9 Thanksgiving Turkey Recipes (+ turkey leftover ideas!)

Email Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

Still searching for that show-stoppin’ Thanksgiving day turkey recipe? You’ve landed in the right spot because we’ve got 9 different turkey recipes for you to choose from. Want to roast a whole turkey? We got you? Just like turkey legs? We got you! Looking for a turkey recipe for a smaller gathering? Done.

Collage of various Thanksgiving turkey dishes presented with "Thanksgiving Turkey Recipes" text in the center.
email me this recipe
Plus, enjoy weekly doses of recipe inspiration as a bonus!
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

We’ve been food blogging since 2010 and are so proud of all of these Thanksgiving Turkey recipes! Our personal favorite is the spatchcock turkey because the cook time the day of Thanksgiving is just a measly 2 hours, but our smoked turkey is a close second — just a labor of love.

In this post, we’re sharing all of our turkey day bird recipes a long with our favorite ways to use up turkey leftovers. Let’s do this!

But First…Turkey Preparation Recipes

Before you get started with the actual bird, here are a few tutorials for brining and prepping your Thanksgiving turkey!

flavorful turkey seasoning in a bowl.

try it!

Turkey Seasoning

Ditch the store-bought turkey seasoning and use the most Flavorful Turkey Seasoning made with 9 ingredients you can actually pronounce. This seasoning is made up of garlic powder, brown sugar, kosher salt, and other simple seasonings.

Our Best Thanksgiving Turkey Recipes

Below you’ll find a collection of Thanksgiving turkey recipes that Fit Foodie Finds has published over the last decade.

Oh, and one thing before we jump in. Check out our favorite turkey roasting pan. We got it off Amazon and it’s super reasonable and perfect for a 15 lb. bird.

Turkey sliced and on a platter.

Juicy Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe

5 from 6 votes
This is truly the juiciest Thanksgiving turkey that you will ever taste. It is brined over night, seasoned, and roasted ot perfection. Served with homemade gravy, you just can't beat it.
View Recipe
A spatchcock turkey on a platter with cranberry sauce.

Spatchcock Turkey Recipe

This spatchcock turkey recipe is perfectly seasoned with a dry brine and turkey seasoning. It's roasted for just 1.5 – 2 hours, basting every 20 minutes. The meat is so juicy and the skin crisps up perfectly!
View Recipe
Roasted turkey stuffed with sage and thyme.

Thanksgiving Turkey Roulade

5 from 2 votes
This turkey roulade is rolled into a delicious cranberry sauce and pork sausage stuffing, making it the ultimate main dish for your Thanksgiving table.
View Recipe
Smoked turkey on a platter.

Juicy Smoked Turkey (How to Smoke a Turkey)

4.43 from 7 votes
This smoked turkey recipe includes a smoked turkey brine, turkey seasoning, and a delicious gravy. Your guests will be wowed by this juicy Traeger smoked turkey recipe. Yum! 
View Recipe
Thanksgiving dinner with Sous Vide turkey and roasted vegetables on a table.

Sous Vide Turkey

5 from 2 votes
This sous vide turkey is the most tender and delicious turkey you will ever taste! If you’re looking for a turkey recipe that you can prepare before Thanksgiving day or friends giving, then this sous vide turkey is for you!
View Recipe
Smoked turkey breast sliced on a plate.

Smoked Turkey Breast Recipe

5 from 5 votes
This smoked turkey breast is brined, dry rubbed, and smoked with a delicious orange juice and apple cider vinegar spritz. It makes a great Thanksgiving main dish or an easy smoking recipe any time of year.
View Recipe
Smoked turkey leg in mashed potatoes.

Smoked Turkey Legs

Throw some turkey legs on the grill and serve them at Thanksgiving, at a summer barbecue, or just for the family on a weeknight. These smoked turkey legs are brined and sprayed with an apple cider spritz.
View Recipe
turkey tenderloin on plate sliced.

