Christmas Leftovers Recipes — Turn the Fridge Into Better Meals

The week between Christmas and New Year's is the leftovers week. Done well, it's the best food week of the year. Done poorly, it's the same plate reheated four nights in a row.

This guide is the working playbook for turning the Christmas fridge into better meals.

The leftovers principle

Christmas leftovers are an opportunity, not a chore. The original dinner was the showpiece; the leftovers are where home cooks get creative.

The pros: vegetables are pre-roasted, meat is pre-cooked, gravy is made, stock is brewing. You're halfway to dinner before you start.

Day-after Christmas (the classic)

The standard day-after-Christmas plate: cold turkey or ham sandwich, with cranberry sauce, leftover stuffing, a pickle.

The "perfect" leftover sandwich

• Sourdough or really good bread
• Generous mayo on both sides
• Sliced cold turkey or ham
• A spoonful of cranberry sauce — yes, on the sandwich
• Lettuce + pickle slices
• Optional: a slice of cold stuffing as a layer
• Black pepper

The cranberry-stuffing-meat combination is the entire point. Don't skip the cranberry.

Turkey leftover recipes

Turkey pot pie

The single best turkey leftover. Uses the bird, the gravy, the vegetables, and stale bread crumbs.

• Mix shredded turkey + leftover gravy + diced leftover vegetables + frozen peas + cooked mushrooms
• Pour into a pie dish lined with pie crust (store-bought is fine)
• Top with another crust, slit for steam
• Bake at 400°F for 30-40 min until golden

Feeds 6, freezes beautifully.

Turkey chowder

• Sauté onion, celery, carrot in butter
• Add 4 cups turkey stock + 2 cups milk or cream
• Add diced potato + corn + shredded turkey
• Simmer 20 min
• Top with crispy bacon and chives if you have them

Turkey enchiladas

• Shredded turkey + green enchilada sauce + Monterey Jack cheese
• Roll in tortillas, top with more sauce and cheese
• Bake at 375°F for 25 min

Turkey ramen

• Make stock from the turkey carcass (simmer with water + garlic + ginger + soy + scallion whites for 2 hours)
• Serve with ramen noodles, soft-boiled egg, sliced scallion, leftover turkey

Ham leftover recipes

Ham and bean soup

The classic. Uses the ham bone (don't throw it out).

• Soak white beans overnight
• Simmer beans + ham bone + onion + celery + carrots + bay leaves for 2 hours
• Add diced leftover ham at the end
• Top with parsley and a splash of vinegar

Croque monsieur (or madame)

• Sliced sourdough
• Dijon mustard
• Sliced ham + Gruyère
• Topped with béchamel + more Gruyère
• Broil until golden
• For madame: fry an egg on top

Ham and cheese strata

Same approach as the Christmas morning sausage strata, with ham instead. Make the night before, bake morning of.

Cuban sandwich

• Cuban bread or sourdough rolls
• Mojo-marinated leftover ham
• Roast pork (cold from Christmas)
• Swiss cheese, pickles, mustard
• Pressed in a panini press or under a heavy skillet

Prime rib leftover recipes

French dip sandwiches

• Slice prime rib THIN (cold meat slices easier)
• Pile on a warmed crusty roll
• Provolone or Gruyère melted on top (under the broiler)
• Serve with a jus made from the drippings + beef stock + a splash of red wine

Beef stroganoff

• Sauté mushrooms + onion
• Add sliced leftover prime rib at the very end (so it doesn't overcook)
• Stir in sour cream + Dijon mustard
• Serve over egg noodles

Beef hash for breakfast

• Dice leftover prime rib
• Combine with diced cold roasted potatoes
• Crisp in a hot cast-iron pan with butter
• Top with a fried egg and chopped chives

Beef tacos

• Slice prime rib thin
• Warm in a hot pan briefly
• Serve in corn tortillas with salsa, cilantro, lime, queso fresco

Stuffing leftover recipes

Stuffing waffles

Press leftover stuffing into a waffle iron. Heat until crispy on the outside. Top with a fried egg, gravy, hot sauce.

