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Kalyn Brooke

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Cheesy Turkey and Ranch Quesadillas

July 2 // 10 Comments // 3 Minute Read

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This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy here.

Need a quick lunch after the Holidays? This turkey and ranch quesadilla makes a great recipe for Thanksgiving leftovers!

The Holidays are almost upon us, {in fact, Thanksgiving is THIS week!}, and despite all the stress, decorations, and gifts we have to buy, there’s something else that inevitably happens this year.

Leftovers.

I don’t know about you, but we always have food practically exploding out of our fridge and freezer, even if we don’t host a special dinner with family. There are cookie exchanges, office parties, and of course, the main meal that no matter where it’s located, we always end up with more mashed potatoes, fruit salad, and turkey than we really know what to do with. Even though it’s just the two of us!

But with grocery budgets being so tight lately, I’m determined to stretch the life of Holiday food until it’s completely finished. Well, that’s the goal anyway. My freezer will definitely play a big part!

Cheesy Turkey and Ranch Quesadillas | Creative Savings

Since Turkey-day is literally just around the corner, a snazzy leftover lunch might be just the thing to give this traditional meat a non-traditional spin. Instead of the stereotypical soups, stews, and turkeys sandwiches that you see this time of year, I thought a yummy cheese and ranch-drizzled tortilla would be the perfect solution.

I can honestly say I’m not a huge turkey fan, but this quesadilla really makes me reconsider becoming one. Plus, you can really make it any time of year with pre-cooked turkey breast at the local grocery store. It’s yet another easy addition to your weekly meal plan!

The Process

Step 1: Spray a large pan with cooking spray, or brush with butter before laying down your first tortilla. This gives it a really nice flavor and keeps the tortilla from cooking weird in some spots — I know that sounds strange, but hopefully, you know what I mean!

Cheesy Turkey and Ranch Quesadillas | Creative Savings
Cheesy Turkey and Ranch Quesadillas | Creative Savings

Step 2: Sprinkle your choice of cheese on the top of the tortilla and layer with cut, cooked turkey. We tried Cheddar Velveeta Shreds from Kraft and found them in the Walmart dairy section.

Now, I honestly thought that this particular cheese would just be like any other shredded cheese, but I really noticed a difference with this brand, and I’m not just saying that because, yes, I know they sponsored the post. But truly, it was one of the smoothest, meltiest cheeses I’ve tried and truly made this recipe shine. I completely recommend it with a coupon, of course!

Cheesy Turkey and Ranch Quesadillas | Creative Savings

Step 3: Drizzle ranch dressing over top of turkey and cheese layers, then top with second tortilla.

Cheesy Turkey and Ranch Quesadillas | Creative Savings

Step 4: Cook on medium heat for 2-3 minutes on one side, and 1-2 on the other side until crispy and brown. Re-coat pan with butter between quesadillas if you are making more than one.

Cheesy Turkey and Ranch Quesadillas | Creative Savings

Step 5: Serve with sour cream {although these quesadillas are tasty enough on their own} and enjoy!

Cheesy Turkey and Ranch Quesadillas | Creative Savings
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Cheesy Turkey and Ranch Quesadillas


  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 1 serving 1x
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Description

Use up those holiday leftovers with a snazzy lunch that gives this traditional meat a non-traditional spin. The turkey, cheese, and a drizzle of ranch tucked inside a fluffy tortilla make the perfect combination!


Scale

Ingredients

  • 3/4–1 cup Kraft shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup small turkey pieces
  • Ranch dressing
  • 2 medium-sized tortillas
  • 1 tbsp melted butter

Instructions

  1. Butter skillet and layer one tortilla, cheddar cheese, turkey pieces and a drizzle of ranch dressing to taste.
  2. Top with another tortilla and cook on medium heat for 2-3 minutes on one side, and 1-2 minutes on the other.
  3. Butter skillet again if making more than one quesadilla.
  4. Serve with sour cream, if desired.
  • Category: Dinner
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: turkey quesadilla, turkey ranch quesadilla

Did you make this recipe?

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Total Cost: $2.06/quesadilla or $1.25 if using leftovers

The cheese does make this recipe a bit more expensive than ones I normally share, but you can totally bring the cost down by buying in bulk, or buying a block of cheese and shredding your own.

But seriously, this recipe is so incredibly easy and uses just about everything you probably already have on hand, so in my mind it is worth the extra expense. Especially after the busy holidays!

What are your go-to leftover recipes?

