Christmas Leftovers Recipes

Leftover recipes can often be as exciting as dinner when it comes to Christmas. There are endless possibilities to create unique family favourite leftover turkey recipes. Whether you're going to stick with a classic Turkey Curry or push the boat out with a Turkey Lasagne. We're going to dive into our top 10 ideas for leftover Christmas meals, using all your leftover ingredients to save some time & money this year! 

Turkey Curry

This is one of those dishes that will never go out of style. It's easy to make and tastes great hot or cold. The best thing about this recipe is you almost never have this meal at any other time of year. 

You can combine your turkey leftovers with your remaining sweet potatoes, carrots & cauliflower mixed together with a perfect blend of spices and tomatoes, accompanied by a naan bread and rice, this is a classic boxing day dish, that makes use of a wide variety of dinner leftovers and eliminates food waste.

Turkey Pasta Bake

There's nothing quite as homely as a pasta bake, and a turkey pasta bake feels like such a treat, swapping roast chicken out for your turkey feels very luxurious, even in a simple pasta bake. 

Ingredients: 

• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil 
• 1 Roughly Chopped Leek 
• 150g Button Mushrooms
• 3 Large Cloves of Garlic 
• 250g Pasta Shells 
• 250ml Chicken Stock
• 200g Fresh Baby Spinach
• Leftover Turkey (200g +) 
• 100ml Double Cream 
• 100g Cheddar
• 100g Mozzarella 
• Sal & Pepper to Taste 

Method:  This leftover dish is an easy way to make the most of your leftover roast turkey, simply saute the leek, mushrooms & garlic in a large pan with the oil for 3 minutes. 

Next, add the dried pasta, stock, water, and seasoning and cook until the pasta is almost cooked (typically 8-10 minutes) 

Add the spinach, turkey, cream & half of the cheese and stir to combine. 

Finally, transfer to an ovenproof dish and top with the remaining cheese and bake for an additional 15 minutes for a golden top crisp. 

Turkey Salad Sandwiches 

A sandwich is always a good option if you've got leftover turkey on hand. You could also try adding some fresh herbs or salad leaves to give it more flavour and depth, alternatively, you could keep with the Christmas theme and make some classic Stuffing & Turkey Sandwich.

Optional Ingredients:

• Mayo 
• Lettuce
• Tomatoes
• Bacon 
• Cheese 
• Pickles 
• Onion 
• Leftover Stuffing
• Leftover Cranberry Sauce

Turkey, Ham & Blue Cheese Pie 

If you've got leftover turkey, ham and blue cheese, then this pie is a must. It's so delicious., and offers sine unique flavours that don't necessarily embody Christmas, but definitely feel more luxurious. 

What you'll need: 

• Puff Pastry Dough 
• Leftover Roast Turkey
• 50g Blue Cheese 
• Leftover Thick Ham 
• 1 Medium Egg 
• 450g Brocolli & Stilton Soup 
• 150g Brocolli Florets - Cut Small

How to make: 

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 190°C/fan170°C/gas 5.

Step 2:  In a large saucepan, add oil to the pan and add the turkey & broccoli florets. 

Step 3: Add the soup and combine the mixture

Step 4: Roll your pastry until roughly 4-5mm thick

Step 5: Add the mixture to a pie dish, dotting blue cheese across the top of the mixture, before placing the pastry over and patting down, wetting slightly. 

Step 6: Whisk the egg and brush over the top of the pastry, and make a few slits in the top of the puff pastry to allow for air. 

Step 7: Bake for 30 minutes until the pastry is golden. 

Turkey Bubble & Squeak

This recipe uses up all sorts of leftovers from the festive season, including leftover stuffing, cranberry sauce, gravy, vegetables, meat, etc. The result is a hearty meal that will be sure to warm you up on those cold winter nights.

Bubble and squeak are one of the more classic leftover recipes, and it involves using your leftover roast potatoes, mashed potatoes and leftover sprouts, cabbage and turkey. 

