After spending countless hours in the kitchen or shelling out a small fortune for all the Thanksgiving fixtures, you may find yourself with a fridge full of leftovers — and wondering what to do with all that extra food.
Don’t toss it, and don’t feel like you have to repeat the same plate of turkey, stuffing, and mashed potatoes for days. Instead, meet the Thanksgiving hack you never knew you needed: FRIES-giving, McCain Food’s playful and genuinely brilliant approach to turning your leftovers into the star of a whole new holiday ritual.
Because if there’s one thing everyone can agree on, it’s fries. Crispy, crowd-pleasing, endlessly customizable fries.
This year, Chef Mark Slutzky is sharing his favorite ways to reinvent Thanksgiving staples by piling them high on a base of hot, golden fries. Think of loaded fries as the new holiday centerpiece, a shareable, no-stress dish perfect for Black Friday hangouts, game-day grazing, Friendsgiving round two, or turning a solo lunch into something actually exciting.
Below are four creative FRIES-giving recipes from Chef Slutzky to help you make the most of your leftovers, and maybe even start a new tradition.
Gobble Gobble Leftover Loaded Fries
Ingredients:
- 1 bag McCain Quick Cook Waffle Fries (20 oz)
- 1 cup diced or shredded cooked turkey
- 1 cup prepared stuffing
- ¾ cup prepared turkey gravy
- ½ cup Cranberry Chutney or cranberry sauce
- ¼ cup prepared fried onions
How to make it:
- Preheat air fryer to 390°F. Fill basket halfway with frozen fries and air fry for 6 to 8 minutes.
- Slide basket out and shake halfway through to ensure even cooking.
- While fries are cooking, reheat the turkey, stuffing and gravy to an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Pile the cooked fries onto a platter or plate and cover with turkey and stuffing. Drizzle gravy over the top then add dollops of cranberry chutney. Garnish with fried onions.
Leftover Thanksgiving Breakfast Poutine
Ingredients:
- ½ bag McCain Quick Cook Crinkle Fries (20 oz)
- ½ cup prepared roasted Brussels sprouts or other leftover vegetable of your choice
- ¾ cup prepared sausage gravy
- 8 large eggs
- ¼ cup whole milk or cream
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- ¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup fried onions
How to make it:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees and air fryer to 390°F. Fill basket halfway with frozen fries. Air fry for 6 to 8 minutes. Slide basket out and shake halfway through to ensure even cooking.
- While fries are cooking, reheat the Brussels sprouts and sausage gravy to an internal temperature of 165°F and keep warm.
- Add eggs, milk, salt and pepper to a medium bowl and whisk until combined. In a medium nonstick skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the eggs and cook over low heat, stirring, until curds form and eggs are set, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Transfer fries to a cast iron skillet or oven safe platter or casserole dish and cover the top with scrambled eggs. Add the Brussels sprouts then top with shredded cheddar cheese. Bake until cheese is melted, about 2 minutes.
- Remove from oven and top with sausage gravy. Garnish with fried onions.
Loaded Leftover Thanksgiving Sammie
Ingredients:
- ¼ bag McCain Garlic & Herb Crinkle Fries (26 oz)
- ⅓ cup prepared stuffing
- 4 ounces sliced cooked turkey
- 2 slices thick-cut sourdough or rye bread
- Butter or oil, as needed
- ¼ cup prepared creamy coleslaw
- 2 tablespoons Cranberry Mayonnaise
How to make it:
- Preheat air fryer to 375°F. Fill basket with frozen fries. Air fry for 12 to 14 minutes. Slide basket out and shake fries halfway through to ensure even cooking.
- While fries are cooking, reheat the stuffing and turkey to an internal temperature of 165°F and keep warm.
- Heat a large saute pan over medium-low heat. Spread both sides of each bread slice with butter and place in pan. Cook each side, adjusting the heat as needed, until golden brown. Remove from pan and place on a cutting board.
- Top one slice of bread with stuffing followed by cole slaw, turkey and fries. Spread cranberry mayo on other slice of bread and place on top of fries. Cut in half and enjoy immediately.
Chef suggestion: A panini press can also be used to make the sandwich.
To prepare the cranberry mayonnaise:
- Combine ½ cup prepared Cranberry Chutney with 1 tablespoon mayonnaise.
- Suggestion: Can use deli slaw.
Leftover Green Bean Casserole Loaded Fries
Ingredients:
- ½ bag McCain Garlic and Herb Fries (26 oz)
- 1 cup prepared green bean casserole
- 1 cup diced or pulled cooked turkey
- ½ cup fried onions
How to make it:
- Preheat air fryer to 375°F. Fill basket with frozen fries. Air fry for 12 to 14 minutes. Slide basket out and shake fries halfway through to ensure even cooking.
- While fries are cooking, reheat the green bean casserole and turkey to an internal temperature of 165°F and keep warm.
- Pile the fries in the center of a large platter or plate. Cover with turkey, then green bean casserole. Garnish with fried onions and serve immediately.
Whether you’re hosting round two of the holiday feast or just want an easy way to make leftovers feel fun, FRIES-giving is your new go-to tradition. It’s effortless, it’s adaptable, it feeds a crowd, and most importantly, it’s delicious.