Stuffing-stuffed mushrooms

• Large portobello caps, stems removed
• Mix leftover stuffing with cream cheese and parmesan
• Stuff caps, bake at 375°F for 20 min

Stuffing meatballs

• Mix leftover stuffing with ground turkey or pork
• Add an egg, more breadcrumbs if needed
• Form into balls, bake at 400°F for 18-20 min
• Serve with marinara or gravy

Vegetable leftover recipes

Mashed potato pancakes

• Mix leftover mashed potatoes with an egg, flour, salt, pepper, scallion
• Form into patties
• Fry in butter until crispy on both sides
• Top with sour cream and chives

Vegetable frittata

• Whisk 8 eggs with salt, pepper, a splash of cream
• Pour over leftover roasted vegetables in a cast-iron skillet
• Top with grated cheese
• Bake at 375°F for 20-25 min

Roasted veg salad

• Cold leftover roasted vegetables
• Add lemon, olive oil, fresh herbs, a soft-boiled egg
• Serve over greens

Vegetable soup

• Sauté onion + garlic
• Add leftover vegetables (roughly chopped)
• Add stock to cover, simmer 15 min
• Blend smooth or leave chunky
• Top with parmesan, croutons, fresh herbs

Gravy leftover ideas

Leftover gravy is gold. Don't throw it out.

• Use as a base for pot pie filling
• Pour over biscuits the next morning
• Stir into mashed potato hash
• Use as the sauce for French dip sandwiches
• Freeze in ice cube trays for future use

Cranberry sauce leftover ideas

• On sandwiches (the day-after classic)
• Mixed with mascarpone or cream cheese as a spread
• Stirred into vinaigrette for a salad dressing
• Baked into muffins or scones
• Topped on yogurt parfaits

Cheese plate leftovers

Salvage the Christmas cheese board:

• Hard cheeses — grate and use in pasta, scrambled eggs, on burgers
• Soft cheeses — spread on toast or warm into a pasta sauce
• Blue cheese — crumble into salads or melt onto burgers
• The crackers — break and use as topping for soups or salads

Sweet leftovers

Leftover cookies

• Crumble into ice cream
• Pulse into a cheesecake crust
• Use as topping for a cookie crumble bar

Leftover pie

• Slice and freeze — heat individual slices later
• Top with ice cream for an upgraded dessert
• Make pie milkshakes — blend with vanilla ice cream

Leftover panettone or stollen

• French toast — the BEST French toast of the year
• Bread pudding — soak in custard, bake until golden
• Trifle — layer with custard and fruit

The "leftovers week" meal plan

A realistic schedule for the post-Christmas week:

Day	Lunch	Dinner
Dec 26	Cold leftover sandwich	Turkey pot pie (or Beef French dip)
Dec 27	Frittata or strata	Soup (ham + bean, or turkey chowder)
Dec 28	Cheese plate leftovers	Pizza out / order in
Dec 29	Hash or salad	Stuffing waffles or enchiladas
Dec 30	Soup leftovers	Whatever's left + a fresh side
Dec 31	Charcuterie	New Year's Eve dinner (reset menu)

Storage and freezing

Refrigerated leftovers (in proper containers)

• Cooked meat: 3-4 days
• Cooked vegetables: 3-5 days
• Gravy: 2-3 days
• Cheese: varies by type
• Cooked starches (stuffing, potatoes): 3-5 days

Frozen leftovers (in airtight containers or vacuum-sealed)

• Cooked meat: 2-3 months
• Soup or stew: 2-3 months
• Gravy: 2-3 months
• Cooked vegetables: 1-2 months (texture changes)

What NOT to refrigerate too long

• Mayonnaise-based salads: 2-3 days max
• Eggs (boiled): 1 week
• Anything that smells off: trust your nose

Still need help?

See our Christmas dinner sides, Christmas breakfast ideas, or Christmas dinner ideas.