20 Meals To Make When You Have A Bunch Of Leftover Veggies In The Fridge

It happens to the best of us. We stock our fridge with an abundance of fresh veggies and, despite our intentions, wind up with lots of leftovers. There's no need to let them go to waste, though. There are plenty of ways to incorporate all kinds of veggies into various recipes so you wind up with tasty meals. 

In fact, even if the standard rendition of a dish doesn't call for a specific one you need to consume hastily, there are many instances where it'll fit in anyway. When done right, some veggie substitutions are so delicious they'll leave you wondering if they were meant to be there all along. For example, many pasta or soup recipes serve as a catch-all for just about any veggie you want or need to use. It may be a creamy corn chowder, but adding carrots, spinach, or cauliflower will still lead to a delicious meal.

We rounded up a collection of veggie-forward recipes to help you make the most of your next vegetable haul. Keep them in mind, and the next time you're staring into your fridge and wondering how to put them to good use, you have a myriad of options that not only taste fantastic, but are incredibly versatile as well.

High-Protein Tex Mex Soup is essentially red chili with a serious boost in the protein department, thanks to the inclusion of chicken, sausage, black beans, bone broth, cottage cheese, and cheddar. As-is, the recipe also calls for veggies like corn, onions, tomatoes, and both red and green bell peppers, so it's great for using up lots of stuff in your fridge. However, it would also benefit from a few other things, such as carrots, spinach, okra, or cauliflower, so feel free to enhance it as you see fit. Regardless of the exact veggies you use, though, it is a fantastic pick for meal-preppers because, just like with a classic chili, the leftovers will be just as good as a fresh pot, maybe better. 

Recipe: High-Protein Tex Mex Soup

As the name suggests, One-Pot Vegetable Red Curry allows you to whip up a hearty meal without dirtying a ton of dishes. I mean, one pot? Yes, please! That's just one perk, though. It's also overflowing with bold flavors and has what it takes to warm you from the inside out. Of course, it utilizes lots of yummy veggies to get the job done, including mushrooms, red and yellow bell peppers, onions, carrots, and kale too. If you have fresh cilantro, ginger, or leftover rice you need to put to good use as well, even better. Either way, the mix of coconut milk and red curry paste leads to a sweet and spicy combination that is undeniably delicious. 

Recipe: One-Pot Vegetable Red Curry

Steakhouses are a great place to order an Old-School Bleu Cheese Wedge Salad, but if you have some extra iceberg lettuce in your fridge and a few other fresh ingredients, you can easily make a version at home that rivals any restaurant. In addition to the wedge of lettuce, the recipe also calls for a couple of other veggies: cherry tomatoes and yellow onions (fried until super crispy). While wedge salads are typically simplicity at its finest, you can also add a slew of other vegetables to the mix if you need to get them out of your fridge. It's salad, after all, and just about anything tastes outstanding with a coating of homemade blue cheese dressing.

Recipe: Old-School Bleu Cheese Wedge Salad

Creamy Dill Pickle Soup comes to us from wellness coach and recipe developer Miriam Hahn, and if you love a bit of zesty brine, there may not be anything better. Plus, it's a surefire way to not only help you utilize extra veggies — like onions, carrots, celery, and Yukon Gold potatoes — but also create a drool-worthy, warming meal. Hahn herself also notes that you can swap out the veggies for anything you happen to have in your fridge at the moment. Not to mention, it's incredibly easy to make, and the recipe creates a large batch, perfect for enjoying all week long.

Recipe: Creamy Dill Pickle Soup

If an Italian sandwich is calling your name but you don't necessarily want to go heavy on bread, the Italian Deli Grinder Salad is just what the doctor ordered. It's packed with lots of savory Italian herbs, veggies, cured Italian meats, and a bit of crunchy goodness in the form of croutons. The creamy, zesty dressing brings it all together in expert fashion as well. As for the veggies, you can always play around, but the standard recipe uses romaine lettuce, halved mixed-color cherry tomatoes, slices of cucumber, red onion, and pepperoncini. So yeah, it'll help you use up some extra stuff in the fridge for sure.

Recipe: Italian Deli Grinder Salad

One of the best things about tacos is that you can fill them with whatever your heart desires, and that includes Mediterranean flavors and ingredients. So, the next time you need to use up veggies typical to the region, Gyro-Style Greek Tacos are just the thing. Made with lamb, feta, fresh herbs, tzatziki, optional hot sauce, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and red onion, they are nothing if not mouthwatering. You can also easily make a plant-based version by swapping out the meat for chickpeas. Bonus points if you opt to make the tzatziki and hot sauce from scratch as well.

