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    Home » Recipes » Main Courses

    Leftover Thanksgiving Stuffing Patties

    Published: Sep 13, 2024 · Modified: Mar 31, 2025 by Karin and Ken · This post may contain affiliate links. Leave a Comment

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    These stuffing patties are a fun and interesting way to repurpose your Thanksgiving leftovers. They have a nice and crispy exterior and a soft, moist interior. Top them with some leftover gravy or ketchup and you’ve got yourself an amazing hearty side that everyone will love! 

    Gravy being poured from a white jug onto a Thanksgiving stuffing patty on a bed of lettuce, with a small bowl of cranberry sauce in the background.

    I love cooking up a storm on holidays, especially Thanksgiving. But that also means leftovers, and lots of experimenting to put them to use. 

    A while back, I tried making stuffing muffins with some leftover stuffing I had, and they turned out insanely delicious, but this time, I really wanted to try something more hearty and filling, and that’s when I tried these patties. 

    In all honesty, these are so good, you can actually go ahead and make these from scratch too, not just when you want to use up your Thanksgiving leftovers.

    Why You’ll Love This Stuffing Patties Recipe

    • Customizable: You can tweak and play around with the mix-ins and whip up your own version of the patties too! .
    • Hearty and delicious: These patties are hearty and delicious! Serve them up with buns for lunch, or as a nice potato side dish.
    • Easy to make: They come together super quick, making them a great choice for those days when you don’t want to put a lot of effort and brainwork into cooking.
    • Family-friendly: With simple, savory flavors, everyone in the family is sure to love them! 

    Ingredients

    Ingredients to make leftover stuffing patties in bowls on the table.
    • Mashed potatoes: Use freshly made or leftover mashed potatoes. 
    • Leftover turkey: Shredded turkey leftover from your Thanksgiving feast is perfect. You could use either white or dark meat, whatever you prefer. You can even use leftover slow cooker turkey wings or air fryer turkey legs.
    • Leftover stuffing: For that crumbly and hearty deliciousness. I love using my cornbread sausage stuffing! 
    • Egg: To bind all the ingredients together. 
    • Cheese: For that salty, cheesy deliciousness. You could use almost any kind of shredded cheese. 
    • Butter: To fry the patties in. Use salted or unsalted butter.
    • Leftover gravy: To top the patties. This one’s optional, but it adds a nice bit of flavor and deliciousness to the patties. We love this turkey gravy without drippings!

    See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.

    Variations

    • Topping swap: While these stuffing patties taste amazing with the leftover gravy, you could also enjoy a different flavor by topping them with some homemade ham sauce instead. 
    • Herb wonder: Throw some chopped fresh herbs into the patty mixture to make the best herby leftover stuffing patties. 
    • Spice it up: Add a dash of cayenne into the patty mixture to lend the savory cakes a nice kick of heat. Or serve them up with our hot pepper sauce on the table.
    • Extra crunchy: Coat the patties in some breadcrumbs before frying them to get that extra crunchy exterior. 

    How to Make Stuffing Patties

    The best part about this Thanksgiving leftovers recipe is that you don’t need to turn on the oven or prep anything in advance. It’s just a few minutes of hands-on kitchen time!

    Ingredients to make stuffing patties in a glass bowl on the table.

    Step 1: Prepare the patty mixture. In a large bowl, combine the mashed potatoes, stuffing, cheese, turkey and egg until you get a uniform mixture.

    A bowl of mashed potatoes mixed up with leftover turkey and stuffing with patties shaped to the side.

    Step 2: Shape the patties. Portion out the mixture and flatten the balls into patties about 1 inch thick.

    Potato and stuffing patties cooking in a skillet.

    Step 3: Fry patties until crisp. Fry the patties over medium heat in a non-stick frying pan with a bit of oil or butter.

    Fried potato cake made with Thanksgiving leftovers on a white plate with cranberry sauce to the side.

    Step 4: Top and serve. Remove the patties, top them with some ketchup or gravy and serve them hot.

    ⭐ Hint: Add some chopped green onions to the patty mixture to add a nice bit of flavor to the stuffing patties.

    If you love leftover Thanksgiving recipes like this one you may also enjoy these Leftover Turkey Carcass Soup, Leftover Turkey and Stuffing Muffins, Turkey and Stuffing Casserole (Crock Pot) or our hearty Turkey Pot Pie with Stuffing Crust recipe. For another Holiday recipe, make sure you take a look at our The Best Oven Roasted Turkey or our Dr. Pepper Glazed Ham (Crock Pot and Oven) recipe! it is delicious and will make your holiday dinner one to remember.

    Leftover stuffing patties on a plate and more in the background.

    Storage

    • Storing: If you have any leftover patties, allow them to cool down and then refrigerate them in an airtight container or a Ziploc bag. They should stay fresh for up to 3 days. Be sure to account for time your leftovers were stored. I wouldn’t recommend freezing these fried patties, as it can ruin their texture. 
    • Reheating: To reheat the patties, pop them in the microwave for a few minutes, or pan fry them over medium-low heat, making sure they don’t end up burning. 

    Serving Suggestions

    These stuffing patties can be enjoyed with some of that delicious, savory gravy topped over them, as is. If you don’t have gravy, some spicy cranberry jam works wonderfully too! 

