Epic Thanksgiving Sandwiches to Make with Your Leftovers

Mar. 15, 2025

Owen Han’s Leftover Sandwich.Photo:Fred Hardy

Fred Hardy

Still daydreaming about your morning-afterThanksgivingmeal?If you’re craving something tasty after Turkey Day, you’d better grab those leftovers while they last! While there’s no rush like piling your plate with mounds of stuffing, macaroni and cheese, cranberry sauce and, of course, the year’s holiday turkey or ham, what could be more satisfying than turning those leftovers into the perfect Thanksgiving sandwich?It’s more popular than you think. Some of the world’s finest culinary artists have perfected the art of delicious leftover pairings that taste even better between slices of bread — or latkes if you’re feeling fancy!FromAntoni Porowski’s delectable Stuffing & Mashed Potato Latke Sandwich toJacques Pépin’s scrumptious Turkey Croque Monsieur, these Thanksgiving sandwich recipes will keep you full long after the hearty holiday.

Still daydreaming about your morning-afterThanksgivingmeal?

If you’re craving something tasty after Turkey Day, you’d better grab those leftovers while they last! While there’s no rush like piling your plate with mounds of stuffing, macaroni and cheese, cranberry sauce and, of course, the year’s holiday turkey or ham, what could be more satisfying than turning those leftovers into the perfect Thanksgiving sandwich?

It’s more popular than you think. Some of the world’s finest culinary artists have perfected the art of delicious leftover pairings that taste even better between slices of bread — or latkes if you’re feeling fancy!

FromAntoni Porowski’s delectable Stuffing & Mashed Potato Latke Sandwich toJacques Pépin’s scrumptious Turkey Croque Monsieur, these Thanksgiving sandwich recipes will keep you full long after the hearty holiday.

01of 09Turkey Crunch Sandwich with Pesto & Spicy MayoOwen Han’s Turkey Crunch Sandwich with Pesto and Spicy Mayo.Fred HardyTikTok’s “Sandwich King"Owen Hantransforms stuffing in his post-Turkey Day sandwich.In Han’s sub, leftover stuffing gets baked into chip-like crisps to add extra texture (and Thanksgiving flair) to each bite. “When you pair the basil pesto, red onion, peppers and chile mayo with leftover stuffing and roast turkey, you get a truly textured and well-balanced sandwich,” says the author of the cookbookStacked.Get the recipeHERE.

01of 09

Turkey Crunch Sandwich with Pesto & Spicy Mayo

Owen Han’s Turkey Crunch Sandwich with Pesto and Spicy Mayo.Fred Hardy

TikTok’s “Sandwich King"Owen Hantransforms stuffing in his post-Turkey Day sandwich.

In Han’s sub, leftover stuffing gets baked into chip-like crisps to add extra texture (and Thanksgiving flair) to each bite. “When you pair the basil pesto, red onion, peppers and chile mayo with leftover stuffing and roast turkey, you get a truly textured and well-balanced sandwich,” says the author of the cookbookStacked.

Get the recipeHERE.

02of 09

Pulled Turkey with Cranberry Barbecue Sauce

Victor Protasio

03of 09Turkey & Croissant Croque MadameVictor Protasio"While this sandwich seems fancy, there’s not much to it!“Half Baked Harvestfood bloggerTieghan Gerardtold PEOPLE. “The flaky croissants and cheese sauce really set it apart.“Get the recipeHERE.

03of 09

Turkey & Croissant Croque Madame

“While this sandwich seems fancy, there’s not much to it!“Half Baked Harvestfood bloggerTieghan Gerardtold PEOPLE. “The flaky croissants and cheese sauce really set it apart.”

04of 09Stuffing & Mashed Potato Latke SandwichVictor ProtasioPorowski wants you to think outside the bun for your day-after-Thanksgiving meal. Instead of bread, theQueer Eyestar sandwiches his turkey between two latkes. To make the latkes, Porowski uses leftover mashed potatoes and stuffing instead of the typical grated potatoes. The result: a “nice and crispy” sandwich, theEasy-Bake Battle: The Home Cooking Competitionhost told PEOPLE.Get the recipeHERE.

