Freezing leftover turkey is a great way to save it for fast easy dinners in the future. Follow these simple steps to keep your leftover turkey for months to come.

a plastic storage bag full of frozen turkey cut into bite sized pieces

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When I get asked “Can you freeze leftover turkey?” the answer is always yes!

I always over buy when it comes to turkey because the last thing I want is a guest to not get as much as they want. So I often have leftover turkey. I’ve used this method to freeze both my Turkey Breast recipe and my Roast Turkey – it works great for both!

These simple and easy steps make it possible to keep turkey on hand for lots of great recipes. There is no need to get sick of turkey. Freeze your left overs and use them a month from now in leftover turkey recipes.

How to Freeze Leftover Turkey

Freezing turkey to have for later recipes is really simple. The key to is to flash freeze it in a single layer so you are able to pull out just one cup at a time in the future.

Step 1: Cut the turkey into Bite Sized Pieces

Most recipes for leftover turkey call for bite sized pieces of turkey, so this step preps them for that.

overhead view of a cutting board with turkey meat being cut up

a cutting board full of cut up bite sized pieces of leftover turkey

Step 2: Freeze in a Single Layer

Spread the turkey into a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet. This flash freezing is an important step. It will keep the turkey from clumping together when stored in the freezer. This way they freeze as individual pieces.

a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper with bite sized pieces of frozen turkey

Step 3: Transfer to a Freezer Bag

The turkey should be stored in an airtight container. I like to use a freezer bag. Label it with the date of freezing. The turkey is best when used within three months of freezing.

Alternatively, you can portion the turkey into one cup portions and vacuum seal it to get a much longer freezer life out of it.

a plastic bag being filled with bite sized frozen turkey

How to Use Leftover Turkey

There are many recipes that you can take the turkey right from the freezer and throw it into the recipe. For other recipes you should thaw the turkey first. Once you pull the turkey out of the freezer, it can thaw pretty quickly at room temperature. However, I always recommend pulling out what you need the night before and thawing it the refrigerator.

Tips and Tricks

Freeze within 2 to 3 days. Freeze leftovers as soon as possible so you can get the maximum life span from them. The day after Thanksgiving is a perfect day to freeze it.
Use within three months. This is for best taste and results.
Use a vacuum sealer. To get longer freezer life out of your turkey, flash freeze it and then vacuum seal it. If you vacuum seal it before flash freezing the vacuum can suck a lot of the moisture out of the turkey.
Try it with chicken! This is a great method for chicken too. I love buying the really inexpensive rotisserie chickens at Costco and freezing it.

Leftover Turkey Recipes

If you are wondering what to do with leftover turkey after freezing it, I suggest some of these leftover turkey recipes.

If you make any of these great leftover turkey recipes, leave me a comment on that post and let me know what you think!

5 from 6 votes

How to Freeze Leftover Turkey

(tap # to scale)

Prep: 10

Total: 10

Freezing leftover turkey is a great way to save it for fast easy dinners in the future. Follow these simple steps to keep your leftover turkey for months to come.

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Ingredients

cooked leftover turkey

Instructions

Leftover turkey should be prepped for freezing as soon as possible, ideally within 24 hours of being cooked.
Cut the cooked and cooled turkey into bite sized pieces.
Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet in a single layer.
Place the baking sheet in the freezer for 1 hour.
Transfer the frozen turkey to a plastic bag or reusable and sealable container. Seal and place in the freezer for up to 3 months.
For soups and casseroles, the turkey can be added to the recipe directly from the freezer. For other recipes, thaw the frozen turkey in the refrigerator overnight before adding to the recipe.