Okay, let's talk about the delicious dilemma after a big holiday feast: leftovers! While today, May 5th, 2025, feels a world away from Thanksgiving here in Morocco, I know many of my readers in the US and Canada love finding creative ways to use up those amazing holiday leftovers later in the year. This Thanksgiving Leftover Breakfast Sandwich is one of my absolute favorite solutions! It piles savory stuffing, creamy mashed potatoes, tender turkey, and tangy cranberry cream cheese onto a toasted everything bagel, all crowned with a perfect fried or poached egg. It's hearty, packed with flavor, and transforms those familiar leftovers into an epic breakfast or brunch masterpiece. Definitely bookmark this one for November!
Why You'll Love This Thanksgiving Leftover Sandwich
- Ultimate Leftover Makeover: The best way to repurpose Thanksgiving turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce.
- Incredible Flavor Combination: All your favorite holiday flavors packed into one amazing sandwich.
- Hearty and Satisfying: This loaded bagel sandwich is guaranteed to keep you full and happy.
- Easy Assembly: Simply heat your leftovers and layer them onto a toasted bagel!
- Perfect Post-Holiday Brunch: A fun and delicious way to continue the feast the next morning.
Ingredients for Thanksgiving Leftover Breakfast Sandwich
Here's what you'll need to assemble this epic leftover creation. The full list with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Main Components (Leftovers!)
- Everything bagel, toasted (Bagel)
- Leftover cooked turkey, sliced or shredded (Meat)
- Leftover stuffing/dressing (Side Dish)
- Leftover mashed potatoes (Side Dish)
- Cranberry sauce (homemade or canned) (Condiment)
- Cream cheese, softened (Dairy Spread)
- Large eggs, cooked (fried, poached, etc.) (Protein)
Optional Additions & Seasoning
- Bacon (optional) (Meat)
- Avocado, sliced (optional) (Fruit)
- Salt (to taste) (Seasoning)
- Pepper (to taste) (Spice)
Serving Suggestions
- Pico de gallo
- Guacamole
- Cilantro lime sauce
- Sour Cream
(Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card below.)
Variations
While this recipe is designed for classic Thanksgiving leftovers, feel free to adapt based on what you have!
- Different Bread: Use sourdough toast, ciabatta rolls, or even leftover dinner rolls instead of an everything bagel.
- No Cranberry Cream Cheese: Just use plain cream cheese and add a layer of cranberry sauce separately. Or skip the cream cheese altogether.
- Add Gravy: A drizzle of leftover gravy would be incredibly decadent!
- Different Meat: Use leftover roast chicken or ham instead of turkey.
- Vegetarian: Omit the turkey (and optional bacon) and load up on stuffing, potatoes, maybe add some roasted vegetables.
How to Make a Thanksgiving Leftover Breakfast Sandwich
Assembling this glorious Thanksgiving Leftover Breakfast Sandwich is all about layering the deliciousness:
Prep Components
- First, I mix the tangy cranberry cream cheese spread. In a small bowl, I combine the softened cream cheese and the cranberry sauce until they're well combined. I set this aside.
- Next, I gently reheat my leftovers - the stuffing, mashed potatoes, and sliced/shredded turkey - using the microwave or a skillet until warmed through.
- I cook 1 or 2 eggs to my liking - fried or poached with a runny yolk is fantastic here!
- Finally, I slice my everything bagel in half horizontally and toast it until golden brown.
Assemble the Sandwich
- I generously spread the prepared cranberry cream cheese mixture on both halves of the toasted everything bagel.
- On the bottom half of the bagel, I start layering! I add a scoop of the warm mashed potatoes first.
- Then, I add a layer of the warm stuffing over the potatoes.
- Next comes the warm leftover turkey slices or shreds.
- Carefully, I place the perfectly cooked fried or poached egg(s) on top of the turkey.
Serve
- I place the top half of the bagel (with cranberry cream cheese) over the egg.
- I serve this epic Thanksgiving Leftover Breakfast Sandwich immediately and dig in!
Tips and Tricks for the BEST Leftover Sandwich
Here are my secrets for making this Thanksgiving Leftover Breakfast Sandwich truly spectacular:
- Toast the Bagel Well: A nicely toasted everything bagel provides the perfect texture contrast and flavor base.