Recipe: Gyro-Style Greek Tacos

Chowders are typically made with seafood, but they don't have to be that way. The plant-based recipe for Creamy Corn Chowder is proof of that. Not only is it warming and hearty, but just like other soups, it is super easy to pull off. It is also an outstanding way to utilize leftover veggies. Made with corn, red onions, red bell peppers, jalapeños, and Yukon Gold potatoes, it's both eye-catching and delicious. The vegetable fun doesn't have to stop there, either. Anything from carrots to peas to spinach to tomatoes can be added for even more color and increased flavor.

Recipe: Creamy Corn Chowder

Another show-stopping salad perfect for utilizing a handful of leftover veggies comes to us in the form of Rotisserie Chicken Salad With Hot Bacon And Raspberry Dressing. If the hot bacon and raspberry dressing isn't enough to get you drooling alone, the addition of minced shallot, corn, mini bell peppers (or full-sized ones if that's what you have), alfalfa sprouts, cherry tomatoes, avocado, and salad greens is enough to win just about anyone over. Plus, it allows you to use a bunch of leftover rotisserie chicken, so it's simple and flavorfully effective as well. What's not to love?

Recipe: Rotisserie Chicken Salad With Hot Bacon And Raspberry Dressing

Whether you're looking for a yummy side dish or a light and bright meal, Sweet And Savory Broccoli Slaw fits the bill. It's welcoming to lots of extra veggies, too. Even so, the standard recipe includes red cabbage, red onions, broccoli, and carrots complemented by a sweet, mustardy, creamy dressing that's sure to turn some heads. Unlike many other recipes that call for broccoli, it uses the stalks as well, so you really get a lot of bang for your buck if using leftover veggies is a priority. To top it all off, it travels well, so taking it to a gathering is far from off the table.

Recipe: Sweet And Savory Broccoli Slaw

A simple tomato soup is one of the best comfort foods around, but when you add a ton of veggies to the mix, it only gets better. With this in mind, creating a Basic Tomato and Herb Vegetable Soup is a surefire way to satisfy a soul-warming craving while also putting your extra veggies to work. The recipe calls for yellow onions, carrots, potatoes, celery, chickpeas, green peas, and tomatoes, but as you might expect, other veggies fit into the mix seamlessly. Pair it with a grilled cheese sandwich or enjoy it solo, and your tummy will thank you. Your empty fridge will too.

Recipe: Basic Tomato And Herb Vegetable Soup

BBQ chicken is another classic comfort food that takes to leftover veggies like a charm. Case in point, 'BBQ In A Bowl' Chicken Salad features all the same yummy flavors plus a bit of crunchy, healthy flair. In addition to the namesake ingredient, it features green and purple cabbage, marinated cucumbers and onions, roasted corn and sweet potatoes, pinto beans, and a crave-worthy dressing that combines creaminess with the flavors of BBQ sauce. While it brings lots of yummy elements to the table, the smoky taste is what really makes it stand out from your average, dare I say, boring salad. So, if you keep that element, it really doesn't matter what vegetables you use to turn it into a full dish.

Recipe: 'BBQ In A Bowl' Chicken Salad

Shrimp Lo Mein is one noolde dish that accepts many veggies into the fold without issue, so making a batch of it is a no-brainer when you need to use up leftovers. You can easily swap out the shrimp for other proteins as well. Regardless, grab your bell peppers, mushrooms, cabbage (or maybe even a pre-made coleslaw mix), and scallions, and you'll be well on your way to creating a satisfying, Asian-inspired meal with lots of yummy textures and flavors. Possibly best of all, you can easily make it in a single pan or wok, minus boiling the noodles.

Recipe: Shrimp Lo Mein

Not all soups are as filling as you may want, but you can forget about that being an issue if you make a batch of Italian Wedding Soup with Mini Meatballs. Full of lots of meaty bite, ditalini pasta, and veggies like spinach, carrots, yellow onions, and celery, it is hearty, flavorful, and sure to satisfy a hungry belly. Fresh parsley and shaved Parmesan cheese on top also add all the savory goodness you could want. Don't hesitate to incorporate even more veggies if you have them lying around, either. It's soup, after all, so a little added bulk never hurts.

