Christmas is the season for stuffing yourself senseless. From gigantic turkeys to tantalizing nut roasts, crispy roast potatoes, sweet pies, and a mountain of vegetables – one thing is certain; there will always be leftovers. Working out what to do with leftovers in a world where food waste should come under scrutiny takes a little creative thought. These recipes for using up those lavish seasonal leftovers will have you happily munching on turkey for weeks to come…

Turkey Sloppy Joes

Don’t write off your turkey obsession just yet. The turkey sloppy joe is going to bring you back from the brink. Leftover turkey is shredded to edible perfection before being simmered in gravy to give it a pulled pork texture. Pile it onto a bun along with shredded homemade slaw, gherkins, and a gorgeous barbeque sauce and chow down.

Turkey Ramen

A quick slurpingly good turkey ramen makes for an excellent post-Christmas lunch and is light enough that you won't feel weighed down for the rest of the day. Using a delicious turkey stock, the leftover meat, and even the leftover vegetables (including chopped sprouts), you can bring a new lease of life to your leftovers. Added ginger, white miso, soft boiled eggs, and chilli flakes is truly a game-changer.

Ham, Pear and Blue Cheese Salad

If you have gorged on a glorious honey-roasted ham this Christmas then you are sure to have lashings left. Boxing day may be the perfect time to whip up a bright and festive salad that won’t leave you snoozing on the sofa. This ham, pickled pear and blue cheese salad is an excellent way of using up those leftover cold cuts and cheese in a relatively healthy and harmonious way. The sweet tang of the pickled pear, the salt sharpness of the cheese, and the cool crunch of the leaves make a glorious accompaniment to your festive ham.

Boxing Day Quesadillas

Floury tortillas are filled to the brim with leftover turkey and cranberry, before being topped with thick slices of leftover camembert. Fire up the pan and dry fry the boxing day tortillas until the camembert has turned all gooey and glorious. An excellent swift and simple supper to accompany those long fireside nights playing board games.

Creamy Pumpkin Soup and Toasties

Make a base velvety golden pumpkin soup and dress it up with swirled blue cheese leftover from your cheese plate. Grill up some gorgeous toasted sandwiches to serve alongside – you can pick from perfect fat leftover turkey sandwiches, cheese toasted sandwiches with figs, and even ham sandwiches should you have more cuts left over. This always makes for a crowd-pleasing lunch, particularly if you still have family hanging around.

Red Cabbage, Cauliflower and Coconut Dahl

If you are up to your ears in leftover red cabbage and cauliflower, then why not put it all into a delightful coconut fresh dahl. Dreamy, creamy and a great break from all the fit to burst Christmas food, dahl is always a delight. All your favorite warming spices come together to lift this delightful dish to dizzying new heights, serve with fresh bread and chopped cilantro for a cozy supper.

Which leftovers will you be turning into dreamy new dishes? Share your fave recipes with us in the comments.