What to do with leftover meat

Ten quick and easy recipes for reusing it: meatballs, salads, pies, and even pasta sauce. All useful for avoiding the scandalous waste of meat.

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Italians, on average, waste 3 to 5 kilos of meat a year. It ends up in the garbage while still perfectly edible, or it's stored poorly and rots (which is also dangerous if someone were to eat it). Yet recovering leftover meat and using it in quick and easy recipes is really very simple. And the results will be appreciated by anyone who eats the dishes we propose here.

Meatballs in tomato sauce

An exquisite preparation that uses leftover meatballs includes a delicious pairing with pasta: follow our meatballs with sauce recipe, and let them cool in a bowl, preferably ceramic. Then prepare a large plate of spaghetti—preferably whole wheat—and serve a portion on the plate: then, garnish with a spoonful of meatballs and sauce. For those with a sweet tooth, you can also sauté the meatballs and pasta in a nonstick pan with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil to create a succulent combination.

Sauce 

Ingredients

  • Leftover meat (chicken, beef, pork, etc.),
  • olive oil,
  • garlic or onion,
  •  peeled tomatoes (or tomato puree),
  • red wine or broth, salt and pepper.

Preparation

  • In a pan, sauté the garlic or onion in olive oil.
  • Add the leftover meat, chopped or minced, and let it brown for a few minutes.
  • Add a little red wine (or broth) to add more flavor.
  • Add the tomato puree or peeled tomatoes.
  • Season with salt and pepper
  • Cook for about 15-20 minutes, until the sauce thickens.
  • Mix with the al dente pasta and serve with a sprinkling of grated Parmesan cheese.

Ragù

If you have previously cooked meat (for example roast or stew), you can create a rustic ragù:

Ingredients

  • Meat leftovers
  •  Pomodoro
  • Onion
  •  Red wine
  •  Broth (optional)

Preparation

  •  Start by browning a chopped onion in olive oil
  • Add the meat and crumble it with a fork, browning it well.
  • Blend with a little red wine, then add tomatoes (purée or peeled).
  • If necessary, add a little broth to obtain a more liquid consistency.
  • Simmer for about 20-30 minutes. Serve with pasta.

Meat pie

Any leftover red meat can be used to make a quick and tasty pie. You can add potatoes, vegetables, shallots, mushrooms, and cloves.

Risotto

Leftover meat can easily be used for a delicious risotto. Just cut it into small pieces, add mushrooms and peas, and you will have obtained the base for a special risotto.

Toast or hot sandwich

In this case, you simply need to add some melted cheese and some grilled vegetables to the leftover pieces of meat. Once the toast or sandwich is ready, it should be thoroughly reheated before eating.

Croquettes or arancini

Leftover meat can be used to season potato croquettes or rice balls. They can then be fried or baked.

Leftover boiled or baked chicken

For lovers of white meat, with its more delicate flavor, there are many quick and easy alternatives. Salad with leftover chicken, white meatballs, and pasta sauces. Try it and believe it.

Chicken Soup with Coconut Milk

What's better than a warm soup on a winter evening, topped with crispy croutons from the oven? Reinforce it with leftover chicken, softened by a coconut milk sauce.

Chicken nuggets

Open the pantry with your little chefs and gather all the leftovers on the table: cereal, eggs, extra virgin olive oil, a little grated parmesan, leftover bread. Mix everything together and use this mixture to brown some delicious baby kibble, which they'll love eating because they made it with you.

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