A turkey Quesadilla is the answer if you’re looking for a 10-minute lunch or dinner idea! Fill them with leftover turkey, ground turkey, deli slices, and plenty of gooey cheese between two crispy and golden brown tortillas!
This post was originally published in 2015 and updated with new images and content in 2025. The recipe stayed the same.
Quesadillas are my go to when I need a meal my kids will love right NOW! We survive on Pepperoni Pizza Quesadillas, Steak and Cheese Quesadillas, Philly Cheese Steak Quesadillas, Breakfast Quesadillas, Bacon Chicken Ranch Quesadillas, and Pork and Mushroom Quesadillas!
Making quesadillas using leftovers is a game changer! They are the perfect home for meat, cheese, and veggies.
I typically use Thanksgiving leftovers for these turkey quesadillas. The combination of sliced or shredded turkey and cranberry sauce is perfect!
Need another holiday leftovers recipe? Try my Turkey Cranberry Sliders, Turkey Cranberry Rollups, and Grilled Turkey and Cheese Sandwich! Gotta love the cranberry and turkey combo!
Table of contents
Why This Recipe Works
I’m not even sure if this recipe counts as a recipe because it’s a turkey and cheese quesadillas is so easy! Here’s why we love it!
- Quick and Easy – If you have the meat prepped ahead of time you can assemble and fry these a quesadilla in about 10 minutes! Talk about quick lunch ideas!
- Versatile – Use whatever turkey and cheese you have on hand! Ground, sliced, shredded, deli lunch meat, leftover turkey…they all work! Get creative with the cheese!
- Delicious – Add any veggies, sauces, etc you want to make them exactly as you like!
Ingredients Needed and Swaps
Let’s talk about what you’ll need and ideas for substitutions. Scroll to the bottom for the full recipe including ingredient amounts.
- Tortillas – I use flour tortillas. Corn tortillas work great too!
- Shredded Cheese – I love the flavor of Swiss cheese in this recipe, but any good melting cheese will work. Mozzarella, cheddar, pepper jack, gouda, and colby jack are good options.
- Cranberry Sauce – If you don’t love it , skip the cranberry sauce altogether! I love using leftover cranberry sauce from Thanksgiving. Store-bought works great too.
- Butter – Olive oil, canola oil, or corn oil work, too. Real butter gives the tortillas the best flavor!
This recipe is really easy to switch up to make the way your family wants! Here are a few ideas.
- Protein Swap – Swap shredded chicken (rotisserie chicken), ground chicken, or even sliced deli ham for the turkey. Or, you can double up and choose a couple of types of meat!
- Switch up the Sauce – Barbecue sauce, honey mustard, hot sauce, or salsa instead of cranberry sauce.
- Add Veggies – sauteed mushrooms or onions are great
How to Make the BEST Turkey Quesadilla
You’re going to assemble these quesadillas and then fry them! Prep ahead by slicing or dicing the leftover turkey and shredding the cheese. Store them in separate containers until you’re ready to assemble the quesadilla.
Step 1: Sprinkle grated cheese over one tortilla.
Step 2: Layer sliced or diced leftover turkey, sliced lunch meat, or ground turkey over the grated cheese.
Step 3: Spread cranberry sauce over the turkey layer. It’s okay if the cranberry sauce isn’t super even. I try to keep it about an inch from the edges so it doesn’t spill out.
Step 4: Sprinkle with additional cheese. Cheese on the first and last layer helps hold the fillings inside the quesadilla. It also gives the cheese a chance to melt!
Step 5: Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the quesadilla to the skillet and fry until the outside is golden brown. Flip and grill until the second side is golden brown.
Step 6: Remove the quesadilla from the skillet to a cutting board. Rest for a couple of minutes. Cut into wedges and serve!
Tips
Although making quesadillas is super easy, I have a couple of tips to make sure they are perfect every single time!
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- Low and Slow – Cooking the quesadillas over medium heat gives time for the cheese to melt by the time the outside is golden brown and crispy!
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- Use a lid – Using a lid helps the cheese melt evenly.
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- Pan – I love using a cast iron skillet to make quesadillas. Cast iron distributes the heat evenly and gives the tortillas a beautiful golden brown color with crispy edges.
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- Garnish – Add chopped fresh parsley or other herbs to give them a pop of color! Turkey and thyme pair well together. You can also top them with a little bit of grated parmesan cheese.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve a turkey quesadilla with just about anything you’d serve a turkey sandwich with.
- Oven Baked Potato Chips
- Veggies with Dill Cottage Cheese Dip
- Ham and Corn Soup
- Ranger Cookies with Cornflakes and Coconut
FAQs
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
Reheating in a skillet will help give the quesadillas those crispy edges! You can also reheat in the microwave if you’re in a hurry, although they will be a bit soggy.
These quesadillas don’t freeze very well. Since they can be made in about 10 minutes it’s worth it to make them just before serving.
Prepping the ingredients in advance makes it easy to assemble when you’re ready to fry them. Or, you can assemble the quesadillas and stack them in a pan to fry later.
Turkey Quesadilla Recipe
Turkey Quesadillas (Leftover Turkey Recipe in 10 Minutes)
Ingredients
- 2 flour tortillas
- 1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
- 1/2 cup sliced Turkey
- 1/4 cup cranberry sauce
- 1 Tablespoon butter
Instructions
- Sprinkle half of the grated cheese over one tortilla.
- Add a layer of deli turkey, leftover sliced or diced turkey, or cooked and crumbled ground turkey.
- Spread cranberry sauce over the turkey layer.
- Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese over the cranberry sauce.
- Top with the second tortilla
- Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the quesadilla to the skillet. Fry until the bottom tortilla is golden brown. Flip and grill the other side until it is golden brown.
- Remove the quesadilla from the skillet to a cutting board. Allow to rest for a minute or two. Cut into wedges. Sprinkle with chopped parsley or grated parmesan cheese for garnish if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
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