Smart Dinner Ideas Using Leftovers
Leftovers aren't sad second meals. They're a head start on tomorrow's dinner. Here's how to use common leftovers to make something worth eating.
The leftover dinner mindset
Leftovers don't need to be reheated and served identically. They work better when transformed — leftover chicken becomes fried rice, leftover rice becomes congee, leftover vegetables become frittata.
- Leftover chicken → fried rice, quesadilla, soup
- Leftover rice → fried rice, rice bowl, congee
- Leftover vegetables → frittata, soup, stir fry
- Leftover pasta → pasta frittata, baked pasta
Suggested meals
- Egg Fried Rice — Transform leftover rice into dinner.
- Chicken Quesadilla — Leftover chicken, fast dinner.
- Vegetable Frittata — Leftover vegetables baked with eggs.
- Pasta Frittata — Leftover pasta cooked in eggs.