May 22, 2025

5 Winter Dinners You’d Never Guess Were Made from Leftovers

Categories: Meal Inspo Unwaste Guides

Winter Winners: Big Feels, Leftover Thrills
Cook once, reinvent often.

There’s something about a winter dinner that just hits different. It’s the slow unravelling of a long day. The steam rising from your plate. It’s the smug glow of knowing you didn’t have to start from scratch — you just turned Sunday’s leftovers into something spectacular.

These are the unsung heroes of the weekly meal plan – the meals that start with, “What’s left in the fridge?” and end with, “This is amazing, can I have the recipe?”

You don’t need a shopping list or a plan — just a bit of imagination, and maybe that forgotten ramekin of roast veg hiding behind the yoghurt.

These five dishes are warm, generous, and packed with flavour. They stretch your food (and your budget), help you waste less, and best of all? They absolutely deliver on that warm, winter comfort feeling.

So next time you’re staring at half a roast chicken or a lonely lamb chop wondering if it’s worth saving — trust me, it is. Because future you deserves tacos.

On the menu

Spiced Lamb Tacos

Chicken and Leek Puff Pie

Smokey Veg and Lentil Shepherd’s Pie

One-Pot Sausage, Bean & Greens Stew

Cheesy Baked Pasta Frittata

 

Spiced Lamb Tacos with Herby Slaw & Garlic Yoghurt

Prep

20 min

Cook

10 min

Serves

4

Leftover roast lamb becomes the star of the show in these quick, flavour-packed tacos. Spiced to perfection, balanced with crisp herby slaw and a creamy garlic yoghurt — this is weeknight comfort made easy.

No one would ever guess they started as leftovers.

Three tacos sitting in a bowl with chickpeas in a small bowl in the background

Ingredients

Lamb
2 cups cooked lamb, shredded, or finely sliced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

Herby Slaw
2 cups finely shredded cabbage (any type)
1 carrot, grated or julienned
¼ red onion, finely sliced
Handful of fresh herbs (parsley, mint, coriander — whatever you have)
Juice of ½ lemon
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper

Garlic Yoghurt
½ cup Greek yoghurt
1 clove garlic, finely grated
Juice of ¼ lemon
Salt

To serve
8 small tortillas or wraps
Chilli flakes or hot sauce (optional)
Pickled onions or extra herbs (optional)

Method

  1. Heat a splash of olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the lamb and spices. Stir to coat and cook for 3–5 minutes until warmed through and slightly crispy. Season to taste.
  2. In a small bowl, mix the garlic yoghurt ingredients. Set aside to let the flavours mellow.
  3. In a large bowl, toss together cabbage, carrot, onion and herbs. Dress with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust
  4. Warm tortillas in a dry pan or microwave under a damp tea towel
  5. To serve, load each tortilla with spiced lamb, slaw, and a dollop of garlic yoghurt. Add chilli flakes or extras if using.

Leftover Tip

Not much leftover lamb? Stretch it with black beans, lentils, or roasted pumpkin. Just spice and heat them up the same way – still delicious, still taco-worthy.

 

Top view of a Chicken and Leek Puff Pie sitting on a plate on a table

Chicken and Leek Puff Pie

Prep

20 min

Cook

30 min

Serves

6-8

This is comfort in a crust. A creamy filling of leftover roast chicken, soft leeks and peas topped with golden puff pastry. It’s hearty and homely and endlessly adaptable – and you won’t believe it started as leftovers.

Use what you’ve got – swap in mushrooms, corn, or any cooked veg you’ve got kicking around.

Ingredients

Filling
1 tbsp olive oil or butter
1 leek, halved and sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp plain flour
½ cup chicken stock
½ cup milk or cream
2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
½ cup frozen peas (or corn, or chopped cooked veg)
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper

Pastry
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
1 egg, beaten (optional, for brushing)

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 200°C (fan-forced).
  2. Heat oil or butter in a pan over medium heat. Add leek and cook for 5–7 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for another minute.
  3. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually add stock and milk, stirring until smooth and thickened.
  4. Add shredded chicken, peas, mustard, salt and pepper. Stir to combine and let cool slightly.
  5. Pour mixture into a baking dish. Top with puff pastry, pressing down the edges. Cut a small slit in the centre to allow steam to escape. Brush with egg if using.
  6. Bake for 20–25 minutes until pastry is golden and puffed. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving with salad or steamed greens.

