Turkey and stuffing get all the attention when it comes to Thanksgiving leftovers, but let's talk about the backbone that holds the whole meal together: gravy. Leftover gravy can be use to add moisture to reheated turkey, and of course as a dipping sauce for all your Thanksgiving leftover sandwiches, but it's great for so much more.
Read on for 9 ways to creatively use up any and all gravy you may have leftover from your Thanksgiving feast.
Good Gravy
1. Buttermilk Biscuits with Sausage Gravy
While the gravies of the South are typically milk- or cream-based, there's no rule that you can't douse biscuits in a brown gravy and call it breakfast. And why wouldn't you? It makes the perfect post-Thanksgiving morning treat.
2. Turkey Pot Pie for Another Day
The easiest yet tastiest way to eat through leftovers may just be stuffing them all into a comforting pot pie. Add some milk or cream to leftover gravy and use it as the base for the filling.
3. Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie
Alternatively, if you don't have extra pie crust or puff pastry on hand, use up leftover mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes and make shepherd's pie.
4. Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff with Mushrooms
Leftover gravy also makes for a perfect sauce for pasta, steak, or even meatballs. For a riff on classic beef Stroganoff, add sautéed mushrooms and maybe a tablespoon of Dijon mustard for a little zippy tang, then mix in some sirloin or ground beef and serve over egg noodles. Or, better yet, add some shredded leftover turkey into the mix in lieu of beef. I'd stick with the dark meat for this dish.
5. Old-School Swedish Meatballs
Or take a tip from another retro recipe and make Swedish meatballs by adding a few tablespoons of sour cream to your leftover gravy. They're not just for trips to Ikea! Pork, beef, or vegetarian meatballs shine when covered in creamy gravy and served alongside a big pile of mashed potatoes.
6. Pork Tenderloin with Bacon-Apple Cider Pan Gravy
Sauté some chopped bacon with sliced apples before adding your gravy for a sweet-and-savory autumnal addition. Add a splash of apple cider for some sugar and acid if the sauce needs thinning, then spoon over crispy pan-fried pork chops or roasted pork tenderloin for a flavor-packed dinner.
7. Baked Potatoes with White Pepper Milk Gravy
Ran out of mashed potatoes before the gravy's used up? Bake off a few potatoes and drench them for an easy side dish for leftover turkey.
8. Carlo Middione's Polenta Facile
Or ditch the potatoes again and serve atop something creamy and comforting, like Italian polenta. This Genius recipe is as easy as polenta gets.
9. Poutine
Stuck on potatoes? Make Canada's greatest export: poutine! Layer up fries, cheese curds (or cubed low-moisture mozzarella), maybe some leftover turkey, then drizzle on the gravy with reckless abandon.
