Looking for healthy Thanksgiving leftover ideas? I’m rounding up 12 of the best leftover turkey breakfast recipes to enjoy the morning after Thanksgiving.

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Put down the sandwich and try a leftover Thanksgiving turkey breakfast recipe instead! 

Are you more of a night-of or leftovers person when it comes to Thanksgiving? 

I know there are many out there who look forward to their leftover Thanksgiving sandwich more than the main event itself. 

Personally, as long as there’s stuffing, I don’t care if it’s fresh or reheated the next day. Just give me a big bowl of it! 

But even if you love your sandwiches the next day, let’s be real: there are only so many turkey sandwiches one can eat. 

To help prevent food waste while still giving your taste buds something to be excited about, I present you with an idea you may not have had before: make a healthy leftover Thanksgiving breakfast using that turkey! 

Here are 12 of the best leftover turkey breakfast recipe ideas that the whole family will love! 

Is turkey a healthy breakfast option? 

But first, you may be questioning the idea of shredded turkey for breakfast. Turkey sausage? Sure. But leftover roasted turkey? Absolutely!

As I’ve talked about before on THT, protein is incredibly important in the morning.

Whether you’re looking to gain muscle, lose weight, or just not be starving midway through your morning, protein is key for keeping us full and energized. 

>>Read more on how to build a healthy breakfast! 

Nutrition benefits of turkey 

Turkey is a healthy breakfast option as it’s high in protein as well as several essential vitamins and minerals. 

In fact, one cup of diced roasted turkey provides: 

• Protein: 39 grams 
• Niacin (vit B3): 98% of the DV 
• Selenium: 73% of the DV 
• Vitamin B6: 61% of the DV 
• Phosphorus: 26% of the DV 
• Riboflavin (vit B2): 21% of the DV 
• Zinc: 20% of the DV 
• Magnesium: 10% of the DV
• Copper: 9% of the DV 
• Potassium: 7% of the DV 

Phew, that’s a lot of nutrients! And that list doesn’t even include vitamins or minerals that are also present in turkey, just in smaller amounts. 

Leftover turkey breakfast recipes 

While some of these recipes call for chicken, they’ll taste just as good with your Thanksgiving leftovers. 

Thanksgiving leftover turkey breakfast recipes 

1. Waffle Sandwiches from Running to the Kitchen 

These waffle sandwiches are super cute and perfect for kids or entertaining! I also love that they use up a few Thanksgiving leftovers, including pumpkin puree, mashed potatoes, turkey, and cranberry sauce. 

Want to up the protein even more? Swap out the homemade waffle mix with a box of Kodiak Protein Power Cakes mix. 

2. Thanksgiving Leftovers Breakfast Casserole from Teaspoon of Spice 

This breakfast casserole is essentially a Thanksgiving dinner in brunch form. It’s made with just 7 ingredients, all of which you’ll likely have at home after your feast including stuffing, mashed potatoes, turkey, and corn. 

3. Breakfast Quesadilla from The Worktop 

Quesadillas are one of my favorite easy meals. Plus, if you have picky eaters at home, you can easily customize each quesadilla.

These breakfast quesadillas from Tina at The Worktop use rotisserie chicken, which can be easily swapped out with your roasted turkey. 

Don’t have peppers on hand? Use any roasted vegetables that you have on hand from the night before. 

4. Potato, Stuffing, and Turkey Pancakes from Nutritious Eats 

These aren’t your traditional pancakes. Simply combine mashed potatoes, stuffing, and turkey to make the patties, then cook them on the stove.

Top with cranberry sauce to bring all the flavors of the feast the day before to your breakfast. 

Egg-free Thanksgiving leftover breakfast ideas

5. Instant Pot Congee from Pressure Cooker Recipes 

Congee is the ultimate comfort food. Also known as Jook, it’s a rice porridge that’s filled with savory flavors.

While there are many ways to make congee, this recipe makes it super easy as it requires just 4 main ingredients and is made in the Instant Pot. 

Simply swap in leftover turkey for the drumsticks, which will also cut down on the number of steps! 

6. Savory Chicken Crepes from Super Healthy Kids

Crepes take a bit more effort and finesse than other recipes on this list, but if you have the time and patience they’re well worth it! 

Simply swap out the chicken and add any leftover vegetables from dinner the night before. I think these would be especially good with a little leftover cranberry sauce drizzled on top. 

Note that the crepe batter does call for eggs. To make this recipe totally egg-free, use two flax eggs instead. 

7. Turkey and Cranberry Tacos from What Should I Make For 

Who says breakfast tacos have to have eggs? 

These turkey and cranberry soft tacos are the perfect brunch option as they’re quick to make and can easily be adjusted based on what you have on hand. 

If you have roasted brussels sprouts, I recommend shredding them to add a great texture and nutrition boost to this healthy Thanksgiving leftover breakfast idea. 

8. Savory Oatmeal from Omnivore’s Cookbook 

I love a good bowl of oatmeal. And savory oats especially can be so comforting and warming. 

Think of this recipe as more of a guideline to adjust based on food preferences. While you can add a soft-boiled egg, I personally think these oats are plenty filling egg-free. 

Low carb leftover turkey breakfast recipes

9. Easy Breakfast Stuffed Peppers 

These low-carb breakfast stuffed peppers as-written are vegetarian, but they’d be so good with some shredded turkey added in. 

As with most other recipes on this list, feel free to swap in any vegetables or fresh herbs that you have on hand. 

10. Leftover Turkey and Sweet Potato Frittata from SkinnyTaste 

When it comes to an easy, filling breakfast idea, it’s hard to beat frittatas. 

Unlike quiches, which require a crust and a few extra ingredients, frittatas are as easy (if not easier) than making an omelet or egg scramble. To avoid having to use two pans, I recommend using an oven-proof skillet.

My go-to is a cast iron skillet by Lodge (it even comes pre-seasoned!). 

11. Buffalo Egg Bake from Whole Kitchen Sink

Ready to wake your taste buds up? This buffalo egg bake is packed with flavor thanks to spicy buffalo sauce, green onions, and garlic powder. 

While all buffalo sauce-fans will enjoy this breakfast casserole, it also happens to be gluten-free, paleo-friendly, and Whole30-compliant. 

12. Turkey Mini Frittatas from Emily Bites Sub 

Mini frittatas, also referred to as egg cups, are perfect for meal prep and entertaining! Simply skip the step of cooking ground turkey and use shredded leftovers instead. 

 I especially like this recipe as it calls for herbs that you likely have leftover from the day before, like sage and thyme. 

While it uses dried herbs, I recommend using fresh instead since they’re already on hand. 

More healthy Thanksgiving turkey leftover ideas 

Still need more ideas for putting this Thanksgiving leftovers to good use?

Here are some healthy Thanksgiving turkey leftover recipes that are perfect for lunch or dinner: 

• Healthy Wild Rice Soup
• Fall Fig Salad
• Leftover Turkey Chili from Salt and Lavender 
• Healthy Caesar Wrap from Simply Delicious Food 
• Potpie from Eating Well 

Do you have a go-to healthy Thanksgiving leftovers recipe? Let me know in the comments below?

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