Does the thought of eating the same leftover turkey and sides after Thanksgiving make you groan?
It won’t after you make these 10 Thanksgiving leftover recipes and see your food in a whole new light.
With clever ways to use and transform your low carb leftovers, you and your family can take advantage of your post-holiday bounty without feeling like you’re eating the same boring thing each day.
Don’t be surprised if you start craving keto Thanksgiving recipes and their leftovers all throughout the year.
10 Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes You’ll Actually Want to Eat
This list covers Thanksgiving leftover recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner so you can add variety to your low carb menu across all meals.
The first recipe is unlike any other and may soon become a post-Thanksgiving morning favorite at your house.
#1: Day After Thanksgiving Pancakes Topped with Leftover Cranberry Sauce
This recipe for savory Day After Thanksgiving Pancakes cleverly combines almond flour, eggs, butter, cheddar cheese, and cooked turkey for the breakfast of your dreams.
Unlike traditional pancakes, these are packed with healthy, filling fats from the almond flour. There’s also a nice dose of protein with the addition of cheese and turkey.
That means you’ll be ready to start your day with energy rather than needing a nap after eating your pancakes.
You can top your turkey pancakes with the recipe’s fresh cranberry relish or try our 5-ingredient cranberry sauce recipe you can make for Thanksgiving and reuse the next day.
While this recipe uses up both turkey and cranberries, the next one will quickly dwindle your stuffing reserve.
#2: Low Carb Stuffing Topped with Eggs
It may sound a bit strange at first, but you can upgrade almost any type of leftover by simply adding fresh-cooked eggs on top.
Scrambled, hard-boiled eggs, poached eggs with runny yolks, over medium, etc.; all egg styles work here so everyone’s happy.
Cooking two eggs to top this low carb stuffing recipe is a great way to build a filling meal out of your favorite Thanksgiving side.
You can even add shredded turkey from your Thanksgiving dinner leftovers to make this dish more filling.
Picture it like a less starchy version of a turkey hash.
Since the leftover stuffing is packed with vegetables and fresh herbs instead of empty carbs from potatoes, you’ll have a tasty, micronutrient-packed foundation to lay your eggs on.
Speaking of leftover mashed potatoes, this trick also works well for leftover cauliflower mash.
Try these egg and side dish combinations once and you’ll wonder why you never mixed the two sooner.
And that might just happen with this next recipe too.
#3: Butternut Squash and Turkey Soup Infused with Ginger and Turmeric
The only ingredient that carries over from the holiday in this recipe is the turkey, which is why this one is ideal for those who especially hate leftovers.
Since this soup doesn’t look like any of the dishes you ate the day before, it will feel like a completely new meal despite reusing the main ingredient (turkey).
Even better is the addition of turmeric and ginger, which not only makes this a delicious soup, but also one that’s nourishing and naturally anti-inflammatory.
This turkey and butternut squash soup is also perfect if the holiday chaos has you feeling a bit under the weather. And it may also help strengthen your family’s immunity during cold and flu season.
The next soup recipe is more creamy and decadent than this broth-based one.
#4: Low Carb Smokey Bacon & Turkey Chowder
Unless you live in New England or somewhere coastal, clam chowder is probably not at the top of your list when it comes to post-Thanksgiving meals.
But what if you could swap the seafood for your leftover turkey?
That’s exactly what this low carb turkey chowder recipe does.
Instead of using a turkey or chicken broth base, the recipe calls for heavy whipping cream and sharp cheddar cheese, which creates a creamy and comforting chowder reminiscent of its seafood cousin.
Then there’s everyone’s favorite addition: smokey bacon.
Make this recipe and it will be like having a low carb loaded baked potato soup with turkey, which satisfies serious comfort food cravings.
And when you’re talking about comfort food, there’s almost nothing better than a perfectly grilled cheese.
Except maybe one calling for leftover turkey.
#5: Keto Thanksgiving Sandwich or Grilled Cheese
You may or may not be one of those people who look forward to making an epic turkey sandwich with all your Thanksgiving leftovers.
For a low carb version of this classic, you’ll want a fresh loaf of homemade keto bread on deck.
You can slice this up like a regular loaf of white bread, slather on healthy mayo, and pile up your roasted turkey, lettuce, avocado, and whatever else you like.