It's fairly simple and straightforward, firstly, you'll take your leftover meat, in this instance turkey but could also be roast chicken, or streaky bacon, and fry it with one finely chopped onion for 3-5 minutes. 

Then add in your leftover veg, such as cabbage, and sprouts and swede cook for a few minutes until it begins to brown. 

Finally, add your mashed potatoes and press everything together in the pan, pushing the mixture down. 

Once the mixture has crisped on one side, flip it over and cook further on the bottom side. 

To serve cut into wedges and serve alongside leftover gravy, cauliflower cheese or cranberry sauce. 

Patatas Bravas With Eggs

Patatas Bravas are a traditional Spanish dish and can easily be replicated with your leftover potatoes,  with some added onions, chorizo and tomatoes, fried lightly with some paprika, saffron, salt and pepper. 

Alongside your Patatas Bravas a Garlic Dip & Fried Eggs pair nicely, making it a perfect home-cooked lunchtime treat that won't require much extra work. 

Cauliflower Cheese Soup

A great way to use up any leftover vegetables and ingredients, especially if they're not quite at their best. This recipe is quick and easy to put together and makes a lovely light lunch or supper. 

You'll need the following: 

200g Cauliflower Flakes (about half a small head) or your leftover cauliflower cheese

2 medium Onions

3 cloves garlic

100ml Milk

300ml Chicken Stock

180g Grated Cheddar 

1 Large Potato 

Method:

In a large saucepan, add the onion and butter and cook until softened, string often to ensure it does not brown. 

After 5 minutes, add the cauliflower cheese, stock, chopped potato, milk and seasoning.

Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat, simmering for roughly 30 minutes until the potato is softened. 

Transfer to a food processor and blitz until it becomes a creamy mixture, once blitz return to the pan to reheat, adding additional cheese as needed, season once more and serve. 

Leftover Roasted Vegetable Frittata 

Frittata is an Italian dish which is traditionally made with eggs, cheese, herbs and vegetables. It's a delicious breakfast option or a filling dinner served with salad. 

This recipe uses up leftover roasted vegetables, so you can have a frittata ready in no time! 

Ingredients: 

4 Medium Potatoes (Your boiled potatoes from the dinner, sliced into around 2-3mm thick)

1 Red Onion

6 Spring Onions chopped finely 

Leftover Brussel Sprouts

Leftover Cauliflower or broccoli

10 Large Eggs

150g Grated Cheddar Cheese

50ml thick double cream 

Method: 

This potato Omelette takes your leftover vegetables and transforms them into a classic Italian dish. Typically made with meat, cheese and vegetables, a frittata can combine your leftover veggies and make them an easy breakfast, brunch or lunch for the whole family. 

Step 1: In a large roasting dish, take your leftover vegetables and layer them on the pan, ensuring the veg aren't overlapping each other. 

Step 2: Mix together the eggs & cream and pour over the vegetables. 

Step 3: Top with cheese and bake for 35 minutes, allow a set time of 10 minutes to ensure the bake is solid.  

Turkey Ramen 

Ramen is one of those dishes that everyone loves but nobody really knows how to make. The key to this ramen is using turkey instead of chicken, which gives it a richer flavour and texture. 

It also means you don’t have to worry about cooking the noodles separately, just throw everything in the pot and let it do its thing. 

The only downside to this recipe is that you'll likely need a few ingredients that you don't typically have lying around, Japanese spices & sauces including Miso Paste, Goma or Tahini & Shiitake Mushrooms. 

Ramen can be made with a handful of your favourite ingredients from Tenderstem broccoli to mushrooms, beansprouts and more. 

Turkey Fajitas 

Fajitas are a Mexican dish consisting of grilled steak strips wrapped in tortillas and topped with guacamole, salsa and sour cream. They're usually served with rice and beans, but they can also be eaten as a main meal by themselves. 

The best part about fajitas is that they're super quick and simple to prepare, making them perfect for busy weeknights.

Simply include some fresh veggies such as lettuce, tomato, peppers & onions, alongside your favourite selection of sauces such as Southwest Sauce, Sriracha or Garlic and make your own creations.