12 Ways to Turn Thanksgiving Leftovers Into Glorious Breakfast Food (2024)

Ahh, Thanksgiving. In my family, one of our usual Thanksgiving traditions includes everyone making a TON of food, and then complaining about how much food there is. This year, my plan is to equip all of us with plenty of ways to turn all that delicious food into breakfast the next morning, and I want to share it with you! Leftover turkey and cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes and stuffing, and MORE. Here are12 Ways to Turn Thanksgiving Leftovers Into Glorious Breakfast Food.

1. Cranberry Sauce Oatmeal Bars from Savory Tooth

Use up leftover: Cranberry Sauce
Throw these bars together if you have energy left on Thanksgiving night and they’ll be perfect to set out for your house guests in the morning, PLUS they’re totally low-maintenance and perfectly delicious!

Recipe & Photo: Savory Tooth

2. Healthy Cinnamon Sweet Potato Rolls from Happy Kitchen Rocks

Use up leftover: Sweet Potatoes
Cinnamon rolls, but with sweet potato? Count me in! The dough can fully rise in as little as 40 minutes so they’re ready for your post-Thanksgiving breakfast crew.

Recipe & Photo: Happy Kitchen.Rocks

3. Savory Bacon Mashed Potato Waffles from A Dash of Megnut

Use up leftover: Mashed Potatoes
Is it okay if I top these with leftover stuffing too? ‘Cause I’m planning on it. These waffles look like the very best use of my waffle iron, and nottoo much work after Thanksgiving.

Recipe & Photo: A Dash of Megnut

4. Turkey, Cranberry and Brie Bread Pudding from This Vivacious Life

Use up leftover: Turkey, Cranberries, Bread
Do a sweep of all the leftovers in the fridge and use them for this! The recipe uses gluten-free bread, but I think it could be made with whatever you’ve got leftover! Plus any cranberries that didn’t get turned into sauce can go right in.

Recipe & Photo: This Vivacious Life

5. Leftover Stuffing Breakfast Strata from Helpful Homemade

Use up leftover: Stuffing
Strata is probably one of my favorite indulgent breakfasts, and I would definitely feel less bad about my generous portion if it’s using up leftover food!

Recipe & Photo: Helpful Homemade

6. Mashed Potato Craisin Bread from Baking Sense

Use up leftover: Mashed Potatoes
I’m loving this holiday twist on potato bread. This recipe is particularly good if you only have a small amount of leftover mashed potatoes. Make them go way farther with this beautiful loaf of bread. French toast anyone?

Recipe & Photo: Baking Sense

7. Thanksgiving Breakfast Frittata from Running to the Kitchen

Use up leftover: Butternut Squash, Cranberry Sauce,Vegetables
Here’s a healthier post-Thanksgiving breakfast option, just in case you need it after a huge day of eating. Use up your roasted butternut squash or other veggies in this veggie frittata.

Recipe & Video: Running to the Kitchen

8. Turkey, Bacon and Egg Breakfast Sandwich with Cranberry Mayo from Neighbor Food Blog

Use up leftover: Turkey, Cranberry Sauce, Bread
I’m a huge fan of breakfast sandwiches, particularly when they are LOADED with good stuff that I didn’t even have to prepare from scratch. Leftover turkey sandwiches are classic, but how about a little breakfast mixed in?

Recipe & Photo: NeighborFood Blog

9. Leftover Mashed Potato Cheesy Vegetarian Hash from The Live-In Kitchen

Use up leftover: Mashed Potatoes, Vegetables
Personally, if I was all alone on the day after Thanksgiving, I’d whip up this hash just for myself. It’s a perfect one serving meal, so you won’t have leftovers when trying to use up your leftovers!

Recipe & Photo: The Live-In Kitchen

10. Crispy Parmesan Potato Cakes from Ann’s Entitled Life

Use up leftover: Mashed Potatoes
My #1 favorite use of leftover mashed potatoes: potato cakes. Swap these out for your regular old hashbrowns and serve with your favorite breakfast meat and eggs. I’d call this a perfect breakfast.

Recipe & Photo: Ann’s Entitled Life

11. Balsamic Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Eggs from Hungry Hobby

Use up leftover: Brussels Sprouts
Okay, so I’m not actually a huge fan of brussels sprouts, but the most of my family really likes them. This is a perfect way to use up those leftovers, and maybe even some other leftover vegetables. Eggs can turn almost anything into breakfast!

Recipe & Photo: Hungry Hobby

12. Thanksgiving Leftover Empanadas (Hand Pies) from Delicious Table

Use up leftover: Turkey, Stuffing, Mashed Potatoes, Cranberry Sauce, Vegetables, Gravy
The ultimate leftovers breakfast: Stuff anything and everything into these babies, and you’re all set for breakfast. Personally, I’d be SUPER impressed if my Thanksgiving hosts provided homemade hand pies in the morning, and I’m pretty sure you would be too.

Photo and Recipe: Delicious Table

Thank you so much for checking out How to Turn Thanksgiving Leftovers Into Glorious Breakfast Food!Be sure to use #projectmealplan on social to share your leftover creations with me!

PS: Do you like recipe round-ups? Here are some more of them I’ve put together!

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• 75+ Best Make-Ahead Oatmeal Recipes to Eat for Breakfast