Reduce waste and use up leftovers with these 35 helpful tips

Meals that keep on giving

Weekends were made for long, lingering meals with friends and family, with roasted meats and side dishes everyone can share. If you find yourself with leftovers, even better. Here, we reveal how to turn all those extras into delicious dishes that'll save you time and money – and provide marvellous meals all week long.

Click or scroll through our gallery for 29 genius ideas for turning weekend feast leftovers into easy midweek meals.

The meal: roast chicken

A strong contender for the most popular of all roast meats, roast chicken with all the trimmings is the perfect family feast. Delicious both hot or cold, a supply of cooked chicken is a brilliant thing to have in the fridge and can be added to salads and sandwiches, as well as turned into all manner of new dishes.

Roast chicken leftovers: quick chicken soup

For days when only a big bowl of comfort will do, this speedy dish is just the ticket. To make enough soup for two people, sauté 5 sliced spring onions and a couple of handfuls of chopped mushrooms in a saucepan over a medium-high heat, until the onions are starting to turn golden. Add 2 finely chopped garlic cloves and cook for a minute more, then pour over 24fl oz (700ml) good-quality chicken stock. Bring to a simmer, add 2 large handfuls of green vegetables (think frozen peas, shredded kale, green beans or asparagus tips) and around 10oz (300g) leftover shredded roast chicken. Simmer until it's all heated through, and serve.

Roast chicken leftovers: chicken quesadillas

Quesadillas are a fantastic, budget-friendly way of using up leftover chicken. Take yours in a Tex-Mex direction by filling flour tortillas with tomato salsa, refried beans, grated Cheddar, sliced spring onions and shredded chicken. Cook in a dry frying pan until the tortillas are golden and the cheese melted. Serve with sour cream, extra salsa and lime wedges.

Roast chicken leftovers: Thai-style broth

A quick Thai-style broth is just the thing for piquing taste buds and pepping up leftover chicken. Heat the chopped chicken through in a saucepan with a couple of tablespoons of your favourite ready-made Thai curry paste. Add vegetables – chopped fresh tomatoes, green beans, peppers and baby corn all work well – and cover with coconut milk. Stir well and, once heated through, finish with sliced red chillies, lime juice and soy sauce, to taste.

Roast chicken leftovers: chicken pie

For a super-tasty and seriously easy meal, use cooked shredded chicken to form the base of a comforting pie. Follow the recipe below from step 3 onwards, sautéing the bacon with the leeks, onions and celery until softened and adding the cooked chicken to the pan when instructed in step 4. Serve piping hot, with roasted carrots or buttery peas on the side.

Get the recipe for chicken and bacon pie here

Roast chicken leftovers: creamy chicken and fennel pasta

This pasta dish might only call for five minutes preparation, but thanks to an ingredients list featuring the likes of fennel, double cream, white wine, chopped tarragon and leftover chicken, the end result is rich, complex and wonderfully satisfying. Serve with a leafy green salad and garlic bread and you’ve got yourself an absolute treat of a weeknight meal.

Get the recipe for creamy chicken and fennel pasta here

Roast chicken leftovers: chicken curry

A chicken curry that’s ready in a hurry and uses up leftovers, too – what could be better? Sauté a finely chopped onion in oil until softened, then add a few tablespoons of good-quality curry paste. Add chopped cooked chicken, diced fresh tomatoes and enough coconut cream so that the meat simmers in the sauce, but isn’t drowning in it. Cook for five minutes and serve with rice, fresh coriander and naan breads. 

The meal: roast vegetables

Roast vegetables make for a delicious side dish, and can also do double duty as a meal base for the rest of the week. With that in mind, cook up a big batch of olive oil-drizzled roasted veggies at the weekend. Be guided by both the seasons and what’s in your fridge here; the likes of tomatoes, peppers, butternut squash, aubergine, courgette, fennel, parsnips and carrots all roast beautifully and will bring a medley of colour and texture to your table.

Roast veg leftovers: ratatouille

Delicious as it is, ratatouille can be a bit of a faff to make from scratch. When you have a supply of roasted vegetables ready to go, though, the dish becomes a lesson in simplicity. Just tip your veggies into a saucepan and add tinned tomatoes, torn basil leaves and a scattering of thyme, plus a dash of Tabasco or a little chopped chilli if you fancy a bit of extra heat. Serve spooned over rice or as an accompaniment to sausages or leftover roast meat.

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Roast veg leftovers: roasted vegetable tart

A pack of ready-rolled puff pastry is a fridge or freezer essential in our eyes – perfect for topping pies, making quick sweet or savoury pinwheel snacks or, in this case, using as the base for a tasty tart. Unroll your pastry sheet onto a baking tray and spread with a layer of cream cheese, followed by a layer of pesto. Pile leftover roasted vegetables on top and dot with pieces of goats’ cheese. Bake in a hot oven until the pastry is crisp and golden.

