10 Genius Ways To Repurpose Leftovers

Leftovers: Love them or hate them, they are an inevitable part of cooking. Unless you're portioning out your ingredients from store to recipe, chances are that you are going to end up with at least one extra serving of food on your hands. There's nothing wrong with tucking the leftovers into an airtight container and nuking them in the microwave for lunch the next day, but the reality is that some foods just don't taste as good on day two. Plus, you can only go so many days eating the exact same plate of roasted chicken, vegetables, and mashed potatoes. 

It's high time to start thinking about leftovers — be it fully cooked dishes, spare ingredients, or dish components — as building blocks for flavorful food rather than just discards. In fact, using leftovers for recipes can be really helpful from a budgetary, time, and food waste standpoint too; you don't have to buy extra ingredients if you can repurpose the ones you already have, and since the ingredients are already prepped and ready to go, you'll spend less time making something with them than you would if you were starting from scratch.

If you're new to the leftovers game or have reservations about eating them, fear not. We have devised a handy roadmap for you detailing the best ways to repurpose leftovers for new dishes, what ingredients are best for each respective dish, and suggestions for how to dress your leftovers for success. Whether it's a plate of last night's Chinese takeout or the rotisserie chicken you just couldn't finish, here are the best ways to reinvent your leftovers.

One of the best times to use up your leftovers is bright and early. Breakfast food is known for its versatility and flavor fusions, and one of the most creative and tasty ways to give last night's dinner a new lease on life is to turn it into a breakfast burrito. There is no exact definition for what has to be in a breakfast burrito (or, more relevant, what not to include in them), which means you have pretty much free rein to create the ultimate breakfast burrito.

Start off with a base of eggs. You can make them fresh, or repurpose a frittata, quiche filling, or some other egg-adjacent dish. Then, start to add your bulk. Beans and grains are excellent additions to breakfast burritos because they add texture and heft and can be seasoned with an array of condiments and spreads, including salsa, avocado, and sour cream. Carnivores may also want to consider stuffing leftover deli meat, reheated hot dogs, or even sausage inside their burritos. Finish it off with some veggies — a leftover tossed salad is a great idea here — and seal everything up in the wrap of your choice. You could even swap the tortilla out for something totally different, like leftover naan or pita bread. As long as it's pliable, you should be, quite literally, good to roll.

Breakfast hash is another catch-all food for leftovers. Essentially, hash really only has to have one ingredient: potatoes. Of course, you can swap out the classic spuds for pre-made hash browns, sweet potatoes, or root vegetables — just try to stick with something hearty that can soak up the grease in your pan. From there, you can get creative. Try giving your breakfast hash a seafood twist by adding leftover salmon filets. The salty fish will add flavor and an umami edge to the potatoes. You can also use leftover meat; spicy Italian sausage, chicken sausage, corned beef, chorizo, and more can infuse your spuds with flavor and turn into a stick-to-your-ribs breakfast that will make you rethink your relationship with leftovers entirely.

Plant-based eaters and vegetarians shouldn't feel left out of the equation, as there are plenty of veggie-forward flavors to infuse into your hash. If you have leftover turnips, rutabaga, or carrots sitting in your fridge, consider chopping them up and adding them to your spuds. You also may want to use flavorful and colorful veggies, like peppers, onions, and tomatoes, to give your hash a bright and summery twist. Pair these ingredients with herbs and spices and watch this breakfast side become the main attraction at your next brunch.

Waffles are often reserved for sweet batters, maple syrup, and other sugary inclusions. But your waffles don't always have to be sweet. As long as you have a waffle iron, you can turn some of your favorite foods into tasty and fun-shaped bites that can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. There are multiple ways to go about this. The first is to add your ingredients to the waffle batter itself — leftover cheese, meat, salads, and more can give your waffle batter a savory touch. 

The other option is to place the leftovers themselves into the waffle maker. One prime example of this is leftover pizza. Fold your pizza up so that the crust is touching the iron — or stack two slices on top of one another with the cheese part touching — and press them in a waffle iron until crispy. Or, try breathing new life into last night's mac and cheese by spooning some into a greased waffle iron. Add your favorite protein, like pulled pork or shredded chicken, to turn it into a whole meal.

