50 delicious recipes incorporating your leftovers

·Stacker

from my point of view // Shutterstock
from my point of view // Shutterstock

As of 2023, the most recent year with available data, some 64% of Americans report cooking the majority of their meals at home. If you count yourself among that percentage, you might already be seeing benefits like improved health and financial savings. But have you thought about how you handle your leftovers?

Issues surrounding waste continue to plague the United States. A November 2023 study from MITRE-Gallup found that each American household throws away an average of 6.2 cups of edible food every week. That translates to billions of pounds of wasted food, which in turn decomposes into methane gas—a major contributor to climate change. 

Fortunately, we can all take steps to reduce our individual food waste. With the 2024 holiday season right around the corner, at-home cooks can focus on portion control, making the right amount of food for everyone instead of more than enough. Or, leftovers may be stored in the freezer to prolong their shelf life.

You can even turn those leftovers into a whole new meal. Whether a handful of greens, a  few potatoes, nubs of cheese, or the dregs of a hummus container, there are plenty of recipes to put those extra bits and pieces to good use. To help you out, Stacker compiled a list of everyday leftovers recipes from Allrecipes. Keep reading to see if any of those mismatched items doing time in your fridge can find a new home before being relegated to the compost bin.

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Incredibly Easy Chicken and Noodles

- Prep: 10 mins
- Cook: 30 mins
- Total: 40 mins
- Servings: 6
- Yield: 6 servings
- Number of ingredients: 8
- Read more about the recipe here

2 / 50

Bubble 'n' Squeak

- Prep: 15 mins
- Cook: 15 mins
- Total: 30 mins
- Servings: 6
- Yield: 6 servings
- Number of ingredients: 8
- Read more about the recipe here

3 / 50

Brunch Enchiladas

- Prep: 30 mins
- Cook: 1 hr
- Additional: 8 hrs
- Total: 9 hrs 30 mins
- Servings: 10
- Yield: 10 servings
- Number of ingredients: 11
- Read more about the recipe here

4 / 50

Chicken Chimichangas

- Prep: 20 mins
- Cook: 25 mins
- Total: 45 mins
- Servings: 6
- Yield: 6 servings
- Number of ingredients: 19
- Read more about the recipe here

6 / 50

Brown Rice Breakfast Porridge

- Prep: 5 mins
- Cook: 25 mins
- Total: 30 mins
- Servings: 2
- Yield: 2 servings
- Number of ingredients: 8
- Read more about the recipe here

7 / 50

Delicious Egg Salad for Sandwiches

- Prep: 10 mins
- Cook: 15 mins
- Additional: 10 mins
- Total: 35 mins
- Servings: 4
- Yield: 4 servings
- Number of ingredients: 6
- Read more about the recipe here

8 / 50

Loaded Mashed Potato Cakes

- Prep: 20 mins
- Cook: 35 mins
- Total: 55 mins
- Servings: 8
- Yield: 8 servings
- Number of ingredients: 14
- Read more about the recipe here

9 / 50

Fried Rice Restaurant Style

- Prep: 15 mins
- Cook: 30 mins
- Total: 45 mins
- Servings: 8
- Yield: 8 servings
- Number of ingredients: 8
- Read more about the recipe here

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Quick and Easy Chicken Noodle Soup

- Prep: 10 mins
- Cook: 20 mins
- Total: 30 mins
- Servings: 6
- Yield: 6 servings
- Number of ingredients: 11
- Read more about the recipe here

12 / 50

Baked Potato Soup I

- Prep: 15 mins
- Cook: 25 mins
- Total: 40 mins
- Servings: 6
- Yield: 6 servings
- Number of ingredients: 10
- Read more about the recipe here

13 / 50

Deluxe Corned Beef Hash

- Prep: 30 mins
- Cook: 40 mins
- Total: 1 hr 10 mins
- Servings: 8
- Yield: 8 servings
- Number of ingredients: 10
- Read more about the recipe here

14 / 50

Ham and Beans

- Prep: 15 mins
- Cook: 2 hrs
- Additional: 8 hrs
- Total: 10 hrs 15 mins
- Servings: 7
- Yield: 7 servings
- Number of ingredients: 7
- Read more about the recipe here

16 / 50

Creamy White Chicken Chili with Salsa Verde

- Prep: 30 mins
- Cook: 1 hr 15 mins
- Total: 1 hr 45 mins
- Servings: 10
- Yield: 10 servings
- Number of ingredients: 14
- Read more about the recipe here

17 / 50

Greek Lemon Chicken Soup

- Prep: 25 mins
- Cook: 40 mins
- Total: 1 hr 5 mins
- Servings: 16
- Yield: 16 servings
- Number of ingredients: 13
- Read more about the recipe here

18 / 50

Easy Turkey Tetrazzini

- Prep: 20 mins
- Cook: 25 mins
- Total: 45 mins
- Servings: 6
- Yield: 6 servings
- Number of ingredients: 9
- Read more about the recipe here

19 / 50

Mom's Fabulous Chicken Pot Pie with Biscuit Crust

- Prep: 30 mins
- Cook: 20 mins
- Additional: 10 mins
- Total: 1 hr
- Servings: 6
- Yield: 1 pot pie
- Number of ingredients: 15
- Read more about the recipe here

