10 Fresh Dishes to Make with Leftover Thanksgiving Side Dishes

As the biggest, in importance and size, part of a traditional holiday meal, it's understandable that turkey gets a lot of attention when it comes to using up Thanksgiving leftovers, but what can you do with everything else? Should you find yourself with a refrigerator full of sides and very little turkey, give one of these recipe recommendations a try.

Mashed Potato Croquettes

You can leave your leftover mashed potatoes plain or fill with precooked spiced ground meat or leftover turkey for these croquettes. Mix one beaten egg into your mashed potatoes, shape into patties about as thin as a slice of store bought white bread, dredge in flour, dip in an egg wash, and roll in bread crumbs. Pan fry in oil, enough to come half way up the side of the croquette, until each side is golden brown.

Sweet Potato S'mores

Who said s'mores had to be made with chocolate? Put those leftover sweet potatoes on a graham cracker, top with a large marshmallow, and bake in the oven at 375 degrees until marshmallow starts to brown for a quick and simple treat.

Mushroom and Green Bean Soup

Sauté some mushrooms and onions in butter or oil with a little salt. Add the green bean casserole and turkey or chicken broth and bring to a boil.

Cranberry Barbeque Pizza

Cut up or shred chicken, beef, pork, or leftover turkey and mix with one part barbeque one part cranberry sauce. Use the mixture to top a frozen or homemade cheese pizza before baking.

French Toast

Soak those leftover rolls in an egg custard and fry or bake french toast to celebrate a leisurely Buy Nothing Day or start off a hectic day of sale shopping. Serve with cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, or syrup.

Crab Patties

Mix leftover stuffing, be sure to mash or cut it up a little if it contains large ingredients, with shredded cooked crab meat and one egg. If you the stuffing is too moist to shape, add breadcrumbs. Form into individual patties, dredge in flour, dip in egg wash, and roll in bread crumbs. Pan fry in vegetable oil until golden brown.

Cranberry Vinaigrette

Combine leftover cranberry sauce with vinegar and oil to taste and serve over salad. Add sugar, herbs, or spices if desired.

Loaded Potato Soup

Boil leftover mashed potatoes with chicken or turkey broth. Remove from heat, mix in sour cream and top with chives, shredded cheese, and crumbled cooked bacon.

Baked Breaded Sausages

If using a stuffing with large pieces of bread, pulse stuffing in a food processor with one egg, if the bread cubes in your stuffing are small, skip the food processor and mix in one beaten egg. Cover precooked sausages with stuffing mixture and bake in a preheated 375 degree oven until stuffing crusts begin to crisp and brown.

Quiche with Green Bean Casserole

Mix leftover green bean casserole and cooked and crumbled bacon into a basic quiche recipe. Bake according to recipe's instructions.