
10 Delicious Sandwiches to Make With Your Thanksgiving Leftovers
Ah, the annual question of what to do with Thanksgiving leftovers! Each year, the table remains full of food long after everyone’s done, heaped with cranberry sauce, Grandma’s sweet potato casserole, and piles and piles of leftover turkey. Recipes for Thanksgiving leftovers are an essential asset if you want to get it all eaten up before it goes to waste. Naturally, some simply like the encore of the same meal again and again, but that gets old fast for most people. If you don’t want to waste dollars and food, it’s important to spice things up! Why not try one of the best Thanksgiving leftover recipes out there and craft a master sandwich on the cheap?

10 Delicious Sandwiches to Make With Your Thanksgiving Leftovers
Sandwich | Servings | Ingredients | Instructions | Source |
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Micki’s Turkey, Cranberry, and Cream Cheese Comfort Sandwich | Yields 1 sandwich |
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food52.com |
The Ultimate Leftover Turkey Club | Yields 2 sandwiches |
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ohsweetbasil.com |
Thanksgiving Turkey Sandwich | Yields 1 sandwich |
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spoonforkbacon.com |
Monte Cristo Waffle Sandwich | Yields 2 sandwiches |
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foodiecrush.com |
Roasted Turkey, Cranberry, and Brie Grilled Cheese | Yields 2 sandwiches |
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heatherchristo.com |
Roast Turkey Cobb Sandwich | Yields 1 sandwich |
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Jalapeño Popper Baked Turkey Sandwiches | Yields 12 mini sandwiches |
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lemontreedwelling.com |
Open-Faced Turkey Sandwich Melt | Yields 1 sandwich |
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cookswithcocktails.com |
Turkey and Cranberry Quesadillas | Yields 1 quesadilla |
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closetcooking.com |
Buffalo Turkey Sandwiches with Celery Yogurt Spread | Yields 2 sandwiches |
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fakefoodfree.com |
A whole cooked turkey is typically good for another three to four days in the refrigerator, according to the USDA. That’s three to four days of crafty creations, like a masterful Thanksgiving leftover sandwich, grilled cheese, or breakfast. It’s typically a race against time to finish everything up, and even the die-hard holiday enthusiast may still get a bit sick of eating a slab of meat covered in gravy, especially if your family enjoys turkey for both Thanksgiving and another holiday like Christmas. Turkey leftover recipes can be used for up to four days after the main event, assuming you haven’t left it out on the table for too long, but always keep food safety in mind; when in doubt, throw it out. You might’ve saved a few dollars on lunch, but that won’t mean much if you have to waste that money at a doctor’s office. Bad turkey typically has become slimy, may have changed color slightly, and has an odor. Good turkey won’t be smelly or slimy and will generally look like it did when it came out of the oven.
Some of these leftover Thanksgiving recipes also require cranberry sauce, gravy, and stuffing. Gravy is typically good for one or two days refrigerated, and cranberry sauce is good for 10 to 14. Stuffing is usually good for about the same amount of time as the turkey. Leftovers also can be frozen, which can extend the life of everything by about two months, so if you’re still scrambling to figure out what to do with Thanksgiving leftovers, freezing them in plastic bags is an option. However, it is possible that the meat won’t be as delicious and moist once it thaws.
Luckily, there are some super-creative Thanksgiving leftover ideas out there. Did you ever think of whipping out your waffle iron for your stuffing? How about creating tacos? Some people have even made sushi, pizza, or egg rolls. You can get really creative and exciting when figuring out how to use Thanksgiving leftovers, but since many of us will be entertaining guests and won’t want to do much labor-intensive cooking after dinner’s on the table, we’ve kept our focus on simple Thanksgiving sandwich recipe options. With a sandwich, you can quickly compile your meal in peace. All of these recipes using leftover turkey are pretty easy and don’t require much in the kitchen, which is great after exhausting yourself preparing the holiday feast!
Hopefully, this answers the question of what to do with leftover turkey! Try combining your turkey with brie, Swiss cheese, or hot sauce. Experiment and perhaps you’ll create your own tradition with one of these top 10 leftover Thanksgiving recipes!