After years of experimenting, failing (spectacularly sometimes), and eventually mastering the art of leftover transformation, I’ve gathered my best Christmas leftover ideas into this guide.
Whether your Christmas dinner had turkey or ham as the main course, I’ve got recipe ideas for it all. So let’s start out with that turkey (or skip ahead to the next section)
Best Ideas for Turkey Leftovers
If you’re like me, you probably end up with enough turkey to last well into January. Here are my go-to leftover ideas for it.
1. Turkey Pot Pie
I take shredded turkey, mix it with leftover vegetables (those green beans and carrots work perfectly), add some gravy, and pile it all into a baking dish.
Top with puff pastry or even leftover biscuit dough, and you’ve got comfort food that tastes nothing like reheated Christmas dinner.
The beauty here is that it disguises the “leftover-ness” completely.
2. Turkey Enchiladas
Want to travel as far from traditional Christmas dinner as possible? Go Mexican. I shred the turkey, mix it with some salsa and cheese, roll it in tortillas, top with enchilada sauce, and bake.
The flavors are so different that my family doesn’t even register this as leftovers.
Pro tip: leftover cranberry sauce can actually work as a sweet-savory element here if you’re feeling adventurous.
3. Turkey Noodle Soup
If you kept that turkey carcass (and you should have), now’s the time to shine. Simmer it with water, vegetables, and herbs to make rich stock.
Add noodles and shredded turkey meat, and you’ve got soul-warming soup that tastes homemade, not leftover. This is my go-to when the weather’s cold and everyone’s craving something comforting.
4. Turkey Fried Rice
Another complete departure from holiday flavors. I chop up turkey into small pieces, fry it with day-old rice (another leftover.), vegetables, soy sauce, and scrambled eggs.
It’s quick, it’s satisfying, and it uses up multiple leftovers at once. The key is getting your pan really hot so everything gets those crispy, caramelized edges.
5. Turkey Salad Wraps
For something lighter after all that holiday indulgence, I make turkey salad similar to chicken salad-mayo, celery, maybe some grapes or dried cranberries, seasoning.
Wrap it in lettuce or tortillas for an easy lunch. This works especially well with white meat that might otherwise dry out when reheated.
6. Turkey Tetrazzini
This pasta casserole feels retro but it’s a leftover powerhouse. Turkey, pasta, mushrooms, and a creamy sauce topped with breadcrumbs and cheese.
It’s rich, it’s filling, and it disappears fast. I particularly love that it can absorb leftover gravy right into the sauce.
7. Turkey Quesadillas
When I need something fast, quesadillas are my answer. Shredded turkey, cheese, maybe some leftover vegetables, all melted between tortillas.
Serve with sour cream and you’ve got dinner in 10 minutes. Kids will eat these any day of the week.
Creative Uses for Ham and Other Leftover Christmas Meats
Got more than just leftover turkey this Christmas? Got ideas for that as well.
Leftover Christmas Ham Ideas
Ham and Cheese Breakfast Strata: I cube leftover ham and layer it with bread, eggs, milk, and cheese, then refrigerate overnight and bake in the morning.
It’s like a savory bread pudding that’s perfect for lazy post-Christmas mornings when family’s still visiting.
Split Pea Soup with Ham Bone: That ham bone is culinary gold. Simmer it with split peas, carrots, onions, and celery for hours, and you’ll have soup that tastes like you slaved over it.
The meat falls off the bone and adds incredible depth. This is my favorite way to stretch the ham investment.
Ham Fried Rice or Ham Fried Quinoa: Similar to the turkey version but with ham’s salty-sweet profile.
The caramelization of leftover glazed ham against the rice is absolutely delicious. Sometimes I add pineapple for extra tropical vibes.
Ham and Potato Casserole: Layer sliced potatoes (or use leftover mashed potatoes as a topping), cubed ham, cheese, and a simple cream sauce.
Bake until bubbly. It’s basically scalloped potatoes’ more substantial cousin.
Ham Paninis or Grilled Sandwiches: Keep it simple. Good bread, sliced ham, cheese, maybe some mustard or leftover cranberry sauce, all pressed until melty and crispy.
Get more leftover Christmas ham ideas here.
Leftover Christmas Beef Roast Ideas
If you went the roast beef route for Christmas, you’ve got options too.
I love shredding beef for tacos or burritos, slicing it thin for French dip sandwiches (especially if you saved those pan drippings for au jus), or chopping it for beef hash with potatoes and onions.
Leftover Christmas Lamb Ideas
Leftover lamb is less common but absolutely delicious.
I use it in Mediterranean-inspired salads with feta and olives, stuff it into pita bread with tzatziki, or chop it for shepherd’s pie topped with-you guessed it-leftover mashed potatoes.
Leftover Christmas Sides and Vegetables
If your house is like mine, then you likely have a lot of leftover veggies this Christmas.
Leftover Christmas Mashed Potato Ideas
Potato Cakes: My absolute favorite mashed potato transformation. Mix cold mashed potatoes with an egg, some cheese, maybe green onions, form into patties, and pan-fry until crispy.
They’re crispy outside, fluffy inside, and disappear faster than I can make them.
Shepherd’s Pie or Cottage Pie: Use those mashed potatoes as the topping over leftover meat and vegetables.