04of 09

Stuffing & Mashed Potato Latke Sandwich

Porowski wants you to think outside the bun for your day-after-Thanksgiving meal. Instead of bread, theQueer Eyestar sandwiches his turkey between two latkes. To make the latkes, Porowski uses leftover mashed potatoes and stuffing instead of the typical grated potatoes. The result: a “nice and crispy” sandwich, theEasy-Bake Battle: The Home Cooking Competitionhost told PEOPLE.

05of 09Roasted Turkey & Kimchee MeltCaitlin BenselKatianna and John Hong, business partners and husband-and-wife chefs at the Los Angeles restaurantYangban, reimagine the classic leftovers sandwich with “gooey, melty cheese and roasted, salty kimchee.““We like that this recipe has only 10 ingredients,” they told PEOPLE. “After Thanksgiving, people can be suffering from ‘palate fatigue,’ so we wanted to make something comforting and simple.“Get the recipeHERE.

05of 09

Roasted Turkey & Kimchee Melt

Caitlin Bensel

Katianna and John Hong, business partners and husband-and-wife chefs at the Los Angeles restaurantYangban, reimagine the classic leftovers sandwich with “gooey, melty cheese and roasted, salty kimchee.”

“We like that this recipe has only 10 ingredients,” they told PEOPLE. “After Thanksgiving, people can be suffering from ‘palate fatigue,’ so we wanted to make something comforting and simple.”

06of 09Turkey, Stuffing & Cranberry BurgersCaitlin Bensel"I love the traditional turkey sandwich with leftovers, but I also love cheeseburgers, so I made a combo of the two,” chef andHoleman & Finch Public Houserestaurateur Linton Hopkins told PEOPLE. “Plus, the ingredients are on hand, and you’ve already done most of the work!“Get the recipeHERE.

06of 09

Turkey, Stuffing & Cranberry Burgers

“I love the traditional turkey sandwich with leftovers, but I also love cheeseburgers, so I made a combo of the two,” chef andHoleman & Finch Public Houserestaurateur Linton Hopkins told PEOPLE. “Plus, the ingredients are on hand, and you’ve already done most of the work!”

07of 09Curried Turkey Salad SandwichCaitlin BenselAfter a long day of cooking for Thanksgiving, Kanchan Koya’s curried turkey salad is an easy, breezy recipe.“My husband’s favorite comfort food is a turkey sandwich, so I wanted to pay homage to his love of the classic sandwich but to add some pizazz,” Koya told PEOPLE before adding, “I love that it feels new and fresh compared to the classic Thanksgiving meal while still celebrating the leftovers!“Get the recipeHERE.

07of 09

Curried Turkey Salad Sandwich

After a long day of cooking for Thanksgiving, Kanchan Koya’s curried turkey salad is an easy, breezy recipe.

“My husband’s favorite comfort food is a turkey sandwich, so I wanted to pay homage to his love of the classic sandwich but to add some pizazz,” Koya told PEOPLE before adding, “I love that it feels new and fresh compared to the classic Thanksgiving meal while still celebrating the leftovers!”

08of 09

Turkey Croque Monsieur

Greg Dupree

What’s special about this recipe is that the prolific chef andA Grandfather’s Lessonscookbook author makes this delicious meal with an adorable little helper: his granddaughter Shorey.

09of 09Fat Pilgrim SandwichAlison MikschWith a 9-inch hero roll, a little mayonnaise and some baked French fries,EntouragestarJerry Ferraraturns Thanksgiving leftovers into an out-of-this-world hoagie.“Out of hundreds, if not thousands of attempts, only two truly amazing humans ever have been victorious over this behemoth of a sandwich: Miki Sudo and Jamie McDonald, both competitive eaters,” Ferrara told PEOPLE.Sounds like the perfect time to break out those sweatpants!Get the recipeHERE.

09of 09

Fat Pilgrim Sandwich

Alison Miksch

With a 9-inch hero roll, a little mayonnaise and some baked French fries,EntouragestarJerry Ferraraturns Thanksgiving leftovers into an out-of-this-world hoagie.

“Out of hundreds, if not thousands of attempts, only two truly amazing humans ever have been victorious over this behemoth of a sandwich: Miki Sudo and Jamie McDonald, both competitive eaters,” Ferrara told PEOPLE.

Sounds like the perfect time to break out those sweatpants!

source: people.com