Thanksgiving Leftover Turkey Recipes

A cooked Thanksgiving turkey is the gift that keeps on giving. So keep reading to see a few of my recipes that will have you coming back for more succulent turkey leftovers. (Click on any recipe name to be directed to my blog post with all the tasty recipe text and yummy photo illustrations.)

If you made a big spread for Thanksgiving, go right to piling leftovers on a plate and zapping them. 

However, if you only have turkey, cranberry sauce, some gravy, and stuffing left, then a simple Leftover Recipe is the way to go.

The easiest and quickest use of Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving leftovers is to just stack them between sliced bread or a crusty bread roll.

Click on any photo to see larger.

But to kick the sandwich up to an Ultimate Turkey Sandwich, just crisp up in the frying pan some of that uneaten, soggy turkey skin.

It is a decadent and tasty addition to a classic Turkey Sandwich. Check out my recipe video below for a little culinary decadence.

 
Before you go cold turkey, try my gobbling spin on a Chicken Salad. I like the crunchy addition of chopped celery in this recipe, which you can rename Turkey Salad. It's a short ingredient list and you can use dark and white meat turkey leftovers. And I like my Turkey Salad between 2 slices of a bagel, and you can also put a large scoop on your fave green salad!

A most popular leftover for the coldest days of winter is a warm and soothing Turkey Soup. I hope you saved the poultry carcass?

For the tastiest soup, it's best to boil leftover roasted turkey bones and turkey bits in a pot of seasoned water. Once the water is simmering on low, just step away for an hour, and meanwhile, do a little veggie and leftover turkey chopping to add with strained turkey broth.

My Turkey Soup recipe link here is based on a typical Chicken Soup.

My Chicken Soup recipe starts with uncooked chicken, so this Turkey Soup spin-off will be done in less time -- just simmer long enough to tenderize the chopped carrot, onion, and celery.

I've recently made a Gumbo recipe video with Leftover Turkey. I take you through easy steps to make a browned-flour homemade Roux, which is the main ingredient to flavor and color Gumbo. I like okra in mine. Check out my Leftover Turkey Gumbo recipe below.

My Mom lives in Louisiana, and she sure knows how to do a Gumbo. This is another cold-weather dish. Serve Mom's Turkey and Sausage Gumbo over rice. 

Again, you can reduce the prep time because the leftover turkey is already cooked. Another shortcut is using a pre-made Gumbo base called a Roux, which is often stocked in regular grocery stores.

Check out my video below for all the tasty details.

A pot pie is the most soothing of winter meals, and my Turkey Pot Pie made with Thanksgiving leftovers will have you returning for seconds and thirds!

For my simple recipe, I used a grocery store frozen pie crust that cover the leftovers. And all you do is load up a deep baking dish like you would a lasagna - layering mashed potatoes or yams, veggies, stuffing, turkey, and gravy.

My video below lays it on thick, that is, with plenty of delish leftovers.

 
You had Pumpkin Pie for Thanksgiving and didn't get enough of the sweet stuff? Well if you had an overabundance of baked or boiled sweet potatoes, then bake a Sweet Potato Pie! 

This Southern and Soul Food classic is really simple to do, and my Mom has her Pumpkin Pie recipe that is easily made with cooked and mashed leftover sweet potatoes, and it's a click away right here.



I hope you had a great socially distanced gathering of family and some friends for Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving. And do check back for more 99-cent cheap$kate deliciousness.

Top 9 Recipes of 2024 - Video Recipes

As year-end recipe lists go, my Top 9 Recipes of 2024 is one you can really sink your incisors into. And all of my top picks are deliciously cheap to make. Just click on any recipe name to see the original 2024 blog post for tasty photos and my money-saving tips, and be sure to play any embedded videos below. The ranking order is random and not by delectability, so go ahead and dig in! 

1. Baltimore Baloney Hot Dog 

This recipe is too much of a good thing, that is, if you like Wieners and Baloney. They are grilled and then combined in a hot dog bun. Also called a Baltimore Dog serve this if you watch a Balimore Orioles baseball game. I haven't had baloney since I don't know when, so it seemed like a good idea at the time. I like mustard on my hot dogs. A Baltimore Baloney Hot Dog is worth a bite at least once in a lifetime.

