18 Easy Leftover Recipes to Transform What’s in Your Fridge Into Something Delicious

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Leftovers don’t have to be a disappointment or a chore. The right easy leftover recipes can take what’s already in your fridge and turn it into something you actually want to eat. These ideas make the most of what you have, cutting down on food waste while saving time and effort. No need for extra grocery runs or complicated steps—just simple ways to make leftovers work for you. If your fridge is full of odds and ends, these recipes will help you put them to good use.

Ham Fried Rice

A black plate of fried rice with diced carrots, peas, chunks of ham, and green onions. Green onions and a green cloth are beside the plate.
Ham Fried Rice. Photo credit: Cook What You Love.

This easy leftover recipe turns extra ham and rice into a fast, flavorful meal. A quick toss in the pan with eggs, veggies, and soy sauce, and dinner is better than takeout. No one will guess it started as leftovers.
Get the Recipe: Ham Fried Rice

Turmeric Lentil Soup Recipe

A pot of lentil soup with visible lentils, chopped carrots, and greens simmering in broth.
Turmeric Lentil Soup Recipe. Photo credit: An Off Grid Life .

Leftover veggies and lentils turn into a cozy, spiced soup that’s both simple and filling. It’s a great way to use up what’s in the fridge while making something warm and satisfying. An easy leftover recipe that feels like a fresh start.
Get the Recipe: Turmeric Lentil Soup Recipe

Green Chile Chicken with Leftover Shredded Chicken Thighs

A pan of creamy pasta with sliced green onions, seasoned with black pepper, and a wooden spoon stirring the dish.
Green Chile Chicken with Leftover Shredded Chicken Thighs. Photo credit: Real Balanced.

Leftover chicken gets a bold new life with green chiles, spices, and cheese. Whether you pile it onto tortillas or mix it into rice, it’s a fast and easy leftover recipe that’s anything but boring.
Get the Recipe: Green Chile Chicken with Leftover Shredded Chicken Thighs

Easy Egg Bites Recipe

Five egg muffins with spinach and bacon on a black and white checkered cloth.
Easy Egg Bites Recipe. Photo credit: Recipes From Leftovers.

This easy leftover recipe takes fridge scraps and extra eggs and turns them into bite-sized perfection. With endless mix-in options, they’re a quick way to clear out leftovers and make breakfast more interesting.
Get the Recipe: Easy Egg Bites Recipe

Pie Crust Cookies

Two blackberry pastries on a white plate are surrounded by fresh blackberries on a light-colored table.
Pie Crust Cookies. Photo credit: One Hot Oven.

Leftover pie dough deserves better than the trash. With cinnamon and sugar, it transforms into crisp, buttery cookies—an easy leftover recipe that tastes like a reward.
Get the Recipe: Pie Crust Cookies

Homemade Tater Tots

Close-up of crispy tater tots on a tray next to a bowl of red ketchup.
Homemade Tater Tots. Photo credit: The Honour System.

Extra mashed potatoes? Roll them into crispy, golden tater tots and suddenly, no one minds leftovers. This easy leftover recipe is a snack-worthy way to clear out the fridge.
Get the Recipe: Homemade Tater Tots

Aloo Gobi Masala

A pan filled with a vibrant mixed vegetable curry, featuring potatoes and cauliflower, garnished with cilantro, accompanied by a piece of flatbread on the side.
Aloo Gobi Masala. Photo credit: Little Bit Recipes.

Leftover potatoes and cauliflower get a second chance with warm spices and a quick simmer. Serve it with rice or bread, and this easy leftover recipe becomes a meal that’s better than the first round.
Get the Recipe: Aloo Gobi Masala

Rotisserie Chicken Pasta Salad

Bowtie pasta salad with chicken and vegetables garnished with basil in a black dish on a white table. Two black utensils and a floral napkin are beside it.
Rotisserie Chicken Pasta Salad. Photo credit: Cook What You Love.

Leftover rotisserie chicken makes this pasta salad an effortless win. Tossed with fresh veggies and a simple dressing, it’s an easy leftover recipe that feels fresh and light.
Get the Recipe: Rotisserie Chicken Pasta Salad

Easy Sweet Potato Black Bean Soup Recipe

A creamy orange soup in a white bowl with chunks of vegetables and pieces of red garnish, placed on a dark napkin. A spoon rests in the bowl.
Easy Sweet Potato Black Bean Soup Recipe. Photo credit: Recipes From Leftovers.

