Recipes

81 Leftover-Friendly Recipes to Get You Through the Week

They’re the kind of meals you’ll want to enjoy again—and again.
SpicySweet Sambal Pork Noodles
Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Pearl Jones

We love cooking! But that doesn’t mean we always have the time (or...energy) to cook every single meal every single day. That’s when we turn to the recipes that are not only delicious right after serving, but also as leftovers a day (or three, or four) later. Think stews that get better with age, roasted salmon that’s just as satisfying right out of the fridge, and lentils that won’t mind another day in their marinade. These leftover recipes aren’t just about dinner tonight, but the meals we can actually look forward to again—and again.

  • Image may contain Bowl Food Dish Meal Curry Soup Bowl Plant and Soup
    Photo by Alex Lau, Styling by Sue Li
    1/81

    Posole Verde with Chicken

    We like toasting the canned hominy to concentrate and develop its flavor, but if that’s one step too many, it will still be awesome!

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  • Image may contain Cutlery Spoon Vegetable Food Plant and Spinach
    Photo by Chelsie Craig, food styling by Alison Attenborough
    2/81

    Saag Paneer, But With Feta

    This riff on the classic dish swaps paneer out for salty chunks of feta (but keeps the garlicky spiced spinach sauce).

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  • A platter of spicy mushroom larb with cut cabbage leaves and lime wedges.
    Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Sue Li, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski
    5/81

    Spicy Mushroom Larb

    Don’t even think about tossing, stirring, or shaking that pan until the mushrooms are golden brown and crisp.

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  • Image may contain Plant Food Produce Vegetable Bean Lentil and Egg
    Photo by Stephen Kent Johnson, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski
    6/81

    Kimchi-Fried Grains

    This easy stir-fry, combined with the trusty #putaneggonit, is irresistible.

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  • This image may contain Food Salad and Plant
    Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminsky
    7/81

    Ice Water Salad

    A stunning salad that's as crunchy and refreshing as it gets—plus, you can make it up to six hours in advance.

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  • frito pie soup
    Photo by Laura Murray, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova
    8/81

    Vegetarian Chili With Lots of Fritos

    Quick, spicy, filling, and made mostly of pantry ingredients, this chili/tortilla soup/frito pie mash-up is calling your name. (Shhh. Listen closely.) 

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  • This image may contain Plant Food Produce Vegetable Lentil and Bean
    Peden + Munk
    9/81

    Red Posole with Pork

    If you’ve never made posole, this is a good starter recipe.

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  • Pan of carbonara lasagna
    Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Pearl Jones
    10/81

    Carbonara Lasagna

    This lasagna version of carbonara includes mild Fontina, pancetta-studded ricotta, and eggs baked right in, toad-in-the-hole style.

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  • Image may contain Food Dish Meal Seasoning Sesame and Pasta
    Photo by Laura Murray, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich 
    13/81

    Cauliflower Bolognese

    No, this isn’t some kind of joke, and you don’t have to be a vegetarian to love what’s going on here.

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  • This image may contain Plant Food Produce Bean Vegetable and Lentil
    Photo by Laura Murray, Food Styling by Pearl Jones
    14/81

    Lemony Lentils and Rice With Caramelized Onions

    This recipe is inspired by mujadara, a simple combination of lentils, rice, and onions that exists in various forms across the Middle East. It's comforting but not too rich, and it's fresh and vegetarian without relying on many perishable ingredients. In other words, it's the perfect meal for the nights in between holiday parties.

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