How to Reheat Thanksgiving Leftovers: Turkey, Stuffing and Sides

Reheat Thanksgiving leftovers dish by dish. Sliced turkey, rolls and stuffing in a heat-safe dish suit an air fryer; gravy goes on the stove at a rolling boil, and mashed potatoes do better there or in the microwave. USDA FSIS says every leftover should reach 165°F and keeps 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.

This page covers the day-after dishes. The Reheat settings each air fryer brand publishes, and the step-by-step method, are on how to reheat food in an air fryer. We have not run reheating trials; the rules below come from FSIS and the maker manuals.

Which leftovers go in the air fryer?

Reheating leftover turkey in an air fryer

FSIS says to cut a cooked turkey into smaller pieces before refrigerating: slice the breast meat, and leave legs and wings whole if you like. Sliced meat reheats in one layer and reaches 165°F quickly.

Moving air dries lean meat. That is why FSIS’s advice to cover leftovers is worth following here: a heat-safe dish with a lid, or foil over it if your manual allows foil. Our guide to foil and parchment in an air fryer lists what each brand says. Check the thickest slice with a thermometer, probing thin pieces from the side.

Instant-read thermometers for the 165°F check

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Stuffing, rolls and pie

Stuffing is loose and crumbly, so it needs a container. Cosori’s Pro LE manual says to put any food with filling or batter in a heat-safe container before it goes in the basket, and FSIS lists stuffing at 165°F.

Rolls are the one side a manual covers directly. The Philips HD9650 food table lists pre-baked rolls at 350°F for 6 to 7 minutes, the closest manual figure to warming a dinner roll.

Pie is not on any chart. Instant’s Vortex manual does say that when baking pie, a foil cover or oven-safe lid stops the top from overcooking, and the same logic applies to warming a slice.

Small pans that fit a basket, for stuffing and sides

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Mashed potatoes and gravy

Neither has anything to crisp. If you use the air fryer for mashed potatoes anyway, they need a covered, heat-safe dish. A saucepan or microwave is the more usual route, and FSIS’s microwave advice is to cover the food, rotate it and check the temperature in several places.

Gravy stays out of the basket. FSIS says to bring sauces, soups and gravies to a rolling boil, and Philips warns against filling its pan with any liquid.

How long do Thanksgiving leftovers keep?

Reheating cannot fix food that sat out too long. FSIS says perishable food left at room temperature for more than 2 hours should be thrown away, or after 1 hour above 90°F. Leftovers go into the refrigerator within 2 hours of cooking, in shallow containers so they cool quickly.

From there, FSIS gives 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. A Thursday dinner should be eaten or frozen by Monday. Frozen leftovers keep their best quality for 3 to 4 months. FSIS says it is safe to reheat them without thawing, though it takes longer, and safe to refreeze what is left after reheating to 165°F.

The same rules apply after a Friendsgiving potluck. Food that traveled and then sat on a buffet has used part of its 2 hours before it reached your refrigerator. Keeping dishes hot until everyone eats is covered in keeping holiday food warm.

Related guides

• Air fryer turkey breast covers cooking the breast in the first place.
• Using an air fryer for Thanksgiving and holiday meals plans the sides and batches.
• Air fryer liners compares parchment and silicone for cheesy, sticky leftovers.