A dozen very tasty ways to use up festive leftovers

No boring ham sandwiches! Here are some much better ideas for making the most of what's in your festive fridge.

These crunchy-edged fritters are a great way to use up leftovers. Source: Donna Hay: Basics to Brilliance

Your fridge is stuffed with leftovers … ham, turkey, cheese, pudding…. And you really, REALLY can’t face the idea of another ham sandwich, or another slice of Christmas cake? We hear you. Here are our favourite ways to make the most of all that food, transforming it into tasty snacks and meals and making sure that none of it eventually ends up in the bin.

Chicken and turkey

Of course there's the old favourite, a chicken or turkey sandwich, but for something different, give chicken or turkey new life in Justine Schofield's shredded chicken and cabbage salad with sesame dressing.

Shredded chicken and cabbage salad with sesame dressing Source: Justine's Flavours of Fuji

Ham

If you're still feeding a hungry horde, then this cheese and ham bread is a great way to put a new spin on leftover ham and fill hungry bellies.

Cheese and ham bread Source: Alan Benson

Tacos can also be a great way to use up leftover ham and pork – check out the SBS Food taco recipe collection for lots of ideas.

Lamb

Donna Hay has not only shared her recipe and tips for a fall-apart slow-roasted lamb shoulder but a great idea for turning leftover lamb into a vibrant lunch or dinner. "My crispy lamb and pea fritters are inspired by a dish my mum used to cook. Every time we'd have the lamb roast you could guarantee the night after we’d have lamb fritters. So I've come up with a little bit of a variation," she says. Get Donna's fritter recipe here.

Donna Hay's pea and lamb fritters Source: Donna Hay: Basics to Brilliance

Pork

Rice paper rolls are so good in the hot days of summer, so they're a great way to use up leftover Christmas roast pork. Try it in this very easy recipe from chef Dan Churchill; using leftovers will make this already-quick recipe even faster.

Dan Churchill's Vietnamese fresh rice paper rolls Source: The Good Cooks

Bacon, salami and other deli meats

These scone-dough scrolls, by chef Adrian Richardson, are a fast and easy way to use up leftover bacon, chorizo or salami. The dough (made with self-raising flour, not yeast, so it comes together quickly) is really a canvas for whatever you fancy eating - or want to use up. Think leftover pizza sauce, meat, antipasto, cheese or herbs.

Adrian Richardson's meat scone scroll Source: Secret Meat Business

Salmon

If a side of salmon had pride of place at your festive gathering, try this for the leftovers. This recipe for salmon and watercress salad with crispy potatoes includes instructions for smoking the salmon fillets, but it’s also a great flavour combination for using up leftover cooked salmon.

Salmon salad with crispy potatoes Source: Petrina Tinslay

Or if you’ve got leftover smoked salmon slices, turn them into a tasty breakfast in these ricotta and smoked salmon fritters.

Cheese

These little pasties wrap a creamy cauliflower cheese filling in a crunchy cheesy crust! Cheddar is a good choice, but you can use any kind of cheese in the filling, as long as it melts well.

Cauliflower cheese pasties Source: China Squirrel

You can also turn leftover cheddar into a Mexican-style chilli, bacon and cheese cornbread:

Poblano bacon cheddar skillet cornbread Source: Pati's Mexican Table

You can also use cheese in the batter for these cauliflower and cheese waffles (and top them with leftover ham!); if you’ve also got kimchi at hand, melt some in these kimchi quesadillas; or throw several kinds of cheese into this quinoa and spinach quiche.

Source: Alan Benson

A bit of everything

Muffaletta is basically layers of smallgoods, cheese and grilled antipasto vegetables, tucked into a loaf of bread – which makes it not only excellent picnic fare, but a great way to use up all kinds of leftovers. Think of this recipe as a guide, and substitute whatever you have on hand. Make it a few hours ahead, so it has time to settle and achieve that perfect stuffed-loaf consistency!

Muffaletta Source: Chris Chen

And these mini meat pies (made using purchased puff pastry) are great for using up leftover roast meat (beef, chicken, lamb or pork), vegetables and gravy.

Mini meat pies Source: Melissa Darr

Cake and pudding

Christmas pudding turns into a cool treat in these boozy Christmas popsicles!

Boozy Christmas popsicles Source: China Squirrel

And if your festive gatherings have left you with cake, here's a round up of ideas, tips and recipes for using up all kinds, from fruity Christmas cake to plain cake crumbs, transforming them into trifles, boozy balls and more.