Baked Turkey Tenderloin Recipe

4.30 from 10 votes
Learn how to cook turkey tenderloin by brining, seasoning, and baking this lean cut of turkey for Thanksgiving or any weeknight meal.
View Recipe
Roasted Turkey Breast

Herby Ranch Roasted Turkey Breast

5 from 3 votes
Here’s a great, simple recipe for livening up Thanksgiving turkey breast. Just season with homemade ranch seasoning salt, pepper, and fresh herbs. Bake and enjoy. 
View Recipe
Turkey gravy.

How to Make Turkey Gravy from Drippings

This super flavorful turkey gravy recipe is easily made with turkey drippings, broth, and a little bit of cornstarch. Enjoy!
View Recipe

Leftover Turkey Recipes

We are the QUEENS of leftover turkey recipes and not mad about it. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve made the turkey wild rice soup — even during the year with shredded chicken, it’s that good! Here are some ideas for you to use up your turkey.

Can you freeze cooked turkey?

YES! Don’t want to whip up something extravagant with your leftover turkey? Freeze it. Let it cool completely, then transfer it into a gallon-size freezer-safe plastic bag an remove as much air as possible. Seal and freeze for up to 3 months.

Collage of various leftover turkey dishes, including pie, soup, stew, quesadillas, and lettuce wraps, with a text overlay promoting leftover Thanksgiving turkey recipes.
A bowl of turkey soup with wild rice and vegetables.

Turkey Wild Rice Soup

5 from 3 votes
This Turkey Wild Rice Soup is rich and creamy. It's the perfect soup for holiday leftovers and is super easy to store and enjoy later. 
View Recipe
Leftover turkey salad

Leftover Turkey Salad

5 from 1 vote
Put leftover turkey to good use in this tasty leftover turkey salad. It's loaded with flavor, texture, and crunch!
View Recipe
A chicken pot pie on a plate with a slice taken out.

Leftover Turkey Pot Pie

Incredibly tasty and filling turkey pot pie made with leftover Thanksgiving turkey, store-bought pie crust, and frozen veggies for a simple way to use up that turkey!
View Recipe
Tuscan Turkey Soup in bowl

Leftover Turkey Soup

4.84 from 6 votes
Use up leftover holiday turkey in this Instant Pot leftover turkey soup recipe. It's packed with flavor, texture, and plenty of veggies.
View Recipe
A stack of leftover Thanksgiving turkey quesadillas with cranberry sauce.

Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey Quesadilla

There's no better way to enjoy Thanksgiving leftovers than with this leftover turkey quesadilla!
View Recipe
Turkey casserole in a bowl.

Turkey Casserole Recipe

5 from 4 votes
Let's make this delicious turkey casserole recipe. Thanksgiving leftovers with a twist!
View Recipe
Homemade turkey broth in a crockpot.

Homemade Turkey Stock

5 from 1 vote
This homemade turkey stock is so flavorful and easy to make. All you have to do is throw a turkey carcass in a slow cooker along with some vegetables and herbs. You'll have flavorful turkey stock on hand for soups, casseroles, and more.
View Recipe

Similar Recipes:

About Lee Funke

Lee is the founder of Fit Foodie Finds and based in Minneapolis, MN. She started this website in 2010 as a way to share her love for real food and wellness. The internet has changed so much since then and so has Fit Foodie Finds. Today we're a female-run recipe website publishing hundreds of tried and true recipes developed and tested by our team.

0 0 votes
Recipe Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
Recipe Rating

2 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
fastreview.org
December 15, 2024 12:57 am

“Iโ€™ve been using FastReview.org for months, and itโ€™s my go-to site for product insights. The content is always up-to-date, well-researched, and highly informative. Whether I’m looking for gadgets, software, or services, I trust FastReview.org to guide me in making the best choices. Truly a fantastic resource!”

slidescarnival.org
December 12, 2024 5:01 am

I canโ€™t thank SlidesCarnival enough for offering free templates that are not only beautiful but also highly functional. Their designs have elevated my presentations to a professional level, and the easy-to-use interface makes customization a breeze. Whether for work or school, this website is a must-visit!