Tired of sandwiches and looking for new Thanksgiving leftovers recipes? These easy turkey empanadas are not only delicious, but a really fun way to use up holiday leftovers. Once you try leftover Thanksgiving empanadas, don’t be surprised if your family wants these every year! Click the Jump to Recipe button above if you’re ready to get cooking these leftover turkey empanadas, or keep reading for more recipes like this, plus step-by-step photos and cooking tips for making Thanksgiving leftover empanadas.
More Thanksgiving leftovers recipes like these leftover turkey empanadas
What you need to make turkey empanadas from Thanksgiving leftovers
Here’s what you’ll need to make these turkey empanadas from your holiday leftovers. Feel free to tweak the quantities based on your taste!
- Corn or vegetable oil for frying
- 1 1/2 cups chopped cooked turkey
- 1/2 cup turkey gravy, plus more for dipping
- 1 (11.6-ounce) package pre-made empanada dough (12 count pack of 5″ dough rounds), thawed. I use Goya brand found in the freezer section, but make sure it’s defrosted.
- 3/4 cup cooked mashed potatoes
- 3/4 cup prepared stuffing
- 1/4 cup prepared whole-berry cranberry sauce, or more to taste
How to make leftover Thanksgiving empanadas
To make these Thanksgiving empanadas, start by heating your frying oil in a pan on the stovetop until it reaches 375 degrees F (or 190 degrees C).
Toss the chopped leftover turkey with 1/2 cup turkey gravy in a bowl until well combined.
Take your thawed pre-made empanada dough and roll each piece with a rolling pin until they are about ½” larger in diameter. I roll them while still on their plastic separator sheets for easy handling.
Lay a piece of empanada dough on a plate or a clean cutting board. Pour some water into a small bowl next to the plate. Add 1 tablespoon of mashed potatoes to the center of one half of an empanada wrapper in a half moon shape (so it follows the curve of the wrapper but leaving some space to seal the dough around the filling). On top of the mashed potatoes, evenly layer 2 tablespoons of the turkey-gravy mixture, followed by 1 tablespoon stuffing, then between 1 teaspoon and 1/2 tablespoon of cranberry sauce (to taste). Dip your fingers into the bowl of water and run water around the entire edge of the dough with your fingers.
Fold the dough in half to cover the filling and pinch the edges of the dough together to seal. Use a fork to crimp the edges to secure the turkey empanadas wrapper further (or fold the edges of the dough over in sections). Repeat with the remaining dough and fillings.
Fry the leftover turkey empanadas in batches in the hot oil, flipping once or twice so that they brown evenly while frying, until the Thanksgiving empanadas are golden brown and crispy, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the leftover Thanksgiving empanadas to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and cool.
Serve the Thanksgiving leftover empanadas with additional turkey gravy for dipping.
Yummy! These turkey empanadas are like Thanksgiving in a bite! Here’s the Leftover Thanksgiving Empanadas recipe. Buen provecho!
Leftover Thanksgiving Empanadas
Tired of sandwiches and looking for new Thanksgiving leftovers recipes? These easy turkey empanadas are not only delicious, but a really fun way to use up holiday leftovers. Once you try leftover Thanksgiving empanadas, don't be surprised if your family wants these every year!
Ingredients
- Corn or vegetable oil for frying
- 1 1/2 cups chopped cooked turkey
- 1/2 cup turkey gravy, plus more for dipping
- 1 (11.6-ounce) package pre-made empanada dough (12 count pack of 5" dough rounds), thawed
- 3/4 cup cooked mashed potatoes
- 3/4 cup prepared stuffing
- 1/4 cup prepared whole-berry cranberry sauce, or more to taste
Instructions
- Heat oil in a pan on the stovetop until it reaches 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
- Toss turkey and 1/2 cup gravy in a bowl until well combined.
- Take your pre-made empanada dough and roll each piece with a rolling pin until they are about ½” larger in diameter.
- Lay a piece of empanada dough on a plate or a clean cutting board. Pour some water into a small bowl next to the plate. Add 1 tablespoon of mashed potatoes to the center of one half of an empanada wrapper in a half moon shape (so it follows the curve of the wrapper but leaving some space to seal the dough around the filling). On top of the mashed potatoes, evenly layer 2 tablespoons of the turkey-gravy mixture, followed by 1 tablespoon stuffing, then between 1 teaspoon and 1/2 tablespoon of cranberry sauce (to taste). Dip your fingers into the bowl of water and run water around the entire edge of the dough with your fingers. Fold the dough in half to cover the filling and pinch the edges of the dough together to seal. Use a fork to crimp the edges to secure the wrapper further (or fold the dough over in sections). Repeat with the remaining dough and fillings.
- Fry empanadas in batches in the hot oil, flipping once or twice so that they brown evenly while frying, until the empanadas are golden brown and crispy, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and cool.
- Serve with additional turkey gravy for dipping.
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