Leftover Thanksgiving Egg Rolls
The first egg roll into the oil tells you a lot: the wrapper should start bubbling and turn golden while the filling stays tucked inside. These Leftover Thanksgiving Egg Rolls…
Tip: save now, cook later.The first egg roll into the oil tells you a lot: the wrapper should start bubbling and turn golden while the filling stays tucked inside. These Leftover Thanksgiving Egg Rolls give turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce a crisp wrapper instead of another turn on the dinner plate. The cranberry brings a sweet-tart bite to the savory filling, and each roll is substantial enough to serve as a snack or part of a meal.
I like how the familiar leftovers become a filling you can portion neatly and wrap without cooking the ingredients again first. Keep the rolls snug, fry a few at a time, and watch for that deep-golden color. The result is a crunchy shell around a warm, savory-sweet center.
Kitchen Note
Give the rolls their full 2-minute rest on a wire rack before serving. The rack lets air move around the crisp wrapper instead of trapping steam underneath.
Save these Leftover Thanksgiving Egg Rolls for a crisp, golden way to use turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce.
Cold Leftovers Make a More Manageable Egg Roll Filling
These ingredients are already cooked, so the goal isn’t to build flavor in a pan before wrapping. It’s to bring the turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce together into a mixture that stays put while you roll. Starting with cold leftovers helps the filling hold its shape as you divide it among the wrappers. Warm filling tends to feel softer and harder to handle at the wrapping stage.
The stuffing and mashed potatoes give the chopped turkey a cohesive base, while whole-berry cranberry sauce adds a bright, tart-sweet contrast. Mix until the filling is evenly combined so the cranberry and savory components are spread through the rolls rather than clumping in a few. A balanced mixture also makes it easier to give each wrapper a similar amount. Since the filling is already cooked, the frying is about heating the center through and crisping the outside—not cooking the turkey from raw.
That combination is what makes the rolls taste like Thanksgiving leftovers without leaving you with a loose pile of filling. You get the familiar flavors in a compact package, with the wrapper providing the crunch that the original plate didn’t have.
What the Leftover Ingredients Contribute to the Filling
- Cooked turkey — Finely chopped pieces are easier to distribute and bite through than large chunks. Use turkey that’s still moist; dry meat will be more noticeable in a filling with no added sauce.
- Stuffing — This brings the seasoned, savory notes that make the filling taste like a holiday plate. Soft stuffing blends in readily, while stuffing with larger pieces gives the center a more varied texture.
- Mashed potatoes — They help the other ingredients hold together. Smooth potatoes make an especially cohesive filling; potatoes with a few small lumps are fine, but large lumps make the rolls harder to portion evenly.
- Whole-berry cranberry sauce — The berries provide little bursts of tart fruit and keep the sweet element distinct from the savory leftovers. Jellied sauce can be used in a variation, but you’ll lose those berry pieces.
- Egg roll wrappers — These make the crisp, sturdy outer shell. Keep the stack covered while you work so the unused wrappers don’t dry out at the edges and become difficult to seal.
- Canola oil — Its neutral taste lets the filling come through. Use enough oil for the Dutch oven setup rather than trying to shallow-fry the rolls; they need room to turn and crisp evenly.
How to Wrap and Fry the Rolls Without Losing the Filling
Mix a Filling That Portions Evenly
Combine the turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and whole-berry cranberry sauce in a medium bowl. Mix until the ingredients are evenly distributed, breaking up any oversized clumps so each roll gets a little of each component. Keep the mixture together in the bowl as you work rather than scattering it across the wrappers. If one portion has mostly potato or mostly turkey, redistribute the filling before you start wrapping.
Fold the Wrapper Snugly Around the Center
Set one wrapper on a clean surface with a corner pointing toward you, then place an even portion of filling near the bottom corner. Fold that corner over the filling and bring in both side corners so the filling is enclosed. Roll snugly toward the final corner without pulling hard enough to tear the wrapper. Moisten the last corner with water and press it down to seal; a loose seam is the easiest place for filling to escape in the oil.
Bring the Oil to a Steady Frying Temperature
Heat the canola oil in a 5-quart Dutch oven and monitor it with a deep-fry thermometer until it reaches 350°F. The thermometer gives you a clear target, which is more reliable than judging the oil by appearance. Lower the rolls carefully so they have space to turn. Avoid crowding the pot, since a large batch can pull the oil temperature down and slow the crisping.
Fry in Small Batches and Check the Center
Fry 3 or 4 egg rolls at a time, turning them as needed for 4–6 minutes. Look for wrappers that are crisp and deep golden rather than pale, with color developing on all sides. Check the center of a test egg roll with a thermometer; it should reach 165°F. Let the oil return to 350°F between batches so the next rolls start frying at the right temperature, then move each batch to a wire rack.
Two Useful Ways to Adapt the Leftover Filling
Dairy-Free Rolls From Dairy-Free Leftovers
Use dairy-free mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and egg roll wrappers if you’re adapting the batch for a dairy-free diet. The potato and stuffing still bind the turkey, though the filling may taste a little less rich than one made with buttery holiday sides.
Make the Cranberry More Prominent
For a more noticeable cranberry bite, keep the whole-berry sauce less thoroughly mixed through the filling, leaving small pockets of berry in each roll. The flavor will be more distinct from bite to bite, so take care to divide the filling evenly and keep the wrapper seam closed around those pockets.
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerator: Refrigerate cooked egg rolls within two hours and eat within 3–4 days. The wrappers soften as they sit.
- Freezer: They freeze well after frying. Cool them, freeze in a single layer, then transfer them to an airtight container; the wrapper may be less crisp after thawing.
- Reheating: Reheat in an oven or air fryer until hot and crisp. Skip the microwave if you want to bring back some crunch; it tends to soften the wrapper.
Questions That Come Up When Frying Thanksgiving Egg Rolls
Leftover Thanksgiving Egg Rolls
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- In a medium bowl, mix the turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce until evenly combined.
- Place an egg roll wrapper on a clean surface with one corner pointing toward you.
- Divide the filling evenly among the wrappers, placing it near the bottom corner.
- Fold the bottom corner over the filling, fold in the side corners, and roll snugly.
- Moisten the final corner with water to seal.
- Heat the canola oil in a 5-quart Dutch oven to 350°F, using a deep-fry thermometer to monitor the temperature.
- Fry 3 or 4 egg rolls at a time, turning as needed, for 4–6 minutes until crisp and deep golden and the center of a test egg roll reaches 165°F; let the oil return to 350°F between batches.
- Transfer the egg rolls to a wire rack.
- Rest for 2 minutes before serving.