Recipe: Italian Wedding Soup With Mini Meatballs

Bright, fresh, and undeniably drool-worthy, Spring Vegetable and Pesto Pizza is one dish that kids and adults alike will ask for by name. Actually, it's just a bonus that you'll get to use up extra veggies. The recipe utilizes mushrooms, zucchini, summer squash, and asparagus, but the sky's the limit when it comes to vegetables. For example, tomatoes, spicy peppers, broccoli, or even Brussels sprouts would turn up flavors even more. Once you have them sorted, making the dough is easier than you might expect. Still, no judgment if you opt for a pre-made one. Either way, the fresh basil flavors paired with a collection of veggies are the stuff food dreams are made of.

Recipe: Spring Vegetable And Pesto Pizza

If you like chicken and dumplings, Classic Comforting Matzo Ball Soup is one dish you have to try. In addition to chicken and matzo balls, it also features a savory broth, parsnips, celery, yellow onions, and carrots, so it is a great way to take advantage of leftover veggies as well. Since it is chicken soup at heart, you don't have to stop with those vegetables, either. The matzo balls also get a helping hand from seltzer, something that makes them light and fluffy, yet still substantial enough to create a filling dish overall.

Recipe: Classic Comforting Matzo Ball Soup

Nothing says quick and easy meal like a casserole, so when an elaborate recipe isn't in the cards, French Onion Chicken and Rice Casserole is here for the win. It'll still take some time to caramelize the onions, but the flavor payoff is huge, and once the ingredients are prepped, it simply goes into the oven. As for veggies, the standard recipe includes yellow onions and spinach, but thanks to the bulk of the dish being made with rice and chicken, adding more is always a great idea. The use of lots of fresh herbs, balsamic vinegar, dry French white wine, plus the croutons and Gruyère cheese on top also gives it all the tasty pop you could want.

Recipe: French Onion Chicken And Rice Casserole

If you have an abundance of bell peppers you need to use, Barley and Walnut-Stuffed Bell Peppers have your back. In addition to the namesake ingredients, you also get a boost of flavor from bright lemon, tangy feta cheese, scallions, and dried currants, all of which, when combined, deliver a tantalizing taste in every bite. The peppers themselves are also baked with white wine, giving them an elegant flavor in the end. Garnish with fresh parsley at the end, and it's everything you could want from a veggie dish and more. You always have the option to enhance it with meat or extra vegetables as well.

Recipe: Barley And Walnut-Stuffed Bell Peppers

Custardy, savory, buttery, and full of yummy veggies, Mushroom and Leek Quiche takes your mom's bland quiche and turns it into something spectacular. The use of mushrooms gives the dish an umami edge, and the leeks add a bit of bite that complements the creamy egg base to perfection. It's more than accepting of extra veggies as well. If you have a fluted tart pan with a removable bottom, it's the way to go. It makes taking it out of the pan incredibly simple while also giving the crust a nice flourish. However, don't let this detail dissuade you; a basic pie pan will also work just fine.

Recipe: Mushroom And Leek Quiche

If you want to fire up the grill and use some leftover veggies as well, Foil Packet Summer Pasta can help you knock out two birds with one stone. It features a sweet corn sauce with bright lemon juice and olive oil, cavatappi pasta, crushed red pepper for a bit of kick, cherry tomatoes, and thinly sliced prosciutto, although you could easily leave it out if you prefer to go vegetarian. After grilling in foil packets — talk about simple — it also gets topped with salty Parmesan cheese and fresh basil for more fresh flavor. Similar to other pasta dishes, you can also feel free to toss in additional veggies, like broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, or whatever else you happen to have in your fridge.

Recipe: Foil Packet Summer Pasta

The final recipe up for your consideration is Springy Vegetarian Pot Pie. Savory and full of veggies, it's just what you need to ensure your produce doesn't go to waste. While you can experiment with the vegetables, a mix of spring ones, like English peas, baby potatoes, mushrooms, asparagus, carrots, and leeks, gives it a fresh taste that meat-eaters and vegetarians alike can get behind. You can also make the pie in advance and have it ready to stick in the oven whenever mealtime arrives. Besides, who doesn't like a flaky puff pastry crust? The fact that you can use a store-bought one ensures the dish comes together with minimal effort and a reduced chance for error as well. Score.

Recipe: Springy Vegetarian Pot Pie