savory Turkey and Cranberry Crescent Ring Recipe
A showstopping centrepiece that turns leftover or deli turkey into something festive. Sliced turkey, Gruyere, cranberry and herbed cream cheese are wrapped in crescent dough and baked into a golden wreath. Forty minutes, serves six at 420 calories.
Key ingredients: crescent rolls, chive and onion cream cheese, dijon mustard, fresh rosemary or thyme, shredded gruyere cheese, thinly sliced turkey
Total time: 40 min | Serves: 6 | Ingredients: 11 | Calories: 420
2. Turkey Meatballs in Pumpkin Sage Sauce Recipe
Tender turkey meatballs simmered in a creamy pumpkin and sage sauce, the flavours of autumn in a single pan. It is rich enough to anchor a holiday dinner, served over pasta, polenta or mash. Just over an hour, serves six.
Key ingredients: fresh breadcrumbs, milk, finely minced onion, garlic cloves, chopped fresh sage, chopped parsley
Total time: 65 min | Serves: 6 | Ingredients: 27 | Calories: 658
3. Cranberry Turkey Stuffing Balls Recipe
Stuffing and cranberry rolled into crisp, bite-sized balls, made with ground turkey or chopped leftover roast turkey. They are brilliant for a buffet or for using up the bird, and easy to make ahead and reheat. Serves eight at 380 calories.
Key ingredients: ground turkey or 2 cups cooked chopped turkey, day-old bread, yellow onion, garlic cloves, celery stalk, fresh sage
💡 Cook’s tip: ground turkey or 2 cups cooked chopped turkey. Ground turkey works best for binding, but leftover roast turkey is perfect for saving time.
Total time: 50 min | Serves: 8 | Ingredients: 19 | Calories: 380
4. Honey Garlic Turkey Meatballs Recipe
Juicy turkey meatballs glazed in a sticky honey-garlic sauce, ready in half an hour. They make an easy appetiser for the holiday table or a quick family dinner over rice. Lean ground turkey keeps them light.
Key ingredients: lean ground turkey, yellow onion, garlic, breadcrumbs, egg, soy sauce
💡 Cook’s tip: lean ground turkey. I use 93% lean for juicier meatballs; extra lean can get too dry.
Total time: 30 min | Ingredients: 15
5. Turkey Cranberry and Brie Egg Rolls Recipe
The best thing to do with Thanksgiving leftovers. Shredded turkey, cranberry sauce and melty brie are rolled into crisp egg roll wrappers and fried until golden. Twenty-five minutes, and the surprise hit of the long weekend.
Key ingredients: egg roll wrappers, cooked turkey, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper to taste, cranberry sauce, brie cheese
💡 Cook’s tip: egg roll wrappers. Fresh wrappers roll more easily and seal better than frozen ones reducing the chance of tearing.
Total time: 25 min | Ingredients: 10
6. Turkey Chili Recipe
A hearty but lighter chili built on lean ground turkey, and a perfect home for leftover roast turkey too. Tomatoes, kidney beans, peppers and warm spices simmer into a comforting bowl. Forty-five minutes, serves six at 280 calories.
Key ingredients: lean ground turkey, onion, garlic, bell pepper, canned diced tomatoes, canned kidney beans
Total time: 45 min | Serves: 6 | Ingredients: 9 | Calories: 280
7. One Pot Turkey Stroganoff Recipe
Creamy stroganoff made in a single pan with lean turkey, egg noodles and earthy cremini mushrooms. The noodles cook right in the sauce, so there is only one pot to wash. Thirty minutes, serves five.
Key ingredients: fat-free ground turkey, dried egg noodles, cremini mushrooms, onion, garlic, paprika
💡 Cook’s tip: fat-free ground turkey. Lean turkey keeps the dish lighter but still meaty.
Total time: 30 min | Serves: 5 | Ingredients: 14
8. Turkey Enchilada Skillet Recipe
All the comfort of enchiladas without the rolling, ready in twenty minutes. Ground turkey, black beans, corn tortillas and red enchilada sauce come together in one skillet. Stir in shredded leftover turkey to make it even faster.
Key ingredients: ground turkey, corn tortillas, black beans, red enchilada sauce, diced green chiles, red bell pepper
💡 Cook’s tip: ground turkey. Lean or extra lean works but lean adds a bit more moisture and flavor.
Total time: 20 min | Ingredients: 12
9. Italian Ground Turkey Soup Recipe
A cosy Italian-style soup with turkey, vegetables and herbs in a savoury broth. It comes together in half an hour and works just as well with shredded leftover turkey. A light, warming bowl for the days after the feast.
Key ingredients: ground turkey, onion, garlic, italian seasoning, ground black pepper, stewed tomatoes
Total time: 30 min | Ingredients: 15
10. Creamy Ground Turkey and Mushroom Orzo Recipe
A silky one-pan dinner of turkey, mushrooms and orzo in a Parmesan cream sauce. The orzo cooks in the broth and turns luxuriously comforting. Thirty minutes, serves four.
Key ingredients: lean ground turkey, dry orzo pasta, fresh mushrooms, chicken broth, heavy cream, freshly grated parmesan cheese
💡 Cook’s tip: lean ground turkey. Lean meat keeps the dish flavorful without making it greasy.
Total time: 30 min | Serves: 4 | Ingredients: 11
11. Ground Turkey Orzo in Tomato Sauce Recipe
Turkey and orzo simmered in a herby tomato sauce, a weeknight-friendly one-pan meal. Italian seasoning and garlic give it depth, and it is on the table in twenty-five minutes. Serves six.
