This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our privacy policy for additional information.

Why You’ll Love My Recipe

Looking for a creative way to use up leftover turkey? Look no further! there are few things better than crispy puff pastry filled with all of your holiday faves!

As much as I love big holiday meals, I usually find myself with lots of leftovers that need to be eaten and a family that only has so much patience for them! Recipes like this one make it easy to repurpose your turkey and fixings into something new, tasty, and easily portable—perfect for lunches and snacks, or for freezing for a later date when you’re feeling less flavor fatigue!

A green plate holds several golden-brown puff pastry turnovers, with one cut open to reveal a savory filling. Nearby are bowls of sauce and jam, and festive holiday decor can be seen in the background.

Karlynn’s Recipe Notes

Skill Level: This recipe is easy to make; perfect for taking it easy post-holidays!
Total Time: You can have these turnovers ready to eat in just 40 minutes!
Variations: Turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce come together to make these pockets of goodness delicious, but if you served other sides, feel free to include them! Pair your diced turkey with oven-roasted veggies or a little dollop of mashed potato with a drizzling of gravy—the sky’s the limit! I prefer to layer the fillings of my turnovers, but you can mix everything together if you want!
Tools For This Recipe: You will need a large baking sheet, a knife (for cutting up your puff pastry into squares), and depending on the type of frozen puff pastry you choose, you might need a rolling pin to flatten it into sheets.

A plate of golden, flaky puff pastry turnovers filled with turkey, vegetables, and cranberry sauce. One turnover is cut open to show the filling. Festive decorations and a bowl of sauce are in the background.

What You’ll Need for Ingredients

Frozen Puff Pastry Sheets: While you could make your own puff pastry for these turnovers, this recipe is all about convenience! Make sure that you follow the package instructions to make sure that your puff pastry is properly prepped for baking!

Egg: An egg wash is a lovely way to add a little extra golden brown and crispy goodness to puff pastries.

A holiday meal spread includes sliced turkey, stuffing, brown gravy, cranberry sauce, an egg, and a block of dough on a white table with festive decorations and a red and white placemat.

Leftovers: You’ll need about 1 cup of chopped up turkey meat (I use leftover white meat for my version, but you could also shred up dark meat if you prefer it), 1 cup of leftover stuffing, and 1/3 of a cup of cranberry sauce! I suggest reserving your gravy to serve alongside your turnovers as a dip after they’re baked. Karlynn’s Tip: I love the sweet and tangy zip that cranberry sauce gives to the filling of these turnovers, but if you or your family members aren’t a fan, you could always add a little of your leftover gravy to your stuffing to make these turnovers extra moist and delicious! Just be careful not to add so much that you get a goopy mess!

How To Make Leftover Turkey Turnovers

This is a quick overview of the recipe. The full list of ingredients & complete step-by-step instructions are in the recipe card below.

Preheat your oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper, then set aside. Prepare an egg wash by beating one large egg with one tablespoon of water in a small bowl.
Remove the puff pastry sheets from their packaging and cut each sheet into four equal squares. Fill one square at a time, covering the rest with plastic wrap to keep them from drying out. Brush the egg wash along the edges of the pastry square, then place a tablespoon of cranberry sauce (if using) in the middle of the square, making sure none reaches the edge of the pastry. Top with stuffing and turkey, being careful not to overstuff.
Fold the pastry over the filling into a triangle. Press the edges together securely and crimp with a fork to seal, then turn over and crimp on the opposite side as well. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat the filling process with each pastry square, and arrange so the turnovers aren’t touching.
Brush each pastry with the remaining egg wash, giving them a nice, even coat, and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until they are golden brown and puffed and the filling is at least 165°F. Remove and let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before serving with hot gravy for dipping.

Golden-brown, triangular puff pastries rest on a parchment-lined baking sheet, with flaky layers visible on their surfaces. One pastry is centered in the foreground.

Karlynn’s Tips and Tricks for the Perfect Leftover Turkey Turnovers

Easy Does It: Frozen puff pastry usually comes folded into neat little packages. The dough needs to be unfolded and rolled out before you use it; but don’t make the mistake of working it too early! If the pastry starts to crack when you try unfolding it, it needs to thaw a little longer. Just wait a few minutes, leaving your pastry at room temperature before trying again. Then, for best results, pop your turnovers back into the fridge on the baking sheet for a little bit before baking it to give the butter a chance to re-solidify so you get a nice flaky turnover.

Stamp, Sealed, Delivered: Use water to moisten the edges of your pastry before folding, press down firmly, and crimp with a fork to keep your filling securely tucked inside! Making sure not to over-stuff your turnovers will also keep them from leaking!

Four golden, flaky puff pastry turnovers on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. In the background are bowls of gravy, cranberry sauce, shredded meat, and a pair of festive oven mitts.

Storage Instructions

Honestly, these turnovers are best eaten fresh, but if you find that you just can’t bear the thought of more turkey, they can be stored for later!

Refrigerator: Allow your turnovers to cool completely and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Use some parchment paper if storing the turnovers in layers to ensure they don’t stick together.

Freezer: Allow your turnovers to cool completely and wrap individually in a tight layer of plastic wrap before storing in an airtight container to avoid freezer burn. These turnovers can be frozen for up to two months.

More Fridge-Cleaning Recipes

Looking for a way to repurpose a Sunday roast? Give my recipe for Leftover Prime Rib Beef Dips a try!
Taco Tuesdays are always fun, but what if you have some carryover to Wednesday? Give my Taco Omelette recipe a try for a great way to use up extra taco meat!
Looking for something a little more substantial than turnovers to use up your turkey? Give my recipe for Leftover Turkey Pot Pie a shot! It’s easy to scale up, freeze, and even give away if necessary!

I adore big holiday dinners, but there is such a thing as too much of a good thing! Recipes like this one make it easy to repackage leftovers to keep my family from getting bored, and it’s also a lot easier to give friends a batch of turnovers as a little gift than it is to beg them to take tupperware home with them!

Here are some of my other favorite leftover turkey recipes: Leftover Turkey Pot Pie, Turkey Ala King and Hot Turkey Sandwiches.

Give this recipe a try and let me know what your favorite combination of fillings for these turnovers are in the comments below!

Happy Baking!

Karlynn