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Use up Thanksgiving leftovers in the most delicious way yet with my Thanksgiving Leftover Pizza recipe! By using puff pastry as a crust and all the best of Thanksgiving as the toppings, this super-easy pizza recipe is a favorite for kids!
Leftover Thanksgiving Pizza
Some say that the source of all creativity is limitations. In my opinion, the source of all creativity is having kids. How else do you think I ended up making my Thanksgiving leftovers into a pizza?
Okay, I admit, I wasn’t sure how it’d turn out when my kids asked me for Thanksgiving Leftover Pizza all those years ago. But I didn’t want to tell them no, so I got out some puff pastry and gave it a go. Maybe it’d be weird, but at least the kids would be happy, right?
I’m not ashamed to have been proven wrong! Not only did my kids devour it, but I’ve kept the recipe on hand for years since. It’s one of my very favorite leftover Thanksgiving recipes, taking all the delicious flavors of the best time of year and turning them into an easy to eat, cheesy, tasty pizza that’s tons of fun. And yes- my grandkids love Thanksgiving leftover pizza just as much!
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Pizza for Thanksgiving?
If your family is anything like mine, Thanksgiving leftover ideas are worth their weight in gold. Sure, I’m happy to reheat big plates of leftover turkey and sides and chow down like it’s Thanksgiving 2, but my kids weren’t so easy to please!
That’s where leftover Thanksgiving recipes like my Thanksgiving Pizza come in. It’s fast, easy, uses up tons of leftovers, and best of all, it’s fun and delicious.
Thanksgiving Pizza Ingredients
- Puff Pastry: Puff pastry will make up the pizza crust! It’s easy, no-fuss, and has a delightfully buttery and flaky texture that works perfectly with the flavors of Thanksgiving. You can also use canned pizza dough.
- Mashed Potatoes: It doesn’t really matter how you made your mashed potatoes! Whether they’re loaded up with garlic, sour cream, or parmesan, they’ll be delicious.
- Gravy: The “sauce” for this pizza! If you’re like me and the gravy is all gone by the first day, I’ve got the perfect Turkey Gravy recipe for making more with or without drippings.
- Turkey: Leftover turkey can be dark or light meat; both will be delicious! I like to use a mix of both. My favorite turkey for this is my classic Thanksgiving turkey.
- Stuffing: Any style of stuffing will work. I like to use my Sage and Sausage stuffing!
- Brie Cheese: Here’s where you can really get creative! Use whatever brie you like the most. I prefer very mild brie, such as Fromage D’Affinois, but you can use more funky brie, too! Don’t have brie? You can also use mozzarella cheese or even cheddar cheese (I recommend white cheddar if so).
- Cranberry Sauce: An absolute must. You can use homemade cranberry sauce, or canned cranberry sauce.
- Fried Onions: The crispy fried onions used to top green bean casserole are perfect for topping this pizza! If you don’t have any, you can skip them.
- Rosemary (optional): Personally, I love garnishing the finished pizza with some chopped fresh rosemary, but you can also skip this if you don’t have fresh herbs on hand.
- Flour: Finally, you’ll need just a bit of flour for dusting and rolling out the puff pastry.
Isabel’s Top Tip
Get creative with leftovers! If you have leftover green bean casserole or sweet potato casserole, they can be added in to the mix, too! I’ve even added in chopped up roasted brussels sprouts and found the bitter flavor really comes to life combined with creamy, savory mashed potatoes, stuffing, and gravy.
How to Make Thanksgiving Pizza
1: Prepare the Crust
Preheat the oven to 400F. While it’s heating, sprinkle a clean surface with flour and roll out the puff pastry dough until it’s smooth and flat.
2: Cut to Size
Place your pie tin or spring-form pan upside down on the pastry, and cut with a sharp knife in a circle around the pan. Discard or store excess pastry.
3: Add Mashed Potatoes
Place the newly formed pizza crust on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and spread an even layer of mashed potatoes over the pastry.
4: Add Gravy, Turkey, and Stuffing
Drizzle gravy over the potatoes, then sprinkle with chopped turkey and leftover stuffing.
5: Add the Cheese
Add slices of brie or shredded cheese of choice over the top of the pizza.
5: Bake 18-20 Minutes
Place the pizza in the oven, and bake for 18-20 minutes or until the cheese is melty and the pizza has heated through.
6: Add Onions and Cranberry Sauce
After baking, remove from the oven and top with fried onions and dollops of cranberry sauce, then bake another 3-5 minutes.
7: Garnish and Serve!