Key ingredients: minced garlic cloves, chopped yellow onion, lean ground turkey, italian seasoning, ground black pepper, uncooked orzo pasta
💡 Cook’s tip: minced garlic cloves. Fresh garlic gives the best aroma; skip pre-minced if you can.
Total time: 25 min | Serves: 6 | Ingredients: 12
12. Teriyaki Turkey Rice Bowls Recipe
Quick teriyaki turkey over rice, loaded with broccoli and carrot for an easy weeknight bowl. A homemade soy-honey sauce beats anything from a jar. Twenty-five minutes, serves four.
Key ingredients: ground turkey, onion, garlic, finely chopped broccoli, carrot, soy sauce
💡 Cook’s tip: ground turkey. I like lean turkey for a healthier option; it cooks up juicy without being greasy.
Total time: 25 min | Serves: 4 | Ingredients: 12
13. Stuffed Bell Peppers with Ground Turkey Recipe
Bell peppers stuffed with seasoned turkey and baked until tender, a satisfying meal that reheats well. Lean turkey keeps the filling light while the peppers add sweetness and colour. Serves six at 300 calories.
Key ingredients: bell peppers, ground turkey, yellow onion, garlic, italian herbs, red pepper flakes
💡 Cook’s tip: bell peppers. Any color works, but red and yellow peppers are sweeter.
Total time: 55 min | Serves: 6 | Ingredients: 16 | Calories: 300
14. Ground Turkey Sweet Potato Bake Recipe
A cosy traybake of turkey, sweet potato and zucchini finished with Parmesan. Just eight ingredients, and the sweet potato gives it a warm, autumnal edge. Just over an hour, and it reheats beautifully.
Key ingredients: ground turkey, sweet potatoes, zucchini, parmesan cheese, garlic powder, rosemary
Total time: 65 min | Ingredients: 8
15. Ground Turkey Sweet Potato Taco Skillet Recipe
A one-skillet taco dinner with turkey, sweet potato and warm taco spices. It is ready in twenty-five minutes and makes a colourful, crowd-friendly supper. Serves six, with plenty for leftovers.
Key ingredients: white onion, tomato paste, chili powder, garlic powder, ground cumin, dried oregano
Total time: 25 min | Serves: 6 | Ingredients: 14
16. Turkey Pesto Sandwich Recipe
A turkey sandwich with pesto, provolone and marinated tomatoes, equally good with leftover roast or deli turkey. Toasted until the cheese melts, it is a clear step up from the usual lunch. Ready in under half an hour.
Key ingredients: multi-grain bread, pesto, mayonnaise, provolone cheese, marinated tomatoes, turkey deli meat
💡 Cook’s tip: multi-grain bread. I love this for its nutty flavor; sourdough or ciabatta works too.
Total time: 28 min | Ingredients: 12
17. Honey Mustard Turkey Avocado Sandwich Recipe
A ten-minute turkey sandwich on sourdough with mashed avocado and a honey-Dijon spread. Thinly sliced turkey, creamy avocado and a crunch of crisps make it a quick, satisfying lunch. The easiest way to use up the bird.
Key ingredients: sourdough bread, ripe avocado, dijon mustard, honey, thinly sliced deli turkey, salt & vinegar potato chips
Total time: 10 min | Serves: 1 | Ingredients: 8 | Calories: 530
18. Southwest Turkey Burgers Recipe
Juicy turkey burgers with a smoky Southwest kick from poblano, jalapeno and cilantro. Lean turkey and a little mayo keep the patties tender rather than dry. Thirty minutes, serves four at 480 calories.
Key ingredients: turkey patties, ground turkey, mayonnaise, roasted poblano pepper, jalapeño, cilantro
Total time: 30 min | Serves: 4 | Ingredients: 24 | Calories: 480
19. Turkey Smash Burgers Recipe
Thin, crispy-edged turkey smash burgers ready in under twenty minutes. Grated onion and Worcestershire keep lean turkey juicy and help it brown. Just seven ingredients for a fast, craveable burger.
Key ingredients: lean ground turkey, onion, worcestershire sauce, fresh black pepper, neutral oil, hamburger buns
💡 Cook’s tip: lean ground turkey. The base of the burger; Two Cloves Kitchen tried both 85/15 and 90/10 blends and found both work well.
Total time: 18 min | Ingredients: 7
That is turkey covered from the Thanksgiving table to the last of the leftovers. Start with a festive dish or two for the feast, then let the chilis, soups and sandwiches carry you through the long weekend.
Save this one and come back to it every year. Browse the related collections below for the rest of your holiday menu.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I make with leftover Thanksgiving turkey?
Shredded leftover turkey works beautifully in turkey chili, soup, enchilada skillet, stroganoff and sandwiches. The turkey-cranberry-brie egg rolls and the crescent ring are built for leftovers, and most of the ground-turkey recipes here take cooked turkey as an easy swap.
Can I use ground turkey instead of leftover roast turkey?
Yes. Most of these recipes are written for lean ground turkey, which you can cook from raw at any time of year. When you do have leftover roast turkey, stir it in near the end just to warm through, since it is already cooked.
How long does cooked turkey keep?
Store cooked turkey in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days, or freeze it for up to three months. Always reheat it until piping hot the whole way through.
What is the best turkey dish for the Thanksgiving table itself?
For the feast, the savoury turkey and cranberry crescent ring makes a striking centrepiece, while the cranberry turkey stuffing balls are an easy make-ahead side. The turkey meatballs in pumpkin-sage sauce also suit an autumn holiday dinner.
Are these turkey recipes healthy?
Many are built on lean ground turkey, which is lower in fat than beef while still rich and satisfying. Dishes like the turkey chili, stuffed peppers and soups are hearty but light, and you control the added fats and salt at home.