Leftover Turkey & Mashed Potato Croquettes

Turkey – Use any leftover turkey you have, and white meat, dark meat, or any combination is fine. For reference, I used leftovers from my Cajun roasted turkey here. You can chop it very finely like I did here or toss it into a food processor and pulse until it’s small pieces.

Mashed Potatoes – Almost any leftover mashed potatoes will work here. Just keep in mind the more strongly flavored they are, the more that flavor will come through in the final dish. Two cups are a lot of leftovers, and if you don’t have that much, or any, that’s fine. You can make a quick batch if you still have potatoes, or honestly, just make some instant mash from those boxes or packets.

Stuffing – This is optional, but you have some leftover stuffing, throw some in with the turkey and mashed potatoes. Chop it up small like the turkey. I used some from my sausage and sage stuffing recipe here. Avoid rice dressings.

Flour – Use some all-purpose flour here for both the roux and the dredge. For the dredge, season with a bit of salt and pepper.

Butter – Salted or unsalted butter is fine here. This is the fat used to make the roux.

Milk – Whole milk is great, but any milk you have is fine here. After making the roux with the flour and butter, you’ll add milk to create a thick bechamel. I don’t recommend non-dairy milks here, but if you try it with one, let me know in the comments.

Eggs – Two eggs are used here as the binder in the dredge. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Breadcrumbs – For the final stage of the dredge, I like to use panko breadcrumbs for their extra crunchy texture. As with the rest of the dredge, season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Once you have your turkey and stuffing finely chopped, mix them thoroughly with the mashed potatoes in a large mixing bowl and set aside.

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Once melted, add the flour and stir constantly for 1-2 minutes to cook the flour and create a blonde roux. After a roux is formed, slowly pour in the milk while stirring to turn the roux into a bechamel. This bechamel will be much thicker than the normal version.

After the thick bechamel comes together, remove it from the heat and allow it to cool slightly. Now fold it into the mashed potato mix until fully combined. Place the mixture, uncovered, into the refrigerator to cool and thicken, at least 1-3 hours.

Preheat your oven to 425°F / 220°C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Once fully chilled, remove the croquette filling from the fridge. Create a 3-stage dredging station with flour, eggs, and panko breadcrumbs. Lightly season each stage with a pinch of salt and pepper. Use a 1 ½ tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop out the filling and roll into a ball. Roll the filling through the flour, then the egg, and then roll and press into the panko. Place the prepared croquettes onto the baking sheet until full.

If you don’t have a cookie scoop, you can make the croquettes by hand. Roll into balls slightly smaller than golf ball size.

Set the baking sheet in the middle of the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until the outside is browned and the filling is fully warmed. You will probably need to bake them in 2-3 batches.

Once you remove the croquettes from the oven, sprinkle with a bit of salt and garnish with some finely chopped parsley if you wish. Allow them to finish cooking and setting for at least 5 minutes on the baking sheet and then serve warm with some heated leftover gravy and leftover cranberry sauce.

Deep-Frying – The recipe is written as a baked version because it’s slightly healthier, but also easier for home cooking. If you don’t mind deep-frying though, they really do taste amazing this way. In a pot or Dutch-oven, use enough oil to be at least 2-3 inches deep and heat oil over medium heat to 350-360°F.

Working in batches, gently lower enough croquettes to not overcrowd your pot. Cook for about 2 minutes, turning the floating croquettes as needed. Remove as they cook and place onto a paper towel lined plate and sprinkle with salt while hot.

Air-Frying – If you’re looking for a flavor and texture somewhere between baking and frying, you can also air-fry the croquettes. Pre-heat your air-fryer to 400°F and spray the basket with a bit of oil. Working in batches, place enough croquettes to leave a little space between them. Cook for 5-7 minutes, giving the basket a little shake halfway through. Remove as they cook and place onto a paper towel lined plate and sprinkle with salt while hot.

No-Stuffing – If you don’t have leftover stuffing, or don’t wish to use any, you can omit it and make the recipe as written without it. To make up for some of the flavor you’re omitting, you can substitute the stuffing with a bit of fresh herbs instead. Add about 1 tablespoon of finely chopped fresh parsley. If you have some, add about 1 teaspoon of fresh thyme and finely chopped sage also.

Cookie Scoops – While you can make the croquettes by hand, I find that a set of cookie scoops does the job more efficiently and keeps the size consistent. Besides making evenly sized cookies, you can use these scoops for plenty of other uses as well.

Dutch-Oven – If you decide to deep-fry these croquettes, I’ve found a Dutch-oven to be a great vessel for frying foods. It can take a bit longer to get up to temperature, but they tend to retain an even temperature much better than regular pots.

❄️ Storing & Reheating Turkey Croquettes

This turkey and mashed potato croquettes recipe makes plenty of croquettes, so you’re likely to have a good amount of leftovers. Once cooled completely, you can place leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for 3-4 days.

The important thing to remember here is that how long you can keep these croquettes also depends on how old the leftovers you used in making them are. Once cooked, turkey can be stored for 4-5 days, most stuffings around 3-4 days, and mashed potatoes about 3-4 days as well.

For longer storage, you can also freeze leftover turkey croquettes for 2-3 months. Once cooled completely, place leftovers on a baking sheet and place into your freezer for about 30 minutes. Remove the frozen croquettes and you can now transfer them to a freezer bag or airtight container.

To reheat leftover croquettes, place them into a preheated 350°F oven on a baking sheet for 12-15 minutes. If heating from frozen, add another 4-6 minutes. These times can vary slightly depending on the shape and size of your croquettes, so just be sure the centers are heated through and add more time as necessary.