2. Grilled Beets

When I get out the grill, I like to experiment with grilling veggies like corn, potatoes, carrots, and now Beets. Grilled Beets soften, and the flavor sweetens along with their naturally peppery bite. I slice mine thick enough to make a small Vegan Slider Sandwich. For a delicious change of pace, try grilling sliced Beets.

3. Matt's Crab Salad

My Cajun nephew Matt is back with a couple of seafood recipes. First up is his luscious Crab Salad. If you can make a Tuna Salad, then you can make this, that is, if you use pick and peeled expensive lump crab meat. My Louisiana family has local connections for whole crabs and crab clusters (boiled, cleaned, and ready to peel). Sweet and juicy crab meat is a splurge to this cheap$kate, but when I'm in Louisiana, I gotta go there. A budget substitute is Imitation Crab or Krab. I like Krab and have a delicious Mexican-style Ceviche that is made with Krab, and it is the bomb.

4. Matt's Shrimp & Corn Soup

My nephew Matt knows seafood as he has worked in restaurants, from fast-food to Country Clubs, most of his employed life. For his Shrimp & Corn Soup, he makes a seafood broth by roasting leftover shrimp and crab shells (the crab shells come from the above Crab Salad recipe). I give you easy substitutions like clam juice and/or broth. 

5. Turkey Gumbo

My version of Gumbo uses leftover Turkey from the holidays. You'd be surprised how much meat you can scrape off the backbone of a Roasted Turkey. You can use a Turkey Leg or Breast, too. The trick for a rich Turkey Gumbo is browning flour for about 20 minutes to reach a chocolate color of Roux. These days, you can buy a jar of browned Roux powder from the supermarket, so this recipe can be made in no time.

6. Roast Duck

Just a simple recipe for Roast Duck. Nothing to it, really, I just sprinkle on salt and pepper. I roast it like I would a chicken. 

7. Poached Egg 

How do you poach an Egg? Do you stir the water and then add an egg? How about adding vinegar to the boiling water? Try Googling it and see all the methods for keeping the whites from spreading out all over the place. Check out my recipe video and see how I Poach Eggs. I serve mine simply on toast. 

8. Swamp Chili

My nephew Matt was on a tear last year, and here's another recipe called Swamp Chili. He does add a can of Chili Beans, which is okay by me. My brother from another daddy, the Swamp Chef, makes an appearance, and my wife Linda gives her 2 cents at the end of the recipe video.

9. Pineapple Salsa

I'm a big fan of Salsas made with fruit, and I've made my share with Mango and Peach - you can add Pineapple Salsa. I'm not a big fan of canned fruit, but pineapple holds up quite well in a can. Reserve the Pineapple juice for a Cocktail mix or a breakfast drink. This Salsa has the typical chopped veggies of onion, tomato, and jalapeño, plus cilantro. It's sweet and spicy.

Here are some Honorable Mention Recipes of 2024, just click on the recipe name to check it out: Avocado Toast, Grilled Tomahawk Pork Chop, Hot Link Po Boy, Vegan Chorizo Egg Scramble, Giblet Gravy, Blueberry Bagel and Butter, Sauteed Seafood Mushrooms in Butter, BLT Sandwich, and a good old Meatball Submarine Sandwich.

It has been a fruitfully abundant year of recipes here at the Cheap$kate Chateau. I did the heavy lifting for you, so now all you have to do is pick a recipe link and save yourself some hard-earned cash by trying out any of the above. And if you have a favorite recipe of mine, then leave a comment to share.

And make sure to keep checking in here from time to time. I create yummy-looking blog posts with a dollop of humor, and while my tastes are cheap, my recipe flavors are top-shelf !!

Thanksgiving Leftover Turkey Recipes

A cooked Thanksgiving turkey is the gift that keeps on giving. So keep reading to see a few of my recipes that will have you coming back for more succulent turkey leftovers. (Click on any recipe name to be directed to my blog post with all the tasty recipe text and yummy photo illustrations.)

