Turkey Cranberry Leftovers Goulash

I hope all of you who celebrated had a lovely and delicious Thanksgiving in the USA yesterday. So now comes the leftover parade. When you are done having the same Thanksgiving meal several times over as leftovers, I have a recipe idea for the rest. Meet Turkey Cranberry Leftovers Goulash.

Last year I created a Thanksgiving Leftovers Flammkuchen recipe . This is also a perfect way to repurpose Thanksgiving Dinner.  leftovers. This turkey cranberry gulasch is another tasty leftovers recipe option.

This Turkey Cranberry Leftovers Goulash recipe calls for a few cups of chopped turkey meat and cranberry sauce. Serve it over leftover mashed potatoes and you have a perfect post-holiday fridge cleaner.

Goulash is a hearty and flavorful stew or soup that originated in Hungary. It is a popular dish in many countries, with regional variations. Its roots trace back to Hungarian shepherds who made it as a simple, portable meal.

Key Features of Traditional Hungarian Goulash:

Base Ingredients:

Firstly – Meat (usually beef, pork, lamb, or veal).
Onions (lots of them—they create the dish’s rich base).
Potatoes and other root vegetables like carrots or parsnips.

Secondly- Seasoning:

Paprika is the defining spice, giving goulash its signature red color and smoky, mildly sweet flavor.
Garlic, caraway seeds, and bay leaves are often added for depth.

Thirdly – Consistency:

Depending on how much liquid is added, it can be a stew (thicker) or a soup (brothier).

Fourthly -Cooking Style:

Slow cooking is key to tenderizing the meat and melding the flavors.

This Turkey Cranberry Leftovers Goulash recipe starts with seasoning onions and garlic with sweet paprika powder then layering in the cranberry sauce and turkey pieces. Add some stock and simmer for at least 30 minutes. The result is a fragrant sweet and spicy gulasch encompassing the flavors of a Thanksgiving past.

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Turkey Cranberry Leftovers Goulash

Course Brunch, Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine American, Hungarian

Keyword goulash, goulash recipe, Leftovers recipes, Thanksgiving leftovers, turkey cranberry goulash, turkey goulash

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Author Lora Wiley-Lennartz

Ingredients

• 2 onions
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 3/4 cup cranberry sauce
• 2 cups cooked turkey meat cut into 1-inch pieces
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups chicken or turkey stock
• bay leaf

Instructions

1. Peel the onions and chop them into small pieces.
2. Peel the garlic cloves and cut them into small pieces.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan.
4. Add the garlic to the pan. Cook for 1 minute.
5. Add the onions and stir to coat. Cook, stirring occasionally until the onions become transparent.
6. Add the paprika and the sugar to the onions.
7. Add the cranberry sauce.
8. Add the turkey pieces and stir to coat.
9. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
10. Add the water and the bay leaf.
11. Bring everything to a boil. Turn the heat down and let simmer for 30 minutes.
12. Add more water if the mixture loses too much liquid.
13. Season again with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
14. Remove from heat, discard the bay leaf, and serve.

Like this Turkey Cranberry Leftovers Goulash? Also, check out some of these other delicious recipes:

LEFTOVER TURKEY BEER GOULASH WITH STUFFING DUMPLINGS