Leftover Turkey And Cranberry Salsa Nachos

Does anyone else love Thanksgiving leftovers as much as the Thanksgiving meal itself?

Every year, I intentionally make more than my guests will eat so I have plenty of leftovers.

The more meals you can make out of leftover Thanksgiving foods, the more money you’ll save.

While there’s nothing wrong with eating the same meal again, the fun part about Thanksgiving leftovers is getting creative with your meal planning.

Case in point: These leftover Turkey nachos with cranberry salsa. 

Just like that, you can repurpose not one but TWO of your Thanksgiving dishes.

Thanksgiving Nachos, Explained

These nachos were really, really good. 

But I know for some of you, this recipe may sound weird.

If you’re hesitant, think of it this way: If you’ve ever had chicken on nachos, or if you’ve ever had tortilla chips with a fruit-based salsa like mango salsa or pineapple salsa – then these nachos shouldn’t be weird to you.

Here’s how they stack up: 

• The base: The base is corn tortilla chips, topped with chopped turkey, black beans, and cheese
• Toppings: The nachos are topped with lots of fresh ingredients: tomatoes, red onion, jalapenos, cilantro
• Sauces: There are two sauces on top: Cranberry salsa (recipe below) and a creamy cilantro lime sauce

Money-saving tip: You can customize these nachos to use up what you may already have on hand: Serrano peppers, corn, a different type of cheese, etc.

More Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes

Enjoy your Thanksgiving meal… and make the most out of your leftovers. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Turkey-cranberry wontons
• Turkey lettuce wraps with peanut sauce
• Thanksgiving croquettes (made out of leftovers)
• Other Thanksgiving leftover ideas

Did you try this recipe? Be sure to tag #CheapRecipeBlog on Instagram to share your version!

Print

Yield: 8 Servings

Leftover Turkey And Cranberry Salsa Nachos

These nachos feature leftover turkey, cheese, black beans, cranberry salsa, cilantro-lime sauce, and plenty of fresh toppings.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 10 ounces tortilla chips
• 2 cups leftover turkey, chopped
• 1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• Handful of cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
• 1 jalapeno, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• Juice from 1/2 lime
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 cup packed cilantro leaves
• 14-ounce can cranberry sauce
• Juice from 1/2 lime
• 1 green onion, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place a layer of tortilla chips on the pan. Top with turkey, black beans, and cheese. Repeat with another layer of chips, turkey, black beans, and cheese. Bake for 10 minutes, until cheese is melted.
2. To make cilantro-lime sauce: Place sour cream, mayonnaise, lime juice, garlic powder, and cilantro leaves in a food processor. Pulse until cilantro leaves are broken down and sauce is green.
3. To make cranberry salsa: Combine cranberry sauce, lime juice, green onions, hot sauce, and garlic powder.
4. Remove nachos from oven and top with tomatoes, jalapeno, and extra cilantro leaves. Drizzle on cilantro-lime sauce and cranberry salsa.

Notes

You can easily make more or less, depending on how many you are feeding. This recipe is a suitable appetizer for 8 people.