Crispy, golden-fried wontons filled with finely chopped turkey, leftover stuffing and whipped cream cheese get a bright pop from cranberry and jalapeño — crunchy edges, a soft savory center, and a tangy-dotted dipping salsa.
Quick to assemble and easy to share, these Thanksgiving Wontons take about 28 minutes from start to finish and yield Servings: 6 — ideal as a festive appetizer, party snack, or leftover remix for holiday gatherings.
Why You’ll Love These
A handheld, party-ready way to use Thanksgiving leftovers — Servings: 6; total_time: 28. For another creative leftover-turkey idea, try Leftover Turkey Bibimbap Buddha Bowl.
These wontons stretch holiday leftovers into a snack that disappears fast at gatherings — crispy, savory, and pleasantly bright with cranberry.
Ingredients You’ll Need
How to Make the Wontons
- Mix the filling: In a medium bowl, combine 1 1/4 cups finely chopped cooked turkey, 2/3 cup leftover stuffing, 1/3 cup whipped cream cheese, and 3 tablespoons cranberry sauce until evenly blended.
- Make the salsa: In a small bowl, stir the remaining cranberry sauce with 1 tablespoon lime juice and 1/2 jalapeño, finely diced; refrigerate the salsa until needed so flavors meld.
- Portion the filling: Place 1 tablespoon of the turkey mixture in the center of each wonton wrapper. Keep unused wrappers covered with a damp paper towel to prevent drying.
- Seal each wonton: Moisten the edges of the wonton wrapper with water, fold over to form a triangle, and press the edges firmly to seal, making sure there are no gaps or air pockets.
- Heat the oil: Pour about 1 to 2 inches of vegetable oil into a Dutch oven and heat to 375 degrees. Work in small batches to maintain oil temperature.
- Fry and drain: With edges fully sealed, fry wontons 4 at a time until golden brown on both sides, about 30 to 60 seconds per side. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate and serve with the cranberry‑lime‑jalapeño salsa.
Seal Wontons Properly
A tight seal prevents filling from leaking and ensures the wonton puffs and crisps evenly. Use water to moisten the edges, press firmly, and work out any trapped air before frying.
- Moisten edges with a fingertip or a small brush — don’t over-wet or the wrapper will get soggy.
- Press along the seam with your thumb and index finger, then crimp if desired for extra security.
- Check each seam before frying; a quick tug on the wrapper will reveal weak spots.
Fry for Extra-Crisp
Keep oil at 375 degrees and fry in small batches to maintain temperature — this is the key to fast browning and a non-greasy finish.
- Use about 1 to 2 inches of oil in a Dutch oven and fry 4 wontons at a time for even cooking.
- Cook about 30 to 60 seconds per side; goldeny-brown is your cue to remove them.
- Drain on paper towels and serve immediately for the crispiest texture; re-fry briefly to refresh if they sit.
Cranberry‑Lime Salsa
Split the can of cranberry sauce as instructed: reserve 3 tablespoons for the filling and use the remainder for the salsa. Mix the remaining sauce with 1 tablespoon lime juice and 1/2 jalapeño, finely diced, then chill until serving.
- Taste the salsa after mixing and adjust heat or lime to balance sweetness.
- If you prefer milder salsa, remove jalapeño seeds before dicing.
- This bright salsa is both a dip and a little palette cleanser between rich bites.
Quick Tips
Test one first: Fry a single wonton to confirm seal integrity and oil temperature; if it opens, press seals tighter or add a dab of water to the seam.
Keep wrappers pliable: Cover unused wrappers with a damp towel while you work to prevent cracking — they dry out quickly at room temperature.
Air-fryer option (optional): Air-fry at 375°F for 6–8 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden; brush or spray lightly with oil so they crisp evenly.
Freeze for parties: Freeze assembled, uncooked wontons in a single layer on a sheet, then transfer to a bag; fry from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes to the cook time.
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Frequently asked questions
Ready for the holidays
These Thanksgiving Wontons turn leftovers into a crunchy, crowd-pleasing appetizer that’s easy to scale and ideal for passing around at holiday gatherings.
Assemble ahead or freeze for later, then fry or air-fry to serve a hot, crispy batch whenever guests arrive.
Thanksgiving Wontons
Equipment
- Dutch oven
- medium bowl
- small bowl
- paper towels
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups turkey finely chopped, cooked
- 2/3 cup stuffing leftover
- 1/3 cup cream cheese whipped
- 1 can whole berry cranberry sauce 14-ounce; or about 1 1/3 cups leftover cranberry sauce
- 24 wonton wrappers
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1/2 jalapeno finely diced
- vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix together 1 1/4 cups finely chopped cooked turkey, 2/3 cup leftover stuffing, 1/3 cup whipped cream cheese, and 3 tablespoons cranberry sauce.
- In a small bowl, stir together the remaining cranberry sauce with 1 tablespoon lime juice and 1/2 jalapeno, finely diced; refrigerate the salsa until needed.
- Place 1 tablespoon of turkey filling in the center of each wonton wrapper. Keep remaining wrappers covered with a damp paper towel so they don’t dry out.
- Moisten the edges of each wonton wrapper with water, fold the wrapper over the filling to form a triangle, and press the edges firmly to seal.
- Pour about 1 to 2 inches of vegetable oil into a Dutch oven and heat to 375 degrees. Check that edges are completely sealed, then fry wontons 4 at a time until golden brown on both sides, about 30 to 60 seconds per side.
- Drain wontons on a paper towel-lined plate and serve with the cranberry-lime-jalapeño salsa.
