7 Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes From James Beard Award-Winning Chefs

Stephanie Vermillion
·Travel journalist + filmmaker
Updated ·1 min read

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With fresh turkey, sugary sweet potatoes and all things cranberry, it’s tough to beat the traditional Thanksgiving feast. But the turkey doldrums that inevitably follow? That’s a tedious stretch of leftovers most feasters could do without.

Turkey sandwiches are the obvious solution for leftovers, but bread-and-bird isn’t the only way to serve up extras. Turkey’s mild flavor makes it interchangeable for many chicken dishes; expert chefs recommend rejiggering tried-and-true recipes like noodle soup to use up the holiday bird in a new, delicious way. Extra cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes and green beans can also make repeat appearances post-holiday, as side-dish solutions include everything from rolls and biscuits to soups and salads.

To sprinkle some pizzazz into this year’s post-holiday menu, we’ve enlisted the experts ― a variety of James Beard-recognized chefs who have their own leftover adaptations. From creative sides to unique spins on the main bird, here are seven must-try Thanksgiving leftover recipes from the experts.

Chunky Chicken Noodle Soup

Chef Virginia Willis learned to cook in her grandma&rsquo;s country kitchen, then went on to win a James Beard Award for her book &ldquo;<a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N6PFDDU/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&amp;btkr=1">Lighten Up, Y&rsquo;All</a>.&rdquo; This noodle soup recipe from her popular book is a great way to repurpose poultry (with the easy swap of turkey instead of chicken). &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;<strong> <a href="https://www.jamesbeard.org/recipes/chunky-chicken-noodle-soup" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Get the Chunky Chicken Noodle recipe from the James Beard Foundation.</a></strong>

Vidalia Onion Turkey Tacos

Tacos are a tangy twist on Thanksgiving leftovers. In this flavorful dish, Willis told HuffPost to make a turkey-for-chicken swap with reheated turkey meat.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; <strong>Get the</strong><a href="https://blog.virginiawillis.com/sheet-pan-supper-vidalia-onion-chicken-tacos/"> <strong>Vidalia Onion Chicken Tacos recipe</strong></a><strong> from Virginia Willis.</strong>

Beverly Brown’s Potato Rolls

Beverly Brown&rsquo;s potato rolls are one of James Beard-awarded chef Howard Hanna&rsquo;s top leftover recipes. These rolls, created by his sous chef Kara Anderson, give mashed potatoes a scrumptious second life.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; <strong>Get the</strong><a href="https://www.jamesbeard.org/recipes/beverly-browns-potato-rolls"> <strong>Beverly Brown&rsquo;s Potato Rolls recipe</strong></a><strong> from the James Beard Foundation.</strong>

Squash and Apple Soup with Fresh Cranberry Sauce

Sean Sherman and Beth Dooley, authors of the James Beard-awarded cookbook &ldquo;<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sioux-Chefs-Indigenous-Kitchen/dp/0816699798">The Sioux Chef's Indigenous Kitchen</a>,&rdquo; offer a unique use for leftover cranberry sauce in this tasty autumn soup.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; <strong>Get the</strong><a href="https://www.jamesbeard.org/recipes/squash-and-apple-soup-with-fresh-cranberry-sauce"> <strong>Squash and Apple Soup with Fresh Cranberry Sauce recipe</strong></a><strong> from the James Beard Foundation.</strong>

Tofu and Haricots Verts with Chraimeh Sauce

While turkey leftovers get the spotlight, James Beard award winner Yotam Ottolenghi, author of &ldquo;<a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0796CSNXQ/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&amp;btkr=1">Ottolenghi Simple</a>,&rdquo; shares a creative and healthy way to reuse leftover green beans: a zesty tofu and green-bean veggie concoction. Even better? This dish can double as a sauce to add Libyan flair to chicken or &mdash; you guessed it &mdash; turkey.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; <strong>Get the</strong><a href="https://www.jamesbeard.org/recipes/tofu-and-haricots-verts-with-chraimeh-sauce"> <strong>Tofu and Haricots Verts with Chraimeh Sauce recipe</strong></a><strong> from the James Beard Foundation.</strong>

Turkey and Courgette Burgers with Spring Onion and Cumin

These Ottolenghi burgers from the cookbook &ldquo;<a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007SGM160/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&amp;btkr=1">Jerusalem</a>&rdquo; call for minced turkey, and the recipe&rsquo;s creamy sumac sauce is perfect for spicing up that leftover bird. The sauce &ldquo;will go well with most non-red meats&rdquo; like turkey, according to the <a href="https://ottolenghi.co.uk/recipes/turkey-courgette-burgers-with-spring-onion-cumin-a"> recipe</a>.  &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; <strong>Get the Turkey &amp; Courgette Burgers with Spring Onion &amp; Cumin recipe from</strong><a href="https://ottolenghi.co.uk/recipes/turkey-courgette-burgers-with-spring-onion-cumin-a"> <strong>Yotam Ottolenghi.</strong></a>

Spiced Sweet Potato-Walnut Biscuits

Brandon Frohne has made a name for himself cooking at the James Beard House in New York, and these spiced sweet potato-walnut biscuits &mdash; perfect for leftover sweet potatoes &mdash; are one of his biggest hits.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; <strong>Get the</strong><a href="https://www.jamesbeard.org/recipes/spiced-sweet-potatowalnut-biscuits"> <strong>Spiced Sweet Potato-Walnut Biscuits recipe</strong></a><strong> from the James Beard Foundation.</strong>

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This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.