21 / 50

Leftover Ham -n- Potato Casserole

- Prep: 15 mins
- Cook: 1 hr
- Total: 1 hr 15 mins
- Servings: 6
- Yield: 6 servings
- Number of ingredients: 10
- Read more about the recipe here

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Easy Quiche

- Prep: 10 mins
- Cook: 50 mins
- Total: 1 hr
- Servings: 8
- Yield: 1 10 inch quiche
- Number of ingredients: 8
- Read more about the recipe here

23 / 50

Broccoli Chicken Divan

- Prep: 20 mins
- Cook: 20 mins
- Total: 40 mins
- Servings: 6
- Yield: 6 servings
- Number of ingredients: 7
- Read more about the recipe here

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Dad's Leftover Turkey Pot Pie

- Prep: 30 mins
- Cook: 50 mins
- Additional: 10 mins
- Total: 1 hr 30 mins
- Servings: 12
- Yield: 2 9-inch pot pies
- Number of ingredients: 15
- Read more about the recipe here

26 / 50

Creamy Shrimp and Crab Bisque

- Prep: 5 mins
- Cook: 15 mins
- Total: 20 mins
- Servings: 6
- Yield: 6 servings
- Number of ingredients: 10
- Read more about the recipe here

28 / 50

Cobb Salad

- Prep: 20 mins
- Cook: 30 mins
- Total: 50 mins
- Servings: 6
- Yield: 6 servings
- Number of ingredients: 9
- Read more about the recipe here

29 / 50

Roasted Chicken with Risotto and Caramelized Onions

- Prep: 15 mins
- Cook: 30 mins
- Total: 45 mins
- Servings: 4
- Yield: 4 servings
- Number of ingredients: 10
- Read more about the recipe here

31 / 50

White Cheese Chicken Lasagna

- Prep: 25 mins
- Cook: 50 mins
- Total: 1 hr 15 mins
- Servings: 12
- Yield: 12 servings
- Number of ingredients: 18
- Read more about the recipe here

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Easy Tuna Casserole

- Prep: 15 mins
- Cook: 30 mins
- Total: 45 mins
- Servings: 8
- Yield: 8 servings
- Number of ingredients: 5
- Read more about the recipe here

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White Bean Chicken Chili

- Prep: 10 mins
- Cook: 25 mins
- Total: 35 mins
- Servings: 9
- Yield: 8 - 10 servings
- Number of ingredients: 14
- Read more about the recipe here

34 / 50

Monte Cristo Sandwich

- Prep: 5 mins
- Cook: 15 mins
- Total: 20 mins
- Servings: 1
- Yield: 1 sandwich
- Number of ingredients: 8
- Read more about the recipe here

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Beef and Wine Soup with Dumplings

- Prep: 25 mins
- Cook: 35 mins
- Total: 1 hr
- Servings: 6
- Yield: 6 servings
- Number of ingredients: 15
- Read more about the recipe here

37 / 50

Quick Pork Fried Rice

- Prep: 25 mins
- Cook: 20 mins
- Total: 45 mins
- Servings: 6
- Yield: 6 servings
- Number of ingredients: 13
- Read more about the recipe here

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Chicken Enchiladas II

- Prep: 15 mins
- Cook: 30 mins
- Total: 45 mins
- Servings: 6
- Yield: 6 servings
- Number of ingredients: 10
- Read more about the recipe here

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Quick and Easy Chicken Spaghetti

- Prep: 10 mins
- Cook: 15 mins
- Total: 25 mins
- Servings: 6
- Yield: 6 servings
- Number of ingredients: 7
- Read more about the recipe here

41 / 50

Cha Cha's White Chicken Chili

- Prep: 10 mins
- Cook: 20 mins
- Total: 30 mins
- Servings: 4
- Yield: 4 servings
- Number of ingredients: 12
- Read more about the recipe here

42 / 50

Turkey Carcass Soup

- Prep: 45 mins
- Cook: 2 hrs
- Total: 2 hrs 45 mins
- Servings: 12
- Yield: 12 servings
- Number of ingredients: 18
- Read more about the recipe here

43 / 50

Baked Maryland Lump Crab Cakes

- Prep: 15 mins
- Cook: 25 mins
- Total: 40 mins
- Servings: 12
- Yield: 12 crab cakes
- Number of ingredients: 11
- Read more about the recipe here

46 / 50

Grandma's Chicken Noodle Soup

- Prep: 20 mins
- Cook: 25 mins
- Total: 45 mins
- Servings: 12
- Yield: 12 servings
- Number of ingredients: 10
- Read more about the recipe here

47 / 50

Buffalo Dip with Rotisserie Chicken

- Prep: 15 mins
- Cook: 25 mins
- Total: 40 mins
- Servings: 12
- Yield: 12 servings
- Number of ingredients: 8
- Read more about the recipe here

48 / 50

Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo

- Prep: 20 mins
- Cook: 20 mins
- Total: 40 mins
- Servings: 6
- Yield: 6 servings
- Number of ingredients: 8
- Read more about the recipe here

49 / 50

Poor Man's Pie

- Prep: 10 mins
- Cook: 35 mins
- Total: 45 mins
- Servings: 8
- Yield: 8 servings
- Number of ingredients: 8
- Read more about the recipe here