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This seasonal twist on classic stuffed shells keeps the tender cooked pasta, the ricotta, and the stringy, melted mozzarella cheese, but ditches traditional filling for the flavors of Thanksgiving. And we mean that literally! These shells are stuffed with stuffing, roasted vegetables, and even bits of leftover turkey.

The best leftovers for stuffed shells

This recipe is made to be flexible -- an essential quality when it comes to leftovers. Think of it as more of a template full of suggestions rather than a strict recipe.

Got turkey? Shred or chop it, and mix it into the ricotta filling.

Got veggies or fruit? Sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, green beans, winter squash and even cranberry sauce have a place in this seasonal spin on stuffed shells.

Got other fixings? Have other leftovers you think will work? Go ahead and mix those in as well. Any combination of ingredients that sounds good to you will work for this recipe.

Swap marinara for bechamel

Instead of classic marinara sauce, this recipe calls for neutral bechamel. Bechamel is a simple sauce made from butter, flour and milk. It's lightly seasoned with nutmeg and simmered until it becomes rich and velvety. Use it to coat the stuffed shells as they bake to prevent them from drying out.

Post-Thanksgiving Stuffed Shells

Serves 4 to 6

30 jumbo pasta shells (12 ounces)

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 cups whole milk, at room temperature

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese

1 1/2 cups shredded cooked turkey

2 cups Thanksgiving leftover vegetables (any combination of Brussels sprouts, mashed or roasted sweet potatoes, greens, winter squash, green bean casserole), diced

1/4 cup cranberry sauce (optional)

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 375 F. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over medium-high heat.

Add the shells and cook until tender. Drain and briefly rinse with cold water to make them cool enough to handle; set aside.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until completely combined. The mixture will look like wet sand. Cook until the mixture begins to dry out and turn golden-brown, 4 to 5 minutes.

Gradually whisk in a little bit of the milk, then whisk in the remainder and continue whisking until smooth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, stirring constantly, until thickened, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the salt and nutmeg. Remove the pan from the heat.

Stir the ricotta, turkey, vegetables, and cranberry sauce (if using) together in a large bowl.

Spread 1 cup of the sauce on the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.

Stuff each shell with about 1 heaping tablespoon of turkey filling and place in the dish seam-side up. If some shells split during the cooking process, you may have a few fragments left over, but you should end up with about two dozen shells in the dish. Pour the remaining sauce over the shells and sprinkle with the cheese.

Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 10 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling, about 12 minutes more. Let cool about 5 minutes before serving.

Recipe notes: The shells can be stuffed up to one day in advance and stored in a covered container in the refrigerator. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to three days.

(Kelli Foster is assistant food editor for TheKitchn.com, a nationally known blog for people who love food and home cooking. Submit any comments or questions to editorial@thekitchn.com.)