If you made a big spread for Thanksgiving, go right to piling leftovers on a plate and zapping them. 

However, if you only have turkey, cranberry sauce, some gravy, and stuffing left, then a simple Leftover Recipe is the way to go.

The easiest and quickest use of Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving leftovers is to just stack them between sliced bread or a crusty bread roll.

Click on any photo to see larger.

But to kick the sandwich up to an Ultimate Turkey Sandwich, just crisp up in the frying pan some of that uneaten soggy turkey skin.

It is a decadent and tasty addition to a classic Turkey Sandwich. Check out my recipe video below for a little culinary decadence.

 
Before you go cold turkey, try my gobbling spin on a Chicken Salad. I like the crunchy addition of chopped celery in this recipe, which you can rename Turkey Salad. It's a short ingredient list and you can use dark and white meat turkey leftovers. And I like my Turkey Salad between 2 slices of a bagel, and you can also put a large scoop on your fave green salad!

A most popular leftover for the coldest days of winter is a warm and soothing Turkey Soup. I hope you saved the poultry carcass?

For the tastiest soup, it's best to boil leftover roasted turkey bones and turkey bits in a pot of seasoned water. Once the water is simmering on low, just step away for an hour, and meanwhile, do a little veggie and leftover turkey chopping to add with strained turkey broth.

My Turkey Soup recipe link here is based on a typical Chicken Soup.

My Chicken Soup recipe starts with uncooked chicken, so this Turkey Soup spin-off will be done in less time -- just simmer long enough to tenderize the chopped carrot, onion, and celery.

I've recently made a Gumbo recipe video with Leftover Turkey. I take you through easy steps to make a browned-flour homemade Roux, which is the main ingredient to flavor and color Gumbo. I like okra in mine, check out my Leftover Turkey Gumbo recipe below.

My Mom lives in Louisiana and she sure knows how to do a Gumbo. This is another cold-weather dish. Serve Mom's Turkey and Sausage Gumbo over rice. 

Again, you can reduce the prep time because the leftover turkey is already cooked. Another shortcut is using a pre-made Gumbo base called a Roux, which is often stocked in regular grocery stores.

Check out my video below for all the tasty details.

A pot pie is the most soothing of winter meals, and my Turkey Pot Pie made with Thanksgiving leftovers will have you returning for seconds and thirds!

For my simple recipe, I used a grocery store frozen pie crust that cover the leftovers. And all you do is load up a deep baking dish like you would a lasagna - layering mashed potatoes or yams, veggies, stuffing, turkey, and gravy.

My video below lays it on thick, that is, with plenty of delish leftovers.

 
You had Pumpkin Pie for Thanksgiving and didn't get enough of the sweet stuff? Well, if you had an overabundance of baked or boiled sweet potatoes, then bake a Sweet Potato Pie! 

This Southern and Soul Food classic is really simple to do, and my Mom has her Pumpkin Pie recipe that is easily made with cooked and mashed leftover sweet potatoes, and it's a click away right here.



I hope you had a great socially distanced gathering of family and some friends for Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving. And do check back for more 99 cent cheap$kate deliciousness.

Gumbo with Leftover Turkey

I always have leftover Turkey after a Thanksgiving or Christmas feast. Scrape meat off the bones and make my Gumbo with Leftover Turkey. Gumbo is a Southern soup with veggies and meat. A Gumbo also has darkened flour as its base flavor, called a Roux.

A Cajun Gumbo uses almost any kind of meat or seafood. I keep it simple by using cooked holiday turkey pieces.

Don't throw away the turkey carcass, I've peeled a lot of meat just from the turkey's back. Use any leftover part of the bird for this recipe. 

Go right to making a Roux out of flour. While the Roux is browning, chop the Cajun Trinity of onion, bell pepper, and celery. For my Gumbo, I like to add garlic and okra, too. 

