15 Recipes for Leftover Veggies (2024)

21 Comments

Raise your hand if you have some random vegetables going south in your kitchen. I’m raising my hand high over here. Here’s a collection of flexible recipes to reference when you have leftover veggies or greens in your fridge. Let’s save the vegetables!

This roundup was requested by my mom, and I hope it’s a handy resource for you, too. (Be sure to bookmark it.) You can always use the search bar at the top of the page to find recipes for a specific type of produce. I also have an ingredient index, which you can bookmark or access through the menu bar—hover over “all recipes” then “ingredient” then “view all”.

When I write recipes, I always try to include tips on how to “change it up”, which you can find in my recipe notes. In my cookbook, those tips turned into cute banners that you’ll see over the recipe photos. You can also skim the comments to learn how C+K readers have successfully changed the recipe. Please get creative with your vegetables and leave a comment on the recipe to share how it turned out!

Bean Salads

Chickpea Salad with Carrots and Dill

“I’ve been eyeing this recipe for weeks. Just made it (finally) and it’s just fabulous! I made with cilantro and cucumbers because I didn’t have celery or dill on hand. But it’s a super versatile recipe which I LOVE!” – Kelly

“I made this at college last semester for a Thanskgiving potluck among volunteer farmers on the student farm. Everyone loved it, me among the everyone, so thank you for this recipe! I have just made it again–I added peas and broccoli, and used arugula and walnuts instead of pepitas and spinach. (I think I added broccoli and peas the first time too–I always add more vegetables)” – Ciara

Buddha Bowls

Build-Your-Own Buddha Bowl

This is a new recipe and I haven’t received feedback on it yet. Please try it and leave a comment on the post to let me know how you like it!

Fried Rice

Extra Vegetable Fried Rice

“So delicious! I added bell pepper, purple cabbage and edamame beans! Will definitely be making this again.” – Kate

Frittatas

“I love this recipe! I didn’t have spinach so I used kale and it turned out well! I just added the kale to the pan a little earlier so it had more time to soften. I also use Monterey Jack, as I prefer the taste with eggs.” – Lindsay

Kale Salad

Anything-Goes Kale Salad with Green Tahini Dressing

“Thank you so much for this lovely salad, beautiful and delicious! The dressing is such a nice combination. Just the thing after a weekend of not-so-healthful eating.” – Wendy

Greek Kale Salad with Creamy Tahini Dressing

“At the risk of being dramatic, this is the salad to end all salads! I finally made this after having the recipe saved for weeks, and I am sold. Not only is it delicious fresh, it keeps so beautifully with dressing on! This was my first kale salad ever – the only thing I did differently was omit the peppers and substitute pumpkin seeds for sunflower seeds. It would probably be good with a mild feta too. Thank you!!!” – Sarah

Pasta

Vegan Mac and Cheese

“The starch release from the grated potato made the thickness of the sauce perfect, the broccoli was an excellent addition, next batch I plan on adding cauliflower too. My whole family loved it.” – Michelle

Pizza

Broccolini Almond Pizza

“Made this tonight, and it was fantastic! I added sliced black olives, shiitake mushrooms and artichoke hearts and it was so good. We hardly have any leftovers!” – Joe

Quesadillas

10-Minute Quesadillas

“Great quesadillas, and with more vegetables than my usual version, which I consider an improvement. I was suspicious of using raw onion and red peppers, but it worked fine.” – MacFadden

Risotto

Easy Brown Rice Risotto with Mushrooms and Fresh Oregano

“This is literally the tastiest thing I’ve ever made. I never comment online, but I just made this tonight for my boyfriend, and it is so addictive, I just had to let you know! I omitted the parm because I’m a vegan, and it was still so amazing! Thanks, Kate and Cookie!” – Courtney

Tacos

Roasted Butternut Squash Tacos

“Kate, this recipe was delicious. I did not have cabbage, but without it I still enjoyed. I was leary of butternut squash, however, when you roast it with sweet potatoes and in the chili powder, it turned out amazingly delicious. I added jalapenos to it and oh boy can’t say how much I enjoyed eating it with corn tortillas. Thanks for another recipe I won’t lose. :)” – Anna

Soup

Quinoa Vegetable Soup with Kale

“I made this recipe tonight. I modified it by using the vegetables I had at home: carrots, butternut squash, zucchini, onion, kale and spinach. Used quinoa and added turmeric. Topped it with Parmesan cheese. Delicious.” – Karen

Stir-Fries

Spring Veggie Stir-Fry

“Love this stir-fry! I have made it several times now, all with different vegetables, and it has turned out great every time. So delicious and full of flavor. Thanks!” – Kiara

More resources you might appreciate: 13 healthy make-ahead breakfast recipes, 16 recipes that pack well for lunch and 20 simple weeknight dinners. You might also like my monthly seasonal produce guides and healthy kitchen essentials. View all roundups and resource posts here.

Share This Post

pPinfSharetTweeteEmail

FAQs

What to cook when you have too many vegetables? ›

Sure, baking it into bread or cake is always an option, and a good one if you favor sweets. Our favorite trick for a bumper crop of zucchinis is to shred them and make fritters. This is especially versatile, since you can easily use up other leftover veggies like carrots, broccoli, and kale in fritters, too.

What can I do with an abundance of vegetables? ›

Freezing is my preferred way of preserving extra vegetables. It's super easy and frozen vegetables are almost as good as fresh veggies! You can use them later in cooked dishes such as soups, casseroles, pasta dishes, or even steamed with a little olive oil or butter.

Get More Info Here ›

What happens to your body when you eat a lot of vegetables? ›

A diet rich in vegetables and fruits can lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, prevent some types of cancer, lower risk of eye and digestive problems, and have a positive effect upon blood sugar, which can help keep appetite in check.

Get More Info Here ›

How long are vegetable leftovers good for? ›

Cooked vegetables can last three to seven days when stored in an airtight container and refrigerated properly. Vegetables are considered high-risk foods and can spoil fast if improperly refrigerated.

What vegetables can you eat unlimited amounts of? ›

Non-starchy vegetables include cucumbers, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, salad greens, and zucchini, basically anything that's not a bean, potato, or corn. (While starchy vegetables like potatoes and corn are healthy, they're much more calorie-dense, so they definitely don't fall under the “unlimited” category).

Discover More Details ›

What is the unhealthiest way to cook vegetables? ›

Boiling is the worst way to cook vegetables: “You're going to lose a lot of the nutrients in the water unless you use it for soup,” he warned. Boiling has a much longer cook time compared to, say, steaming, which uses less water and helps to retain nutrients.

Keep Reading ›

Can eating too many vegetables be unhealthy? ›

While Rosemond says that most people struggle to eat enough vegetables, it is possible to eat too many, which can cause gas, bloating or diarrhea. “Your stomach will tell you 'OK, this is too much,'” Rosemond says.

Discover More ›

Is it OK to eat unlimited vegetables? ›

“Vegetables are considered a free food, meaning you can eat unlimited amounts and still lose weight.”

Find Out More ›

What is the maximum amount of vegetables per day? ›

Summary Eating around 8 ounces (231 grams) of vegetables or up to a combined 18 ounces (500 grams) of fruits and vegetables per day may help reduce the risk of heart disease and increase your lifespan.

View Details ›

Will my body adjust to eating more vegetables? ›

Sure, with time, your body will get used to consuming more vegetables. Your taste preferences may change as you increase the amount of vegetables in your diet, and you may find that you enjoy and crave them more. Your digestive system might also adjust to handle the higher fibre content in vegetables.