The big day has come and gone, and you're left with stacks of leftovers and not much inspiration for using them up.
There are some classic meals we like to make with Christmas Day leftovers such as turkey sandwiches, turkey curry, and bubble and squeak, but there are plenty more options you may not have thought of before.
We've put together a list of six delicious recipes that will ensure nothing goes to waste this Christmas.
Read more: How to beat painful stomach bloating this Christmas
Have a look below for some inspiration in how to use up all of those leftovers.
Spicy turkey noodles
Fancy something completely different? This recipe from BBC Good Food allows you to enjoy your turkey leftovers with a whole range of different flavours.
Ingredients:
- 250g medium egg noodles
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 limes , juiced
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 garlic clove , thinly sliced
- 1 red chilli , thinly sliced
- 500g cooked turkey , sliced
- 2 spring onions , thinly sliced on a diagonal
- 100g beansprouts
- 30g salted peanuts (or any other nuts you have left over), roughly chopped coriander and lime wedges, to serve
Method:
- Cook the noodles according to pack instructions, then drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside. Mix the soy, lime juice and sugar together.
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok and add the garlic, chilli, turkey and spring onions, fry for around 2 mins, then tip in the noodles and the beansprouts and fry for 1 min more. Pour the sauce into the pan and toss everything together well, working quickly to coat all the vegetables and noodles. Once everything is heated through, season, and tip into bowls. Scatter over the nuts and coriander, and serve with lime wedges for squeezing over.
Cheeseboard mac and cheese
Another favourite from BBC Good Food, this is a perfect recipe if you have too much cheese lying around unfinished from Christmas cheeseboards.
Ingredients:
- 350g pasta shapes
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 garlic clove , crushed
- 1 tsp mustard powder
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
- 3 tbsp plain flour
- 500ml milk
- 250g mix of cheeses you have around, plus extra hard cheese for the topping
Method:
Cook the pasta according to pack instructions, drain and set aside.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the garlic and cook for a min until softened, then add the mustard powder and cayenne pepper and cook for 1 min more. Add the flour and stir to make a paste, cooking for about 1 min, until the mix starts to bubble a little. Take off the heat and gradually pour in the milk, whisking with every addition so the sauce doesn’t go lumpy. Return to the heat and cook for 5 mins until thickened, then add the cheeses, stir until melted, and fold in the pasta.
- Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Tip the pasta into a baking dish, and top with additional cheese, preferably some hard cheese such as cheddar or parmesan, then bake for 25-30 mins, until golden and bubbling. Allow to cool for 10 mins or so then serve.
Root veg lentil bowl
If you're feeling bloated and in need of a healthy fix after gorging on turkey and chocolate - this is the perfect option for a satisfying lunch or dinner.
The recipe, from BBC Good Food, is packed with lentils, spinach, and herbs, as well as root vegetables you may not have used up for your Christmas dinner.
Ingredients:
- 600g leftover root veg (carrots and parsnips work well)
- 1 tbsp rose harissa
- 3 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 150g baby spinach
- ½ small bunch of coriander
- ½ small bunch of mint
- 1 small garlic clove
- 30g mixed nuts , toasted and cooled
- 1 lemon , zested and juiced
- cooked puy lentils (or 2 x 250g pouches)
Method:
- Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Slice the carrots into chunks, or halve lengthways if they are small, and quarter the parsnips lengthways. Toss with the harissa and ½ tbsp oil and season. Tip onto a baking tray and roast for 40-45 mins or until tender. Toss the spinach and 1 tbsp of water through for the last 5 mins to wilt.
- Blitz the remaining oil, the coriander, mint, garlic and nuts in a food processor until smooth – add 1 tbsp water if needed. Season and stir in the lemon zest and juice.
- Warm the lentils through in the microwave or in a pan with a few tablespoons of water, then toss with the roots and spinach. Spoon into bowls and top with the herb pistou.
Brussels sprouts pancakes with smoked salmon
You may have plenty of leftover sprouts, and this is the perfect recipe to use them up. A twist on a brunch classic, this recipe is ideal for starting off those lazy festive days, or makes for a nice midweek meal.
If you're not a fan of smoked salmon, this works well with any leftover Christmas ham too. The following recipe from Delicious Magazine makes enough for four people.
Ingredients:
- 3 medium free-range eggs
- 150ml whole milk
- 90g plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp aleppo pepper or smoked paprika
- 300g brussels sprouts, shredded
- Grated zest and juice ½ lemon, plus wedges to serve
- Sunflower oil for frying
- 6 tbsp crème fraîche (use half fat if you prefer)
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- Small handful finely chopped fresh dill, plus extra to serve
- 8 thin slices smoked salmon
Method:
- In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk, flour, baking powder and aleppo pepper/paprika, then stir in the sprouts and lemon zest.
- Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat with a splash of oil. Working in batches, spoon a small ladleful of mixture for each pancake into the pan. Fry for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Keep warm in a low oven while you cook the rest of the mix, adding more oil if necessary.
- Mix the crème fraîche, mustard, lemon juice and dill in a small bowl, then season to taste (see Tips). Serve the pancakes with the dill sauce and smoked salmon, extra dill and lemon wedges for squeezing.
Ham and watercress salad with clementine dressing
The perfect remedy after days of overindulgence, this light salad from BBC Good Food also has the bonus of using up plenty of leftovers at once.
Ingredients:
- 250g pouch ready-to-eat mixed grains
- 280g leftover ham, shredded or cut into chunks
- 100g bag watercress
- 1 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced
- 50g hazelnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
- small bunch parsley, roughly chopped
- 1 ½ tbsp dried cranberries, roughly chopped
For the dressing:
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- zest 1 clementine and juice of 2
- 2 ½ tsp Dijon mustard
- good drizzle of clear honey
Method:
For the dressing, put all the ingredients in a jar, along with some seasoning, pop on the lid and give it a really good shake.
- Tip the grains into a large bowl and toss through the ham, watercress, fennel, hazelnuts and parsley. Just before serving, pour over the dressing and gently toss to combine. Transfer to a serving platter and scatter over the dried cranberries.
Christmas nachos
A great way to use up plenty of leftovers at once, and the perfect accompaniment to a Christmas film on Boxing Day.
Ingredients:
- 1 red onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 1 lime, juiced
- pinch of sugar
- 4 sausages
- 6 rashers streaky bacon
- 200g tortilla chips
- 200g cooked chicken or turkey, chopped
- 100g cranberry sauce
- 150g melty cheese, use anything from the cheeseboard such as cheddar, brie, red leicester or stilton
- 1 tsp olive oil
- small bunch of sage, leaves picked
Method:
Mix the onion, lime juice, sugar and a generous pinch of salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Heat the grill to medium-high and line a large baking tray with foil. Squeeze the sausage meat from its skin and roll into small meatballs, you should get 5-6 per sausage. Arrange over the tray and grill for 8-10 mins, turning halfway through cooking, until browned and cooked through. Tip into a dish and set aside.
- Arrange the bacon on the same baking tray and grill until crisp, about 5 mins on each side. Remove to a plate and leave to cool. Turn off the grill and set the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
- Pour away any juice or fat from the tray, but don’t worry about washing it. Spread half the tortilla chips over the tray. Top with half the sausage balls, half the turkey, a few blobs of cranberry sauce and half the cheese. Scatter the rest of the tortilla chips, sausage, turkey, sauce and cheese on top then bake for 15 mins, until the cheese has melted.
- Meanwhile, heat the oil in a pan over a medium-high heat and fry the sage leaves until crisp. Serve the nachos scattered with the pickled red onions, fried sage leaves and crumbled crispy bacon.
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