    I love serving them with a healthy salad, particularly my favorite cranberry apple coleslaw. 

    These patties can also be teamed up with a veggie side dish like balsamic roasted carrots or some butter and garlic carrots. I just feel like carrots work so wonderfully with the patties. 

    If you’re making these for a little get-together you’re hosting, finish them up with some no-bake pumpkin cheesecake for dessert!

    A golden-brown stuffing patty on a white plate with a side of red cranberry sauce.

    Recipe Tips

    • Make stuffing burgers: Use the stuffing patties for your homemade burgers. Place them between buns, top them with some ketchup, lettuce, cheese and enjoy!
    • Perfect the texture: If the patty mixture seems too soft to handle and shape, add some flour into it and give it a mix. If it's too dry, add an egg. You might also need to season the mixture a little bit.
    • Cook them right: Remember to cook the patties on medium heat. Cooking them on high heat will cause them to brown up on the outside, but stay undercooked in the middle.
    • Work in batches: If you’ve made lots of patties, cook them in batches. Avoid overcrowding the pan with too many patties, as it can cause them to cook unevenly.

    Recipe FAQs

    Can I use any other meat instead of turkey meat?

    You can! Rotisserie chicken is a great alternative to turkey. You can chop it up into small chunks or shred it- whatever you prefer. 

    Can I prep and freeze the stuffing patties for later?

    You can! Once you’ve shaped the patties, arrange them on a baking tray, freeze them for a few hours until they’re solid, and then pop them into a freezer-safe bag or container before freezing them again. 

    Stuffing patty cut open to show the inside.

    More Delicious Turkey Recipes

    Do you like turkey? Here are some recipes you may also like to try.

    • Two turkey legs cooked in crockpot on a plate with broccoli and mashed potatoes.
      Slow Cooker Turkey Legs
    • Turkey pot pie in a skillet with stuffing topping.
      Turkey Pot Pie with Stuffing Crust
    • A fork holding a piece of turkey stuffing casserole garnished with fresh herbs.
      Turkey and Stuffing Casserole (Crock Pot)
    • Shepherd's pie with turkey served up on a white plate wit a bit of parsley on top and in the background.
      Shepherds Pie With Turkey

    Ready to get cooking? Remember that you can print this recipe if you would like.

    Gravy pouring over a stuffing patty on a plate with a bowl of cranberry sauce in the background.

    Turkey, Mashed Potato, and Stuffing Patties

    Karin and Ken
    Got some Thanksgiving leftovers to use? Try making these leftover stuffing patties for a quick and easy dinner or side dish that the whole family will enjoy!
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 15 minutes mins
    Total Time 30 minutes mins
    Course Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish
    Cuisine American
    Servings 12 -15 patties
    Calories 177 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 5 cups leftover mashed potatoes
    • ½ - 1 cup cheese, shredded
    • 1 egg
    • 2 cups leftover stuffing
    • 2 cups leftover turkey, chopped
    • vegetable oil or butter - for pan-frying
    • leftover gravy, ketchup or sour cream as desired for serving
    Get Recipe Ingredients

    Instructions
     

    • In a large bowl, combine the mashed potatoes, cheese, stuffing, chopped turkey, egg. Using your hands, divide the mixture and then flatten into burgers about a 1 inch thick.
    • Heat 3 to 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil or butter in a large fry pan over medium heat. Make sure the bottom of the pan is thoroughly coated.
    • Fry the patties, in batches, until they're golden brown and crispy on both sides, around 4 or 5 minutes. Add more oil or butter to the pan as needed between batches. Do not overcrowd the pan and do not flip the burgers too soon or they won't develop a crisp crust and may fall apart. Transfer the burgers to a paper towel-lined plate and immediately sprinkle them with a dash of salt.
    • Serve the potato burgers topped with leftover gravy, ketchup or sour cream
    • NOTE: Leftover mashed potatoes vary in consistency depending on how much cream, milk or melted butter were added to the original batch. If the mashed potato burger mixture looks too dry and isn't holding together, add one more egg. If it looks too wet, add some flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the mixture is cohesive.

    Notes

    • Make stuffing burgers : Use the stuffing patties for your homemade burgers. Place them between buns, top them with some ketchup, lettuce, cheese and enjoy!
    • Perfect the texture: If the patty mixture seems too soft to handle and shape, add some flour into it and give it a mix. If it's too dry, add an egg. You might also need to season the mixture a little bit
    • Cook them right: Remember to cook the patties on medium heat. Cooking them on high heat will cause them to brown up on the outside, but stay undercooked in the middle.
    • Work in batches: If you’ve made lots of patties, cook them in batches. Avoid overcrowding the pan with too many patties, as it can cause them to cook unevenly.
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 177kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 10gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.003gCholesterol: 34mgSodium: 228mgPotassium: 457mgFiber: 3gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 180IUVitamin C: 17mgCalcium: 59mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword leftover stuffing, stuffing patties, thanksgiving leftovers, what to do with leftover stuffing
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    This recipe was originally posted in January 2016. It has been updated with new images and content.

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    We are the kitchen divas: Karin and my partner in life, Ken.

    We have been attached at the heart and hip since the first day we met, and we love to create new dishes to keep things interesting. Variety is definitely the spice of life!

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