Leftover Turkey Risotto

This leftover turkey risotto is extra flavorful, creamy, and the perfect way to use up those Thanksgiving or Christmas leftovers. It’s also super easy to make your own using various veggies!

It’s no surprise that after a big Thanksgiving or Christmas feast you end up with lots of turkey leftovers.

But that doesn’t mean that you have to eat turkey sandwiches for lunch every day for the next week.

There are so many creative ways to deal with those leftovers and this turkey risotto is one of them.

You can use any part of the turkey for this leftover turkey risotto, and that’s because you have to shred or dice the meat. It can be a mix of breast or leg or simply all those small bits you get from the turkey carcass.

And if you’ve been looking for more recipes with turkey leftovers, try my very popular creamy leftover turkey curry with coconut milk or this delicious creamy pasta with leftover turkey!

Why you’ll love this leftover turkey risotto

• It’s a great way to do something else with those turkey leftovers besides turkey sandwiches.
• You can easily make it in one pot with just a handful of ingredients. Bonus points: if you make turkey stock from the carcass, you can use it here.
• It’s naturally creamy and extra tasty!

What goes into turkey risotto

Olive oil + butter — A mix of olive oil and butter sets up an excellent creamy and flavorful base for the risotto.

Shallot — I like the mild flavor of shallots in this turkey risotto, but you can also use regular onion.

Mushrooms — Closed-cup or chestnut mushrooms add extra flavor and color to the risotto. You can skip them if you’re not a fan or use green peas instead.

Garlic — Freshly chopped or crushed garlic is best in this risotto.

Fresh thyme — The flavor of fresh thyme pairs perfectly with the garlic and mushrooms.

Rice — Use carnaroli rice if possible because it’s best for risotto. It could be a bit difficult to find sometimes, in which case arborio rice would be the next best choice.

White wine — Any dry white wine such as Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc works in a risotto. If you don’t cook with alcohol, skip this step.

Chicken stock — This risotto is just the perfect way to use up that homemade turkey stock, but if you don’t have any, regular chicken stock will do.

Parmesan — Keep a Parmesan wedge in the fridge and grate it as needed — it lasts for ages, and it’s simply better than the ready-grated stuff.

How to make risotto with leftover turkey

Heat the olive oil in a large, deep pan or Dutch oven and melt the butter in it.

Add the shallot and saute for 1-2 minutes over medium heat, then add the mushrooms and continue to cook for 3-4 minutes until they reduce in size.

Stir in the garlic and fresh thyme and continue to cook for a further minute.

Next, stir in the rice and toast it for 1-2 minutes.

Add the dry white wine and cook, stirring often, until the alcohol evaporates.

Start adding the chicken stock, 1-2 ladles at a time. Stir often but not continuously until the liquid is gone, then repeat until the rice is al dente.

Tip in the leftover turkey, then stir in the grated Parmesan and season to taste. Serve immediately, topped with some extra Parmesan if you like.

Leftovers and storage

• This risotto is best served immediately.
• Any leftovers will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days. It’s best to reheat them in the microwave until piping hot.
• I don’t recommend freezing this turkey risotto.

Recipe notes and tips

• Never rinse the rice for risotto because it eliminates the starch that makes the dish naturally creamy.
• Make sure the stock is hot when adding it to the pot.
• For an extra creamy risotto, stir in a bit of butter at the end before adding the Parmesan.

If you liked this leftover turkey risotto recipe, you might also like some of my other easy risotto recipes:

• Bacon and Chicken Risotto
• Chicken and Chorizo Risotto
• Risotto All'Amatriciana
• Instant Pot Barley Risotto with Mushrooms
• Creamy Lemon Garlic Orzo with Prawns

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