- Warm the Leftovers: Gently reheating the turkey, stuffing, and mashed potatoes makes the sandwich much more enjoyable than using cold fillings.
- Runny Egg Yolk: If you enjoy a runny yolk, cooking your egg sunny-side up, over easy, or poached adds a luscious "sauce" when broken over the fillings.
- Don't Overstuff (Too Much!): While it's tempting to pile everything high, keep it somewhat manageable to eat!
- Cranberry Cream Cheese: Mixing the cranberry sauce into the cream cheese helps it stay put and distributes the flavor nicely.
How to Serve
This Thanksgiving Leftover Breakfast Sandwich is a hearty meal in itself! Serve it hot and fresh:
- For Post-Holiday Brunch: The ultimate way to enjoy the fruits (and meats and carbs!) of your Thanksgiving labor.
- For Lunch: A super satisfying lunch that uses up leftovers creatively.
- With Optional Toppings: Add sliced avocado or crispy bacon as suggested for even more decadence.
Serve immediately!
Make Ahead and Storage
This sandwich is definitely best assembled and eaten fresh using heated leftovers. It doesn't lend itself well to making ahead or storing once assembled, as the bagel will become soggy. Prepare components (like the cranberry cream cheese) ahead if desired, but assemble just before serving.
FAQs about Thanksgiving Leftover Breakfast Sandwich
- What kind of bagel works best?
- Everything bagels add fantastic flavor, but plain, sesame, onion, or whole wheat bagels would also be delicious bases for this Leftover Breakfast Sandwich.
- Can I use different Thanksgiving leftovers?
- Absolutely! If you have leftover green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, or roasted vegetables, feel free to incorporate them into the layers if you like!
- What if I don't have cranberry sauce?
- You can skip the cranberry cream cheese spread or use plain cream cheese. Alternatively, a dollop of apple butter or fig jam could offer a different sweet/savory element.
Enjoy this incredible way to transform your holiday feast into the ultimate Thanksgiving Leftover Breakfast Sandwich! Save this idea for November!
Print
Thanksgiving Leftovers Everything Bagel Breakfast Sandwich
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 1x
- Category: Breakfast, Brunch, Sandwich, Leftovers
- Cuisine: American
Description
Put those Thanksgiving leftovers to delicious use with this ultimate breakfast sandwich! An everything bagel is toasted and layered with cranberry cream cheese, leftover mashed potatoes, stuffing, turkey, and a perfectly cooked egg.
Ingredients
- 1 everything bagel, sliced in half
- 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 ½ tablespoons cranberry sauce (homemade or canned, whole berry or jellied)
- Approx. ⅓ cup leftover stuffing, warmed
- Approx. ⅓ cup leftover mashed potatoes, warmed
- A few slices leftover cooked turkey, warmed
- 1-2 large eggs, cooked to your liking (fried or poached recommended)
- Optional: Cooked bacon slices
- Optional: Sliced avocado
Instructions
- Toast Bagel: Toast the sliced everything bagel halves to your desired crispness.
- Make Cranberry Cream Cheese: In a small bowl, mix the softened cream cheese and cranberry sauce together until well combined.
- Heat Leftovers: Gently warm the leftover stuffing, mashed potatoes, and turkey slices using a microwave or skillet until heated through.
- Cook Egg(s): Cook 1 or 2 eggs to your preference (fried or poached work particularly well for this sandwich).
- Assemble Sandwich:
- Spread the cranberry cream cheese mixture generously on the cut side of both toasted bagel halves.
- On the bottom half of the bagel, layer the warmed mashed potatoes, followed by the warmed stuffing, then the warmed turkey slices.
- Carefully place the cooked egg(s) on top of the turkey.
- Add optional cooked bacon or sliced avocado if desired.
- Place the top half of the bagel (cream cheese side down) onto the egg.
- Serve: Serve the breakfast sandwich immediately and dig in!
Notes
- Leftovers: Use your favorite Thanksgiving leftovers! Amounts are approximate; adjust based on your preferences and what you have.
- Cream Cheese: Ensure cream cheese is softened for easy mixing and spreading.
- Cranberry Sauce: Whole berry or jellied cranberry sauce works.
- Heating Leftovers: Gently warm leftovers so they are heated through but not dried out.
- Egg: A fried or poached egg with a runny yolk adds a delicious saucy element.
- Storage: This sandwich is best assembled and eaten immediately with warm leftovers.
