One of my favorite parts about holiday dinners is the leftovers. In addition to the turkey sandwiches , there are so many different things that you can do with the leftovers. I am always on the lookout for tasty ways to enjoy holiday dinner leftovers and when I came across this recipe for Thanksgiving risotto on Mike’s Table I bookmarked for the holidays. The original recipe called for fresh turkey so I modified it a bit to use leftover turkey. This Thanksgiving risotto is like an entire Thanksgiving dinner all rolled into one dish. You have the turkey and the cranberries from the dinner and the spices remind you of dessert. The risotto turned out great! I really enjoy the way that the sweet butternut squash works in the creamy and cheesy risotto. All of the flavours worked well together and it really was like eating a turkey dinner. The spices added just a hint flavour without overpowering the delicate flavours of the risotto. I garnished the risotto with some toasted pecans and crispy sage leaves fried in butter. I will be making this again!
Turkey and Squash “Thanksgiving” Risotto
ingredients
- 2+ cups chicken stock
- 2 sage leaves (chopped)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 onion (chopped)
- 1 cup butternut squash (cut into bite sized pieces)
- 1 cup arborio rice
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 pound turkey (cooked, cut into bite sized pieces)
- 1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano (grated)
- 1 tablespoon butter
directions
- Heat the chicken stock and sage leaves in a saucepan and keep it warm.
- Melt the butter in a large sauce pan.
- Add the onions and squash and simmer for 5 minutes to start softening them.
- Add the rice and the spices and coat with the butter.
- Add the wine and stir until it has evaporated.
- Add 1/4 cup of stock at a time and stirring until it has evaporated. The rice is done when it is cooked to al dente.
- Add the cranberries and after 1 cup of stock has been added.
- Add turkey, parmigiano reggiano and butter and stir until the turkey is heated.
Lori Lynn says
October 20, 2008 at 12:33 pmI am lovin’ all your Thanksgiving dishes Kevin and this one is no exception! YAY for fried sage leaves!
Robin Sue says
October 20, 2008 at 12:49 pmKevin this sounds realy great. I am glad your Thanksgiving comes first so that I can get all of your leftover ideas and recipes! Thanks!
MaryBeth says
October 20, 2008 at 1:14 pmThis looks amazingly delish! I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday.
Meeta says
October 20, 2008 at 1:20 pmI agree the best dishes are really made from leftovers! This sounds simply great!
Darius T. Williams says
October 20, 2008 at 1:24 pmLooks great – and everything can be made into a risotto – gotta love it!
-DTW
http://www.everydaycookin.blogspot.com
Lori says
October 20, 2008 at 2:00 pmThis looks so great. I especially like the addition of the cranberries.
Rosa's Yummy Yums says
October 20, 2008 at 2:26 pmVery festive! What a gorgeous risotto!
Cheers,
Rosa
VeggieGirl says
October 20, 2008 at 2:29 pmSuch a fabulous, gorgeous way to use up Thanksgiving leftovers!!
Cheryl says
October 20, 2008 at 2:44 pmI love one dish meals and Risotto, you amaze me once again!
Lisa says
October 20, 2008 at 3:05 pmThis is a great leftover idea.
Rosie says
October 20, 2008 at 3:07 pmThis dish really looks so colourful Kevin and perfect for Thanksgiving!
Rosie x
Elra says
October 20, 2008 at 3:12 pmKevin,
What a delicious looking risotto, such a great idea of using leftover.
Parker says
October 20, 2008 at 3:18 pmThis risotto has the most amazing flavors in it.
maybelle's mom says
October 20, 2008 at 3:29 pmyour thankgiving posts are really getting me in the mood for november.
HoneyB says
October 20, 2008 at 5:00 pmLooks really delicious Kevin!
Katrina says
October 20, 2008 at 5:22 pmYum! What a great way to use the leftovers. I love that Canada has their Thanksgiving first, then we Americans get to see all your yummy food and get your recipes! Thanks, Kevin!
nicole says
October 20, 2008 at 5:49 pmThis looks really good. I really like all your Thanksgiving recipes. It’s nice to see them before Thanksgiving comes.
Mike of Mike's Table says
October 20, 2008 at 6:07 pmIts funny, I had this very dish on my mind again recently! I’m glad you enjoyed it and it looks like you did a great job with it.
Pam says
October 20, 2008 at 6:10 pmBeautiful colors and wonderful flavors. This risottto is perfect for Thanksgiving. I also love your plate.
