Do you have an abundance of leftover Thanksgiving turkey? Don’t let them go to waste! Instead, transform them into delicious and satisfying meals using these smoked turkey leftover recipes! 

As Thanksgiving comes to an end, there’s one thing that remains constant– a plethora of leftovers. Instead of reheating the same plate day after day, why not explore these delicious smoked turkey leftover recipes? We’ve curated some fantastic ideas to make the most of your leftover smoked turkey, and you’ll find everything from sizeable turkey sandwiches to comforting soups and more.

The best part is that some of these smoked turkey leftover recipes are easy. After all, you just spent several days preparing for Thanksgiving. Now, it’s time to enjoy simplicity. Gather your ingredients, put on some relaxing sounds, and let’s get started!

1) Smoked Turkey Calzones

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 16 ounces of thawed pizza dough
• 1 cup chopped smoked turkey breast and dark meat
• 16-20 pepperoni slices
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1 14 ounces jar of pizza sauce
• 1 small bell pepper seeded and finely chopped
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• Flour for rolling
• Olive oil
• Shredded parmesan optional garnish

Full recipe and instructions for leftover turkey calzones found here.

2) Leftover Smoked Turkey Noodle Soup

• 1 Smoked turkey carcass
• 1 1/2 cups chopped turkey meat
• 1 onion, peeled and chopped in half
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
• 3 medium carrots
• 4 celery stalks
• 8 cups of water
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups uncooked egg noodles

• To make turkey stock: add the turkey carcass, onion, garlic, 2 peeled carrots cut in half, 2 celery stalk chopped in thirds, bay leaves, and carcass to a large pot.
• Pour 8 cups of water over top and bring it to a boil. 
• Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 2 hours. 
• Remove the turkey carcass, bay leaves, onion, carrots, celery, and garlic from the pot and discard them. 
• Next, chop the remaining carrot and celery stalks into small pieces and set aside. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any impurities like small bones and bits of fatty skin.
• Return the strained soup to the pot along with the chopped vegetables, chopped turkey, and uncooked egg noodles. Adjust seasonings as needed.
• Cook for an additional 10-15 minutes until the noodles are tender. Serve hot.

3) The Smoky Moist-Maker Sandwich

• 6 slices of hearty bread like sourdough, toasted
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• Sliced smoked turkey breast (about 2-3 slices per sandwich)
• Mashed potatoes (about 1/3-1/2 cup per sandwich)
• 1 cup prepared stuffing
• 1 cup leftover gravy (turkey or chicken)
• 1/2 cup cranberry sauce

• Warm the stuffing, mashed potatoes, and turkey gravy before starting. Warm, not hot. You can leave these ingredients cold if preferred
• Spread 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise each on the 2 bottom slices; top with sliced turkey and cranberry sauce.
• Next, take the 2 middle slices of bread and soak them on both sides with gravy. Place on top of the cranberry layer.
• Next, add mashed potatoes, then stuffing, and two more slices of bread.
• Cut sandwiches in half and serve.

4) Turkey Tetrazzini with Cornbread Crumb Topping

• 8 ounces spaghetti noodles, cooked
• 1 1/2 cups chopped smoked turkey
• 1(10.5-ounce) cream of mushroom soup
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup cornbread crumbs (or bread crumbs)

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Combine mushroom soup with salt, garlic powder, black pepper, broth, mozzarella cheese, and sour cream in a large bowl. Fold in smoked turkey and cooked noodles.
• Scoop mixture into a lightly greased cast-iron skillet or casserole pan.
• Next, combine cornbread crumbs with parmesan and melted butter until it forms a crumb topping.
• Spread topping evenly over noodle mixture, and bake for 30 minutes.
• Remove from heat and let it stand for 5-7 minutes before serving this pasta dish.

5) Smoked Turkey Lasagna

• 1 package of no-boil lasagna noodles
• 1 cup cubed smoked turkey
• 15 ounces ricotta cheese, whole milk
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon each of salt, black pepper, and garlic powder
• 15-16 ounces white pasta sauce (four cheese, Cajun, or Alfredo)
• 2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Spread a thin layer of pasta sauce on the bottom of a baking dish.
• Add the first layer of noodles. Do not overlap them
• Combine smoked turkey with ricotta, milk, parmesan, basil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
• Spread one-third of this mixture on top of the noodles. Spread 1/2 cup sauce on top.
• Repeat the process two more times, and top with parmesan cheese.
• Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 55 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes until the noodles are soft and the cheese is bubbling around the edges.
• Remove from oven, and let the lasagna stand for 10 minutes before plating.

6) Stuffed Peppers with Leftover Smoked Turkey

• 4 large green or yellow bell peppers, washed, halved, and cleaned out
• 2 cups leftover stuffing (made with or without sausage)
• 2 cups shredded smoked turkey (white and dark meat)
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot (sub with red onion)
• 1 large egg beaten
• pinch of pepper flakes
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (or cheddar)

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place halved peppers into a large parchment-lined baking dish.
• Combine stuffing, shredded turkey, shallot (or red onion), beaten egg, and pepper flakes in a bowl.
• Scoop equal amounts into each pepper half and top with shredded cheese.
• Bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the peppers have softened a bit.
• Remove from the oven, garnish with your choice of fresh herbs, and serve. 

7) Creamy Turkey and Dumplings

• 2 10.5-ounce cans of cream chicken soup
• 5 cups turkey or chicken broth
• 2 1/2 cups shredded smoked turkey
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (plus more for garnish)
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• pinch of salt
• 1 tube of refrigerated buttermilk biscuit dough (10-count)

• Combine cream of chicken soup, broth, shredded turkey, parsley, onion powder, salt, and black pepper in a large pot over medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes.
• Cut each biscuit round into fourths and add it to the pot.
• Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Once the dumplings have cooked through, remove the pot from the heat and serve garnished with parsley or your favorite fresh herb.

Get creative with your Thanksgiving leftovers and have amazing meals for weeks. Make sure to freeze your leftovers, and get back to them later using these recipes.

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