Transform leftover turkey and cranberry sauce into a flavorful quesadilla. This Leftover Thanksgiving Quesadilla only takes minutes to make and is the perfect contrast in savory, sharp and sweet. It is a delicious change-up from a traditional leftover turkey sandwich.
I am a HUGE fan of Thanksgiving leftovers.
I purposely plan my menu to ensure that I will have plenty of leftovers-- that means an extra-large Turkey, extra cranberry sauce, extra mashed potatoes, and of course extra sweet potato casserole.
And while I love to just pile my plate high with the same fixings I had on Thanksgiving after a long day shopping or putting up my Christmas decorations, I really love to create new dishes with what I have leftover--like Cranberry BBQ Turkey Pizza or Southwestern Turkey Soup.
Or this beautiful little Turkey and Cranberry Quesadilla that is made in just as much time as slapping some food on a plate and reheating--and so much more creative!
Because it is so easy, you can be out shopping all day or night and still have the energy to whip this easy turkey quesadilla up. It is so good it may just energize you to go out shopping for another round--or give you the strength to put up your Christmas decorations.
Key Ingredients
This simple quesadilla is made with Thanksgiving Leftovers. Leftover turkey, leftover cranberry sauce, and cheese from the appetizer plate. The only other ingredients needed are Dijon mustard and a flour tortilla.
How to Turn Thanksgiving Leftovers into an Easy Quesadilla
- Smear a bit of mustard on the tortilla
- Then top with a layer of cranberry sauce.
- Sprinkle with leftover shredded or chopped turkey and cover in cheese.
- Top with an additional tortilla.
- Toast over medium-low heat in a dry skillet until the cheese is melted, or microwave for 1 minute.
- Slice into wedges and serve with additional cranberry sauce on the side.
More Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes
Cranberry Turkey Quesadilla
Ingredients
- 1 cup leftover chopped turkey
- ½ cup leftover cranberry sauce
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 cup cheese (cheddar or gouda) shredded
- 4 burrito sized tortillas (8-10 inch tortillas)
Instructions
- Spread two tortillas with cranberry sauce. Top with turkey and cheese. Spread the remaining two quesadillas with Dijon and place on top of tortillas.
- Heat on a dry skillet over medium-low heat for 1-2 minutes or in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
- Cut each tortilla into 8 wedges and serve with additional cranberry sauce if desired.
Notes
- If you need this to be gluten-free, use a gluten-free tortilla.
- I personally love to use sharp cheddar or smoked Gouda, but white cheddar, Colby, or even mozzarella cheese will work in this Turkey and Cheese Quesadilla.
- Omit the Dijon mustard for a more mild flavor or to make more kid-friendly!
- Don't just make this after Thanksgiving, you can use this with leftover chicken as well.
Brooke
Really like this idea for the leftovers! Kids and adults liked it. I was looking for something different than a casserole or soup and this was perfect!!
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad you found this recipe Brooke! It is a great change up from the classic leftovers.
KalynsKitchen
Thanks for the shout-out! I love the idea of quesadillas with some cranberry sauce tucked in there!
Kristen Chidsey
You bet Kalyn! It adds so much!
Amanda @ Diary of a Semi-Health Nut
This is such a great idea! I have tortillas at home so I'm totally doing a version of this!
Thanks for linking up to Semi-Healthy Saturday! Make sure you link back to my post! 🙂
Ilona @ Ilona's Passion
Delicious and right on time for Thanksgiving weekend:)
Becca from ItsYummi.com
What a great use for Thanksgiving leftovers!
Kristen Chidsey
Leftovers are the best part of the day in my opinion--as long as you use them to their maximum potential. This quesadilla does just that!