The most complex part of a Gumbo is the Roux. Usually, plain raw flour is cooked until a medium to dark brown, which gives Gumbo its unique nutty flavor and color. Back in the day, an equal amount of oil was used to brown the flour. These days, I leave oil out. As long as you scrape and stir the flour, it will brown fine. It usually takes 20 to 30 minutes  (Mom's Homemade Roux with yummy photo illustrations is here).

Grocers are starting to carry Roux that is pre-cooked and brown, so you can go right to sauting veggies, then add the pre-cooked Roux. I've made Gumbo using the shortcut grocery method and the long, homemade browning version.

A couple of hard-to-find ingredients in my Gumbo with Leftover Turkey can be left out. Filé Powder is dried sassafras leaves. Creole Seasoning is mainly salt, pepper, paprika, oregano, thyme, cayenne, onion, and garlic powders. 

The Cajun Trinity, comprised of bell pepper, celery, and onion, is used in many Southern recipes. 

I still get these veggies frequently on sale for less than a dollar.

Okra might not be to everyone's taste as it becomes slimy after cooking for a while, but I like it fine. 

Cajuns serve their Gumbo over white steamed rice. I've had it over brown rice and even quinoa.

My Gumbo with Leftover Turkey is best served hot on a cold day. If you are tired of Leftover Turkey Sandwiches or a plate of reheated, dried-out sliced turkey with soggy sides, then go for my satisfying and filling Gumbo with Leftover Turkey. 

Gumbo with Leftover Turkey - VIDEO      Play it here, video runs 4 minutes, 31 seconds.

My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.

Ingredients (4 to 6 servings)

• 3/4 Cup Flour - for a Roux. Takes about 20 minutes to brown.
• Leftover Turkey - about 2 pounds. I used a wing plus a mix of dark and white meat.
• 1 Onion - chopped
• Garlic - 1 tablespoon.
• 1 Bell Pepper - chopped.
• Celery - about 2 chopped ribs.
• Okra - about 12 pieces. I slice okra depending on how large they are. Okay to leave a few whole.
• Creole Seasoning - 1 teaspoon, optional. Creole seasoning is usually a combination of salt, paprika or chile powder, dried garlic, and onion. 
• Black Pepper - 1 teaspoon. Creole Seasoning has enough salt for my tastes.
• Filé powder - 1 teaspoon, optional. Filé is dried sassafras leaf powder.
• Water - 8 cups.  Okay to add the extra cup while cooking to reach a thinner Gumbo. For a thicker Gumbo, simmer uncovered about 15 to 30 minutes. 
• Steamed Rice - I usually steam a cup or two of rice. Add to the bottom of the bowl when serving Gumbo - white or brown rice. 

*A large raw turkey leg can be used if you don't want to cook a whole holiday bird. You should cook a raw turkey leg for about 2 hours in the Gumbo broth until tender. Then remove the leg and peel off the meat, and finally return it to the Gumbo to reheat.

Directions

Add flour to a large pot over medium heat to make a Roux. This gives Gumbo its brown color and nutty flavor. I use a non-oil method. Most Roux recipes call for an equal amount of oil to flour. 

You need to stir the flour until it is medium to dark brown, about 20 minutes.

(And if you want to speed things up, then buy a pre-made Roux from the grocery store.)

You can chop onion, bell pepper, celery, okra, and garlic while the Roux is browning.

Add all the veggies, including onion, bell pepper, celery, okra, and garlic.

Sprinkle on Cajun Seasoning (or salt), and black pepper. 

Add Gumbo Filé, which is dried sassafras leaves ground into powder. Okay to leave this out, as it may be hard to find.

Now add the cooked turkey. Add 8 cups of water. Mix well and bring to a boil. 

Reduce the heat to a simmer or low boil, then cover and cook for 1 hour. 

*If you are using raw Turkey, increase cooking time to about 2 hours or until the Turkey is tender.

*If you are using cooked whole Turkey pieces, then remove skin and bones after simmering, and shred the Turkey into bite-sized pieces. Return the Turkey to the Gumbo to reheat before serving.

