Do you remember that episode of Friends, “The One With Ross’ Sandwich?” Ross goes mad over a coworker eating the Thanksgiving leftover sandwich that Monica made for him. And you know what? I get it. Not only for someone else eating my sandwich but sometimes Thanksgiving leftovers are so much better than the first day.
It’s pretty obvious that Thanksgiving is all about the food. Turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, veggies, bread, salads, mac and cheese — the list goes on. It’s also no surprise that there are always leftovers…leftovers you’ll probably be eating for a while. According to Hellmann’s new holiday food waste survey, 2 in 3 American families throw away leftovers after holiday gatherings, contributing to the nearly 305 million pounds of food thrown away each year during Thanksgiving alone.
To help with sustainability efforts, let’s revamp those leftovers so it feels like you’re having something new! It’s okay if you’re stumped on what to do — we’ve asked around to find out what Spoon readers are actually doing with their Thanksgiving leftovers, and we got some really creative answers.
Here’s a list of what to do with your Thanksgiving leftovers this year.
Sushi-ish
Using the skin of two rotisserie chickens is a unique twist to making sushi, but hey, I’m kind of into it. Kyle Marcoux, known as @thevulgarchef on TikTok, packs in stuffing, instant mashed potatoes (not sure how they taste better than regular mashed potatoes, but to each their own), a line of cranberry, and stripped chicken. Roll it up and you have your leftover sushi.
Canasticas Rellenas
One of my favorite places to eat is Mojitos Restaurant Bar in Queens, N.Y. They have the best canasticas rellenas, which are mashed plantains formed into a bowl (aka a canastica) and filled with chicken, beef, and saucy shrimp. But imagine the inside filled with Thanksgiving food! To make the small bowls, peel your plantain and cut it into three pieces. Fry for five minutes, or until you can easily poke your fork into it. Then, using a lemon squeezer, place the plantain inside and squeeze to form the bowl shape. (I suggest spraying your lemon squeezer or covering the inside with plastic wrap so that the plantain doesn’t stick.) Then, fry it again until semi-crispy.
In the plantain bowl, add sliced turkey and stuffing and top with cranberry sauce or gravy…or both. Put them in the oven for around 10 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Croquettes
Chef DJ Spinelli has been turning Thanksgiving leftovers into croquettes with his grandfather ever since he was a kid. And they are so simple to make. Just add everything into a bowl — the sliced turkey, corn, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and whatever else you’d like to add. Scoop a portion and roll the mixture into the shape of a thick mozzarella stick. Bread it and deep fry it. Your sauce? Gravy.
Pierogies
Her Campus Media staff member Ashley Kramer’s mom is from Poland and uses leftover potatoes and veggies to make pierogi from scratch. This is a fun one, and you can make your own dough. Here’s a recipe from Spend with Pennies, all you’d need for the dough is flour, water, eggs, oil, and salt. Now to the filling, Kramer said she uses a mixture of potatoes, onions, or mushrooms. Then, pan-fry them.
Turkey Salad
Instead of chicken salad, let’s do a turkey salad. Spoon University’s SEO Editor Maria Serra cubes up the leftover turkey then mix with mayo or Miracle Whip and fresh celery if you have it on hand. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Shepherd’s Pie
This list also includes an impromptu shepherd’s pie situation, thanks to Serra! Her grandma would make a shepherd’s pie the day after Thanksgiving — mixing together turkey and mashed potatoes with frozen veggies, then topping with crescent rolls.
Empanadas
This is an all-time favorite in my family. For the past couple of years, the day after Thanksgiving, my mom and I have been making “Thanksgiving empanadas.” The filling is sliced turkey, stuffing, gravy, and cranberry sauce. My favorite dish at Thanksgiving is stuffing so I make sure these empanadas have more stuffing than turkey. The filling is then stuffed into empanada dough, pinched shut, and fried. The cranberry sauce adds the right amount of sweetness that goes along with all the savory flavor profiles here.
Chop Suey
This is something different for when you have a lot of turkey left because it can be put in the freezer for later too. Her Campus Media staff member Kaitlin Manion always uses this ButterBall recipe. The turkey is the star here and the only leftover ingredient you’ll need. “It’s flavorful and comforting and is a good switch up from the typical Thanksgiving leftovers lineup,” she said.
Sandwiches
Just like in Friends, you too can make Monica Geller’s Thanksgiving leftover sandwich. Choose your favorite bread and put all your leftovers in there (except for rice, unless you’re into that). Even Hellman’s wants you to make sandwiches, compiling a list of leftover sandwich inspirations like Leftover Turkey Sandwich, Rustic Roasted Pumpkin Sandwich, and Eggplant and Zucchini Sandwich.
Leftover sandwiches are the easiest to make since everything is already in your fridge. It’s a quick dish, just chop up turkey and combine it with stuffing and enough gravy to make it stick together. Place your mixture onto a bun and voilà.
Here’s another idea from Spoon University intern Kate Linggi who said her mom’s turkey sandwiches are the best: hearty white bread, mayo, mustard, crisp Romaine lettuce, tomato, a thin layer of cranberry sauce, stuffing, and of course, turkey breast. If you want to go the extra mile, butter the tops of your bread. Place on a pan and cook/toast until the bread is nice, golden, and crispy.