This easy leftover recipe combines sweet potatoes and black beans for a rich, hearty soup. It’s the perfect way to use up extra ingredients while keeping dinner simple and comforting.
Get the Recipe: Easy Sweet Potato Black Bean Soup Recipe

Easy Cheesy Ham and Potato Soup Recipe

A bowl of creamy potato salad with ham and vegetables next to a split bread roll on a cloth napkin.
Easy Cheesy Ham and Potato Soup Recipe. Photo credit: Recipes From Leftovers.

Leftover ham finds a home in this creamy, cheesy soup. It’s an easy leftover recipe that turns odds and ends into a cozy meal everyone will want again.
Get the Recipe: Easy Cheesy Ham and Potato Soup Recipe

Slow Cooker Ham and Potato Soup

A bowl of creamy soup topped with shredded cheese and herbs, next to crackers and two spoons on a napkin.
Slow Cooker Ham and Potato Soup. Photo credit: One Hot Oven.

Dump leftovers into a slow cooker and let them do the work. Ham, potatoes, and cheese simmer into a rich soup that proves easy leftover recipes can be just as good the second time around.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Ham and Potato Soup

Transform Your Meals with Leftover Mashed Potatoes

A wooden bowl of mashed potatoes is placed on a wooden surface next to a red and white checkered cloth and a wooden spoon.
Transform Your Meals with Leftover Mashed Potatoes. Photo credit: Recipes From Leftovers.

Mashed potatoes don’t have to sit in the fridge untouched. This easy leftover recipe turns them into crispy pancakes, cheesy bites, or thick, creamy soup—so many ways to make them worth eating again.
Get the Recipe: Transform Your Meals with Leftover Mashed Potatoes

Easy Carrot and Red Lentil Soup Recipe with Tomatoes

A bowl of tomato soup garnished with a bay leaf, placed on a white plate with a spoon beside it. A yellow cloth is partially visible in the background.
Easy Carrot and Red Lentil Soup Recipe with Tomatoes. Photo credit: Recipes From Leftovers.

Leftover carrots and lentils create a soup that’s simple, rich, and surprisingly filling. This easy leftover recipe proves that random ingredients can come together into something worth making again.
Get the Recipe: Easy Carrot and Red Lentil Soup Recipe with Tomatoes

Easy Takeout-Style Pork Fried Rice Recipe

A bowl of fried rice with vegetables and egg, featuring peas, carrots, and red bell peppers, accompanied by a spoon.
Easy Takeout-Style Pork Fried Rice Recipe. Photo credit: All Ways Delicious.

Leftover pork and rice become a quick and satisfying meal with just a few simple ingredients. This easy leftover recipe is faster than takeout and way more rewarding.
Get the Recipe: Easy Takeout-Style Pork Fried Rice Recipe

Best Easy Cheesy Leftover Taco Meat Pasta Recipe

A spoonful of creamy pasta with visible ground meat, cheese, and small bits of tomatoes.
Best Easy Cheesy Leftover Taco Meat Pasta Recipe. Photo credit: Recipes From Leftovers.

That extra taco meat doesn’t need to sit in the fridge for days. Stir it into cheesy pasta, and suddenly, this easy leftover recipe makes dinner even better than taco night.
Get the Recipe: Best Easy Cheesy Leftover Taco Meat Pasta Recipe

Leftover Turkey Pot Pie Recipe with Cream of Chicken Soup

A slice of pot pie on a green plate, filled with vegetables like peas, carrots, corn, and pieces of chicken, next to a baking dish with the remaining pie.
Leftover Turkey Pot Pie Recipe with Cream of Chicken Soup. Photo credit: Recipes From Leftovers.

Leftover turkey finds a new purpose inside a flaky crust with creamy, savory filling. This easy leftover recipe turns post-holiday extras into something you’ll actually look forward to eating.
Get the Recipe: Leftover Turkey Pot Pie Recipe with Cream of Chicken Soup

Easy Cheesy Hash Brown Recipe

Shredded potatoes and cheese cooking in a pan with oil.
Easy Cheesy Hash Brown Recipe. Photo credit: An Off Grid Life .

Shredded potatoes from last night’s dinner turn into golden, cheesy hash browns. This easy leftover recipe makes sure nothing goes to waste while giving breakfast an upgrade.
Get the Recipe: Easy Cheesy Hash Brown Recipe

Leftover Ham and Cannellini Bean Soup

A bowl of vegetable soup with white beans, carrots, celery, and pieces of meat, served in a white bowl on a wooden surface.
Leftover Ham and Cannellini Bean Soup. Photo credit: xoxoBella.

Leftover ham and pantry staples come together in a hearty, flavorful soup. This easy leftover recipe is warm, comforting, and makes sure nothing in the fridge goes to waste.
Get the Recipe: Leftover Ham and Cannellini Bean Soup

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