Second Chance for Leftovers

Last Updated November 15, 2023

These tacos feature leftover turkey, for a Tex-Mex alternative to traditional holiday sandwiches.

Give your holiday leftovers a standing ovation (and reduce food waste) when you prepare these encore dishes after the big celebratory meal is over. Best of all, these recipes are packed with flavor and work with whatever you have on hand, from roasted vegetables to roast beef. You may find that total utilization leads to dishes that taste better the second time around. Spoiler alert: there’s not a turkey sandwich in sight!

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Savory Bread Pudding

Transform the morsels of your holiday meal into a savory bread pudding using an assortment of rolls, croissants, Pullman loaf, dense white sandwich bread or any combination of bread. Get creative...

Creamy Roasted Cauliflower and Potato Soup

The beauty of this vegan soup is that it works with cauliflower as well as whatever leftover roasted vegetables you have on hand.

Sweet Potato and Mashed Potato Gnocchi

Add these little gnocchi pillows to your favorite soup or on a salad. Leftover turkey or vegetable soups work great. These also work well with grilled shrimp or lobster topped with a citrus butter...

Machacado con Huevos

Turn your leftover holiday roast into this Tex-Mex breakfast favorite. Ranchers and cowboys of Northern Mexico air-dried beef with chilis and regional spices so it would be preserved, machaca. The key...

Birria de Pavo

Traditionally birria is prepared with lamb or goat, but variations using beef short rib, various roasts and almost any type of meat have grown in popularity. This version uses turkey, called pavo in...

Carrot Pulp Muffins

Juicing is a great way to get vitamins and minerals, but what do you do with all the leftover pulp? Don’t discard it! Use the pulp to make baked goods such as these gluten- and dairy-free muffins...

Juice Pulp Crackers

Don't throw away that juicing pulp! Instead, make it into a delicious and nutritious snack.

A Stack of Turkey Stuffing Meals

Bring this veggie-packed stuffing as a dish to share or cook as an amazing Thanksgiving day meal for a smaller crowd, and use the leftovers to make 2 additional meals after the big day...