20 Best Leftover Stuffing Recipes for the Holidays
Updated: Jan. 08, 2024
If you're sick of plain plates of Thanksgiving leftovers, listen up! These leftover stuffing recipes will help you build into a brand-new dish.
Gobbler Cakes
Crab cakes, meet Thanksgiving. This leftover stuffing recipe captures the best of Turkey Day flavors—don’t forget a drizzle of gravy! If you don’t have everything on hand, you can omit both the cranberries and crushed cornflakes without losing any flavor.
Turkey-Stuffed Acorn Squash
We stuff acorn squash with leftovers like turkey, dressing and cranberry sauce. Make as much or as little as you need to use everything up. —Cindy Romberg, Mississauga, OntarioHere’s sneaky way to get in some veggies. Use acorn squash to hold your stuffing and turkey. Most of the required prep is simply ladling your already-cooked leftovers into the squash.
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Stuffin' Muffins
If you love stuffing, you won’t be able to get enough of these fun muffin cups that make use of not only leftover stuffing but also green beans, turkey, mashed potatoes, cheddar and gravy. It’s a taste of Thanksgiving in every bite! —Pauline Porterfield, Roxboro, North CarolinaBite-sized and easy to take on-the-go, these muffins use stuffing and whatever other leftovers you have on hand. No green beans? No problem. Any other veggies will be just as delicious. And if you want a little extra sweetness, we recommend a drizzle of cranberry sauce.
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Baked Egg & Stuffing Cups
Save your leftover stuffing to make shells for holding baked eggs. This is a hearty breakfast that keeps us going for the marathon shopping trips. —Karen Deaver, Babylon, New YorkThis might seem like a gourmet breakfast, but you won’t need anything other than what’s already in your fridge. You can add it some extra turkey for a little more protein, and feel free to dress it up with some of your other favorite herbs.
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Give your leftovers a little extra heat with this recipe, which adds spicy poblano peppers and adobo sauce. Mix it up by substituting different meats, like chicken or beef, for the turkey.
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Stuffing & Sausage Strata
We are major stuffing fans, so we use it in this sausage strata. If you have leftover turkey, try it as a substitute for the sausage. —Elizabeth Ray, Corona, CaliforniaYour new favorite breakfast for dinner. This only requires a few ingredients but makes 12 servings, so you can feed a hungry family or save for meals throughout the week.
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Stuffing Crust Turkey Potpie
Here's a wonderful, stick-to-the-ribs dish that slices well since the filling is thicker than that of traditional potpies. Prebaking the crust makes it crunchy.—Tamara Furda, Naperville, IllinoisMove over, pumpkin pie. This turkey potpie creatively uses stuffing as the crust, and you can be creative with the fillings—use whatever holiday dishes are taking up room in your fridge!
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After-Christmas Empanadas
Turn your leftovers into tasty empanadas using refrigerated pie pastry. We make these savory pastries and freeze them for a quick fix during the holidays. —Cheryl Marinaccio, Webster, New YorkPut a holiday spin on empanadas—and put your leftover pie pastry to good use. This recipe packages Thanksgiving dinner in a delicious, handheld treat, perfect for appetizers or snacks. (They’re also easy to freeze and reheat.)
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Who knew that Thanksgiving brunch would trump Thanksgiving dinner? All you need besides leftovers is some easy-to-prepare Hollandaise sauce (and cranberry sauce, if you want to really capture the flavors of the season).
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Thanksgiving Stuffed Shells
Leftover turkey, dressing and sweet potatoes make terrific stuffing for jumbo pasta shells. We add cheese and use turkey gravy as the sauce for this crowd-pleaser. —Robin Haas, Cranston, Rhode IslandMake pasta night feel festive with this leftover stuffing recipe. Don’t hesitate to add your preferred Thanksgiving dishes to the shells—like mashed potatoes instead of sweet potatoes, for instance—and enjoy this dish that comes together in less than half an hour.
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Skillet BBQ Beef Potpie
Beef potpie is a classic comfort food, but who's got time to see it through? My crowd-pleaser is not only speedy but an excellent way to use leftover stuffing. —Priscilla Yee, Concord, CaliforniaThe ideal duo: comfort food and easy prep. Salsa and BBQ sauce zest up leftovers with some different flavors, and you’ll have plenty of new leftovers on hand to ensure dinner is premade all week.
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Stuffing-Stuffed Pork Chops
You’ll want to make stuffing more often once you try these savory, elegant chops. Just a few ingredients give them such fabulous flavor! —Taste of Home Test KitchenPork chops don’t often appear on Thanksgiving menus, but this savory recipe proves that they’re perfect accompaniments to leftover stuffing. They’re tender and sophisticated, and go well with homemade gravy, if you have some in your fridge, too.
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Crispy Mashed Potato & Stuffing Patties
Talk about a fun way to use holiday leftovers! Making this turkey and stuffing patty is so fast. The family looks forward to this breakfast treat every year. —Kellie Ferea, Casa Grande, ArizonaGreat for cravings from breakfast to late night snacks, these patties are as easy to make as they are delicious. Pair with green beans and sweet potatoes, or with some scrambled eggs in the morning.
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Soupy Chicken Noodle Supper
At least once a week my six-year-old son, also known as Doctor John, hands me a “prescription” for chicken noodle soup. Needless to say, I'm always happy to fill it. —Heidi Hall, North St. Paul, MinnesotaChicken soup is the quintessential cold weather meal. We love it more when it uses up leftovers! You can swap in leftover turkey for the chicken. For an extra savory flavor, use chicken broth instead of bouillon.
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The perfect simple dish after busy holiday prep. It comes together within minutes, with most of the time devoted to cooking. The pecans add a nice crunch, and we recommend adding gravy for extra moisture.
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We’re big fans of burger night. Or burger morning, if you want to get a savory start to the day with a fried egg on top. Pro tip: with these flavors, definitely add the mayo.
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Gobble-Up Strata
I always look forward to making strata after Thanksgiving. We invite our neighbors, and they think it’s neat that I prepare another whole meal. — Bonnie Hawkins, Elkhorn, WisconsinDress up your leftovers with only a handful of tasty additions. You can add other leftovers you have available, especially veggies, and add some mashed potatoes if you’re running a little low on extra stuffing.
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Turkey and Stuffing Casserole
Folks will be amazed that four ingredients can produce such a delicious dinner. You certain to rely on this standby for years to come! —Taste of Home Test KitchenFew things are more appealing after cooking for the holidays than a delicious recipe that only requires four ingredients. This turkey bake simplifies dinners and makes sure nothing goes to waste.
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Crispy Mashed Potato Cakes
I love finding ways to use holiday leftovers. These potato cakes use the mashed potatoes, stuffing and breadcrumbs. To go all out, add meat and cheese. —Jeri Psikal, Norman, OklahomaThe perfect way to use up mashed potatoes, these cakes are savory, delicious and you can get creative with any additions. To make it a more filling meal, add meat (including bacon) or cheese.
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Stuffing Dumpling Soup
I've always loved turkey, dumplings and stuffing, so I combined them and added a punch of Creole flavor. My family loves it, even my little ones. It's got some kick, but a dollop of sour cream can mellow that out. —Relina Shirley, Reno, NevadaThis soup is a little spicier than other Thanksgiving recipes thanks to the Creole seasoning (you can omit or use paprika). It is also a hit with chicken, if you’re looking to vary up your meats.
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Next, follow this hack from Brunch with Babs on what to do with Thanksgiving leftovers.
Originally Published: November 15, 2021
