How to Make the Most of Your Thanksgiving Leftovers
For many of us, leftovers are the best part about Thanksgiving. But beyond turkey soup and sandwiches—which use up just a few of the star dishes on the table—we’re always a little stumped. So this year, we got creative and developed five easy recipes to transform all of your classic turkey-day leftovers into legit new meals. Say goodbye to a fridge full of hard mashed potatoes and dried out stuffing and hello to a holiday weekend full of delicious, waste-free food.
Black Friday Feast
Cranberry Tartines
Cranberry sauce is always delicious on a leftover thanksgiving sandwich, but we like changing it up here with brie and a bitter green salad. These could be a perfect appetizer if you cut them into smaller pieces. We also wouldn’t mind if you threw some caramelized onions on there, too.
Mashed Potato Dumplings
It’s official: mashed potato dumplings are our favorite way to use up leftover Thanksgiving mashed potatoes. Simply mix in a little flour and a couple of beaten egg whites and you’ve got incredibly tender, almost-instant potato dumplings. Don’t worry if these break up a bit as they cook; it will make your broth delightfully thick and creamy.
Pressure Cooker Turkey Stock
While there’s nothing wrong with slow cooking your turkey stock on the stove, we’re obsessed with the pressure cooker right now. (Bonus: You get a day’s worth of flavor in just an hour’s time.) The super-concentrated stock is perfect for dreamy turkey soup, but would make an outstanding risotto as well.
Stuffing Waffle
Stuffing in a waffle iron might sound crazy, but when you crunch through these delightfully crispy corners you’ll understand. (This would be a perfect breakfast with a fried egg and leftover gravy sidecar.) Because no two leftover stuffings are the same, add stock as needed until you get a nice moist mixture.
Bubble and Squeak
This classic English dish designed to use up leftover veggies from your Sunday roast, is an excellent way to use leftover Thanksgiving veggies (and mashed potatoes). The trick is definitely to use a small non-stick pan, and wait for super brown crispy edges before attempting the flip.
Cranberry Tartines
Cranberry sauce is always delicious on a leftover thanksgiving sandwich, but we like changing it up here with brie and a bitter green salad. These could be a perfect appetizer if you cut them into smaller pieces. We also wouldn’t mind if you threw some caramelized onions on there, too.
Mashed Potato Dumplings
It’s official: mashed potato dumplings are our favorite way to use up leftover Thanksgiving mashed potatoes. Simply mix in a little flour and a couple of beaten egg whites and you’ve got incredibly tender, almost-instant potato dumplings. Don’t worry if these break up a bit as they cook; it will make your broth delightfully thick and creamy.
Pressure Cooker Turkey Stock
While there’s nothing wrong with slow cooking your turkey stock on the stove, we’re obsessed with the pressure cooker right now. (Bonus: You get a day’s worth of flavor in just an hour’s time.) The super-concentrated stock is perfect for dreamy turkey soup, but would make an outstanding risotto as well.
Stuffing Waffle
Stuffing in a waffle iron might sound crazy, but when you crunch through these delightfully crispy corners you’ll understand. (This would be a perfect breakfast with a fried egg and leftover gravy sidecar.) Because no two leftover stuffings are the same, add stock as needed until you get a nice moist mixture.
Bubble and Squeak
This classic English dish designed to use up leftover veggies from your Sunday roast, is an excellent way to use leftover Thanksgiving veggies (and mashed potatoes). The trick is definitely to use a small non-stick pan, and wait for super brown crispy edges before attempting the flip.
