What can you do with all that leftover turkey? Read on for some delicious and easy turkey recipes.
Don’t let the Thanksgiving turkey go to waste after the holiday. While turkey sandwiches are great, take leftover turkey meat to a new level by transforming it into delicious recipes for your family.
The National Turkey Federation says that a whole turkey offers the basis for wonderful recipes including entrée, appetizer, soup and salads.
How to Store Leftover Turkey
Leftover turkey should be carved from the bone and stored in shallow plastic or glass containers. Refrigerate or freeze any leftovers within two hours of cooking for the best freshness. The refrigerated turkey can be used in a sandwich or thrown in a salad within three to four days after it has been cooked. Freezing keeps leftover turkey longer: three months.
According to the National Turkey Federation’s web site recipe database, the top 5 turkey leftover recipes are:
- Turkey, Mandarin and Poppy Seed Salad
- Turkey Soup
- Creamy Creole Turkey Bake
- Slow Cooker White Turkey Chili
- Turkey Pot Pie
Print out these recipes before Thanksgiving to use up that leftover turkey with creative dishes your family will choose over cold turkey sandwiches:
Mandarin and Poppy Seed Salad
- 1/4 Cup orange juice
- 1-1/2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1-1/2 Teaspoons poppy seeds
- 1-1/2 Teaspoons olive oil
- 1 Teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
- 5 Cups red leaf lettuce, washed, dried, chilled and torn
- 2 Cups baby spinach leaves, washed, dried, chilled and torn
- 1/2 Pound COOKED TURKEY BREAST, cut into 1/2-inch julienne
- 1 Can (10-1/2 ounces) mandarin oranges, drained
- 1 Teaspoon orange zest
- Dressing: In small bowl combine orange juice, vinegar, poppy seeds, oil, mustard and 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Set aside.
- Salad: In large bowl toss together lettuce, spinach, turkey and oranges. Pour dressing over turkey mixture. Garnish with orange zest and serve immediately.
- 1 turkey carcass, with 2 cups cooked meat remaining on carcass
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 3 cups sweet onions, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground sage
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1-1/2 cups celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 cups carrots, peeled and sliced thin
- 2 cups green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2/3 cup small shell pasta
- Remove meat from carcass and chop into bite size pieces. Cover and reserve in refrigerator.
- Chop turkey carcass into several large pieces.
- Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Sauté onions until soft and light brown.
- Stir in turkey bones, salt, pepper, herbs, and 2 quarts water. Increase heat to high and quickly bring mixture to a boil. Immediately reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for one hour, stirring occasionally.
- Remove and discard carcass pieces.
- Stir in vegetables, cover and continue to simmer for 20-25 minutes.
- Increase heat to high, bring mixture to a quick boil and stir in shell pasta.
- Lower heat to medium and cook 8-12 additional minutes until pasta and vegetables are tender.
- Stir in reserved turkey. Heat over low heat for 5-10 minutes or until the temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Serve hot with crusty rolls.
- 2/3 cup chopped onion
- 2/3 cup chopped celery
- 1/3 cup chopped green pepper
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon margarine
- 1/4 pound fresh button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
- 4 ounces light cream cheese, softened
- 1 can (8 ounces) low-sodium stewed tomatoes, drained
- 1-1/2 teaspoons creole seasoning *
- 4 ounces fettuccine, cooked according to package directions
- 2 cups cooked turkey, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- vegetable cooking spray
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- In medium non-stick skillet, over medium-high heat, saute onion, celery, green pepper and garlic in margarine 4 to 5 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Add mushrooms and saute 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
- In medium bowl blend cream cheese, tomatoes, and creole seasoning. Fold in vegetable mixture, drained fettuccine and turkey.
- Pour mixture into 9-inch square dish, sprayed with vegetable cooking spray. Sprinkle cheese over top and bake in a preheated 325 degree F oven for 25-30 minutes or until bubbly.
- NOTE: Substitute ready-made Creole seasoning with the following homemade recipe: 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon granulated garlic, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, dash ground cayenne pepper, 1/4 teaspoon paprika. Combine all seasonings and mix to blend thoroughly. Pour into a small jar with cover; seal tightly
- 1 Cup chopped onion
- 1 Cup chopped celery
- 4 Cups cooked turkey, chopped
- Two15.5 - ounce cans great Northern beans, drained
- Two 11-ounce Cans white shoepeg corn, undrained
- One 4-ounce Can chopped green chilies
- 1 quart turkey broth
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
- Place cooked turkey and all other ingredients in a slow cooker.
- Mix well and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
- For a thicker sauce, remove the cover for the last hour.
- Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.
- One 1-pound package frozen vegetables for stew, cooked according to package directions
- 1 cup frozen peas, cooked according to package directions
- 2 cups cooked turkey, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- One 12-oz jar non-fat turkey gravy
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 refrigerated pie crust, room temperature
- Drain any cooking liquid from stew vegetables and peas.
- Add turkey cubes, gravy, herbs, salt and pepper to vegetables in oven-safe 2-quart cooking dish.
- Unfold pie crust dough and place on top of dish, trimming edges to approximately 1 inch larger than dish; secure dough edges to dish. Make several 1-inch slits on crust to allow steam to escape.
- Bake in preheated 400-degree F oven for 25-30 minutes or until crust is brown and mixture is hot and bubbly.
Source: National Turkey Federation
The copyright of the article Top 5 Recipes for Turkey Leftovers in Dinner Recipes is owned by Marcia Passos Duffy. Permission to republish Top 5 Recipes for Turkey Leftovers in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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