– – – – –

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Disclosure: Some of the links in the post above are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. Read my full disclosure policy here.

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Comments

  1. Tania says

    November 24 at 9:38 pm

    Sounds and looks delicious! I can’t wait to try it with my leftover Thanksgiving turkey!

    Tania

    Reply
  2. Stephanie says

    November 24 at 10:18 pm

    I never thought to use turkey in my quesadillas! Now I’m feeling a bit silly – totally trying this with my Thanksgiving leftovers! #client

    Reply
    • Kalyn Brooke says

      November 25 at 5:06 pm

      I had never thought of it before either, but it is super yummy!

      Reply
  3. Terri Oliver Steffes says

    September 30 at 10:42 am

    I would love to use your recipe (a link back to your blog) in a Thanksgiving leftovers round up on my blog. I would love to have permission to use one of your photos as well. Thanks for your consideration.

    Reply
    • Kalyn Brooke says

      October 1 at 5:50 pm

      You are more than welcome to use one photo with a link back to this post. Thanks for asking!

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Mexican Leftover Turkey Pie - My Suburban Kitchen says:
    October 30 at 7:00 am

    […] Turkey and Ranch Quesadillas […]

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  2. 75 Leftover Turkey Thanksgiving Recipes - Prudent Penny Pincher says:
    October 10 at 8:05 am

    […] Cheesy Turkey Ranch Quesadillas from Kalyn Brooke […]

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  3. 75 Leftover Turkey Thanksgiving Recipes | DIY Opic -Your Favorite crafts, Diy Ideas says:
    May 10 at 8:25 pm

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  4. 30 Leftover Turkey Recipes You Can Freeze After Thanksgiving | Once A Month Meals says:
    November 1 at 2:51 pm

    […] Cheesy Turkey Quesadillas by Creative Savings (our freezer-friendly recipes)  […]

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  5. 30 Leftover Turkey Recipes You Can Freeze After Thanksgiving – Som2ny Network says:
    November 17 at 11:56 am

    […] Cheesy Turkey Quesadillas by Creative Savings (our freezer-friendly recipes)  […]

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Hi, I’m Kalyn—a recovering perfectionist who nerds out about organizing systems, personal productivity, and helping you prioritize what matters over the pressure to do it all. I have a feeling we’re about to become the best of friends! Learn more >>

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👩‍💻 | I help value-driven women lead manageable + meaningful lives.
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I call 2020 the Year of Abandoned Books. ⁣
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I call 2020 the Year of Abandoned Books. ⁣ ⁣ I’m never afraid to stop reading a book if it doesn’t live up to the hype. Why invest more time in a book I’m not all that excited about when I could be exploring new authors and storylines where I can’t wait to turn the page? 🤷⁣ ⁣ But in 2020, I let more books go than I normally do. I suppose my patience dwindled when I thought the world was ending. Not that I thought the world was actually ending…but you know what I mean. 😉⁣ ⁣ As an Enneagram 1, I hate giving up on a book. I’m prone to the all-or-nothing mentality, even in my reading habits. My eyes could glaze over boring prose and I’d still repeat to myself: “You MUST finish this book!” 😫⁣ ⁣ Why? ⁣ ⁣ No one is adding a plastic star to your Book-It pin, (Remember those?) This isn’t assigned reading from your high school English class. This is YOUR reading life. ⁣ ⁣ And YOU should choose what books deserve your attention. 📚⁣ ⁣ There are too many good ones out there anyway. Like one of my favorite reads from 2020. 😍⁣ ⁣ This week’s newest blog post rounds up everything I read last year (43 books total!) including 5-star psychological thrillers, a delightful royal series, a couple self-help books, and of course, historical fiction.⁣ ⁣ Click the link in my bio to read it! ☝⁣ ⁣ What were your favorite books in 2020? Our literary styles might be a match made in heaven! ✨

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My planner/journal lineup for 2021. 👆 ⁣ ⁣ These small but mighty sidekicks will be my saving grace this year. 📚⁣ ⁣ 1️⃣ Bullet Journal (Blue) - for everyday planning and goal setting⁣ 2️⃣ Regular Journal (Yellow) - to track gratitude (5 things a day!) and to process ALL the feelings⁣ 3️⃣ Growth Journal (Sand) - a space for me to brain dump everything I learn from books, podcasts, sermons, etc ⁣ ⁣ That last one is new to me as of this year and I can't wait to flip back through all my notes come December! 📆⁣ ⁣ What planners/journals are you using for 2021?

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