Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey Potpie Recipe – and 6 Other Ideas

After going all out to plan and prepare a hearty meal, smart cooks turn to those leftovers to extend the meal even further.

Here are a half-dozen ideas from the Free Press Test Kitchen archives for stretching out some Thanksgiving leftovers, plus a recipe for turkey pot pie soup. Like its name, this soup recipe is a variation of pot pie, without the crust.

Turkey Open Sandwich: Saute onion in oil until lightly browned. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in several tablespoons of sauce and add the sliced or shredded turkey. Mix some cranberry sauce with the juice and zest of one lemon and season with salt and pepper. Toast a slice of ciabatta bread and spread with mayonnaise. Top with turkey mixture, lettuce, favorite cheese and spread with cranberry relish. (Adapted from Hallmark Magazine, 2008.)
Green Bean Casserole: Brush large portabella mushrooms with a mixture of olive oil and balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Grill or broil the mushrooms. Top with leftover green bean casserole and fried onions; grill again until heated through.
Quick appetizer: Spread cream cheese on bagel chips or melba toast rounds and top with a dollop of cranberry relish.
Turkey Tacos: Sprinkle turkey with ground chipotle pepper powder (or favorite chili powder) and cumin. Place on flour or corn tortillas, top with a mixture of shredded lettuce and cilantro. Sprinkle with cheese and add slices of guacamole.
Shredded Turkey: Shred the turkey and toss with your favorite barbecue sauce and heat. Serve on buns.
Broth: Take the turkey carcass, place it in a large pot and fill with water to cover. Stir in a few sprigs of parsley, quartered onions and carrots. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer for about 1 hour. Skim off any scum that rises to the top. Strain through a fine sieve and discard the solids. Freeze the broth.

Turkey Pot Pie Soup

Given : 8 one-cup servings / Preparation time: 15 minutes

Total duration: 1 hour

With all the ingredients of a pot pie minus the crust, the soup uses up plenty of Thanksgiving leftovers, including turkey, vegetables, and a gravy mix. For the crust, you can use leftover baked dough strips or top it with any leftover fried onions.

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon of olive oil

3 peeled carrots, diced

1 small onion, peeled, diced

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

6 cups fat-free, lower sodium chicken or turkey broth

1 cup low-fat milk

1 medium to large red potato, peeled, cut into small cubes

2 cups shredded cooked turkey, cut into cubes or pieces

1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1/2 packet (0.87 ounce) turkey gravy mix

1 cup frozen peas

Salt and pepper to taste

TO SERVE (OPTIONAL)

Pastry crisps (see directions)

Fried onions

In a pot, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add the carrots and onion and sauté for about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with flour. Add the broth and milk and bring to the boil. Stir in potatoes, leftover turkey, poultry seasoning and turkey gravy mix. Reduce heat, cover lightly and simmer for about 30 minutes.

While the soup is simmering, if desired, prepare chips to serve by cutting the refrigerated ready-to-roll pie crust into wedges. Place on a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

To finish the soup, add the peas and simmer for another 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve topped with fried onions and pastry chips, if desired.

Printed and tested by Susan Selasky for Free Press Test Kitchen.

Analysis per 1 cup serving.

196 calories (25% from fat), 6 grams fat (2 grams saturated fat), 20 grams carbohydrates, 17 grams protein, 322 mg sodium, 40 mg cholesterol, 3 grams fiber.