5 Christmas leftover recipes you’ll enjoy more than Christmas dinner

Not quite wanting to let go of Christmas come Boxing Day morning is a feeling shared by most of us. But fear not! Cooking up a storm in the kitchen by using Christmas leftovers takes half the time and effort and tastes just as good… if not better! Find a range of Christmas leftover recipes below to make the most of all the food that didn’t quite make it to the dinner plate first time around (just make sure you freeze any meat you won’t cook within the first two days!)

1. Leftover Turkey Curry Recipe

Let’s face it, leftover turkey recipes make up the majority of dinners from Boxing Day through to New Year, with the leftover turkey curry usually being top of the list. For the perfect Christmas turkey curry recipe, add curry paste, chopped tomato, and a few onions and peppers to potato and diced turkey. The beauty of using cooked turkey is that after frying your veg and preparing your potatoes, it can all be brought to the boil and reduced to a simmer pretty quickly. Tuck in with a naan and enjoy.

2. Leftover Turkey Casserole Recipe

Good to make while you’ve still got a good helping of Christmas leftovers – this one is prepared similarly to the curry. Fry up your veg before adding chicken or vegetable stock. Once brought to a simmer, you can add your shredded turkey and roasted veg and leave to cook. Serve up with extra veg or potatoes and you’ve got a warming dish to keep you going through winter.

3. Leftover Turkey Pie Recipe

Another must have is the Christmas leftovers pie. One of few recipes that can utilise almost everything that made an appearance on Christmas Day – to make Christmas dinner pie simply, combine turkey, stuffing, potatoes, veg and gravy all in your choice of pastry. Essentially, a plate’s worth baked in pastry and served up with added veg and gravy. Are Christmas leftovers really Christmas leftovers without a Christmas dinner pie?

4. Leftover Turkey Burger Recipe

A new contender to the increasing number of dishes being added to the Christmas leftover staples each year, the Christmas leftover burger combines all the best bits in a bun for simple deliciousness. Make a patty from your leftover stuffing and fry it gently until crisp. Simply top with a few slices of turkey and a helping of cranberry sauce and you’ve got a Christmas dinner condensed into one bun!

5. Leftover Turkey Soup Recipe

After the Christmas dinner,  Christmas casserole, the Christmas turkey curry and Christmas dinner pie – it’s nice to downgrade to something a little lighter, but just as tasty. Leftover turkey soup can use veg, meat, and even bones to retain every last ounce of flavour and condense it into one tasty bowl. Best saved ‘til last when the carcass is pretty much bare, simply simmer the bones with veg and water to make a broth. Add any leftover meat and enjoy.

So there you have it, enough Christmas leftover recipes to last you until New Year’s Eve! From the spices of a good leftover turkey curry to a hearty pie or warming soup, try one or all of our Christmas leftover ideas and show us how to use Christmas leftovers in style by sharing your creations with us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!