The big bird. For decades, turkey has been the Thanksgiving staple in American homes. It’s the perfect dish because it is large enough to serve a crowd, and has a mild taste which pairs with so many sides. But, what do you do with it after Thanksgiving has come and gone? If you’re looking for a new take on turkey, try out a few of these recipes. Turkey is so versatile that you can transform it into any of your favorite dishes. 

Turkey Soup: After eating heavy, it’s nice to have a meal or two that won’t leave you feeling stuffed. Soup is a perfect way to satisfy your hunger cravings without the dense meal. This recipe is excellent for those of you who want to use the entire turkey. You’ll boil to bones until the meat falls off to make a savory broth. Then, add in all of your vegetables for a day-after Thanksgiving meal.

Turkey Pot Pie: Who doesn’t love a flaky, buttery crust?! Create this meal with the leftover turkey and veggies that you have lying around. Carrots, beans, peas, and onions all in a creamy sauce, baked to perfection. You won’t have many Thanksgiving leftovers for long with this winning recipe.

Turkey Tetrazzini: This amazing Italian favorite is mouth-watering. You can use this recipe for any leftover chicken or turkey. It’s a creamy, cheesy, pasta dish that’ll have you wanting more.

Turkey Bolognese: Add turkey to this simple Bolognese base, for a completely new take on leftovers. It’ll bring fresh life back to the tired taste of the turkey. Bolognese’s sweet and savory sauce plumps up any dry pieces of turkey and will add tons of flavor to the table. If you’re on a gluten-free diet, try substituting the pasta for some spaghetti squash!

Turkey and Brie Sammies: Classic paninis never go out of style. Everyone will always crave that toasted bread and melty cheese sandwich. Slice up the turkey, be generous with the Brie, and for an extra zing, do a spread of cranberry sauce. It’ll put you right back into the thanksgiving mood.

Sweet Potato Spoon Bread: This dessert is unlike any other. It’s like twice-baked potatoes, except sweet and decadent. To make it even more irresistible, add a caramelized Pecan topping for a sweet crunch.

Cranberry Pie: This sweet treat can’t get much easier. It’s a piecrust, some cranberries, and sugar all baked into one. It still has a tart punch to your taste buds, but is plenty sweet to take care of that sweet tooth. Add a dollop of homemade whip cream to send this dessert over the edge.

Don’t toss out any of your Thanksgiving leftovers. You can use up everything in your fridge with a little creativity! The best thing about turkey is that it’s so versatile that you can transform it into any of your favorite dishes. You might find a new favorite take on an old recipe. Try something new this year!