Leftover Turkey Jambalaya

turkey jambalaya on a plate with a fork.

5 from 1 vote

Leftover Turkey Jambalaya

A cozy, budget-friendly Leftover Turkey Jambalaya made with tender turkey, smoky sausage, veggies, and rice simmered in bold Cajun flavors. A fast, frugal one-pot meal that gives Thanksgiving leftovers a brand-new life!

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Total Time40

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Cajun

Servings: servings

Calories: 479kcal

Author: Nicole Durham

Cost: Recipe $8.67 / Serving $1.45

Equipment

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil or olive oil ($0.10)
12 ounces smoked sausage or kielbasa, sliced ($3.56)
1 cup onion, diced ($0.98)
1 cup bell pepper, diced ($0.78)
2 ribs celery, diced ($0.42)
3 cloves garlic, minced, or 1 teaspoon garlic powder ($0.08)
2 tablespoons tomato paste ($0.29)
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, with juice ($0.96)
3 cups chicken broth or 3 cups water plus 1 to 2 bouillon cubes ($0.75)
1 tablespoon Cajun or Creole seasoning ($0.10)
1 teaspoon smoked paprika ($0.08)
salt and ground black pepper, to taste
1 ½ cups long-grain white rice ($0.57)
2 cups cooked turkey, diced or shredded ($0.00)

Optional

Green onions or parsley, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

Brown the sausage. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook until well browned. Remove and set aside.
Cook the vegetables. Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery to the pot and cook until softened.
Add garlic and tomato paste. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant. Add the tomato paste and cook briefly to deepen the flavor.
Build the base. Stir in the diced tomatoes with their juices, broth, Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper.
Add rice and sausage. Stir in the rice and return the sausage to the pot.
Simmer. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for about 20 minutes, until the rice is tender. Stir occasionally to prevent the rice from sticking to the pot.
Finish with turkey. Fold in the cooked turkey, cover, and warm through for 3 to 5 minutes.
Serve. Fluff with a fork and garnish with green onions or parsley if desired.

Video

Notes

Browning matters. Deep browning on the sausage adds smoky flavor to the entire dish.
Turkey timing. Add turkey at the end so it stays moist and tender.
Lid control. Keep the pot covered while the rice cooks to prevent uneven or mushy grains.
Rice fix. If rice is undercooked, add ¼ cup broth, cover, and cook a few minutes longer.
Budget swaps. Use less sausage, cheaper kielbasa, or skip it and rely on turkey with extra vegetables.
Storage. Refrigerate leftovers for 3 to 4 days. Reheat with a splash of broth to restore texture.

Nutrition