Christmas Leftovers 2020 Update – This is a post that originally went live back in 2018 and I’ve spent the past few weeks updating it with more recipes and links ready to share with people again. Now that the rules have changed around Christmas it feels a bit irrelevant but I also know that people are worrying about the food (and money spent on it) that could go to waste so hopefully this collection of recipes can help.
One of the best things about Christmas is the food, I don’t think anyone can deny that! Another thing that I think most people will agree on is that we tend to go a bit over board with how much we cook/prepare for the Christmas feast – there is always a bowl of something or other left to use up so I thought instead of people being subjected to eating cold turkey sandwiches for days on end why not share some recipes to use up Christmas leftovers!
I spent a good few hours Googling and deciding on the tastiest recipes to share, so here you go 80+ recipes to help you use up your Christmas leftovers!
Table of Contents
Turkey
There is always turkey leftovers when our family have Christmas dinner, normally Mum will make a soup from it …but then you have turkey soup for days on end…it’s like a never ending bird!
- Turkey and Mushroom Pot Pies
- Chinese-spiced turkey pies with bun pastry
- Mulligatawny soup
- Turkey Tikka Eggs
- Potted turkey
- Turkey and Potato Pan Fry
- Turkey and Chorizo Bake
- Leftover Turkey Pate
- Christmas Club Sandwich
- Cranberry Turkey Pie
- Slimming World Turkey Tikka Skewers
- Slimming World Turkey Risotto
- Turkey, stuffing and cranberry Chelsea buns (pictured above)
- Hand-raised Boxing Day pie
Smoked Salmon
We have never had smoked salmon on Christmas morning (it’s usually just tea, biscuits and lots of chocolate!) but I know a lot of people who love their smoked salmon with bucks fizz before opening their presents.
- Smoked salmon hash brown with poached egg (pictured above)
- Smoked salmon fish cakes
- Smoked Salmon Carbonara
- Smoked Salmon Kedgeree
- Creamy smoked salmon, leek & potato soup
Vegetables
One thing we can guarantee that will never be left over in our house is brussel sprouts – Dean LOVES them! I’m not too keen on them myself but I am a potato fiend so after a few days of roast potato overload I can normally be convinced to get my carb fix via some yummy bubble and squeak.
- Stilton, parsnip & potato cakes
- Bubble and Squeak
- Root vegetable and ham röstis
- Christmas Leftovers Quiche (pictured above)
- Brussel Sprout Soup
- Easy Potato Scones
- Leftover Potato Croquettes
Stuffing and Sausage Meat
I love stuffing and sausage meat but after finding some of these recipes I’d be tempted to make more than I could eat just so I had leftovers!
- Crispy prosciutto cups with sausage and sage stuffing (pictured above)
- Stuffing Waffles
- Bacon Wrapped Stuffing Bites
- Stuffing Baked Eggs
- Cheesy Breakfast Stuffing Cakes
- Stuffing and Chorizo Egg Cups
- Stuffin’ Muffins
Cheese
I don’t know what kind of person has left over cheese anytime of the year let alone Christmas BUT just in case you do…and don’t want to send it over my way…you can always try one of these yummy recipes.
- Cheeseboard Mac & Cheese (pictured above)
- Blue Cheese Dip
- Crispy Brie wedges with Cranberry sauce
- Camembert and cranberry toastie
- Fig, thyme and goat’s cheese tart
Nuts
Ahh nuts, there is always a bowl of them left somewhere after Christmas – normally because we’re too lazy to deal with the mess of cracking them open and the fact that it’s a lot of work for a fairly small reward (yes, I know I could just get pre-shelled nuts but that’s not very Christmassy) but some of these recipes make it worth buying them!
- Christmas baklava
- Chestnut Soup
- Pear, blue cheese and walnut muffins
- Roasted fig, walnut and chocolate pizza (pictured above)
- Maple, sea salt and chilli roasted nuts
Christmas Pudding, Sweet Mincemeat and Christmas Chocolates
Christmas Pudding – you either love it or hate it, the same goes for mince pies…I added in the Christmas chocolates bit just in case anyone did have left over chocolate…I know it sounds crazy but apparently not all people fight over the chocolate boxes at Christmas..some people have left over Bounty and Snickers in the celebration tins…weirdos
- Christmas pudding filo cigars with signature spice sugar (pictured above)
- Christmas Pudding Ice Cream
- Christmas Pudding Strudel
- Christmas Crumble
- Brandy Bread and Butter Pudding
- Christmas pudding and cranberry sauce cheesecake
- Christmas Cheescake
- Christmas Chocolate Brownies
- Leftover Christmas cake pops
- Mincemeat crumble bar
- Cranberry cheesecake slices
- Christmas Pudding Muffins
- Christmas Pudding Crumble
- Easy Mince Pie Ice Cream
- Christmas Mess
- Christmas Pudding Trifle
- Chocolate Fridge Cake
- Gluten-free mincemeat streusel tart
Drink
I have never tried Advocaat but I seem to remember it being around at Christmas as a child, it’d normally get opened for one person to have a drink and then it would never be touched again, apparently a lot of people find the same thing with Baileys (we love Baileys in this house so we never have any left!) There are a ton of Baileys recipes around, it could have probably had its own list!
- Egg nog pancakes
- Rhubarb and Custard cocktail (pictured above)
- Christmas Snowball
- Coffee Cocktails
- Baileys Banana Trifles
- Baileys Cheescake
Very good list, but there’s usually not a lot left after Boxing Day in our house!
Great tips! I love anything to eat with smoked salmon.