The Friday after Thanksgiving, I’m usually back in the gym by 9am and staring into a fridge full of turkey by noon. That container of carved turkey is a lot of ready protein. So I turn it into real meals, with a few ham ideas for the houses that went that route. Nothing goes to waste.
1) Leftover Turkey Pot Pie
I make this the Saturday after, when the turkey is still good and the fridge is still crowded. Cubed turkey and a spoonful of Greek yogurt in the filling keep the protein high without making it heavy. A store-bought crust on top is fine. Cut it into 6 wedges and lunches are handled through Tuesday.
2) Turkey Chili
Chopped leftover turkey can replace ground turkey and skips the browning step. Beans and turkey together put a bowl over 30 grams protein. Give it 30 minutes at a simmer so the spices settle in. Top it with plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream.
3) Turkey and Sweet Potato Hash
Dice the leftover sweet potatoes and turkey, crisp them in a cast iron skillet, then crack 4 eggs right on top and cover the pan until the whites set. Eggs plus turkey give you two proteins in one pan. It reheats well too, minus the runny yolks.
4) Turkey Cranberry Panini
Turkey, a smear of cranberry sauce, and a slice of provolone pressed between 2 pieces of sourdough. That’s the whole recipe. Use about 4 ounces of turkey so it counts as a meal. No panini press? Weigh it down in a skillet with a second pan.
5) Turkey Pozole Rojo
Pozole usually means pork, but shredded turkey drops right in and soaks up the red chile broth. Hominy gives it body and the turkey brings the protein. Top it with radish, cabbage, lime, and a little cheese. Make a big pot. The flavor develops by day 2.
6) Turkey Fried Rice
Fried rice needs cold rice, and leftover turkey goes in cold too. I scramble 2 eggs first, then toss in the turkey, frozen peas, and a splash of soy sauce over high heat. It’s on the table in about 15 minutes. Need more protein? Stir in a few extra egg whites at the end.
7) Turkey Hummus Wraps
This is my gym-bag lunch the week after Thanksgiving. Spread a whole wheat tortilla with hummus, layer on sliced turkey and spinach, and roll it tight. The hummus keeps everything from drying out by lunchtime. Pack a side of edamame and the meal goes past 35 grams protein.
8) Ham and Cheese Sliders
If you served ham next to the turkey, these sliders use it up. Hawaiian rolls, thin-sliced ham, Swiss, and a buttery mustard glaze brushed over the top. Bake the whole pan for 15 minutes at 350°F until the cheese melts.
9) White Bean Turkey Chili
This is a lighter version of the red chili, built on white beans, green chiles, and broth. Shredded turkey stands in for chicken. Stir in a scoop of Greek yogurt at the end and it turns creamy while picking up a few more grams of protein. I keep a container of it in the work fridge for the next 3 to 4 days.
10) Turkey Cranberry Sliders
Leftover turkey and cranberry sauce fit on slider rolls. Layer sliced turkey, a smear of cranberry, and a slice of Swiss on Hawaiian rolls, then brush the tops with melted butter. Bake them covered until warm, then uncovered until the tops brown. Pile the turkey high so each slider carries real protein and not just bread.
11) Creamy Turkey Pasta
This pasta is rich without being heavy. I toss cooked pasta with turkey, Parmesan, and a sauce made from blended cottage cheese, which sounds odd and tastes like Alfredo. That sauce alone adds about 12 grams protein per half cup. Add broccoli for a vegetable.
12) Turkey Stuffed Peppers
These use up leftover turkey and rice. Mix them with tomato sauce, spices, and a handful of cheese, then pack it into hollowed-out bell peppers. Bake at 375°F for about 25 minutes. Each pepper is a single portion, which makes a batch quick to prep.
13) Turkey Cranberry Salad Lettuce Wraps
This is a lighter lunch after a week of carbs and pie. Chopped turkey gets mixed with Greek yogurt, celery, dried cranberries, and a few pecans, then spooned into butter lettuce cups. It’s crunchy and a little sweet. Make the salad once and eat it 3 ways: in lettuce, on toast, or straight from the container.
14) Turkey Tortilla Soup
Chicken tortilla soup is a weeknight regular at my place, and turkey can replace the chicken. The broth is tomato, cumin, and chipotle, with black beans for extra protein and fiber. Crush tortilla chips on top right before you eat so they stay crunchy. A dollop of Greek yogurt finishes it.
15) Turkey and Stuffing Casserole
Layer leftover stuffing, chopped turkey, and a little gravy in a baking dish for Thanksgiving dinner in casserole form. I mix 2 beaten eggs into the stuffing so it sets up and carries more protein. Bake it covered for 20 minutes, then uncovered until the top crisps. It takes very little effort.
16) BBQ Turkey Flatbreads
Leftover turkey tossed in barbecue sauce tastes like a different meal. Spread it over naan, add red onion and mozzarella, and bake until the edges brown, about 10 minutes. Finish with a handful of greens on top. Each flatbread has over 30 grams protein.
17) Leftover Ham Plate with Mac and Cheese
This is the holiday plate again with different ratios. I go heavy on sliced ham and green beans, lighter on the mac and cheese, and keep the cranberry sauce on the side. Ham runs around 18 grams protein per 3 ounces. Warm it in the oven instead of the microwave so the ham stays juicy.
18) Turkey Shepherd’s Pie
Mashed potatoes on top, turkey and vegetables underneath, gravy holding it all together. It uses up the potatoes and the turkey in a single dish. Stir a scoop of Greek yogurt into the mash before you spread it for a little extra protein. Bake at 400°F until the top is golden, about 20 minutes.
19) Turkey Tostadas
Crisp tostada shells, a layer of refried black beans, shredded turkey, and whatever toppings are hanging around the fridge. The beans and turkey provide the protein, and the whole plate takes about 10 minutes. I like mine with pickled onions and a squeeze of lime. Add microgreens on top if you have them.
20) Turkey Spinach Pinwheels
These are what I bring to the second round of family visits on Saturday. Spread tortillas with cream cheese, layer on turkey and spinach, roll tight, chill for 1 hour, and slice. They hold up on a platter for hours.
21) Turkey Noodle Soup
When someone in the house is fighting a post-holiday cold, this is the pot I start. Turkey, carrots, celery, and egg noodles go into a broth made from the carcass, if you saved it. That homemade broth brings a little protein of its own. Cook the noodles separately so they don’t soak up all the broth overnight.
22) Turkey and Cheese Snack Box
This is a packed snack box built around protein. Roll slices of turkey around cheese sticks, then fill the rest of the box with cucumber, crackers, and fruit. Pack one for the drive home or a day of holiday shopping. Making 3 at once covers the next few lunches.
23) Turkey Enchilada Casserole
Layering is easier than rolling, so I build my enchiladas as a casserole. Corn tortillas, shredded turkey, black beans, enchilada sauce, and cheese get stacked until the dish is full. Bake at 375°F for 25 minutes and let it rest before cutting. It portions cleanly into containers for the next 3 to 4 days.
24) Ham and Vegetable Soup
Save the ham bone for this soup. Simmer it with carrots, potatoes, onion, and a can of white beans, then pull any meat left on the bone back into the pot. You end up with a protein-heavy soup from the bone and leftovers. Serve it with toast.
25) Turkey Vegetable Stew
Sauté whatever vegetables are left from the holiday prep, then stir in diced turkey and a little broth until it thickens. It takes 1 pan and about 20 minutes, and it uses up the leftover vegetables. Spoon it over rice or eat it straight from the bowl.
Ingredient protein figures are based on USDA FoodData Central. How we calculate nutrition.
