What to Cook With Leftovers: 12 Easy Ideas That Feel Like New Meals

Leftovers are the cheapest dinner you will ever make: the cooking is already half done. The trick is to change the format so it does not feel like eating the same meal twice.

Leftover rice

Cool cooked rice quickly and use it within one day, reheating until steaming hot.

Egg fried rice with frozen peas and soy sauce (10 minutes)
Rice and bean burrito bowls
Crispy rice cakes topped with a fried egg

Leftover chicken or roast meat

Quesadillas with cheese and any veg
Chicken noodle soup with stock and frozen veg
Pasta with garlic, lemon and spinach

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Leftover roast vegetables

Blend into a soup with stock
Fold into a frittata
Toss with pasta, feta and olive oil

Leftover pasta, bread and potatoes

Pasta bake with whatever cheese you have
Bread into croutons, panzanella or French toast
Potatoes into hash with a fried egg on top

Leftover food-safety basics

Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking.
Eat most cooked leftovers within 3 to 4 days (rice within 1 day).
Reheat until steaming hot all the way through, and only reheat once.
When in doubt, throw it out.

Not sure what goes together?

Photograph your leftovers alongside the rest of your fridge and FridgeChef will suggest three ways to use them tonight, quickest first.

Frequently asked questions

How long do leftovers last in the fridge?

Most cooked leftovers keep for 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Cooked rice is best eaten within 1 day. Freeze anything you will not eat in time.

What is the easiest thing to make with leftovers?

Fried rice, quesadillas, frittatas and soups. They accept almost any leftover protein or vegetable and take 10 to 25 minutes.