Remove from the oven, then garnish with chopped rosemary. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes
- Creamy Turkey Tetrazzini with Mushrooms and Peas
- Turkey Carcass Soup
- Turkey Leftovers Sandwich
- Turkey Sliders
Tips for Thanksgiving Leftover Pizza
- Make sure you’re working on a well floured surface and roll out the puff pastry nice and smooth so it doesn’t have big bubbles forming!
- You can also make this dish on a pizza pan or pizza stone. Just don’t bake it directly on the oven rack, as the pastry isn’t strong enough and will fall apart.
- You can easily convert this pizza into a tasty turkey pot pie by placing the puff pastry in a pie tin after cutting it to size, then playing another round of it on top at the end. Add extra gravy and enjoy!
- This recipe makes a 9-inch pizza, which is perfect for two people. If you’re feeding a family, I recommend making two pizzas.
How to Store Leftover Pizza
- Refrigerator: I like to store leftover pizza by fully slicing it, then wrapping each individual slice in aluminum foil. Then place all of the pieces in a plastic bag and store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: This pizza is a perfect choice for freezing! Make sure to wrap each piece in foil or plastic wrap, then store then in an airtight plastic bag for up to 3 months.
- Thawing: Thaw in the fridge overnight, or place the frozen pizza slices in the oven at 350F, wrapped in foil to preserve moisture. Bake for 10-15 minutes, then remove the foil and bake another 3 minutes.
- Reheating: My favorite way to reheat leftover pizza is in the oven or air fryer! Keep them wrapped in foil and heat them at 350F for 5 minutes in the air fryer or 10 minutes in the oven. Keeping them wrapped in foil will ensure they don’t get too crispy and burned!
Thanksgiving Leftovers Pizza FAQ
Absolutely! I prefer the light, flaky texture and buttery flavor of puff pastry, but it’s entirely personal preference. You can also use canned, pre-made, or homemade pizza dough. I recommend par-baking homemade or canned dough for at least 5 minutes to prevent it from being soggy.
I recommend thawing the puff pastry before using it, as it makes the pastry softer and stretchier, and thus less likely to break while being rolled out. To thaw it quickly, it can be placed in the microwave with the defrost setting and heated until no longer cold.
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Recipe
Leftover Thanksgiving Pizza
Equipment
- 9-inch Pie Pan or Springform Pan for measuring crust
Ingredients
- 1 sheet Puff pastry thawed
- ½ cup Mashed potatoes
- 2 tablespoons Gravy divided
- ½ cup Turkey chopped
- ½ cup Stuffing
- ½ cup Brie cheese cut into small slices
- 2 tablespoons Cranberry sauce
- 2 tablespoons Fried onions
- 1 teaspoon Fresh rosemary chopped, for garnishing (optional)
- 2 tablespoons Flour for laying out the puff pastry
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400℉. While it’s preheating, sprinkle a clean surface with flour. Roll out the puff pastry and lay it flat.1 sheet Puff pastry, 2 tablespoons Flour
- Turn your pie pan or spring-form pan upside down, and cut with a knife a circle around the pan. Discard any excess puff pastry.
- Evenly spread the mashed potatoes over the bottom of the puff pastry sheet.½ cup Mashed potatoes
- Drizzle the gravy over the mashed potatoes. Top with chopped turkey and stuffing.2 tablespoons Gravy, ½ cup Turkey, ½ cup Stuffing
- Spread the brie slices evenly over the top of your pizza.½ cup Brie cheese
- Pop your pizza in the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes.
- After 18-20 minutes, top the pizza with fried onions and dollop with cranberry sauce, and bake for an additional 3-5 minutes.2 tablespoons Cranberry sauce, 2 tablespoons Fried onions
- Remove from the oven, and garnish with fresh chopped rosemary. Slice and enjoy!1 teaspoon Fresh rosemary
Video
Notes
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- Make sure you’re working on a well floured surface and roll out the puff pastry nice and smooth so it doesn’t have big bubbles forming!
-
- You can also make this dish on a pizza pan or pizza stone. Just don’t bake it directly on the oven rack, as the pastry isn’t strong enough and will fall apart.
-
- You can easily convert this pizza into a tasty turkey pot pie by placing the puff pastry in a pie tin after cutting it to size, then playing another round of it on top at the end. Add extra gravy and enjoy!
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- This recipe makes a 9-inch pizza, which is perfect for two people. If you’re feeding a family, I recommend making two pizzas.
- Note: Nutrition varies depending on your leftovers. If necessary, please calculate nutrition using the values for your specific leftovers.
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