Roast veg leftovers: couscous and roasted vegetable salad

Couscous really couldn’t be simpler – or quicker – to cook; all you need to do is cover it with some boiling water or hot stock. For a healthy, satisfying main meal or perfect packed lunch, fold roasted vegetables through fluffy, well-seasoned couscous, then add toasted nuts, crumbled feta cheese and a generous drizzle of balsamic dressing.

Roast veg leftovers: roasted vegetable soup

Homemade soup is only a minute away when you’ve got access to vegetables that are ready roasted. Pile those vegetables into a blender, add enough hot stock, cream or milk to loosen, and blend until well combined. Warm through in a saucepan and serve topped with thick Greek yogurt, crunchy croutons and plenty of black pepper and chopped parsley. 

Roast veg leftovers: brie and roasted vegetable pie

Nothing beats a homemade pie, and this rustic roasted vegetable and brie number is something special. The recipe does call for homemade pastry, but the method is a simple one that can be made in a food processor – plus, the buttery, crumbly end result is well worth the effort. As your vegetables are already roasted, simply follow the method in the recipe below from step 2.

Get the recipe for brie and roasted vegetable pie here

The meal: roast pork

Roast pork served with fluffy, golden roast potatoes, a generous helping of sweet-tart apple sauce and perhaps even some homemade stuffing is a real treat. It’s worth buying a joint larger than the one you’ll eat on the day, though – the leftovers that this meat produces are sensational.

Roast pork leftovers: bánh mì

A sandwich made from slivers of cold roast pork, mustard and apple sauce will always hit the spot, but if you fancy something a little different, try making a quick riff on bánh mì. Split a warm, crusty baguette in half, spread the base with pâté (if you like), add layers of sliced roast pork, a tangle of pickled vegetables (cucumber and carrot work well), a smear of mayonnaise and a dash of hot sauce. Pop on the baguette lid to serve.

Roast pork leftovers: pork stew

Adding cubes of cooked roast pork to your favourite vegetable stew or curry base is a great way to quickly bulk the dish out and add an extra layer of flavour and texture. Simply prepare the recipe the usual way, then add the pork towards the end of the cooking time – you want the meat to fully heat through, without drying out.

Roast pork leftovers: crispy pork stir-fry

Pork works well with a whole variety of other flavours and is a great addition to a stir-fry. Cut the leftover meat into pieces and toss in cornflour to lightly coat. Fry in hot oil until crisp and light golden brown on the outside. Remove from the pan or wok and cook the rest of the stir-fry ingredients, then simply mix in the pork just before serving.

The meal: baked potatoes

A crisp-on-the-outside, fluffy-in-the-centre baked potato is the perfect comfort food. For best results, coat your potatoes in a little oil and season with salt and pepper before cooking in a piping hot oven for an hour. Think clever and bake a few more potatoes than you need, and they’ll form the base of a number of meals for the week ahead.

Baked potato leftovers: loaded potato skins

Loaded potato skins are a winner of a dish that the whole family will enjoy – particularly as you can customise the fillings according to taste. Reheat your pre-cooked potatoes in the microwave, then split in half and scoop the fluffy potato centre into a bowl. Add your extras: we like feta, chorizo and wilted kale, classic crispy bacon, beans and sharp Cheddar or tuna mayo topped with a blanket of cheese. Spoon the filling back into the potato skins, flash under the grill to heat through and serve.

Baked potato leftovers: potato and egg hash

Potato hash is a comforting, satisfying and quick to pull together meal, particularly when you’ve already got a stash of baked potatoes to use up. Cut those potatoes into bite-size pieces, leaving the skin on. In a heavy-bottomed frying pan or skillet, sauté sliced red onions and peppers in olive oil until softened, adding a sprinkling of smoked paprika and strips of ham (if you like). Stir in the potato pieces and crack a few eggs into the mix. Then simply cook until the eggs are done to your liking. Serve sprinkled with chopped spring onions.

Baked potato leftovers: potato cakes

For a simple yet seriously tasty meal, turn your pre-baked potatoes into potato cakes. Warm the potatoes through in the oven or microwave, then split them open and scoop the flesh into a bowl. Mash well, then mix in beaten eggs and chopped chives. Form the mixture into patties and shallow fry until crisp and golden. Serve topped with cream cheese and smoked salmon, or opt for a creamy avocado and crispy bacon combo.

The meal: roast beef

Beef might be the ultimate roast meat for a get-together, particularly when accompanied by a punchy horseradish sauce. That said, we’re inclined to think that the leftover cold cuts this joint yields might be even tastier. Once you’d had the obligatory roast beef sandwich, why not give one of the following options a try?

Roast beef leftovers: cold roast beef with dill and mustard

For a light, easy and really rather sophisticated meal, match slices of cold roast beef with a homemade dill and mustard mayonnaise. In a small bowl, stir together 4 tbsp Dijon mustard, 1.5 tbsp red wine vinegar and 2 tsp caster sugar until smooth. Slowly whisk in 175ml vegetable oil, adding the oil a drop at a time to begin with. Once the sauce thickens slightly, add the oil in a thin stream, until fully emulsified. Stir in 1 tbsp chopped dill and 1 tbsp hot water and season generously. Trickle the sauce over slices of cold beef arranged on a platter and serve with peppery watercress.

