Christmas is a time for family, friends, and of course, FOOD! If you're like most people, you probably have a lot of Christmas leftovers. What are you going to do with all that food? Well, we've got some clever and delicious Christmas leftover recipes for you! These recipes will help you make the most of your Christmas feast. So dig in and enjoy!
Turkey and ham are the two biggies when it comes to protein dishes for the holidays, so our collection of Christmas leftover recipes is focusing on them. You'll find all kinds of delicious recipes here from turkey pot pie with stuffing topping to soups, greens with ham, and so much more.
Why You'll Love These Recipes
- They use limited ingredients, and most of them are already in your kitchen.
- They're simple recipes that put your leftover turkey or ham to perfect use.
- They're so full of flavor and so satisfying.
- They're the perfect way to stretch out those holiday leftovers.
How popular is Turkey for Christmas?
Turkey is a popular Christmas dish in many parts of the world. In the United States, turkey is typically served as the main course on Christmas Day.
The tradition can be traced back to Henry VIII. After the British began exploring the Americas, turkeys were brought back to Brittain. Henry VIII enjoyed them so much, he decided to make turkey a staple for the Christmas holiday.
Of course, that tradition followed settlers who came over to North America, and so turkey has been a part of the holiday season ever since.
The great thing about turkey is that in addition to being absolutely delicious at your holiday celebration, the leftovers are absolutely fantastic in all sorts of recipes. So try something new besides the same old turkey sandwich!
How popular is Ham for Christmas?
Ham is also a popular Christmas dish in many parts of the world. Ham for Christmas supposedly originated in Germany. According to a popular story, old-world Germans served ham as a way to appease Freyr, the god of fertility, harvest, and boars.
Christianity also borrowed other pagan traditions for the season like Christmas trees. Put those together and you have Christmas ham.
In the United States, the popularity of ham for Christmas is owed to good marketing. Ham began being mentioned as a Christmas dish around 1900, however, it really took off around 1916. That's when Armour & Company began advertising the idea of a holiday ham for its quick-cured and less salty canned hams.
Christmas Leftover Recipes That Aren't Boring
Do you get tired of just reheating turkey and ham after Christmas? You can mix up the meal with different sides but it does get a bit boring after a while. And of course, we've all made about 500 turkey or ham sandwiches with our leftovers for days after the holiday is over.
It doesn't have to be that way, though! Making clever and delicious Christmas leftover recipes that help you to use up all of your delicious leftovers is a great way to ensure all that delicious meat doesn't go to waste and doesn't get turned into yet another sandwich.
I love these recipes so much because they're the perfect way to make even more delicious meals that are so satisfying and so substantial. There are some super hearty dishes that are perfect when made with leftover turkey and ham, you guys!
Why These Recipes Work
Turkey and ham are both incredibly versatile proteins. They have a distinctive flavor, but they don't overpower other ingredients, which makes them perfect for incorporating into all kinds of dishes.
Turkey has a mild flavor, making it perfect in pot pies, wraps, pasta dishes, casseroles, and yes, sandwiches (just not boring ones).
Ham, on the other hand, has a bolder, salty flavor. However, that flavor is not so strong that it drowns out other flavors. This makes it perfect for dishes like bean soups and sauteed or stewed greens that benefit from the extra kick of saltiness that ham offers. Ham also works well in pasta dishes and hot sandwiches like sliders.
Delicious Christmas Leftover Recipes
These recipes are the perfect way to do something other than throw your meat on two slices of bread with mayo!
These recipes are broken down into turkey and ham sections so you can hop right to what you want! You'll find turkey bolognese, turkey wraps, ham salad rollups, ham and bean soup and so much more. You certainly won't be bored with these recipes!
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Christmas Leftover Recipes Using Turkey
These recipes use turkey leftovers to create dishes that have everyone coming back for more. Continue the flavors of the holiday with a turkey pot pie with stuffing crust or turkey and stuffing casserole, or get creative and make a delicious turkey, apple, and brie sandwich that is anything but boring.
Christmas Leftover Recipes Using Ham
These recipes are the perfect way to let your holiday ham continue to shine. This salty cut of meat that's cooked to perfection for the holiday finds teh perfect spot in recipes like ham and rice casserole, collard greens and ham, ham and bean soup, and so much more.
Try These Delicious Christmas Leftover Recipes
It’s time to get creative with your Christmas leftovers! These recipes are sure to please and will help you reduce waste over the holiday season. What’s your favorite way to use up leftover Christmas goodies? Let us know in the comments below.
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