This leftover turkey and mushroom risotto is rich, creamy, and comforting, and a great way to use up those leftovers from Christmas day.
It's so satisfying making something delicious from leftovers and this risotto certainly ticks all the right boxes.
Jump to:
Come on, how big was that roast turkey you bought? Big enough to feed a small army?
Christmas time wouldn't be Christmas time without the leftover turkey butties, the turkey soup, or turkey stock for this leftover turkey risotto.
I love making the most out of leftovers! So let's get on with this creamy risotto.
📋 What do we need?
👩🍳PRO TIP: You can make your own stock by boiling up the bones from the turkey. It's definitely worth taking the time to do this homemade stock takes this to a whole new level of deliciousness. You can follow my recipe for making Chicken Stock and substitute the chicken bones for Turkey bones.
📺 Watch how to make it
Ingredients swaps
- You could make this a chicken risotto by swapping out the turkey for leftover chicken from your roast chicken dinner.
- If you're not keen on mushrooms, you can swap them out for a different vegetable. I like to add asparagus (just add them to the pan with the risotto for the last 5-6 minutes), or sometimes will add in peas a few minutes before the end of the cooking time.
- If you don't want to use wine, then you can substitute with additional stock and an extra squeeze of lemon juice.
Even if I'm not cooking on Christmas day, I've been known to buy a turkey just so I can make some leftover-style meals!
My Turkey leftovers go something like this:
- Day 1 - Christmas day evening: Roast Turkey and stuffing sandwiches (salted butter and white bread - I don't want any of that wholemeal nonsense over Xmas!!)
- Day 2 - Boxing Day: Turkey Curry
- Day 3 Lunch: Crispy Turkey Nachos
- Day 3 Dinner: This Turkey Risotto with crispy pancetta and mushrooms
So good!
Enjoy those turkey butties, the risotto too, and hopefully as many Chocolate Box Brownies (< also made with leftovers) as possible 🙂
🦃 More AMAZING Leftover Turkey Recipes
Stay updated with new recipes!
Subscribe to the newsletter to hear when I post a new recipe. I’m also on YouTube (new videos every week) and Instagram (behind-the-scenes stories & beautiful food photos).
Leftover Turkey Risotto Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 150 g (2 cups) chestnut mushrooms - sliced
- 150 g (5 oz) pancetta cubes
- 1 onion - peeled and chopped finely
- 2 cloves garlic - peeled and crushed
- 300 g (1 ⅓rd cups) uncooked arborio rice
- 150 ml (½ cup + 2 tbsp) white wine
- 1200 ml (5 cups) hot chicken stock - (homemade is best, but water with 3-4 stock cubes works well too).
- 250 g (2 cups) cooked leftover turkey - shredded
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 50 g (½ cup) parmesan, grated
- Juice of ½ a lemon
- Fresh thyme
INSTRUCTIONS
- Add the butter and one tbsp of the oil to a large frying pan. Heat until the butter melts.
- Add the mushrooms and fry for 4-5 minutes until golden then remove from the pan and place in a bowl.
- Add the pancetta to the pan, and fry until golden and crisp then remove from the pan and place in the bowl with the mushrooms.
- Add the finely diced onion to the pan and cook for 3-5 minutes until the onion starts to go translucent.
- Add in the garlic, stir and cook for a further minute.
- Next in goes the arborio rice, and stir until the oil has coated the rice.
- Add in the wine and stir and cook for a couple of minutes stirring regularly until the wine has almost fully absorbed into the rice.
- Now add the stock a ladle at a time - ensuring each ladle has almost fully absorbed before adding the next. Ensure you stir regularly.
- After about 15-17 minutes you should have 1 or 2 ladles of stock left. At this point, add in the shredded turkey, salt and pepper and stir to combine.
- Add the remaining stock and cook for another 2-3 minutes to heat the turkey through and so the stock can absorb into the rice.
- Add in the cooked mushrooms, cooked pancetta, parmesan and lemon juice. Give everything a good stir then cook for another minute or 2.
- Serve topped with a little grated parmesan, some black pepper, and a few sprigs of thyme.
Video
✎ Notes
Nutrition
🍚 More delicious risotto recipes
If you liked this Turkey Risotto then here are some more risotto recipes for you to enjoy.
This post was first published in December 2016, Updated in December 2021 with new photos, an improved recipe, and a video showing you how to make this leftover turkey risotto.
Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links – which means if you buy the product I get a small commission (at no extra cost to you). If you do buy, then thank you! That’s what helps us to keep Kitchen Sanctuary running. The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors. For more information please see our Terms & Conditions.
Ian Wright says
Hi Nicky. Love your recipes. Bought three of your book for my two daughters who are keen cooks and of course me. Lol
Best wishes for the holiday season and the year ahead. Ian (Ottawa, Canada)
Lynn says
Easy to make. I substituted pancetta with the Xmas gammon and added peas and some chestnuts. This was so tasty
Amy says
I made this last night for dinner and it was yummy! I needed to use a bit more broth to get the risotto to fully cook. I àlso used chicken as that’s what we ate on Christmas. The flavor was delicious. I had planned on making a different recipe and then saw your video and made yours. I will make this again for sure!
Sue says
Just used the leftover turkey in this gorgeous risotto! It was so, so delicious!
Thanks Nicky and Chris!
David Gregory says
Mouth wateringly tasty
Carl says
Made this after Christmas, absolutely gorgeous!
Janet Leighs says
Trying this recipe tonight with left over turkey but only have closed cup mushrooms - will let you know how it goes.
MM says
I loved risotto and always looking for a new twist. I made this with leftover chicken and it didn't disappoint. Will definitely try again with leftover turkey when I have some.