Transform your leftovers into something outstanding with these tasty recipe ideas.

Roast vegetable frittata

Ideal for a brunch, this is an egg-cellent way to transform simple ingredients into a hearty meal. Use whatever vegetables or cheese you have on hand – spinach and goats cheese, roast peppers and manchego, for example – and serve with a green salad.

Ingredients: Leftover roasted veggies, eggs, cheese, herbs.

Instructions: Beat eggs, add chopped leftover veg and sprinkle over cheese and herbs if you have them. Cook over a low heat in a non-stick pan until set.

Pasta bake

It’s so easy to cook too much pasta, but don’t throw it away! When combined with sauce and topped with oozy cheese and breadcrumbs you can make an outstanding meal for the following day.

Ingredients: Leftover pasta, sauce (tomato or cream based) grated cheese, breadcrumbs.

Instructions: Toss the leftover pasta with sauce and place in a baking dish. Top with cheese and breadcrumbs before baking at 180°C until bubbly and golden.

Soup

This recipe is great for when you have scraps of meat and veg leftover from a roast. Simmered in a stock and seasoned well, your meat can be even more succulent second time round.

Ingredients: Leftover meat (e.g. chicken, beef, lamb) leftover vegetables, stock, spices (thyme, rosemary).

Instructions: Dice the meat and vegetables and combine with the stock in a pot. Add seasoning and simmer until heated through.

Tortilla wraps

It is always worth cooking a big batch of certain foods like chilli or pulled pork, and by piling them into tortillas with cheese (and whatever else you have at hand) you can create super tasty snacks that can even be wrapped up and frozen for future eating.

Ingredients: Leftover chilli/pulled pork/shredded chicken etc., roasted vegetables such as peppers or onions or coleslaw/salad, tortillas, grated cheese.

Instructions: Place your filling into your tortilla and top with cheese and their toppings. Fold and grill in a pan or heat in a microwave. 

Potato cakes

You say potato, I say “hold onto that leftover mash”. Another brilliant brunch idea, these potato cakes make a fantastic breakfast treat (served with bacon, eggs, sausages etc.) and handily double as a hangover cure!

Ingredients: Leftover mashed potato, flour, grated cheese, diced onion, egg.

Instructions: Mix potato with flour, cheese, onion and egg to form a dough. Shape into patties and fry until golden on each side.