Satisfying on so many levels, leftover turkey and lentil curry is a belly-filling, budget-friendly, holiday hero with a hack… this recipe skips endless teaspoons of assorted spices and goes straight to curry paste. Phew! The result is a perfectly balanced, thick and hearty lentil curry that will take a good-sized chunk out of that turkey.

Treat the vegetarian at the table, and use up a couple of those leftover roasties too, with peas and potato curry, which also relies on a nifty little jar of curry paste.

Top down shot of turkey and lentil curry in a wide pan

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Thanksgiving leftover recipes

I am a firm believer in nose-to-tail dining where possible, and a holiday turkey really lends itself to this approach. So, perhaps that should be beak-to-tail-feather dining? Here are some of the recipes that help me achieve it:

Meat

Leftover turkey soup is brothy and nourishing, packing in vegetables, giant couscous and of course, protein-rich turkey.

Turkey marsala pot pie is deeply flavoured with marsala wine and topped with golden, buttery flaky pastry.

Turkey á la King is a super quick retro dish drenching leftover turkey in cream and sherry served over rice.

Pan with turkey and lentil curry in a pan next to a bowl of rice

Giblets

If my turkey comes with giblets, the bird’s innards like heart, kidneys and neck, I add them to the vegetable trivet before roasting. All this mega-rich meaty and earthy base forms the drippings to make the most luscious homemade gravy ever created.

Carcass

Treat the leftover bones as treasure! Boiling down bones creates much heralded bone broth, or turkey stock. Stock is one of the most useful and used ingredients out there, and if you can make your own rather than buy (often packed with salt and preservatives), take it! My recipe is a speedy version of the process that yields liquid gold in just 4 hours.

And I haven’t even got started on the leftover vegetables and potatoes! Besides the Cockney classic bubble and squeak, remaining cooked carrots and potatoes can be thrown into soups or stews.

Mash up any roasties and combine with salmon for fluffy fishcakes, or with spare parsnips, carrots and sprouts for an instant shepherd’s pie topping.

Close up shot of leftover turkey curry in a pan topped with freshly sliced onion and coriander

Recipe tips and notes

A no-waste approach to turkey (or chicken) is as economical as it can be delicious.
Containing two of my favourite things: red lentils and curry, this leftover turkey recipe is both frugal and tasty.
Plus, a cheeky kitchen shortcut: curry paste. In my eyes it is NEVER cheating, but even the most committed cooks should give themselves a day off over the holidays.
The brand I favour is Patak’s, but you can use whichever you prefer. I used This is an affiliate link.Madras Spice paste for this recipe as I find the aromatics and chili are well-balanced.
Look out for the concentrated paste, not a cooking sauce. They are two different products! The paste usually comes in a smaller jar, fyi.
I recommend using dried lentils, but you could use drained canned lentils if that’s what you have. It’s all a question of texture.
Finally, coconut milk makes for a fragrant, creamy gravy. I chose it over light (single (UK)) cream, but you can use what you prefer.

Process shots leftover turkey and lentils being cooked in a pan with onion and spices

Serving suggestions

I’m guessing you’ve seen just about enough of your kitchen if you’re on the leftover-turkey train right now! So let’s keep serving simple: fluffy white rice, or coconut rice if you prefer, and flatbreads (which are actually so easy you’ll never buy another again!).

However, if you’re taking over cooking duties for this one, add a culinary flourish with a couple of Indian-style sides; spiced baby potatoes (or aloo chaat) and meat-free chickpea and butternut squash curry, which can be served to share or as a main for a vegetarian diner.

Storage and leftovers

Recipes that make use of turkey leftovers are a godsend. But you need to use a little judgement when it comes to prolonging its life.

If you’re unsure how to navigate food safety, as a rule of thumb, I suggest:

cooked, cooled turkey meat is kept no longer than 5 days in the fridge.
turkey is reheated once only.
round two leftovers (i.e. leftover turkey curry) are thrown away.

I hope that helps!

More holiday leftovers recipes to try