15 Recipes That Will Spice Up Your Christmas Leftovers

Whether youve tucked into your familys home-made Christmas dinner or your generous host has saddled you with a stack of plastic food containers, holiday feast leftovers are the gift that keeps on giving.

And sure, you can freeze turkey for a good old-fashioned rainy day soup or re-purpose the roasted duck for sandwich lunch. But if youre hankering to delight your tastebuds with unexpected flavours, you can transform those holiday scraps into meals and desserts that are worth making kitchen regulars year-round.

Here are some ways you can transform leftovers into delicious standalone meals:

1. Turkey paella

Youll need less than 30 minutes to whip up this delicious paella , which serves as both a hearty meal or a filling side dish.

Get the recipe: Easy Peasy Foodie

2. Turkey curry

This turkey curry recipe is packed with good-for-you spices, with a rich creamy sauce thatll pair well with rice.

Get the recipe: Delicious Magazine

3. Lechon empanadas

Many Latinx, Filipino and Spanish families celebrate with lechon, a.k.a. roasted pig. This clever recipe stuffs leftover pork into flaky empananda goodness.

Get the recipe: Qu Rica Vida

Youve turned leftovers into culinary masterpieces, so how do you get your kid to enjoy it? Check out our slideshow on advice for feeding kids. Story continues below.

4. Crispy mashed potato fish cakes

If your family feasted on fish and mashed potatoes for Christmas, youll have everything you need for this comforting fish cake recipe .

Get the recipe: Kitchen Belleicious

5. Ham And Cheese Hot Pockets

The ham and cheese sandwiches of leftovers past get an upgrade with this gluten-free hot pocket recipe .

Get the recipe: Bless Her Heart Yall

6. Peking duck soup

Who doesnt love ringing in Christmas or a non-denominational day off with some Peking duck? The roasted duck already hits the spot, but for a lighter meal you give it the noodle soup treatment with this recipe .

Get the recipe: Not Quite Nigella

7. Roasted winter bowl with creamy dressing

Want a head-start on healthy New Years resolutions? Try this very Instagram-friendly bowl recipe; itll keep you fuelled up for whatever last-minute holiday shenanigans you face.

Get the recipe: Chelan Fresh

8. Cabbage and parmesan coleslaw

Delicious Magazine recommends pairing turkey and cold meat with this salad recipe , which will make a generous dent in your leftovers.

Get the recipe: Delicious Magazine

9. Stuffin muffins

Youll look forward to a scrumptious, quick breakfast with this easy recipe that combines stuffing and eggs for an appetizing start to your day.

Get the recipe: Budget Bytes

10. Bacon and brussels sprouts hash

Another one for the breakfast club. Sizzling bacon elevates this brussels sprouts recipe into a meal that even the pickiest of eaters will polish off.

Get the recipe: Food Network

11. Panettone bread pudding with brandy sauce

Tore off as many panettone chunks as your stomach can bear? Re-charge your bread cake love affair with this dessert recipe , that comes with drizzle of brandy sauce.

Get the recipe: Brinas Bites

12. Eggnog panna cotta with cranberry sauce

Unite the eggnogg haters and lovers with this velvety panna cotta recipe , topped with another controversial side-dish: cranberry sauce! But in this dessert dish, its where it actually belongs (Yeah, I said it!).

Get the recipe: Foraged Dish

13. Christmas pudding-flavoured chocolate caramel sauce

Still clamouring for very last-minute gifts? This chocolate caramel sauce holds well in a jar, while also getting rid of every last crumb of Christmas pudding in your house.

Get the recipe: Delicious Magazine

14. Fruit cake pops

No need for a trip to Starbucks for your cake pop fix. You can use white or semi-sweet chocolate to make this festive cake-pop recipe a DIY hit for all ages.

Get the recipe: Food Network

15. Chocolate-dipped fruit

Loaded up on fruits to decorate the table? Dip them in chocolate for a quick sweet tooth fix, thanks to this recipe .

Get the recipe: Healthy You

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