Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner
Traditional Thanksgiving dinner leftovers might seem like surprising pizza toppings but making pizza with Thanksgiving leftovers is a yummy way to use them.
Leftover mashed potatoes spread on pizza dough make a good base. You can mix and match leftovers to create a delicious pizza. And your family will love having a new creative way to use up the extras.
Pizza with Thanksgiving Leftovers
Depending on your family and the size of your Thanksgiving feast, the leftovers will vary. But you can try using green beans from green bean casserole, dollops of stuffing, turkey meat, creamed corn, glazed carrots, and cranberry sauce in new fun ways.
Try using cheddar cheese instead of mozzarella. If the mashed potatoes run out, you can always use a white sauce as a base for the leftovers.
You’ll want to make Thanksgiving pizza with a pre-made crust. I mean, it’s Thanksgiving time you want to spend it relaxing with your family. And all the Thanksgiving Day meal prep, you probably aren’t going to feel like making a homemade pizza crust. So use store-bought to make using up the leftovers even easier.
The possibilities are as endless as the leftovers stacked high in your fridge. Here are five different ideas for pizza with Thanksgiving leftovers.
Turkey, Cranberry, Green Beans with a Potato Base
A simple way to use up leftovers is to make a pizza with these goodies. Take a premade pizza crust and spread mashed potatoes on the base as a sauce. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top of the potatoes. Cheddar is a good option here, but mozzarella or a mixed blend is fine too.
Chop leftover turkey or shred it into bite-sized pieces and add them to the pizza. Cut cranberry jelly into slices and half them. Place the slices on the pizza. Lay green beans between cranberry slices and add another sprinkle of cheese.
Then, bake at 450°F for 15 minutes. Serve each slice with a drizzle of leftover gravy. If you like a little heat to contrast the sweetness of the cranberry, give it a splash of your favorite hot sauce. Now every year, your family will be begging for more pizza with Thanksgiving leftovers!
Sweet Potatoes, Turkey, and Stuffing
Sweet potatoes are not everyone’s favorite, so that you may have lots of sweet potato leftovers. Use them as a base and add to a premade crust. Shred turkey and sprinkle generously. Add grated cheese. Mozzarella works great here or a parmesan.
Cheddar cheese will be too much and overpower the sweet potatoes. Place clumps of stuffing on the pizza and sprinkle with more cheese. Bake at 450°F for 15 minutes. Serve with a drizzle of gravy.
Potatoes, Rosemary, Creamed Corn, Turkey with a Gravy Base
Creamed corn adds a bit of texture to this pizza with Thanksgiving leftovers. Start by spreading the mashed potatoes on a premade crust, then spread gravy on top.
Add creamed corn and a sprinkle of cheese. Lastly, add chunks of turkey and some fresh rosemary. Bake at 450°F for 15 minutes. Since this pizza has more wet ingredients, it’s best to use a thicker crust to maintain the weight of the toppings.
Leftover Green Salad Pizza
Turn the forgotten green salad into salad pizza. Most families include a green salad at the Thanksgiving table with good intentions. But, since there are so many other amazing dishes on the table, the healthy green salad often gets little attention.
A great healthy way to use it up is to make a salad pizza. It might do a body good to get some greens in after indulging in stuffing and pie.
To make a salad pizza toss the greens in a simple vinaigrette. Take a pre-made pizza crust covered in olive oil. Sprinkle a few olives or other veggies you want to use, and add a handful of cheese on top. Bake for a few minutes, so the cheese has melted. Now add the salad on top.
You can even add a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. Now you have a fun way to use up the salad greens that your mom insists on making every year, but nobody really eats.
Everything but the Kitchen Sink Pizza Pot Pie
This Thanksgiving pizza is as wild as it sounds. Use your favorite leftovers like stuffing, turkey, mashed potatoes, green beans, sweet potatoes to make a pot pie-inspired pizza. Look for a roll-out pastry crust to fill a round pie pan.
Or use a few smaller ones so everyone can make their own pot pie with their favorite leftovers. You will need to grease the pan and the sides, so the dough doesn’t stick. Next, lay out the dough and press it into the bottom of the pan.
Start with a layer of mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes, then layer some turkey add a layer of cheese. A sharp cheddar works great here because it will contrast nicely with the other flavors. Then, layer stuffing, green beans, glazed carrots, peas, and top that off with another layer of cheese.
Then, with the extra rolled-out pie crust, fold it over to cover the pie. Brush the dough using a pastry brush with egg white—Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes on 375°F.
Check every ten minutes to see how the crust is doing. Since all of the ingredients are already cooked, you are really just combining flavors with melted cheese and toasting up the crust.
Other Ideas for Pizza with Thanksgiving Leftovers
If you have other leftovers like mac and cheese, stuffed mushrooms, black olives, Brussel sprouts, or whatever dish your family eats at Thanksgiving, add it to the pie.
Another fun way to make a Thanksgiving pizza is to top it with mashed potatoes, similar to a shepherd’s pie. Or use leftover rolls cut to make a crust for the deep dish Thanksgiving pizza pie.
One way to use leftover dough would be be as a sweet pizza twist appetizer. They’re actually delicious as both sweet or savory.
Have fun on Thanksgiving and get creative with the leftovers. Pizza is always a hit, so get your family excited about Thanksgiving leftovers by putting them on pizza.
How do you use your Thanksgiving leftovers?
