You can make pretty much any leftovers into a casserole. This works especially well with large holiday dinner leftovers, or family-style takeout for American/Chinese, Indian, Thai, and similar cuisines.
Ingredients
- 2–3 cups cooked, seasoned protein, such as:
- turkey or chicken
- minced beef (cottage pie)
- lentils or chili (vegetarian cottage pie)
- breakfast eggs (can be made vegetarian)
- stir-fried pork, curry, and so on
- 1–2 cups gravy, matched to the protein
- 2–3 cups mashed potatoes
- 2–3 cups vegetables, from dinner or a frozen mix
- ½ cup grated cheese (optional)
Method
Layer the protein and gravy in a baking dish. Cover with the vegetables, spread the potatoes over top, and sprinkle with cheese.
Bake at 200°C (400°F) until browned and bubbling at the edges and the centre reads 74°C (165°F), about 30–40 minutes from the fridge.
To freeze instead, cover with a lid or wrap and freeze before baking. Bake from frozen, covered, for about 60 minutes, then uncover until browned and the centre reads 74°C (165°F).
Notes
- Leftovers have already been cooked, cooled, and stored once, and a casserole’s centre heats slowly and unevenly, so reheat all the way to 74°C rather than relying on a lower temperature with a hold.