17 Recipes That Are Better as Leftovers

Stale bread has so many uses, so don’t throw it out. You can turn it into a French toast casserole, for example. It will soak in more of the custard mixture for maximum flavor.

Get Ree’s Baked French Toast recipe.

You’re just 30 minutes away from a super flavorful meal that not only uses leftover rice but pretty much anything else you’ve got in the fridge, too.

Get Ree’s Pork Fried Rice recipe.

Whether you make this classic French dish or it’s American cousin, the pot roast, your meat and the veggies will be even better if you stash it in the fridge until the next day.

Get Ree’s Beef Burgundy recipe.

SHOP DUTCH OVENS

Not that you need an excuse to make this classic chicken and rice dish, but the flavors do taste better the next day. You’ll be glad you made a big batch so you can savor it for a few meals.

Get the Arroz con Pollo recipe.

If you make a big ol’ ham for Easter, Christmas, or just Sunday dinner, ham leftovers are a given. Chop some up with celery, hard-boiled eggs, pickles, and a creamy dressing for a savory snack the next day.

Get the Ham Salad recipe.

Ree is a huge fan of leftover chili, especially when the weather gets cold. It’ll warm you right up! Plus, the flavors get even deeper with an overnight snooze in the fridge.

Get the Texas Chili recipe.

Hash is probably one of the original leftover improvement strategies from back in the day. Chop whatever meat you’ve got in the fridge and fry it up with potatoes, onions, and peppers. Top with an egg and serve!

Get the Corned Beef Hash recipe.

You don’t have to wait until Christmas to make this boozy cake. But you should make it a day in advance whenever you plan to serve it. That way, the rum syrup has a chance to infuse into every morsel.

Get Ree’s Rum Cake recipe.

SHOP BUNDT PANS

Congrats, you made risotto yesterday! Want to improve the leftovers? Roll it into balls, stuff them with cheese, and deep fry them. Now that’s even better, isn’t it?

Get the Arancini recipe.

To some, the best part of Thanksgiving actually comes the next day when turkey soup is served. But why wait? You can make this any time of year and sub with leftover chicken instead.

Get the Leftover Turkey Soup recipe.

Get a taste of Louisiana, even when it’s not Mardi Gras! Much like the meat-filled stews on this list, stewed red beans actually taste better after they’ve had a chance to sit and have the flavors meld.

Get the Red Beans and Rice recipe.

Pile it high on buns, layer it in tacos, or top off a salad: There are countless ways to enjoy this chicken. The slow cooker makes it super tender and the sauce improves the meat over time.

Get the Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken recipe.

SHOP SLOW COOKERS

While it might be tough to argue there’s anything better than mashed potatoes, turning leftovers into fried pancakes is never a bad idea. They’re soft and creamy on the inside, golden and crispy on the outside.

Get the Mashed Potato Pancakes recipe.

Lemon is one of those flavors that actually improves over time. And this cake, with olive oil, sour cream, and zucchini in the batter, it will stay very moist. Bake this cake, cover in foil, and wait until tomorrow to dig in.

Get the Lemon Zucchini Coffee Cake recipe.