Roast beef leftovers: beef in black bean sauce

A simple stir-fry made with strips of leftover roast beef and plenty of peppers, sliced onion, baby corn and green beans, all coated in good-quality black bean sauce, is the perfect meal for a busy weeknight. Fry the vegetables in a wok, over a medium-high heat, until just beginning to soften, then stir in garlic and ginger. After a minute or so, add the black bean sauce and beef. Heat through and garnish with coriander to serve. 

Roast beef leftovers: beef noodle soup

Head to Vietnam on a weeknight by making a quick and simple beef noodle soup. Add slivers of leftover roast beef to a pan of simmering noodle soup along with crunchy bean sprouts and pak choy, then decant into serving bowls. Place little dishes filled with sliced chillies, lime wedges, coriander and hot sauce on the table, so that everyone can customise their soup to their liking.

Get the recipe for beef noodle soup here

The meal: Bolognese

If you’re planning on dedicating time and effort to making a proper Bolognese (meat-based or veggie), do your future self a huge favour by making a double, or even triple, batch. Once you’ve enjoyed the flavourful, aromatic sauce spooned over tagliatelle or spaghetti on day one, there are endless options for turning it into different dishes, meaning that for the rest of the week a wholesome meal is only minutes away. It should freeze well, too.

Bolognese leftovers: stuffed peppers

This bright and tasty dish couldn’t be easier. Simply halve and deseed peppers (a mix of colours is nice), drizzle with olive oil and roast in a hot oven for 20 minutes, until tender. Fill the peppers with Bolognese sauce, top with grated mozzarella or Cheddar and return to the oven for 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling.

Bolognese leftovers: chilli con carne

With a few tweaks and choice ingredients, this classic Italian sauce can be turned into a Tex-Mex favourite. Pop leftover Bolognese into a saucepan and add a tin of drained kidney beans, sprinkling of cumin, cinnamon, paprika and chilli flakes and a square or two of dark chocolate. Leave to simmer for 20 minutes or so, then either serve your chilli con carne with rice or pile atop tortilla chips and dot with guacamole, sour cream and salsa.

Bolognese leftovers: pasta alla pastora

Originating from northeast Italy, pasta alla pastora is hearty, delicious and a brilliant way of using up leftover Bolognese. To make, sauté onions in olive oil until softened, then stir in sliced mushrooms, ham and peas and cook for 10 minutes or so. Add the Bolognese and a good glug of cream and leave to simmer while you cook your pasta according to pack instructions (tubular pasta shapes work particularly well here). Mix the cooked pasta through the sauce, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.

Bolognese leftovers: lasagne

With a stash of Bolognese sauce in the fridge, your already halfway to making everyone’s favourite Italian comfort food dish: lasagne. All you need to do is prepare a béchamel and layer with the Bolognese and dried pasta sheets – top with plenty of grated cheese and bake in the oven until piping hot and bubbling. Alternatively, swap the pasta sheets for aubergine slices and finish with mozzarella for a speedy take on moussaka. 

The meal: baked ham

Cook a joint of tender, succulent ham and you’re guaranteed a great meal – and delicious pickings for the rest of the week. It doesn’t matter whether you like your ham glazed with sticky marmalade and orange slices, honey and mustard or even Indian spices, the leftover options are myriad and seriously tasty. 

Ham leftovers: Ham and feta muffins

Savoury muffins make a for brilliant prep-ahead breakfast and can also be served warm with a robust salad for a tasty lunch or even dinner. Follow the recipe for feta and dill muffins below, adding finely diced leftover ham to the batter at step 3. The mix makes 12 muffins – any extras can be frozen and defrosted overnight, as and when you need them.

Get the recipe for ham and feta muffins here

Ham leftovers: ham and egg linguine

For a pasta sauce that can be made in less time than it takes the pasta to cook, combine strips of shredded ham with mustard, honey, spring onions and a splash of the pasta cooking water. Fold through linguine or spaghetti and serve topped with a poached egg, plenty of black pepper and freshly grated Parmesan. Alternatively, swap the usual bacon or pancetta for leftover ham in your favourite carbonara recipe. 

Ham leftovers: ham and potato bake

When you’ve got leftover ham to hand, this hearty dish hardly requires any effort at all. Dice the ham into generous cubes, then mix with a cheesy white sauce. Tip into a baking dish and either top with potatoes leftover from your weekend feasting or a generous layer of breadcrumbs and grated Cheddar. Cook in a hot oven until golden and bubbling. 

Ham leftovers: potato, ham and Bramley apple rosti

Crispy, golden and crunchy on the outside and soft and tender in the middle, these little rosti flavoured with grated Cheddar, crème fraîche and diced apple make excellent use of extra ham. Top with a poached or fried egg and you’ll soon be tucking into a restaurant-worthy brunch dish.

Get the recipe for potato, ham and Bramley apple rosti here

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