27 silly leftover food mistakes most people make

Dos and don'ts of leftovers

When you have a fridge full of leftovers, it's a shame to waste even a morsel. But reheated and rehashed dishes can be a little... disappointing. Many people make the same mistakes when heating up leftovers, or throw them into new recipes without a second thought. By following a few handy tricks and hacks, you can bring pretty much any dish or ingredient back to life.

Read on to discover the mistakes most people make when using up leftovers, A-Z by ingredient or dish – and find out how to get it right, every time.

Bread

You can toast stale bread, but that can get a little boring. To revive that crusty loaf, soak it in water just until the doughy part of the bread gets slightly wet. Then pop it in the oven for a few minutes on a high heat and – et voilà! – you have fresh bread again. Alternatively, stale bread makes for fantastic breadcrumbs or croutons to store in the freezer.

Breaded or battered food

If you’re reheating onion rings, hash browns or any kind of breaded or battered food, sticking them in the microwave is just likely to produce a plate of soggy food no one will want to eat. Heating them through in an air fryer is your safest bet; preheat to 180℃ (350℉) and cook for around five minutes at a time, checking as you go. You want them heated all the way through and nicely crisp. If you don’t have an air fryer, a blast under a medium-hot grill should do the trick.

Cheese

A cheeseboard can leave you with small chunks of lots of different cheeses that you're not sure what to do with. Luckily there are endless uses for leftover cheese. First and foremost, hard cheeses like Cheddar freeze very well; just pack them in a resealable plastic bag with as much air removed as possible. Otherwise, a tasty mix of cheeses would be ideal in mac 'n' cheese, a cauliflower cheese casserole, potato gratin or even a fondue. Got a few crumbles of Stilton left? Any blue cheese is especially good for enriching vegetable soup.

Chicken

The trick to making leftover chicken both tasty and juicy is to cook it with a little stock. Try putting just a little stock in a bowl with your chicken before reheating it in the microwave – the saltiness and moisture will give it plenty of flavour and help to prevent the meat drying out. Alternatively, you can just cook the meat as part of a soup, broth or stew to bring back its moisture.

Chicken wings

For hot and crispy chicken wings on day two (or even day three), press them inside a griddle or a panini maker – the hot iron plates will give the skin that extra crispiness without making them soggy. Alternatively, an air fryer will do the job brilliantly. Preheat your machine to 180℃ (350℉) and stick the wings in for around 10 minutes, or until hot and crisp (check them, and give the basket a little shake, halfway through).

Cookies

As delicious as freshly baked cookies are on day one, they can become a bit like rock cakes by day two – and not in a good way. Don’t throw them away, though. Simply wrap up a few cookies at a time in dampened paper towels, pop them in the microwave and heat for less than 10 seconds. They should be as soft and warm as if they were fresh out of the oven.

Fish

Reheated fish is never quite the same. It’s almost impossible to get the same soft, tender texture as when it's fresh out the pan. But you can certainly try to recreate it. For best results, preheat your oven to 180℃ (350℉). Place the fish in a small baking dish with a few spoons of stock, cover with aluminium foil and put in the oven until heated through. The stock will add flavour and make sure the fish is still juicy. You can also use an air fryer on a steam air fry setting.

Fried chicken

Short of throwing it away, one of the worst things you can do with leftover fried chicken is reheat it in the microwave. The batter or breading will transform into a soggy, flabby mess, and the meat itself will be dry. (Basically, the exact opposite of what you're looking for with fried chicken.) Instead, give it a blast in the air fryer – preheated to 200℃ (390℉) – for around 8-10 minutes. Or put in a hot oven for around 20 minutes to give it that extra crisp.

Fries

Fries aren't known for their longevity. In fact, they tend to become dry and chewy as soon as they go cold. But don't throw them away; they can be freshened up if you cook them right. Don’t just whack them in the microwave, though – put them in for a couple of minutes to heat through, and then pop them in a sandwich press to ensure they’re hot and crispy. Alternatively, a few minutes in an air fryer will crisp them up to perfection.

Grains

Much like rice, you can reheat grains like quinoa, bulgur and farro in the microwave, but don't make the mistake of just sticking a bowlful of leftovers in just as it is. First, dampen a paper towel and place it on top of the bowl to prevent the grains from sticking together and becoming dry.

Gravy

If you’re lucky enough to have some leftover gravy, the best way to reheat it is slow and low in a pan until warm and bubbling. If you don't plan on eating your gravy within a few days, freeze it in a well-sealed plastic bag or even ice cube trays – it will stay delicious for three to six months and is great for adding extra flavour to soups, stews and sauces.

Ham

If you’re keen to eat your leftover glazed ham hot, the best way to reheat it is to place a chunk on a rack in a roasting pan, add water or stock to the bottom of the pan and it cover tightly with foil before cooking in the oven for 20-30 minutes, depending on the size of the piece. Another tasty way of using up leftover ham is slicing it thinly, frying it until crisp and adding to spaghetti carbonara or mac 'n' cheese.

