Christmas Leftover Recipes
Bubble and Squeak Brunch Recipe / Shredded Sprout Slaw Recipe
Leftover Turkey Curry Recipe / Stuffing Pie Recipe / Slow-Cooker Turkey Pho Recipe
Turkey Perfect Sandwich Recipe / Winter Coleslaw Recipe / The Panettostie Recipe
Veggie Leftover Pasties Recipe / Leftover Mince Pie Ice Cream Recipe
The big roast isn’t just for Christmas dinner on the special day itself. Although we might give it a good go, it’s unlikely we’ll devour everything in one sitting, and we often have some leftover Christmas turkey or various Christmas sides to use up. And so we should – it’s definitely a good shout to purposefully over-buy some of your favourite things, with the post-Yule feasts in mind. Allowing for Christmas leftovers makes it easier to cater for a crowd on Boxing Day and beyond.
Your imagination and creativity for your leftover Christmas dinner ideas can run riot in the days after Christmas. With the bulk of the work already done – potatoes roasted, sprouts boiled – it’s all about giving your leftovers a new life.
Here are some great recipes for Christmas Day leftovers from our chefs. Boxing Day never looked so good …
Bubble and Squeak Brunch Recipe
Bubble and squeak - arguably one of the most classic Christmas dinner leftover recipes you could look for, and for good reason. This dish is the perfect way to give your leftovers a second life, turning any excess Christmas vegetables into a crispy and delicious lunch for the next day. It’s a nice and easy Christmas leftover idea to pull off and something that everyone can enjoy, and even better it will go with anything you fancy - trust us, give it a go.
Shredded Sprout Slaw Recipe
A vibrant and fresh take on what’s left from your festive meal, this Christmas leftover recipe from our Development Chef Jo makes use of any abandoned sprouts and, with the help of a few extra veggies, creates a mouthwatering shredded sprout slaw. Not only is this idea quick and easy, but it’s the perfect accompaniment with your lunch the day after (did someone say cold cut sandwiches?); so give this Christmas leftover recipe a try with your extra sprouts this year.
Leftover Turkey Curry Recipe
This turkey curry recipe is the ultimate in Christmas leftover ideas. Utilising any extra turkey plus veg or Roast Potatoes from the day before, this handy recipe transforms your leftovers into a bold, fragrant dish that packs a nice punch with plenty of great spices and other ingredients. If you’re after leftover Christmas dinner recipes that turn your remaining food into a dish that’s completely different from the main event, then this is the perfect thing.
Roast Potato,Turkey,Sausage & Stuffing Pie Recipe
What’s the best way to combine any leftover meat and potatoes from the day before? We think a roast potato, turkey, sausage and stuffing pie is the way to go; crammed full of the heartiest parts of your festive dinner, this Christmas leftover recipe makes for the perfect pie filling to give your extras a new lease of life. Just add a heap of veggies et voila - a great Christmas leftover idea for your Boxing Day dinner with the family!
Slow-Cooker Turkey Pho Recipe
Slow cooker turkey pho is a brilliant Vietnamese twist on your Christmas leftovers, letting you enjoy all the extra bits and pieces in a completely fresh and delicious way. Combining the leftover turkey with some festive spices, herbs, and of course the noodles, this recipe for Christmas dinner leftovers is a deeply flavoursome and soothing meal, that’s a little different from other ideas. Perfect for lunch or dinner the day after!
The Turkey Perfect Sandwich Recipe
For many, there’s no better way to use up your Christmas leftovers than for a great turkey sandwich. What’s even better is some freshly baked bread to use for it! With this Christmas leftover idea, you can use the leftover turkey meat and whatever other festive fillings you fancy, and sandwich them between two slices of some deliciously rustic homemade bread. Serve with some great sides and Christmas slaw and there you have it - the perfect turkey sandwich using any extras from the big day.
Winter Coleslaw Recipe
Our winter coleslaw is not only a great use of leftover veggies, but also makes for the perfect side with some of our other Christmas leftover recipes to try out. Made with a variety of vegetables, with particular attention to any carrot you may have overbought for Christmas day, it’s a great addition to any winter-y meal. Just serve it alongside any leftover meat or as a Boxing Day side - a nice and simple recipe that will have you coming back for more.
The Panettostie Recipe
This Christmas leftover recipe is essentially just a fancy cheese on toast - what’s not to love? This is a creative way to use up any leftover Panettone from the festive season, melting Cheddar cheese on top of a couple of slices of Panettone to make for a naughty but very nice toastie that will be just the ticket to use it up. You can even serve it alongside some leftover turkey or ham - give it a try this Christmas, you won’t be disappointed!
Veggie Leftover Pasties Recipe
Have you got way too many extra vegetables from dinner, and need the perfect Christmas leftover recipe to get them used up? Look no further than our veggie leftover pasties; with golden, handmade pastry encasing a mix of literally any veg you have left over from the main event, it’s the perfect use for something that would have gone in the bin. Whether you eat them as a snack or with a nice bowl of soup, this recipe is great to have handy for the days after the 25th!
Leftover Mince Pie Ice Cream Recipe
We don’t often think about having any extra Christmas desserts to use up, but there’s often a few Mince Pies or a couple of slices of Christmas Cake still sitting around. Why not try our leftover mince pie ice cream Christmas recipe? This works with any dessert that’s still sitting around, and best of all it’s a really easy pud to pull off. Drizzle your choice of topping over the top, and you’ve made a luxurious dessert to treat yourself after Christmas day is over!
So, sometimes there really can be too much of a good thing, and when this happens, make expert use of your leftovers. Christmas is a game changer, both because of the volume of the leftovers and, more importantly, because of the quality of the prime ingredients. Whatever you have spare, throw it together and enjoy the happy accidents that follow! Have fun with your food and live your best leftovers life.
“The most important function of the Christmas meal: it contains within it the seed for its own deconstruction.”
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Jamie and George’s Turkey Top Tips
The great thing about buying a COOK Christmas turkey is that it’s going to taste fantastic with relatively little effort from you. Win win! There are however a few easy things you can do to get the very best out of your bird and Jamie and George (two of our chefs) have put their heads together and jotted them down below…