Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes: Turkey Empanadas
If you’re staring at a container of leftover Thanksgiving turkey and want something other than another turkey sandwich, empanadas are the perfect solution. They’re easy to assemble, bake beautifully, and freeze well. Plus, they’re incredibly customizable—use whatever you already have in your fridge or pantry. Get creative with your leftover turkey and make these flaky, savory empanadas, served with a roasted red pepper sauce.
Here’s a fun and creative idea for using up leftover Thanksgiving turkey. Empanadas!
What Are Empanadas?
Empanadas are handheld pastry pockets filled with savory meat, veggies, or cheese. They’re popular throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, where fillings vary by region. I ate them all the time in Argentina. Common ingredient combinations include:
- Shredded chicken or beef
- Potatoes and onions
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Green olives or raisins
- Cheese
Think of them as the ultimate customizable, grab-and-go comfort food.
Empanadas are great for parties. They’re a breeze to prepare, and you can bake dozens of them at a time. Especially when you use a ready-made dough like I did.
Why You’ll Love This Turkey Empanada Recipe
- It uses up leftover Thanksgiving turkey
- It’s budget-friendly and great for meal prepping
- It’s both kid-friendly and freezer-friendly
- It’s perfect for parties: easy to batch bake
- It pairs beautifully with all kinds of sauces (but you’ve gotta try the chipotle sauce, recipe below)
Where To Buy Empanada Wrappers
I buy empanada wrappers at a local Mexican grocery store. They’re usually in the freezer section. If you’re stuck and can’t find them, you can:
- Make your own
- Use pie crust
- Use refrigerator crescent rolls
- Make these pot-pie style using puff pastry
Empanada Variations
If it’s not Thanksgiving – or if you don’t have leftover turkey on hand – you could certainly use chicken to make these empanadas. Or make a veggie filling. Or one with ground beef.
The point is – empanada fillings are extremely versatile. Use ingredients that you already have on hand, and flex your creativity muscles to make something delicious.
Empanada fillings are wildly flexible—this recipe works beyond Thanksgiving. Try:
Protein swaps
- Shredded chicken
- Rotisserie chicken
- Ground beef
- Leftover pork or ham
Veggie fillings
- Sweet potatoes
- Black beans + corn
- Spinach + cheese
- Mushrooms + onions
Sauce pairings
- Roasted red pepper sauce (my favorite!)
- Chipotle-lime crema
- Cranberry chutney
- Avocado salsa
FAQs
Q: Can I use leftover Thanksgiving turkey for these empanadas?
A: Yes. Leftover Thanksgiving turkey works perfectly. Shredded or finely chopped turkey mixes easily with spices, veggies, or sauce to create a flavorful empanada filling.
Q: What dough is best for empanadas?
A: Store-bought empanada wrappers (discos) are ideal and bake up flaky and crisp. If you can’t find them, you can use pie crust, puff pastry, or refrigerated crescent rolls as easy substitutes.
Q: Can I freeze turkey empanadas?
A: Absolutely. Empanadas freeze very well. Assemble and bake them, let them cool completely, then freeze in a single layer before transferring to a freezer bag. Reheat in the oven or air fryer until warm and crisp.
Q: Can I bake empanadas instead of frying them?
A: Yes. Most store-bought empanada wrappers are made for baking. Brush the tops with egg wash for color and bake until golden brown — no frying needed.
Q: What sauces go well with turkey empanadas?
A: These empanadas pair well with roasted red pepper sauce, chipotle-lime crema, salsa verde, cranberry chutney, or a simple sour cream dip.
Q: Can I make these empanadas ahead of time?
A: Yes. You can assemble empanadas up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerate them. When ready, bake straight from the fridge. Just add a couple extra minutes of bake time.
More Leftover Turkey Recipes
- Turkey empanadas
- Turkey chili
- Turkey mole bowls
- Turkey lettuce wraps with peanut sauce
- Amazing leftover turkey salad
- BBQ-chipotle turkey salad
- Thanksgiving leftover burritos
- Thanksgiving croquettes
- Leftover turkey and cranberry salsa nachos
More Empanada Recipes
Ground beef empanadas (Argentine-style)
Breakfast empanadas (filled with scrambled egg and bacon)
Turkey Empanadas
If you're using ready-made empanada dough, be sure to check the package instructions for bake time and temperature.
Ingredients
For empanadas
- 1 package empanada wrappers
- 1 1/2 cups finely chopped turkey
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoons capers (or 1/4 cup chopped green olives)
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For roasted red pepper sauce
- 1 roasted red pepper
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F. Mix all turkey filling ingredients together and season to your liking.
- Place one large tablespoon of turkey filling in the middle of each empanada dough round. Fold the dough over and seal edges by pressing together. Seal with a little water, if necessary.
- Place in oven and bake for about 15 minutes, or until crust is browned and filling is hot.
- To make roasted red pepper sauce, combine all ingredients in a food processor and puree.
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You can also make empanadas with egg roll wrappers. Yup!