These delicious leftover turkey quesadillas are made with leftover turkey, leftover cranberry sauce, and all the cheese you love. The best part of this recipe is that they take only minutes to make! You can use up all your leftovers and answer the question of what to do with leftover turkey.
Leftover roast quesadillas are so easy and so fun to make. I will make these all the time with leftovers including roast chicken and even roast beef.
A perfect combination of tender leftover turkey, melted cheese and zesty cranberry sauce. Say goodbye to boring leftovers and hello to a quick and easy meal that will leave you wanting more.
Why you’ll love this leftover turkey quesadillas recipe
This recipe answers the age old Boxing Day question ‘ What to do with leftover turkey’. You can easily whip up these turkey and cheese quesadillas are the perfect lunch time snack after your brisk boxing day walk or as a cheesy hangover cure.
I like making these as a new take on a classic and using leftover turkey for these quesadillas was a great recipe to add to my repertoire. It’s quick, tasty and helps me reduce my food waste. Win – Win.
Mixing turkey with cranberry sauce and all your favourite cheeses is such a no brainer you’ll be wondering why you’ve never made cheese and turkey quesadillas before.
Ingredients
For the full recipe and instructions scroll to the bottom of the page for the recipe card.
Leftover Turkey
Quite an important ingredient in this leftover turkey recipe, the turkey is our humble favourite meat at Christmas (followed very closely by pigs in blankets of course). You just need to wrap your unused turkey in some tinfoil and keep it in te fridge for a few days. You can also freeze cooked turkey for up to a month.
Tortilla
These soft flat breads are used heavily in south American cooking and are vital to making a good quesadilla. They provide a case for the cheeky turkey filling. You can make tortilla’s if you like but I just like picking mine up from Aldi.
Cheese
You can use any cheese in this, but I love a strong mature cheddar. It melts so well and the strong flavour pairs well with everything in the quesadilla.
Leftover cranberry sauce
Cranberry sauce coms out once a year in my house and I’ve always got loads left so finding a recipe that helps use up all that leftover cranberry sauce. The big debate is jelly or lumpy sauce?
How to Make leftover turkey quesadillas – Step by Step
Keep scrolling to find the full printable instructions and ingredient quantities.
Start by laying out your tortilla’s and adding your grated cheese to one side.
Now add the shredded turkey on top of the cheese.
You can add some greens if you fancy but adding cranberry sauce to your tortillas.
Now fold over your tortilla.
Pop them on the grill or in a frying pan. Until the cheese has started melted and the tortilla has started brown.
Use a plate or flat spatula to flatten your quesadilla. This will help it seal at the edges.
Top Tips
Mix and match your cheese and turkey quesadilla. Use up the leftover roast veg, pop a pigs in blanket in there. Have fun and let me know in the comments how you personalise your quesadillas.
Make a dipping sauce from gravy, more cranberry sauce or cheese sauce to really take these leftover turkey quesadillas to the next level.
Salad and greens are a great addition to your turkey and cheese quesadilla. It makes this meal a bit healthier
Serving Suggestions for leftover turkey quesadillas
These leftover turkey quesadillas are best enjoyed warm. The cheese is melted perfectly and all the flavours come together. You can serve your quesadilla with a light salad and chopped chilli.
Flavoured oils are another great addition to these Boxing Day treats. You can infuse oil with garlic, chilli or basil. All three work wonderfully with your boxing day quesadillas.
Equipment
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- Griddle pan(or frying pan)
- Chopping board
- Knife
- Toastie Maker / Sandwich Press (optional)
Substitutions and variations
You can make these leftover turkey quesadillas with any leftover roast meat. Think roast beef quesadillas with horseradish sauce or juicy roast pork with a large helping of apple sauce.
Turkey and cheese quesadillas rate so highly on my Christmas feast planning.
Dip your quesadilla into leftover gravy
If you have leftover gravy you can heat it up and dip the quesadillas into it. Simply heat it up and serve a little dipping bowl of gravy with each quesadilla.
Storing leftover turkey quesadillas / Making ahead of time options
These quesadillas are best when served and eaten fresh. The tortilla wraps can go a little hard if they’ve been reheated more than once.
You can get all your ingredients prepped in advance so that you can whips up a leftover turkey quesadilla as soon as the craving hits.
leftover turkey quesadillas FAQS
- How long is leftover turkey good for?
- What can I put in a quesadilla besides cheese?
- How do I make leftover turkey moist again?
- How long does cooked turkey last in the fridge UK?
- What can you do with leftover turkey and cranberry sauce?
How long is leftover turkey good for?
Leftover turkey is usually good for about 4 days in the fridge once it’s been cooked. You can store it in Tupperware or wrapped in tinfoil once the turkey has fully cooled. If you want to keep your turkey for longer, pop it in the freezer where it will last for 2 months.
What can I put in a quesadilla besides cheese?
You can put lots of things in a quesadilla besides cheese, you can add meat, veggies, chillis or herbs and spices, or you can add your favourite sauce.
How do I make leftover turkey moist again?
You make leftover turkey moist again by placing it in a roasting dish in the oven half full of vegetable or chicken stock. Let it cook in the oven for about 20 minutes to half hour and it will absorb the juices. Making it nice and moist again.
How long does cooked turkey last in the fridge UK?
Cooked turkey can last in the fridge for about 4 days in the UK. Longer if you keep it in the freezer. You can reheat turkey once, like chicken.
What can you do with leftover turkey and cranberry sauce?
You can make a leftover turkey quesadilla with turkey and cranberry sauce should you have leftovers. You can also make a turkey leftover pie too.
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Recipe
Leftover Turkey Quesadillas
Equipment
- Griddle pan (or frying pan)
- Toastie Maker / Sandwich Press (optional)
Ingredients
- 4 large tortillas
- 300 g cooked leftover turkey (shredded or chopped into small cubes)
- 200 g cranberry sauce
- 400 g grated cheddar
- cherry tomatoes
Optional extras
- Brie cheese
- coriander / cilantro
- red onion
- red chilli
- Leftover vegetables
Instructions
- Sprinkle the grated cheese over half of a tortilla.
- Add your shredded turkey.
- Top with cranberry sauce and other ingredients you fancy. I added some fresh coriander and some chopped cherry tomatoes.
- Add some extra grated cheese and fold the tortilla in half.
- Place the griddle pan/ frying pan on medium heat. When hot add the folded tortilla to the pan. You can use another frying pan to flatten it.
- Cook until the turkey quesadilla is golden on both sides and the cheese is melted.
- Transfer to a cutting board, cut up and serve while hot. Or you can leave it to cool and enjoy it cold.
Notes
- This recipe is hugely adaptable and you can add in your favourite leftovers.
- If you have leftover gravy you can heat it up and dip the quesadillas into it.
Nutrition
Please note that the nutrition information provided above is approximate and meant as a guideline only.
Loved these, I had leftover chicken and swapped that in – delicious. I’ll be saving this recipe for the festive holiday with leftover Turkey and bits from my cheeseboard.
This is just genius. Delicious genius!
These were delicious! I added some chilli powder to mine to give them some spice which was so tasty.
I love turkey leftovers and this recipe is the perfect way to use them. I tried it with leftover chicken and was very impressed with the delicious result.