It’s a complete meal that elegantly solves multiple leftover problems at once.
Potato Soup: Thin out mashed potatoes with broth, add bacon, cheese, and green onions.
Suddenly you’ve got loaded baked potato soup that tastes intentional, not improvised.
Leftover Christmas Stuffing Ideas
Stuffing Waffles: Hear me out on this one. Press leftover stuffing in a waffle iron until crispy.
Top with gravy or a fried egg. It sounds weird but it’s genuinely brilliant-crispy edges, soft center, and a fun presentation.
Stuffing-Crusted Chicken or Pork Chops: Pulse stuffing into crumbs, coat fresh protein, and bake.
You get the stuffing flavor without eating stuffing as a main dish.
Stuffing Muffins: Pack stuffing into muffin tins, add an egg in the center, and bake.
Instant breakfast or snack portions that are actually exciting.
Leftover Christmas Green Bean Casserole Ideas
Green Bean Casserole Soup: Purée it with some broth and cream. The crispy onions on top become a garnish.
Pot Pie Filling: Those green beans work perfectly in pot pie along with other leftover vegetables and meat.
Leftover Christmas Sweet Potato Ideas
Sweet Potato Pancakes: Mix mashed sweet potatoes with flour, eggs, and spices for breakfast pancakes that feel indulgent but use up leftovers.
Sweet Potato Black Bean Tacos: The sweetness pairs beautifully with black beans, avocado, and lime for a vegetarian taco that’s surprisingly filling.
Leftover Christmas Cranberry Sauce Ideas
I use it as a glaze for chicken or pork, swirl it into oatmeal or yogurt for breakfast, spread it on toast with cream cheese, or mix it into vinaigrette for salads.
That sweet-tart flavor profile works in so many contexts beyond turkey accompaniment.
Get more cranberry sauce leftover ideas.
Christmas Dessert Leftovers
Got some leftover desserts this holiday season?
Pie
Pie Milkshakes: This is indulgent and ridiculous and absolutely worth it. Blend a slice of pie with ice cream and milk.
Pumpkin pie shakes taste like autumn in a glass. Pecan pie shakes are like drinking candy.
I’m not saying it’s health food, but I am saying it’s delicious.
Pie Parfaits: Crumble pie and layer it with whipped cream or yogurt for quick parfaits.
The pie pieces provide texture and flavor, and you can stretch one slice across multiple servings.
Pie Crust Cookies: If you have pie crust scraps or leftover crust, cut them into shapes, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, and bake until crispy.
My kids call these “pie chips” and request them regularly.
Cookie
Cookie Butter: Pulverize cookies in a food processor with a bit of butter or cream cheese to make a spreadable cookie butter.
It’s fantastic on toast, fruit, or straight from the spoon at midnight.
Cookie Crumb Crusts: Crush cookies for cheesecake or pie crusts next time you’re baking.
Store the crumbs in the freezer until needed.
Ice Cream Mix-ins: Chop cookies and fold them into softened ice cream, then refreeze.
Homemade ice cream that uses up multiple leftovers.
Other Leftover Sweets
Bread Pudding: Stale dinner rolls, croissants, or other holiday breads transform beautifully into bread pudding.
I use a simple custard base, add whatever dried fruit or chocolate I have, and bake until golden.
Trifle: Layer cake pieces, pudding or custard, fruit, and whipped cream in a glass bowl.
It looks impressive and uses up random dessert odds and ends.
Fudge and Candy: These keep well in the freezer if you’re genuinely sick of sweets.
I portion them into smaller containers and pull them out when I need hostess gifts or sudden treats.
Complete Meal Makeovers
Sometimes the smartest move is tackling multiple leftovers simultaneously.
The Ultimate Leftover Bowl
I’ve become obsessed with building bowls from leftovers. Start with a grain base (if you have leftover rice or quinoa) or greens.
Add protein (turkey, ham, whatever), vegetables, and a sauce (gravy, cranberry mixture, or something new like tahini or vinaigrette).
Christmas Strata Supreme
This is my go-to when I have a bit of everything. Layer bread cubes with any leftover meats, vegetables, and cheese.
Pour an egg-milk mixture over everything and refrigerate overnight, then bake.
It’s flexible enough to accommodate whatever combination you’re working with, and it tastes intentional rather than thrown-together.
Leftover Pizza
Use leftover mashed potatoes as a white sauce base, top with shredded turkey or ham, add whatever vegetables you have, throw on some cheese, and bake.
I’ve made versions with cranberry sauce drizzle that were surprisingly excellent. The key is thinking outside traditional pizza toppings.
The Big Soup Strategy
When I’ve got odds and ends of multiple things, I make a big pot of soup.
Leftover turkey or ham provides protein, vegetables go in whole or puréed depending on the soup style, mashed potatoes can thicken the broth, stuffing adds texture and flavor.
There’s very little that can’t work in soup form if you’re creative with seasoning.
Casserole Catch-All
Casseroles are the ultimate leftover solution. I combine protein, starch, vegetables, bind it all with cream of mushroom soup or a simple cheese sauce, top with breadcrumbs or crispy onions, and bake.
The formula is flexible enough to accommodate whatever random combination you’re working with.