Leftover Turkey, Brie and Cranberry Quesadillas

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On the table in less than 30 minutes, these leftover turkey, Brie and cranberry quesadillas make for a delicious way to use up any leftover turkey after Christmas Day.

What does your ideal Christmas dinner look like? Whether it’s a traditional roast goose or turkey with stuffing, juicy roast beef or lamb or perhaps even chicken or gammon – not forgetting all the trimmings – most of us spend hours perfecting our Christmas Day feast. From planning what to serve to shopping for the ingredients, preparing the veg and cooking the whole lot to perfection for your extended family on the big day (no pressure!), we love pulling out all the stops when it comes to festive feasting.

However, we often put so much thought into what we’ll be eating on Christmas Day that we tend to overlook the matter of what to feed our guests on Boxing Day. After all, we can always resort to a trusty old leftover turkey curry, turkey casserole or cold meat spread, right?

Wrong. If truth be told, I’ve never liked my mum’s turkey curry and her casserole would be enough to send our guests packing (sorry, Mum). With this in mind, I set myself the challenge of coming up with a mouth-watering new recipe for using up any turkey leftover after Christmas dinner.

Leftover turkey quesadillas

With tender roast turkey, creamy Brie and sweet cranberry sauce sandwiched between two white tortillas and pan-fried in butter until golden brown and oozing with cheese, this is a quick and easy way to transform your leftovers.

Admittedly, these quesadillas are rather cheesy. In order for the melted cheese to hold the tortillas together properly, I’ve used two layers of Brie on each quesadilla. But hey, it’s Christmas – who’s counting calories?

However, if you’re feeling fatter than the turkey itself after polishing off your Christmas dinner yesterday or simply watching what you eat in the run-up to the New Year, you could probably get away with one layer of Brie. You might need to use a little less turkey so that the quesadilla can still be ‘sealed’ using the melted cheese.

The great thing about quesadillas is that you can pretty much stuff them with any ingredients you like, as long as you put some cheese in there to hold it together. So, while you can find my full leftover turkey, brie and cranberry quesadillas recipe below, don’t be afraid to experiment with your own fillings too. Check out my garlic chicken quesadillas, go veggie with sweet potato and spinach quesadillas or take a look at this article on crazy quesadilla combos for inspiration.

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4.88 from 8 votes

Leftover Turkey, Brie and Cranberry Quesadillas

Forget turkey curry, casserole or countless cold meat spreads. Ready in under half an hour, these turkey, Brie and cranberry quesadillas are perfect for a lazy Boxing Day lunch that makes the most of any leftover roast turkey lying around after Christmas dinner.

Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine British

Keyword Brie, cranberry, quesadilla

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 2 people

Calories 900kcal

Author Kacie Morgan

Cost $2

Equipment

• Skillet or frying pan

Ingredients

• 4 white tortilla wraps
• 200 g Brie sliced
• 2 tbsp cranberry sauce
• 250 g leftover roast turkey or pan-fried turkey breast
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter

Instructions

• Place four tortillas onto a clean work surface and top two of them with 50g Brie each.
• Shred the leftover turkey using a fork and divide it between the Brie-topped tortillas.
• Add another layer of 50g Brie to each tortilla.
• Spread 1 tbsp of cranberry sauce over each of the remaining tortillas and then place them on top of the final Brie layer.
• Melt 1 tbsp butter in a hot skillet or frying pan and transfer the first quesadilla to the pan. Let the cheese melt a little before flipping it, or the fillings might come tumbling out. Use a spatula to press down on the tortilla, encouraging it to seal together. Cook for 3-4 minutes each side, until the tortillas are golden brown and the filling is hot throughout. Once cooked, carefully remove from the pan, melt another 1 tbsp of butter and repeat the process to cook the second quesadilla.
• Cut the quesadillas into quarters and serve hot (although any leftovers can be eaten cold later).

Notes

• Place a lid on the skillet during cooking to encourage the Brie to melt faster.
• If you’re not overly hungry or if you’ve got smaller mouths to feed, you can half the ingredients and just use one tortilla per person. Simply place the ingredients over one half of the tortilla and then fold it in half for cooking.
• If you don’t happen to have any leftover turkey lying around, you can use a pan-fried turkey breast instead. 

Nutrition

Calories: 900kcal

FAQ

How long is leftover turkey good for in the fridge?

As long as the turkey was fresh and within its use-by date prior to cooking, leftover turkey can be kept covered in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Can I freeze leftover turkey?

Yes. Once cooked, leftover turkey can be stored in the freezer for up to three months.

What is the best way to freeze leftover turkey?

You can freeze leftover turkey in an airtight container, ziplock bag or heavy-duty foil in the freezer for up to three months. Use a permanent marker to record the date you froze the turkey so you can be sure of how long it’s been in the freezer. Prior to freezing the turkey, remove all the bones beforehand and once you’re ready eat it, allow at least 24 hours for defrosting in the fridge beforehand.

Can you freeze turkey after three days?

If the turkey has been kept in the fridge for the first three days, this will have slowed the growth of any harmful bacteria, meaning that you should be able to freeze leftover turkey after this time. However, ideally, leftover turkey should be frozen as soon as possible after booking. If in doubt, check the appearance and smell of the turkey and if you’re unsure, it’s usually best to throw it out.

My leftover turkey, brie and cranberry quesadillas are ideal for using up leftover roast turkey and cranberries after Christmas Day dinner, alongside any festive cheeseboard remnants. If you’re in need of any more inspiration on how to make the most of your leftovers, however, check out this Christmas leftover recipe round-up.

Pin this recipe so you’ll be able to find it again next Christmas!

Feeling festive? Take a peek at some of my other Christmas recipes before you head off:

• Brussels Sprout and Bacon Gratin
• Pigs in Blanket Toad in the Hole
• Shortbread Stars

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