Herbs

If you’ve got a bunch of fresh herbs that have seen better days, you might be tempted to throw them away – but don’t. You can easily, and quickly, dry out soft herbs like basil, coriander, chives, tarragon, mint and parsley. All you need to do is put them in the microwave – yes, really. Discard any rotten leaves, place your herbs between two paper towels and put them on a full heat for 30-second intervals until they dry out completely. Magic!

Mac 'n' cheese

Reheating leftover mac ‘n’ cheese and other cream-based pastas in the microwave or oven can dry them out. The solution? Just stir through a little butter and some milk or crème fraîche first. Adding the extra dairy will prevent it from drying out and make sure it’s extra creamy.

Mashed potatoes

Opinions vary on the best way to reheat mashed potatoes. Some are firmly in the microwave camp, while others recommend heating them in a bowl placed over simmering water. But regardless of the method that works best for you, the key is to add more milk, cream or even just a knob of butter. There are plenty of ways to transform leftover mash into something new, too. Why not use it to make homemade gnocchi or potato pancakes, or as a pie topping?

Pasta with tomato sauce

Pasta with a rich tomato sauce is one of many dishes that taste better by the second day. You might be tempted to just microwave it to save time, but the result can be dry and a little bland. Try frying it instead. By cooking it in a pan with some butter, the tomato caramelises and the flavour is much stronger. Finish with a little fresh Parmesan.

Pizza

Reheating pizza in the oven can result in a pie that's a little too crispy, while reheating it in the microwave can make it soggy. There is an easy way to cook it perfectly. To make the most out of your leftover pizza, simply pop it in the microwave, but this time with a cup of hot water beside it. This will result in a crispy crust and refreshed toppings.

Plain pasta

The main problem with reheating cooked pasta is that it tends to quickly turn rubbery. If you’re just looking to reheat some pasta without the sauce, try arranging it in a ring shape around the plate, leaving a hole in the middle. By leaving space, it provides more surface area and allows the pasta to be heated more evenly, which is more difficult when food is in a pile. Alternatively, you can just add cooked pasta straight to a sauce and allow it to warm up gently.

Quesadillas

Nobody wants a soggy quesadilla. If you’re lucky though to find yourself with leftovers, you can keep this Tex-Mex classic crispy by heating it up in a non-stick pan for two minutes on each side until the cheese melts and each side is browned nicely.

Rice

Cooked rice tends to stick together and form one dry lump by day two, but it can be rescued. Just wet a paper towel and place it on top of the rice before heating it in the microwave. The water in the towel will infuse moisture into the rice without making it too soggy. If you’re keen to make something brand new with it, cooked rice is ideal for making arancini balls or egg fried rice.

Scrambled eggs

The best way to reheat leftover scrambled eggs is in the microwave, but don’t just throw them in and hope for the best. Add a little bit of water to prevent them from drying out and be sure to only heat the eggs in short bursts of 20 seconds to stop them overheating. To finish, stir in a knob of butter for extra creaminess.

Soup

Ever tried reheating frozen soup and ended up with a mix of frozen lumps and boiling hot liquid? Soup congeals when it's frozen and won’t all cook at the same time. Try pouring a cup of hot water into the soup and stirring through before reheating. This will thaw the frozen parts of the soup and allow for more even distribution of heat. For an extra hit of freshness, top your soup with fresh herbs, croutons or a drizzle of sour cream.

Steak

If you’re not a fan of well-done steak, then don’t even attempt to reheat it in the microwave. Instead, just heat up a pan with some butter and fry your steak gently for a minute or two on each side. Another great way to use up cooked steak is to cut it into slices and flash-fry before adding to fajitas, tacos or a tasty stir-fry.

Stuffing

This crowd-pleasing side is wonderful with roasted meats, but even the tastiest stuffing will be dense and dry after a night in the fridge. To revive it, add to a saucepan, stir in some stock and a little butter, and heat gently on the hob for a few minutes. You can also fry chunks or balls of stuffing for a crispy, caramelised treat. If you can resist eating it straight from the pan, it’s sensational in a stacked leftover ham, chicken or turkey sandwich.

Turkey

Turkey can be infamously dry if roasted for too long, but it doesn’t always have to be. If you’re keen to reheat the turkey, try cooking it in a steamer basket – the moisture from the water will keep it juicy while cooking it through. Another easy solution is adding shredded turkey meat to a soup, curry or stew to revive the moisture, or stuff it into a sandwich with cheese and salad.

Vegetables

While it’s tempting to just reheat your vegetables in the microwave, it doesn’t do them any favours on the taste front. Microwaved veggies can become soggy and limp, especially ingredients with a high water content, like courgettes and aubergines. Instead, put them on a tray and roast them in the oven with a drizzle of olive oil, seasoning and any extra herbs and spices you like.

Waffles

When making a batch of waffles, it's better to use up all the batter up in one go rather than keeping some for another day. If you can’t eat them all, don’t worry. Just put your leftover waffles in the toaster to heat them up while keeping them crispy. It saves messing around with your waffle maker again, too.

Now try these recipes you can make with leftovers to save money and waste

Last updated by Dominique Ayling.