Leftover Tip

If you’ve only got a small amount of leftover chicken, bulk it out with extra veggies, cooked rice, or lentils. It’ll still be just as comforting — and no one will know the difference.

 

Smokey Veg and Lentil Shepherd’s Pie

Prep

20 min

Cook

35 min

Serves

4

This hearty shepherd’s pie turns leftover roast veg into something truly satisfying. With a base full of smoky spices, lentils, and whatever vegetables need using up — all topped with creamy mashed potato and baked until golden.

The ultimate comfort food that clears out the fridge.

Photo of dish for Shepherds Pie

Ingredients

Filling
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 can lentils, drained and rinsed
1–2 cups chopped leftover roast vegetables
1 cup vegetable stock
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (or soy sauce)
Salt and pepper

Mash Topping
3–4 potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp butter or olive oil
¼ cup milk (or plant-based milk)
Salt and pepper

Method

  1. Make the Mash: Boil potatoes in salted water until tender. Drain, then mash with butter and milk until smooth. Season to taste.
  2. Make the filling: Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 5-7 minutes until soft. Add garlic, paprika, and tomato paste, and cook for 1–2 minutes.
  3. Add in lentils, roast vegetables, stock, and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer for 10–15 minutes until thickened. Season to taste.
  4. Assemble & Bake: Spoon filling into a baking dish. Top with mashed potato and rough up the surface with a fork (for maximum golden crunch).
  5. Bake at 200°C for 20 minutes or until the top is golden and crisp.

Leftover Tip

Add any leftover gravy or pan juices to the filling for extra depth of flavour.

 

Photo of 4 sausages cooking in a pan

One-Pot Sausage, Bean & Greens Stew

Prep

15 min

Cook

30 min

Serves

4

A rustic one-pot wonder that gives leftover sausages new life. With hearty beans, leafy greens, and a rich tomato base, this stew is quick, cosy, and endlessly adaptable. Just add crusty bread and you are sorted.

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp chilli flakes (optional)
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 can cannellini or butter beans, drained and rinsed
2–3 cooked sausages, sliced
1 cup stock or water
2 cups chopped greens (e.g. kale, spinach, silverbeet)
Salt and pepper
Fresh herbs or lemon zest, to serve

Optional: Fresh herbs or lemon zest, to serve

Method

  1. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes until softened.
  2. Stir in garlic and chilli flakes and cook for another minute.
  3. Add tomato paste and stir through. Then add canned tomatoes, beans, sausages and stock. Simmer for 15–20 minutes.
  4. Add greens and cook for a further 5 minutes until wilted. Season to taste.
  5. Serve hot with herbs or lemon zest if using — and don’t forget the bread.

Freezer Tip

This freezes well. Let it cool completely, then portion into airtight containers. Great for easy work lunches or a lazy weeknight dinners.

 

Cheesy Baked Pasta Frittata with Greens & Crispy Edges

Prep

15 min

Cook

25 min

Serves

4

Turn leftover pasta into a golden, cheesy frittata that’s just as good hot or cold. This is fridge-clearing magic — just add eggs, cheese, and whatever greens or herbs are on hand.

It’s forgiving, filling, and fantastic with a side salad.

Top view of a Cheesy Baked Pasta Frittata sitting on a plate on a timber table

Ingredients

1–2 cups cooked pasta (any shape)
1 cup chopped greens (e.g. spinach, kale, silverbeet)
1 small zucchini or carrot, grated (optional)
6 eggs
½ cup milk
1 cup grated cheese (cheddar, mozzarella, parmesan, or a mix)
Salt and pepper
Olive oil or butter for greasing

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C (fan-forced).
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and most of the cheese.
  3. Add cooked pasta, greens, and grated veg (if using). Stir to combine.
  4. Grease a baking dish or oven-safe frying pan. Pour in the mixture and sprinkle over the remaining cheese.
  5. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until set, golden, and puffed at the edges. Let it cool slightly before slicing.

Leftover Tip

Store slices in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Great for lunchboxes, or cut into bite-sized squares for snacks.