Holler says
October 20, 2008 at 6:14 pmI would very happily sit down to this, without the turkey. Sounds lovely and a do like a spot of risotto 🙂
Maria says
October 20, 2008 at 6:14 pmI love the Thanksgiving dishes you are sharing! We will be eating well this year thanks to you:)
Beth says
October 20, 2008 at 6:19 pmSeeing as we don’t have thanksgiving over here – I might just use this for my boxing day dinner
Amber says
October 20, 2008 at 6:56 pmI am going to sound like a stupid American, but I didn’t know Thanksgiving was celebrated anywhere else but the US. In school they never let on, it was just about Pilgrams and Indians. I am loving everything you are making. Lucky for us down south, you do the work first and we can just follow.
Alexa says
October 20, 2008 at 8:05 pmGreat idea. I am taking notes for our Thanksgiving. Thanks Kevin!
Cathy - wheresmydamnanswer says
October 20, 2008 at 8:09 pmThis dish looks amazing – This is a great use for all the incredible leftovers that I intentionally make!!
Sandie says
October 20, 2008 at 8:34 pmWow, just look at all those flavors. That’s one hearty risotto! Yeah for using a recipe from Mike’s Table, too. He’s got some great stuff cooking over there!
Helene says
October 20, 2008 at 8:38 pmKevin, you still amaze me. Do you cook for yourself only? I’m sure lot’s of people would love to share your table.
diva says
October 20, 2008 at 8:54 pmi love the colours! i’m a bit addicted to squash so i’ll definitely make this sometime soon. perfect for autumn. now i just need to get all those ingredients, especially arborio rice. mmmm. i can already imagine what’ll taste like.
meeso says
October 20, 2008 at 9:07 pmThat is an amazing picture you took! Really appetizing!
Clumbsy Cookie says
October 20, 2008 at 9:14 pmI was thinking what a thanksgiving risotto might be, but then I saw the picture and it all made sense! Great risotto!
Deborah says
October 20, 2008 at 9:28 pmI could eat just this for dinner!
Gloria says
October 20, 2008 at 9:32 pmKevin this look wonderful and tasty, really nice, Gloria
Elly says
October 20, 2008 at 10:02 pmKevin this is brilliant!
Marjie says
October 20, 2008 at 11:06 pmThis looks really nice! I love turkey anything!
Pam says
October 20, 2008 at 11:48 pmFabulous use for leftover turkey!
ttfn300 says
October 21, 2008 at 12:12 amomg, i want some of that NOW!
Mrs Ergül says
October 21, 2008 at 1:15 amYou’re right! The leftovers is the best part cuz you then get to transform one dish into many different ones!
chefectomy says
October 21, 2008 at 1:20 amI made risotto tonight but it wasn’t this creative (asparagus and shrimp). Very cool approach here.
–Marc
Daziano says
October 21, 2008 at 1:25 amSquash risotto is very common in Italy and I love it!! Nice recipe!!!
Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) says
October 21, 2008 at 2:36 amGreat idea for a one-course Thanksgiving feast! Hardly any dishes to wash up, too.
Lori says
October 21, 2008 at 4:00 pmThis just might be on our plates this evening! Looks so warm and comforting.
Anonymous says
October 21, 2008 at 4:07 pmOh Wow, I am a huge risotto lover and this is right up my ally. Looks so flavorful and comforting all in one. I love how you topped it with the fried sage and pecans. Great combination. Can’t wait to give it a try with all the leftovers 🙂
Jan says
October 21, 2008 at 4:27 pmI love the colours Kevin – looks yummy.
Cara says
October 21, 2008 at 7:59 pmThat sounds great! I’ve done butternut risotto plenty of times, but never with the turkey in it too. Awesome!
Grace says
October 21, 2008 at 9:51 pmthis is truly thanksgiving wrapped up into one dish–awesome.
kimberleyblue says
October 21, 2008 at 10:18 pmThanksgiving gives the best leftovers – and this looks like it may top them all. Fantastic!
Anonymous says
October 21, 2008 at 10:24 pmI’m a big fan of Thanksgiving leftovers as well. This is a creative and tasty way to use them up.
Meg says
October 21, 2008 at 11:20 pmWhat a beautiful combination of flavors! I love it!
Proud Italian Cook says
October 22, 2008 at 3:37 amWhat can I say! That is just plain beautiful Kevin, I would et that whole plate!
Jeanne says
October 25, 2008 at 7:48 pmSounds wonderful – with sage and squash, a risotto can’t go wrong!
Steve says
November 27, 2009 at 12:21 pmKevin,
This will be on the menu this weekend. Thanks for posting. Excellent photo. Really like the site.
Steve
http://www.myfavoriteflavours.com