Here’s how to blast your handheld past leftover turkey sandwich territory:
Experiment with warm, melty flavor combinations for a turkey grilled cheese like:
- Brie and no sugar cranberry sauce
- Cream cheese and arugula
- Blue cheese and bacon
- Mozzarella, olive oil, basil, and roasted red peppers
- Shredded Mexican cheese and avocado
Pair one of these with one of the previous soups and you’ll have a meal that tastes nothing like Thanksgiving.
This next recipe also shares that selling point.
#6. Thanksgiving Turkey Ramen with Zoodles
If you want a break from all the traditional American dishes of Thanksgiving, this leftover roasted turkey ramen recipe with zoodles will be a welcome treat.
Zoodles are a low carb pasta alternative you can add to this ginger based bone broth without any of the carbs or starches found in regular ramen.
Then top your bowl with typical ramen additions like a poached egg, avocado, scallions, carrots, and shiitake mushrooms for all the same flavors.
At just 123 calories per bowl, you’ll get 15g of protein, 3g of fat, and only lose 7g of net carbs from your daily macros.
If you’re craving something crunchier post-Thanksgiving, skip the hot turkey soup and choose this easy salad recipe up next.
#7: Turkey & Bacon Club Salad
This turkey salad recipe that resembles a club sandwich minus the bread was made for leftover roasted turkey.
With satisfying flavors of bacon, avocado, red onion, and fresh chives, this salad isn’t even close to what you ate on Thanksgiving so you’ll fool even the toughest leftover haters.
Unlike a full Thanksgiving dinner, you can pack this recipe for lunch or eat it after your workout to stay fueled and energized all day.
This next recipe is better for a satisfying family meal.
#8: Low Carb Leftover Turkey Pot Pie
If you’re in the mood for a new way to use your leftover Thanksgiving turkey, it’s time you try this low carb version of a pot pie.
Just below the low carb pie crust made of almond meal and shredded coconut hides layers of flavors from bacon, onion, sage, shredded turkey, cloves, and thyme.
All those blend together nicely and create a recipe better than the original version, especially since it won’t kick you out of ketosis.
Each serving of this turkey pot pie is:
- 239 calories
- 18.4g of fat
- 10.6g of protein
- 6.3g of net carbs
Serve this recipe or the next one after Thanksgiving and you’ll have no trouble getting rid of your leftovers.
#9: Low Carb Roast Turkey Casserole with Mushrooms, Mozzarella, and Cauliflower
Similar to shepherd’s pie and turkey tetrazzini, casseroles are another delicious and easy way to reuse your leftover Thanksgiving turkey.
After all, you just throw everything into a baking dish and cook until golden brown and you’re set. It doesn’t get any easier.
This low carb roast turkey casserole has a cheesy layer on top and a filling foundation to help you stay on your keto track.
Depending on how you look at it, this turkey casserole is almost like an Italian lasagna with turkey meat instead of one with tomato sauce.
And it even dishes up a dose of micronutrients — such as vitamin C and K, as well as selenium, copper, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, folate, and choline — thanks to the cauliflower rice and mushrooms.
That makes this casserole and the next better for you than standard carby casseroles.
#10: Easy Leftover Turkey Casserole
While this recipe is closer to a green bean casserole than the last, that’s only because it calls for actual green beans.
Other than that, it’s a completely different low-carb casserole using leftover turkey meat and cranberry to create a main dish packed with all the best Thanksgiving flavors.
You can even add your leftover stuffing to it.
Simply combine green beans, turkey, cheddar cheese, minced garlic, and mayonnaise in a bowl and stir.
Dump this mixture in your casserole dish, top with cranberry sauce and a few dollops of goat cheese (brie also works well here), and bake in the oven.
After 20-30 minutes, you’ll have a creamy, melty casserole that quickly settles the question of what’s for dinner.
Bonus: If you have any turkey gravy left, heat this on your stove top and drizzle on your fresh-out-of-the-oven casserole when you serve it warm.
This dish works well if you’re short on time or just feel like having a cozy and comforting casserole after all the holiday craziness.
You can also find 52 more easy low carb casserole recipes in this guide.
Use Your Holiday Leftovers Wisely with these 10 Recipes
From pancakes and soups to turkey sandwiches and casseroles, any one of these Thanksgiving leftover recipes will help you get rid of your holiday leftovers sooner.
And since they’re also low carb and sugar free, you can stay in keto and meet your weight loss goals for the end of the year too.
Not sure which recipe to try first?
Give the pancakes a chance and then work your way down the list.
By the time you’re done, you’ll have a nice empty fridge ready for a fresh re-stock for more keto dishes your family will enjoy.