Whether you’ve tucked into your family’s home-made Christmas dinner or your generous host has saddled you with a stack of plastic food containers, holiday feast leftovers are the gift that keeps on giving.
And sure, you can freeze turkey for a good old-fashioned rainy day soup or re-purpose the roasted duck for sandwich lunch. But if you’re hankering to delight your tastebuds with unexpected flavours, you can transform those holiday scraps into meals and desserts that are worth making kitchen regulars year-round.
Here are some ways you can transform leftovers into delicious standalone meals:
1. Turkey paella
You’ll need less than 30 minutes to whip up this delicious paella, which serves as both a hearty meal or a filling side dish.
Get the recipe: Easy Peasy Foodie
2. Turkey curry
This turkey curry recipe is packed with good-for-you spices, with a rich creamy sauce that’ll pair well with rice.
Get the recipe: Delicious Magazine
3. Lechon empanadas
Many Latinx, Filipino and Spanish families celebrate with lechon, a.k.a. roasted pig. This clever recipe stuffs leftover pork into flaky empananda goodness.
Get the recipe: Qué Rica Vida
You’ve turned leftovers into culinary masterpieces, so how do you get your kid to enjoy it? Check out our slideshow on advice for feeding kids. Story continues below.
Recipes, Ideas, And Tips For Feeding Kids
4. Crispy mashed potato fish cakes
If your family feasted on fish and mashed potatoes for Christmas, you’ll have everything you need for this comforting fish cake recipe.
Get the recipe: Kitchen Belleicious
5. Ham And Cheese Hot Pockets
The ham and cheese sandwiches of leftovers past get an upgrade with this gluten-free hot pocket recipe.
Get the recipe: Bless Her Heart Yall
6. Peking duck soup
Who doesn’t love ringing in Christmas or a non-denominational day off with some Peking duck? The roasted duck already hits the spot, but for a lighter meal you give it the noodle soup treatment with this recipe.
Get the recipe: Not Quite Nigella
7. Roasted winter bowl with creamy dressing
Want a head-start on healthy New Year’s resolutions? Try this very Instagram-friendly bowl recipe; it’ll keep you fuelled up for whatever last-minute holiday shenanigans you face.
Get the recipe: Chelan Fresh
8. Cabbage and parmesan coleslaw
Delicious Magazine recommends pairing turkey and cold meat with this salad recipe, which will make a generous dent in your leftovers.
Get the recipe: Delicious Magazine
9. Stuffin’ muffins
You’ll look forward to a scrumptious, quick breakfast with this easy recipe that combines stuffing and eggs for an appetizing start to your day.
Get the recipe: Budget Bytes
10. Bacon and brussels sprouts hash
Another one for the breakfast club. Sizzling bacon elevates this brussels sprouts recipe into a meal that even the pickiest of eaters will polish off.
Get the recipe: Food Network
11. Panettone bread pudding with brandy sauce
Tore off as many panettone chunks as your stomach can bear? Re-charge your bread cake love affair with this dessert recipe, that comes with drizzle of brandy sauce.
Get the recipe: Brina’s Bites
12. Eggnog panna cotta with cranberry sauce
Unite the eggnogg haters and lovers with this velvety panna cotta recipe, topped with another controversial side-dish: cranberry sauce! But in this dessert dish, it’s where it actually belongs (Yeah, I said it!).
Get the recipe: Foraged Dish
13. Christmas pudding-flavoured chocolate caramel sauce
Still clamouring for very last-minute gifts? This chocolate caramel sauce holds well in a jar, while also getting rid of every last crumb of Christmas pudding in your house.
Get the recipe: Delicious Magazine
14. Fruit cake pops
No need for a trip to Starbucks for your cake pop fix. You can use white or semi-sweet chocolate to make this festive cake-pop recipe a DIY hit for all ages.
Get the recipe: Food Network
15. Chocolate-dipped fruit
Loaded up on fruits to decorate the table? Dip them in chocolate for a quick sweet tooth fix, thanks to this recipe.
Get the recipe: Healthy You
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