If you like a thicker Gumbo broth, simmer it uncovered for about half an hour.

I like to serve cooked rice with Gumbo. During the last half hour of cooking, you can start your rice. Cook according to package directions.

When the Gumbo with Leftover Turkey is ready, add cooked rice to a bowl or plate and spoon on the Gumbo.

Gumbo with Leftover Turkey can simmer on the stovetop for extra time, as the longer it cooks, the better. 

Okra falls apart after an hour, but that's okay, as it will help thicken the Gumbo. It's okay to add the okra during the last half hour of cooking if you like it less mushy.

My Gumbo with Turkey Leftovers can be made with regular chicken pieces, too.

And don't forget the Hot Sauce!

Thanksgiving Leftover Turkey Recipes

 A cooked Thanksgiving turkey is the gift that keeps on giving. So keep reading to see a few of my recipes that will have you coming back for more succulent turkey leftovers. (Click on any recipe name to be directed to my blog post with all the tasty recipe text and yummy photo illustrations.)

If you made a big spread for Thanksgiving go right to piling leftovers on a plate and zapping them. 

However, if you only have turkey, cranberry sauce, some gravy, and stuffing left then a simple Leftover Recipe is the way to go.

The easiest and quickest use of Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving leftovers is to just stack them between sliced bread or a crusty bread roll.

Click on any photo to see larger.

But to kick the sandwich up to an Ultimate Turkey Sandwich, just crisp up in the frying pan some of that uneaten soggy turkey skin.

It is a decadent and tasty addition to a classic Turkey Sandwich. Check out my recipe video below for a little culinary decadence.

 
Before you go cold turkey, try my gobbling spin on a Chicken Salad. I like the crunchy addition of chopped celery in this recipe that you can rename Turkey Salad. It's a short ingredient list and you can use dark and white meat turkey leftovers. And I like my Turkey Salad between 2 slices of a bagel, and you can also put a large scoop on your fave green salad!

A most popular leftover for the coldest days of winter is a warm and soothing Turkey Soup. I hope you saved the poultry carcass?

For the tastiest soup, it's best to boil leftover roasted turkey bones and turkey bits in a pot of seasoned water. Once the water is simmering on low, just step away for an hour, and meanwhile, do a little veggie and leftover turkey chopping to add with strained turkey broth.

My Turkey Soup recipe link here is based on a typical Chicken Soup.

My Chicken Soup recipe starts with uncooked chicken, so this Turkey Soup spin-off will be done in less time -- just simmer long enough to tenderize the chopped carrot, onion, and celery.

I've recently made a Gumbo recipe video with Leftover Turkey. I take you through easy steps to make a browned-flour homemade Roux, which is the main ingredient to flavor and color Gumbo. I like okra in mine, check out my Leftover Turkey Gumbo recipe below.

My Mom lives in Louisiana and she sure knows how to do a Gumbo. This is another cold-weather dish. Serve Mom's Turkey and Sausage Gumbo over rice. 

Again you can reduce the prep time because the leftover turkey is already cooked. Another shortcut is using a pre-made Gumbo base called a Roux, which is often stocked in regular grocery stores.

Check out my video below for all the tasty details.

A pot pie is the most soothing of winter meals, and my Turkey Pot Pie made with Thanksgiving leftovers will have you returning for seconds and thirds!

For my simple recipe, I used a grocery store frozen pie crust that covers the leftovers. And all you do is load up a deep baking dish like you would a lasagna - layering mashed potatoes or yams, veggies, stuffing, turkey, and gravy.

My video below lays it on thick, that is, with plenty of delish leftovers.

 
You had Pumpkin Pie for Thanksgiving and didn't get enough of the sweet stuff? Well if you had an overabundance of baked or boiled sweet potato, then bake a Sweet Potato Pie! 

This Southern and Soul Food classic is really simple to do and my Mom has her Pumpkin Pie recipe that is easily made with cooked leftover sweet potatoes, and it's a click away right here.



I hope you had a great socially distanced gathering of family and some friends for Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving. And do check back for more 99 cent cheap$kate deliciousness.