20 drool-worthy recipes that’ll make the most of your leftovers
Did you know 72 billion pounds of perfectly good food ends up in landfills and incinerators every year? Yikes. But one creative way to fight against food waste is to repurpose your leftovers into new AND equally delicious recipes. Friday dinner = Saturday brunch = happier you!
Whether you’ve got extra rice or rosemary, here are 20 drool-worthy recipes that’ll transform your leftovers into something new… and ensure you stay nourished with every last bite!
20 drool-worthy recipes that’ll make the most of your leftovers
Leftover Pasta Recipes
1. Vegan Fusilli Pasta Salad
This Fusilli Pasta Salad from Fork in the Road takes only 10 minutes! We love it because it doesn’t requires tons of ingredients and still tastes delicious. P.S. It makes for a great brunch dish!
2. Mind-Blowing Vegan Mac and Cheese
YUM. Who can resist a hearty, cozy bowl of mac and cheese? Try this recipe from Broma Bakery which uses cashews, nutritional yeast, and elbow noodles.
3. Vegan Pesto Pasta
This Vegan Pesto Pasta recipe from The Wholesome Culture Cookbook uses so much plant-based goodness like spinach, pine nuts, olive oil, and basil.
Leftover Grains Recipes
4. Roasted Veggie Grain Bowl with Avocado and Hummus
This grain bowl from Lemons and Basil is LOADED with veggies, grains, and healthy fats. We love it for brunch, lunch, and dinner.
5. Roasted Veggie & Brown Rice Bowl
Who knew one bowl could have so much plant-based yumminess?! This bowl from Veggie Inspired is made with cauliflower, carrots, broccoli, chickpeas, and brown rice.
6. Lentil Grain Bowl with Matcha Dressing
Grateful Grazer’s Lentil Grain Bowl with Matcha Dressing is an amazing way to take advantage of extra farro, broccoli, and lentils. And if you don’t have farro — brown rice, quinoa, and barely are easy swaps.
7. Vegan Fried Rice with Tofu
Got extra rice and tofu? This fried rice recipe from Choosing Chia is a yummy creation for any time of the day — morning or night!
8. Roasted Carrots with Farro & Chickpeas
If you want to take advantage of veggies and grains in your kitchen, try this recipe from Cookie + Kate. (Make it vegan by swapping the sauce with a tahini sauce instead!).
9. Turmeric Rice
Skip dirtying a bunch of dishes. Instead, try this 1-pot recipe for Turmeric Rice from Ela Vegan. It’s made with brown rice, lots of spices, and coconut milk (so much flavor!).
10. Vegan Coconut Rice Pudding
Indulge your sweet tooth while using your leftover rice with this Vegan Coconut Rice Pudding from Choosing Chia. Plus, somehow it tastes even better because it’s so pretty on a plate!
Leftover Greens Recipes
11. Vegan Green Goddess Grilled Cheese
This drool-worthy Green Goddess Grilled Cheese recipe from Rainbow Plant Life is e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g. And it makes great use of extra greens you’ve got!
12. Kale Chip Nachos
Kale + black beans + sweet potatoes = these insanely good Kale Chip Nachos from Minimalist Baker.
13. Kale Guacamole
Put a little twist in your guac with kale leaves! We’re fans of this Kale Guacamole recipe from Cookie + Kate, which combines kale, avocado, lime juice and cilantro.
Leftover Herbs Recipes
14. Coconut Oil Blueberry Scones with Rosemary
Sneak herbs into your baked goods with these Coconut Oil Blueberry Scones with Rosemary from The Minimalist Baker. They take only 25 minutes to make + 5 minutes of prep, which makes them even sweeter in our books.
15. The Ultimate Buddha Bowl
This Ultimate Buddha Bowl recipe from The Wholesome Culture Cookbook will use up extra cilantro and oregano + it’s a great base for other herbs you’ve got stocked.
16. Herb-Infused Ice Cubes
Make your staying hydrated feel fancier than ever with these Herb-Infused Ice Cubes from The Merry Thought. And it’s a fun (and easy) way to make the most of herbs before they start to turn. Tip: Boil the water first to make your ice cubes extra clear.
17. Easy Vegan Pesto
Not sure want to do with your extra basil? Pesto coming your way! We love this recipe from Minimalist Baker — it uses two cups of basil, along with other good-for-you ingredients like garlic cloves and olive oil. And it takes only five minutes to whip up.
18. Rosemary and Peppercorn Olive Oil
Put a little twist in your olive oil by adding fresh rosemary and peppercorn. Check out the recipe from @memeinge.
Leftover Tomato Sauce
19. Vegan Meatballs
If you’re skeptical to try vegan meatballs, this recipe from Simple Vegan Blog will you make you happy you went out of your comfort zone. And if you’ve got extra tomato sauce, you’ll save yourself the extra sauce-making step.
20. Vegan Shakshuka
Reinvent your tomato pasta sauce and put it to good use with this Vegan Shakshuka recipe from dietitiandebbie.com. Grab some warm pita and you’re good to go!
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