I love making fresh meals but I’m a huge fan of leftovers, too. That’s especially true when it comes to holiday dishes from my Thanksgiving and Christmas feasts.
This year, I cooked up some tasty recipes including pot roast with carrots and potatoes, ham, and sweet potatoes. And as usual, I made way too much for my family to eat in one night!
Thankfully I have a lot of food I can use for meals and snacks throughout the week. But instead of just popping sides in the microwave, I found a few ways to use these dishes in completely new ways.
Here are some of the best recipes you can make from your Christmas leftovers.
Recipes To Create With Leftover Meat
Grandma Metzger’s Best Casserole
If you have some leftover ham on your hands, you can create my grandmother’s favorite quiche recipe!
She used to make it with bacon, but you can easily swap the ingredient with ham and it will taste just as good. It’s a classic in my house throughout the year, and if you want to try it yourself you can find the recipe HERE.
Savory Ham and Cheese Sliders
Sliders are great for lunch, dinner or a mid-day snack. And when you try these sliders, you may never make them any other way again.
They’re cheesy and brushed with butter… meaning they melt in your mouth with every bite. And because they’re made in one big “sheet,” they come together super quick and you don’t have to make each sandwich individually.
HERE is the recipe.
Turkey, Brie and Cranberry Panini
Whether you use this recipe for lunch or dinner, it’s bound to have you coming back for seconds!
It’s a turkey, brie, and cranberry panini and it’s incredibly easy to make. I’m talking only five ingredients! Gather crusty bread, butter, turkey, cranberry sauce, and brie and you’ll be well on your way to a delicious sandwich. Find the full recipe HERE.
Turkey Pot Pie
Leftover turkey? You’re in luck because this turkey pot pie from Spend with Pennies looks delicious!
It’s made with turkey, roast vegetables and potatoes—so you can use multiple side dishes for this one.
Check out the whole recipe HERE!
Roast Beef Hash and Eggs
Last year, my family made a pot roast for Christmas and it delicious! With that said, it’s one of those meals I can only eat ever so often… so I’m making something entirely new out of those leftover ingredients.
I discovered this Roast Beef Hash and Eggs from Ina Garten and it requires ingredients I already used in my pot roast. It makes four servings (great for my family) and it’s great alone or topped with poached eggs.
Find the recipe HERE to make it yourself.
Ham and Cheese Tortellini
This ham and cheese tortellini is one of my newer recipes, but boy… it’s a hit! And let me tell you. That extra Happy to Meat You ham I have in my house really makes this recipe a winner.
The ham adds some substance to this cheesy and hearty dish. It’s filling, comforting and incredibly easy to make! Take a look at the recipe HERE.
How To Use Leftover Potatoes
Turkey Cranberry Strudel
This is the perfect recipe if you’re looking to get rid of a lot of Christmas leftovers—including sweet potatoes!
It’s a turkey-cranberry strudel from Recipe Girl and it looks absolutely decadent.
Between the shredded Swiss cheese and the maple syrup, this strudel is filled with multiple flavor profiles. If you’d like to try this at home, you can find the entire recipe HERE.
Mashed Potato Pancakes
I found this mashed potato pancake recipe on Savory Nothings and I already have plans of adding it to my weeknight dinner plan.
These are simple to make and only require shredded cheddar cheese, flour, eggs, and leftover mashed potatoes.
You can also freeze them for future gatherings. Want to make some of your own? Find the recipe HERE.
Sweet Potato Pie
Still have some extra sweet potatoes in the pantry that you didn’t cook up? I have a recipe is for you!
This classic sweet potato pie will delight anyone with a sweet tooth. Plus, it’s fairly healthy which is an added bonus.
The potatoes provide a perfect foundation and the cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and vanilla top off the flavor profile. See the entire recipe HERE.
Christmas Leftovers Recipes With Extra Veggies
Vegetable Soup
When the weather is cold, there’s nothing I love more than a warm cup of soup.
This easy-to-make soup is from my own kitchen and it allows me to use up all of those leftover veggies!
Find the whole recipe HERE.
Classic Corn Bake
If you have some cans of corn piled up in your pantry, use one of the cans to make this classic corn bake!
It’s my family’s favorite holiday side dish and we easily go through a batch in a day.
You can also use fresh corn off the cob if you have that on hand, but no matter what type of corn you use it will taste just as delicious! Click HERE for the recipe.
Roasted Green Beans with Mushrooms
Dive into those leftover green beans in a whole new way. Some people make a casserole with their beans, but if you steam them or cook them in the oven, you can re-use them in this recipe from Kalyn’s Kitchen.
Tell me these roasted green beans with mushrooms don’t look amazing… and covered in balsamic and parmesan? Sign me up! You can see the whole recipe HERE.
Other Christmas Leftovers Recipes
Stuffin’ Muffins
Stuffin’ Muffins. It’s a cute name and an even more delicious recipe! This one is great for anyone who has extra stuffing taking up room in the fridge.
Instead of just warming it back up and placing it on a plate, you can make baked muffins that include layers of beans, turkey, mashed potatoes and stuffing.
Take a look at the entire recipe from Taste of Home HERE.
Cranberry Bars
My sweet senses are tingling with these Cranberry Bars.
I found it on Dish in The Kitchen and it’s a great recipe to make with some of that excess cranberry sauce. You’ll find the delicious berries in the center of crumbly shortbread layers, and they’re aesthetically pleasing, too!
Making it at home? Find the recipe HERE.
The Best Swedish Meatballs
This dish includes a gravy recipe, but you can also add some of your own leftover gravy to change it up a bit.
These Swedish meatballs are the perfect mix of comfort and flavor and they’re sure to be a family hit. And the best part is that they’re surprisingly easy to make.
The result is tender meatballs covered in thick gravy and if the photo isn’t enough to make your mouth water, making it yourself will do the trick See the full recipe HERE.
With all these Christmas leftovers recipes, you could convince someone you’re cooking an entirely new meal! I hope some of these were helpful and that you can experiment with some fresh dish ideas.
From my home to yours,
Jill
Here are more of my recipe blogs:
– Grandma Metzger’s Best Casserole
– How To Make Savory and Zesty Ranch Crackers
– The Best Brownie Recipes To Bake At Home
Did you know I have my own online shop? Check it out HERE!
