And so we come to that time of year, which people like to generally call ‘the holidays’. Whether you celebrate Thanksgiving or Christmas or both, there is a fair chance that you will eat a turkey dinner or two sometime over the next six weeks.
And if you are responsible for cooking one of the festive feasts, you will probably find yourself with the usual quandary of what to do with the leftover turkey, when nobody can stand the sight of it any more.
I thought I’d get ahead of you all and put together a series of fabulous leftover turkey recipes.
To be honest I may not be cooking or eating a traditional turkey dinner at all this year, as we don’t celebrate Thanksgiving (I’m British) and I am going to my sister’s house on Christmas Day where they prefer beef for the Christmas
I am a turkey lover though, so I may treat my family to some of these yummy dishes before Christmas, just to get my fair share. Maybe we might have turkey on Thanksgiving even though we are not officially celebrating.
14 yummy recipes to use up leftover turkey
The perfect turkey curry – the Spectator magazine
In the UK, turkey curry, as a means of using up festive leftovers, has become something of a joke: the turkey curry buffet in Bridget Jones is the true low point of Bridge’s festive calendar.
The prospect can strike fear into the most Christmas-spirited of souls. But actually, on Boxing Day, or the day after, the last thing you really want is the same meal you’ve been eating for the past two days, looking a little tired and fridge-worn, all the best bits
Curry is the perfect antidote to
Turkey Coconut curry – Netdoctor
Here’s another curry recipe – this time a bit creamier with extra coconut. This gives a
Turkey and Rice Soup – Girl and the Kitchen
Turkey soup is, of course, the other staple for leftover turkey, and many mums will have a traditional recipe for boiling the carcase and adding some veggies.
Mila, at Girl and the Kitchen, thinks cooks need a break, and something simple to cook after the stress of a festive dinner
Turn your Thanksgiving turkey into a super comforting and healthy soup in only 30 minutes…
Mila, Girl and the Kitchen
One Pot Turkey Soup Recipe – I heart naptime
This looks very much like the type of soup that my mum would make for us all on Boxing day or the day after. Hearty veggies and pasta or noodles – just what you need after a long winter walk, which our family always seemed to think was a fabulous thing to do in the days
Turkey Stuffed Peppers – My Catholic Kitchen
Transform your Holiday leftovers into a Mexican fiesta. These peppers are stuffed with all your thanksgiving leftovers. Add taco seasoning and black beans and you have a fiesta-worthy meal.
This looks really yummy and my son loves peppers, so I might be inflicting this on my lot soon!
One Pot Leftover Turkey Pilaf with Pine Nuts – The Cook Report
I never know what to do with pine nuts other than making pesto, so I often find myself with leftover pine nuts as well as leftover turkey. This looks like a fabulous way to solve two problems in one
Turkey with Butternut Squash, Asparagus & Persimmons – Love the Secret ingredient
Mary from Love the secret ingredient says:
I made up this dish one recent Friday night with what I had onhand, when I was trying to convince my husband to eat a somewhat meatless meal, and I was just too tired to go shopping for something specific. It’s an odd combination. As I said, it was with what I had on hand. While I was making it, my husband was making all kinds of remarks about how weird this was gonna be, but just guess who had seconds…
Leftover Turkey & Apple & Carrot Salad — Tasty Food for Busy Mums
The salad is bursting with so many flavours – sweet, sour, nutty and mustardy. The dressing is made of Dijon mustard and honey and it really goes so well with all the other ingredients.
Jamie’s Ultimate Leftover Turkey Sandwich – Love Sharing Food
A turkey sandwich is probably the ultimate copout when it comes to using up leftovers, but you can trust Jamie Oliver to take the humble turkey sandwich and turn it into something special
Turkey chili smothered sweet potatoes – Thanksgiving & Co
Mmm… turkey
Turkey Fricassee – Eric Akis at Times Colonist
Fricassee is one of those long French cooking terms that I always think sounds really posh and inviting, even though I don’t really know what it is
Eric Akis explains
According to Michael Ruhlman’s informative book, The Elements of Cooking, a fricassee is considered a white stew in which the meat has been sautéed without colour to begin the cooking. In other words, the meat is simply enriched by more slowly cooking it in butter first.
Then he goes on to explaing how to cook a yummy fricassee
Crispy Fried Turkey Tacos – Eat Cook Blog
My children’s ears will prick up right away if I mention tacos. I get away with so many additional hidden vegetables as long as they are smothered with cheese and dips and hidden in crispy
Turkey Soup with Noodles • The Cook Report
I’m finishing with another turkey soup recipe – this time a turkey noodle soup with a boiled egg. That sounds like a lovely way to round off the holiday season.
So did you find any good ideas for your holiday leftovers among my suggestions? Please share your own favourites with links in the comments section. I will revisit this blog and add your favourite recipes in too.
Please take a look at some of my other recipe posts