You can also grab a portion of leftover mashed potatoes, mixed with egg, flour, and cheese to help bind it together, and press it on the iron. This hack is especially useful for Thanksgiving leftovers, as the gravy will soak into the wells of the waffle and the cranberry sauce will add the perfect sweet touch to an otherwise savory bite.

What can't fried rice do? It's a question that we ask often, as the base of fried rice is often made with leftover rice because it's not as moist as the fresh stuff. Besides using the leftover pint from your Chinese takeout, you can also use fried rice as a way to clean out your fridge (and freezer). If you have leftover rotisserie chicken, consider tossing it into the wok with veggies, sauce, and leftover rice. Quick cooking is the key to preventing the chicken from drying out, so be sure not to let it simmer for too long in the pan.

One of our favorite hacks for leftover stir fry (or some other saucy takeout dish) is to turn it into fried rice. The veggies are already chopped, there's already a sauce, and all you need to do is toss them together to create a tasty and flavorful spin on leftovers. Just be cautious of how much sauce you're adding to the pan at once, as you don't want to steam the rice and make the whole thing soggy. You may want to scoop out the veggies and the protein — be it tofu, chicken, pork, or beef — and reserve some of the sauce for the end of the cooking process. Give it a fresh twist with a handful of herbs or a squeeze of lime juice; you'll have a tasty dinner on the table in no time and with very little effort required.

Is breakfast food just more conducive to leftovers than other meals? Possibly, but we're not questioning it at this point. One tasty breakfast where leftovers can really shine is a strata. Think of a strata kind of like a savory French toast bake. It starts with a hearty bread, like challah or an Italian loaf, and an egg-based custard. You can add in whatever suits your fancy, from onions and peppers to herbs, meat, and cheese, before baking until set. 

The first way to incorporate leftovers into this dish is to swap them for the bread. Strata is very forgiving, and day-old, stale bread will actually soak up the custard better than a fresh loaf. From there, you can experiment with different add-ins. If you like things light and protein-dense, try adding leftover salmon and fresh herbs. You can serve it with a tangy yogurt sauce or crème fraîche to lighten the bite. Heavy and denser proteins, like chorizo, Italian sausage (sweet, spicy, or both), and even leftover pulled pork, can add weight to your dish and complement any veggie additions. While it is a forgiving breakfast dish, avoid shoving ingredients in willy-nilly, and instead focus on a certain flavor profile or region of ingredients to source from, like Scandinavian-, Italian-, or Tex-Mex-inspired ones.

Stuffed peppers, zucchini, and tomatoes are some of the best ways to transform grains, veggies, and proteins into a flavorful and beautiful weeknight meal. All you need to do is blanch or otherwise soften your base, spooning out a large enough well for your fillings, and then baking everything until it's fragrant and flavorful. The veggies you use for the base don't have too much flavor on their own, which is a blessing in disguise for folks looking to add their leftovers to them. For one, you can take a Tex-Mex approach by adding leftover beans, rice, corn, and veggies to the shells, or repurpose a whole tuna noodle casserole or Hamburger Helper-adjacent dish by placing it in the shell and covering it with extra cheese. For a lighter meal perfect for a summer evening, try stuffed tomatoes with quinoa, wild rice, or orzo, chickpeas, and fresh garden veggies. You can also use this as an opportunity to use up leftover dressings and sauces; try leftover tzatziki on a plant-based or Mediterranean-inspired bowl, or spoon some salsa on your Tex-Mex-inspired stuffed peppers.

Since the shells aren't in the oven for too long, you won't have to worry about overcooking your filling. Just be sure to keep an eye on your veggies as you blanch or bake them, as you just want to soften them enough that they're pliable; they will continue to soften as they bake.

Soup is yet another fridge-clean dish. Grab the biggest pot you own, make your own stock or broth out of leftover bones and veggie scraps (or buy it at the store), and add whatever ingredients are on the verge of spoiling to it. Shredded chicken, for one, is a great meal-prep staple. It's right at home in a creamy or brothy soup recipe. Toss in some root vegetables, leftover cooked pasta, and herbs for a great weeknight dish that makes for equally good leftovers. You won't even notice if the chicken is dry or unseasoned, as the flavorful broth will do most of the heavy lifting for you. Poultry, including both chicken and turkey, would also be excellent in a hearty rice or barley soup. 

