The holiday has come and gone, but the leftovers are still going strong. If you're looking for a delicious and creative way to use up your leftovers, than checkout these amazingly delicious leftover turkey and stuffing meatballs.

Why You'll Love Leftover Turkey Dinner Meatballs
Turkey meatballs are the perfect way to transform your Thanksgiving leftovers into a whole new meal. They're easy to make, and they can be enjoyed in a variety of ways. They go well with stroganoff sauce, gravy, or use them in sandwiches, wraps, or pasta and meatballs.
This recipe is popular around the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, as it's a great way to use up leftover turkey. However, it's fabulous any time of year.
- Easy to make. You'll love how quick and easy these leftover turkey and stuffing meatballs are to make!
- Versatile. Serve these meatballs as an appetizer with dipping sauces, or added to sandwiches, wraps, and salads.
- Budget-friendly. This recipe is a great way to use up Thanksgiving dinner leftovers, which can save you money on groceries.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love Leftover Turkey Dinner Meatballs
- Thanksgiving Leftover Dinner Meatballs Ingredients
- How To Make Turkey Meatballs From Leftover Turkey Dinner
- Serving Suggestions
- Substitutions and Variations
- Equipment
- Storage and Reheating
- Tips for Success
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Delish Ideas
- 📖 Recipe
Thanksgiving Leftover Dinner Meatballs Ingredients
These savory leftover turkey meatballs are made with a combination of leftover turkey meat, stuffing, mashed potatoes, eggs, and seasonings. They're then baked to perfection, resulting in a juicy and flavorful meatball that's sure to become a new family tradition.
To make these leftover turkey dinner meatballs, you will need the following ingredients:
- Leftover turkey meat - Finely chopped in a food processor.
- Leftover mashed potatoes - The thicker the mashed potatoes the better.
- Leftover stuffing - If large chunk stuffing, it helps to break it up smaller in the food processor also. See our Smoked Turkey Stuffing recipe.
- Poultry seasoning - Store bought or try out homemade Poultry Seasoning Substitute recipe.
- Salt - To taste.
- Black pepper - To taste.
- Egg - Beaten.
PRO TIP: Make extra mashed potatoes and gravy so you can serve with these amazing leftover turkey and stuffing meatballs.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How To Make Turkey Meatballs From Leftover Turkey Dinner
It's really as simple as using a food processor to chop up leftover cooked turkey meat, then adding the stuffing, mashed potatoes, and some gravy for moisture. An egg helps make sure everything holds together.
Shape into balls any size you prefer, and then bake. The best part is that you can easily get creative with seasoning and additional mix in's. Italian seasonings will make them really delicious with marinara sauce. Cardamom and chopped parsley will ensure they go perfectly with a stroganoff sauce.
Mince The Leftover Turkey Meat
- Preheat the oven to 375℉, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the leftover turkey meat in the food processor and chop finely.
Mix Turkey With Leftover Mashed Potatoes And Stuffing
- Add the chopped Thanksgiving leftover turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and seasonings to a large mixing bowl.
Combine And Adjust Seasonings
- Mix until fully combined. Taste test and adjust seasonings. Add the beaten egg and mix until fully blended into the meatball mixture.
Roll Into Turkey Balls And Cook
- Use a small cookie scoop or your hands to make 28 meatballs. Spread out on the parchment lined baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the bottoms are a golden brown.
Serving Suggestions
These leftover turkey dinner meatballs can be served with a variety of dipping sauces, such as marinara sauce, barbecue sauce, or cranberry sauce. They can also be served over rice, pasta, or mashed potatoes.
Turkey meatballs can be served in a variety of ways. Here are a few ideas:
- Serve them on their own with a dipping sauce, such as marinara sauce, buffalo sauce, or cranberry sauce.
- Use them in sandwiches or wraps.
- Add them to pasta dishes, soups, or stews.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Substitutions and Variations
Here are a few delicious variations when making this dish.
- If you don't have leftover turkey, you can use ground turkey or chicken instead.
- You can also add other ingredients to the meatball mixture, such as chopped vegetables, cheese, or nuts.
- For a different flavor profile, try using different spices in the meatball mixture, such as Italian seasoning, taco seasoning, or curry powder.
Equipment
Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out. Below are some of my favorite pieces of equipment that I use when making this dish.
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Storage and Reheating
- Leftover turkey dinner meatballs can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
- To reheat frozen meatballs, thaw them overnight in the refrigerator. Then, bake them in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 10-15 minutes, or until heated through.
Tips for Success
Here are a few tips for making these turkey meatballs with leftover turkey:
- If the meatball mixture is too sticky, add a little more stuffing.
- To make sure the meatballs are cooked through, use a meat thermometer and insert it into the center of a meatball. The meatballs are cooked through when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can use ground turkey instead of leftover turkey to make these meatballs. You will need to adjust the cook time however.
Some good side dishes to serve with turkey meatballs include pasta, rice, potatoes, and vegetables.
More Delish Ideas
📖 Recipe
Leftover Turkey and Stuffing Meatballs
Ingredients
- 8 oz leftover turkey
- 2 cup leftover mashed potatoes
- 2 cup leftover stuffing
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning or to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper ground
- 1 large egg beaten
- leftover gravy for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375℉, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the leftover turkey meat in the food processor and chop finely.8 oz leftover turkey
- Add the chopped Thanksgiving leftover turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and seasonings2 cup leftover mashed potatoes, 2 cup leftover stuffing, 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Mix until fully combined. Taste test and adjust seasonings. Add the beaten egg and mix until fully blended into the meatball mixture.
- Use a small cookie scoop or your hands to make 28 meatballs. Spread out on the parchment lined baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the bottoms are a golden brown.
- Serve immediately on mashed potatoes and drizzle with gravy.leftover gravy
Notes
- If using large chunk bread stuffing, use the food processor to break up the leftover stuffing first before adding the minced turkey and mashed potatoes, and egg.
- You can make larger meatballs, but allow for additional baking time.
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