19 Creative Ways to Use Up Leftover Turkey Stuffing

The holidays have come and gone, and now you’re probably stuck with leftovers, including a big bowl of stuffing in your fridge. What should you do with all that leftover stuffing? Don’t just reheat it for yet another side dish – get creative and transform those leftovers into something new and delicious!

As an enthusiastic home cook and holiday hostess, I’ve tried just about every trick for using up extra stuffing. From hearty casseroles to sweet baked treats there are so many tasty ways to give your leftover stuffing new life. Keep reading for my top tips on how to use up leftover turkey stuffing.

Give Your Stuffing New Life in a Casserole

One easy way to use up leftover stuffing is to bake it into a casserole The stuffing adds great texture and coats the other ingredients with delicious seasoning. Here are some of my favorite stuffing casserole recipes

• Turkey and Stuffing Casserole – Layer shredded turkey, stuffing, veggies, and cheese in a baking dish for an effortless leftover casserole. I like to top mine with fried onions for crunch.

• Stuffing-Stuffed Pork Chops – Cut a pocket in pork chops and fill with stuffing mix. Brown the chops, then bake with mushroom soup for moisture.

• Broccoli and Stuffing Casserole – For a veggie-packed casserole, combine broccoli, stuffing, cheese, and cream of mushroom soup.

• Sweet Potato and Stuffing Casserole – Mix mashed sweet potatoes, stuffing, maple syrup, and pecans for a sweet and savory twist.

Make Savory Stuffing Breakfasts

Looking for a new breakfast idea? Stuffing makes a hearty, savory base for all kinds of morning meals. Here are some tasty stuffing breakfasts to try:

• Stuffing Waffles – Mix stuffing, eggs, and spices into a waffle batter. Top with gravy for the ultimate Thanksgiving breakfast.

• Baked Egg and Stuffing Cups – Line muffin tins with stuffing and bake an egg right in the center for a protein-packed breakfast.

• Stuffing Breakfast Casserole – Layer stuffing, sausage, eggs, cheese, and veggies in a baking dish for a big, strata-style breakfast.

• Stuffing Breakfast Burritos – Scramble eggs with veggies, wrap in tortillas with stuffing and cheese for a hand-held breakfast.

Transform Stuffing into Appetizers and Snacks

Leftover stuffing also makes a fantastic base or addition to party appetizers and snacks. Here are some stuffed recipes to try:

• Stuffing Meatballs – Mix Italian meatball mix with stuffing cubes for incredibly tender, flavorful meatballs.

• Stuffed Mushroom Caps – Spoon stuffing into large mushroom caps and bake until piping hot and browned.

• Stuffing Deviled Eggs – Fill hard boiled egg halves with a creamy stuffing-yolk mixture for a twist on classic deviled eggs.

• Stuffing Arancini – Form leftover stuffing into balls, coat in breadcrumbs, and deep fry for crispy, cheesy bites.

Bake Stuffing into Breads and Muffins

My personal favorite way to use up leftover stuffing is by baking it into homemade breads and muffins. The stuffing adds great moisture and texture. Here are some baked stuffing recipes to try:

• Stuffing Cornbread – Fold leftover stuffing into your usual cornbread batter for a more substantial, savory loaf.

• Stuffing Cranberry Muffins – Toss cubed stuffing into muffin batter along with sweet dried cranberries.

• Stuffing Biscuits – Mix stuffing into refrigerated biscuit dough before baking for ultra-fluffy, flavorful biscuits.

• Stuffing Pull-Apart Bread – Shape stuffing and pizza dough into a loaf, bake, and pull apart for an easy appetizer.

Make Dumplings, Empanadas, and Pot Pies

For a fun twist, use leftover stuffing as a filling for hand-pies, empanadas, or dumplings. Here are some creative recipes:

• Stuffing Dumplings – Drop spoonfuls of stuffing wrapped in dumpling dough into your favorite soup.

• Turkey Stuffing Empanadas – Fill empanada dough with stuffing, turkey, and veggies for hand-held hot pockets.

• Mini Stuffing Pot Pies – Line muffin tins with pie dough, fill with stuffing and gravy, and bake individual pot pies.

Shape Stuffing into Patties and Cakes

For an easy side dish or snack, simply shape leftover stuffing into patties or cakes and pan-fry until crisp and browned. Coating the stuffing in eggs and breadcrumbs adds extra crunch. Stuffing cakes are perfect topped with a fried egg for breakfast.

Stuff a Squash

Scoop out a baked acorn or butternut squash, mix the flesh with stuffing, then spoon the mixture back into the shell and bake until heated through. The sweet squash pairs perfectly with savory stuffing.

Stuffing Crust Quiche

Press leftover stuffing into a pie dish to form a crust, fill with beaten eggs, milk or cream, cheese, veggies or meat, and bake for a quiche with built-in flavor.

Layer a Stuffing Lasagna

Spread stuffing in place of noodles in a lasagna pan, layer with sauce, ricotta, mozzarella, and meat or veggies. Bake until bubbling for a hearty stuffed lasagna.

Make Stuffing Balls

Form leftover stuffing into 1-2 inch balls, coat with beaten egg and panko breadcrumbs, and deep fry or bake until crispy outside and hot inside. Serve as an appetizer or snack.

Stuffing Egg Rolls

Wrap leftover stuffing and veggies in egg roll wrappers, wet the edges, fold, and deep fry until crispy. Serve with cranberry sauce for dipping.

Fry Up Stuffing Patties

Mix leftover stuffing with mashed potatoes, form into patties, and shallow fry in olive oil until browned. Top with a fried egg for breakfast or gravy for dinner.

Bake Up Stuffing Muffins

Toss cubed stuffing with shredded cheese, seasonings, and egg into a muffin tin. Bake until set for portable leftover stuffing bites.

Make Cheesy Stuffing Balls

Form leftover stuffing into balls, roll in shredded cheese, then bake until the cheese melts. Serve warm as a side dish or appetizer.

Stuffing Wontons

Spoon stuffing into wonton wrappers, wet the edges, seal, and deep fry for crispy baked stuffing wonton appetizers.

As you can see, the possibilities are endless when it comes to using up leftover holiday stuffing! With a little creativity, you can transform boring old stuffing into something new and delicious. Next time you’ve got extra stuffing on hand, try whipping up muffins, casseroles, dumplings, or anything else you can think up.

Bonus Recipe: Easy Leftover Turkey Stuffing Casserole

Here’s one of my personal favorite recipes for using up extra stuffing – it turns your stuffing leftovers into an easy, comforting casserole the whole family will love:

Ingredients:

• 3 cups leftover stuffing
• 2 cups cooked turkey, chopped
• 1 cup frozen veggies (corn, peas, etc)
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13 baking dish.

2. Spread stuffing evenly over the bottom of the prepared dish. Top with chopped turkey and frozen vegetables.

3. In a medium bowl, combine soup and milk. Pour over turkey and vegetables.

4. Sprinkle cheese evenly over the top of the casserole.

5. Bake for 30 minutes until hot and bubbly. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.

This easy bake absorbs all the flavors of the soup and comes out perfectly moist thanks to the stuffing. Serve it alongside a fresh salad for a complete, fuss-free meal.