14 leftover roast recipes
Cooking an entire roast meal from scratch can be a mammoth task - but it is absolutely worth it! A classic roast beef with crispy baked potato and vegetables or a leg of roast pork or lamb with mashed potatoes and gravy is the type of Sunday roast the whole family will love. After all, there is something about cooking a perfect roast that brings people together.
But all that effort for just one meal can seem like a waste. Luckily, last night's dinner leftovers makes an excellent meal the next day.
Whether you turn Sunday roast into Monday pie or soup, there are so many options to make your leftover roast beef, lamb, chicken or turkey last another meal. Phew!
We've put together some of our favourite recipes to use leftover roast meat and vegetables. Read on for some great ideas!
Searching for more helpful tips to help you plan your dinners? Check out our weekly meal planners.
Leftover roast chicken and turkey recipes
After a long day at work, the last thing you feel like doing is cooking up a whole meal. But then you remember - there's leftover roast chicken from last night's roast dinner. What could be better?
By serving up your leftovers, you're ensuring you reduce food waste and you're saving yourself some valuable hours in the kitchen.
Try one of our tasty leftover meat recipes below featuring either chicken or turkey.
Turkey and avocado rolls
This recipe for turkey and avocado rolls is a great way to use leftover turkey. It's also a super customisable dish, using only a few ingredients. You can mix and match whatever you have in your fridge or pantry - switch the mayonnaise for aioli or dijon mustard and add your choice or vegetables. We love adding melted cheese, chopped tomatoes and sour cream for a Mexican take on turkey roll ups.
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Thai chicken soup
Everyone knows that chicken soup makes the best comfort food - and the same can be said for this delicious recipe for Thai chicken soup. The recipe calls for chicken breasts, but any kind leftover roast chicken will work equally well. You can also use leftover chicken stock from yesterday's roast meal if you're organised enough! Add fish sauce for extra tang and some red pepper chilli flakes to make your version extra spicy - the recipe has medium heat!
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Chicken and kale minestrone soup
Hearty and good for the soul, this chicken and kale minestrone soup is the perfect one pot wonder. Made with precooked chicken and plenty of nourishing vegetables, this soup can be customised to fit both your budget and what’s leftover in the fridge! Perfection.
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Filo topped chicken pie
For the ultimate comfort food try our easy chicken pie recipe. With a crisp filo topping and creamy filling, this quick recipe is bound to become your new go-to. Pop in leftover roast chicken or any leftover roast vegetables. You can also cook the filling ahead and store it in the fridge to save you time on the day.
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Chicken and tabbouleh salad
Inexpensive and so good for you, tabbouleh is easy to make and delicious. Team it with your leftover chicken or pick up some ready-cooked from the supermarket deli.
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Leftover quiche
Clear out the fridge and reduce waste with this delightful different quiche that uses up leftovers. Roast potatoes and chicken, broccoli and bacon, kumara and roast beef, or a medley of roast vegetables, this dish is as versatile as it is easy and delicious.
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Pineapple fried rice
Fried rice makes one of the best leftover meals. This recipe uses leftover chicken but you can use any leftover meat in yours - leftover prawns, leftover steak, leftover cooked beef and even leftover pork all make amazing additions. Gently fry everything together in a big pan or work for a quick and easy meal that the whole family will love.
See recipeLeftover roast beef and lamb recipes
Roast beef and roast lamb are Kiwi staples. They both make regular appearances on dinner tables all across New Zealand and many families enjoy them for Christmas day lunches and dinners.
Since we love roast meat so much, it's no wonder that we also love leftover roast beef and lamb. If you're looking for inspiration to use up your leftover lamb or beef, try one of our great recipes.
Beef and roast pumpkin warm salad
This leftover beef dish is versatile recipe that can be used as a filling for wraps or pita pockets as well as being served as it is. It makes a particularly good filling for roast beef enchiladas when sprinkled with smoked paprika and paired with fresh herbs like chopped parsley and coriander. You could also swap the chickpeas for cannellini or butter beans if you like (or even baked beans at a push!).
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Cottage Pie
If you're looking for fab food that will please the whole family, Cottage pie is one of the most tried and true leftovers recipes in the book. This dish has been fed to Kiwi families for ages and just happens to be one of the best uses for beef leftovers or lamb leftovers. Our recipe keeps things simple with cooked roast beef, olive oil, finely chopped onion, beef stock, diced carrots and celery, and a mashed potato topping. But some recipes also suggest adding tomato puree and red wine to the beef mixture for an extra kick. If you're extra organised, you could also use leftover beef broth from last night's roast beef.
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Roast meat salad
Our Roast meat salad is one of the lighter leftover roast beef recipes. Packed with veggies and protein, the salad is the definition of "good food" - and a meal that you can serve to the family knowing it's full of nutrition. If you're looking to make the salad slightly heartier, toss in some freshly cooked egg noodles or include mozzarella or feta cheese.
Irish stew
An Irish lamb stew on a cold winter’s night does wonders for the soul. Hearty, wholesome, simple to make and delicious to eat. Don’t forget a nice loaf of bread to help soak up all the delicious cooking juices.
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Leftover roast lamb and kūmara hash
Ever wonder what to do with the leftover roast? Look no further, as we transform roast lamb and kūmara into something magical! With fresh herbs and leek, you’ll make a completely new meal to enjoy any day of the week.
See recipeLeftover roast vegetable recipes
We've been talking all about leftover roast meat - and with so many leftover beef recipes and leftover chicken dishes, it would be unfair of us to leave out those who are vegetarian!
Here are a few of our favourite meals that include leftover roast veggies. They're all super easy to cook and completely vegetarian.
Vegetable tart
Got leftover roast veges? Try this easy pie, perfect for a shared morning tea or light lunch.
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Roast vegetable salad
Leftover veggies? Turn them into lunches that will have your colleagues turning their heads.
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Winter roast veg upside-down pastry
Individual upside-down pastries with leftover roast winter vegetables assembled on a single tray. It’s an easy, simple, hassle-free pastry that the whole whānau can munch on.
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Roast vegetable and couscous salad
Packed with vegetables, we all know that salads are a healthy way of getting vitamins and minerals into your body. But when you're used to eating lighter salads over the warmer months, how can you adapt this meal for winter time?
See recipeLeftover quiche
Clear out the fridge and reduce waste with this delightful different quiche that uses up leftovers. Roast potatoes and chicken, broccoli and bacon, kumara and roast beef, or a medley of roast vegetables, this dish is as versatile as it is easy and delicious.
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