Veggies also shine in soups, as you can use them to flavor the broth and have them make an appearance in the soup itself. Pre-roasted carrots, root vegetables, onions, and garlic are neutral-tasting ingredients that can work in all kinds of soups, from minestrone to a hearty harvest veggie. If your veggies are looking a little worse for wear, you can also puree them or use an immersion blender to turn a chunky soup into a creamy one. This is especially helpful for a squash soup, which can be made with leftover roasted squash, carrots, and apples. Add a little leftover whipping cream for extra decadence.

Pizza may not be as catch-all a way to use leftovers as a breakfast burrito or a soup, as you have to put some thought into which ones would taste good pizza-fied, but this method is still worthy of consideration. We love using leftovers on pizza because the pie isn't in the oven all that long, and leftovers are already pre-cooked and ready to use.

Pulled pork pizza is a must-have for game day, and you can add a sprinkle of pre-sauced meat to your pie along with red onions and gooey mozzarella. Shredded chicken, especially covered in Buffalo sauce, is another excellent, flavorful addition to pizza. Add a little bit of bacon and chopped green onion, and drizzle on the ranch or blue cheese dressing before serving. Sheet pan veggies can also be repurposed for pizza. Since they're already roasted, you won't have to worry about cutting them up or pre-cooking them beforehand to remove the excess moisture.

As expected, Italian-inspired leftovers and ingredients really shine on pizza. If you like to make your meatballs in bulk, try crumbling them up and adding them to your pie — or make a meaty pizza sauce instead. You could even add a sprinkling of leftover pasta to your pizza. Just be cautious not to add a ton of it, as it will weigh your crust down and will not cook as quickly as if it were spread thinly.

Meal prepping is a must in busy households. From sheet pans of tofu and veggies to pastas, rice, and grains, there are endless dishes that you can make once and eat twice. Though if your plans go out the window and you need to use up miscellaneous, pre-prepped ingredients in your fridge, turn to grain bowls. These Chipotle-style meals are a must because of how customizable they are. For example, pulled pork, chicken, and turkey are just at home on top of a rice bowl as crumbled meatloaf, Swedish meatballs, and tofu. 

You have to be intentional about what ingredients you're adding to your grain bowl to make it taste cohesive, though. Every good grain bowl has the following components: a grain, a protein, a veggie, and a sauce. Look to global cuisines for inspiration here. If you are loving all things Mediterranean, try topping your farro, quinoa, or rice bowl with a leftover Greek salad, tzatziki or hummus, crumbled feta, and grilled chicken thighs. Tex-Mex more your speed? Use all of your taco night leftovers — including grilled chicken or seasoned beef, salsa, guac, sour cream, and fresh cilantro — to create an affordable and leftover-friendly version of a Chipotle bowl. You can mix and match these components based on what you have on hand to create something delicious, affordable, and filling.

One of the most classic examples of repurposed leftovers is the Thanksgiving sandwich, which is as simple as it sounds: Leftover turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and gravy sandwiched between two hearty slices of bread (Martha Stewart uses Japanese milk bread for hers, but a thick sourdough or even leftover dinner rolls would also work). This is far from the only sandwich worthy of the leftovers treatment, though. If you have leftover pulled pork or rotisserie chicken, slather it in your favorite sauce (barbecue, Buffalo, or otherwise), add cheese, and slide it between whatever bread you have available for a meaty, savory filling that beats deli meat. You can also repurpose your homemade meatloaf for a sandwich; cut off a slice, tuck it between bread, and enjoy as is or with extra ketchup. 

When assembling your leftover sandwich, you'll want to think of ways to upgrade the leftovers, rather than just putting them between bread and calling it a day. Properly reheating your leftovers, for one, will elevate their flavor and give your sandwich a better textural contrast. You could also play with different sauces and spreads, or resort to adding some pickled veggies to your sandwich to lend acidity to heavy leftovers like meatloaf, meatballs, and taco filling. Something as simple as eggplant or chicken parm can get a second chance when it's smothered in extra gooey mozzarella and a drizzle of pesto for added color and brightness, and layered on a fresh sub roll.