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    Home » Recipe Roundups

    15 Smart Ways to Make Leftover Potatoes Exciting Again

    By Emmeline Kemperyd updated March 25, 2026 · Published December 26, 2024 · Leave a Comment

    Leftover potatoes can be a real treasure in the kitchen, offering endless possibilities for delicious meals. Whether you have baked, boiled, or mashed potatoes, there are plenty of creative ways to use them up. From crispy potato pancakes to hearty soups, these ideas will help you turn those extras into something special.

    Lancashire Hot Pot

    Lancashire Hot Pot.
    Photo credit: Gypsyplate.

    A cozy Lancashire hotpot is a great way to enjoy a comforting meal any day. This slow-cooked dish combines tender lamb or mutton in a flavorful gravy, topped with sliced potatoes, making it ideal for using up leftover roast lamb.

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    Leftover Roast Potato Spanish Tortilla

    Leftover Roast Potato Spanish Tortilla.
    Photo credit: Mrs Jones's Kitchen.

    Leftover roast potatoes can easily be turned into a tasty Spanish tortilla. It's great warm or cold, making it perfect for lunch, brunch, or even as a filling sandwich on the go.

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    Mashed Potato Soup

    Mashed Potato Soup.
    Photo credit: Joyous Apron.

    Transform your leftover mashed potatoes into a tasty soup that's rich and satisfying. Packed with bacon, sour cream, and cheddar, this dish brings the comforting flavors of a loaded baked potato right to your bowl.

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    Loaded Potato Skins

    Air fryer potato skins.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    These air fryer potato skins are a delicious way to use up leftover potatoes. Topped with garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and melted cheese, they're ready in just 10 minutes and are great as an appetizer.

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    Papas Rellenas

    Papas Rellenas.
    Photo credit: What a Girl Eats.

    Papas Rellenas are a delicious Cuban snack featuring fried mashed potato balls stuffed with ground beef and other fillings. You can easily adjust the ingredients to match your preferences, making each batch special.

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    Meatballs without Breadcrumbs

    Meatballs without Breadcrumbs and Eggs
    Photo Credit: always use butter.

    These meatballs use shredded boiled potatoes to keep them moist and help them stick together without needing eggs or breadcrumbs. They're a great way to use up leftover potatoes and create a delicious dish.

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    Country Potatoes

    Country potatoes.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    Transform your leftover potatoes into a delicious side dish. This is a great addition to any meal, including breakfast!

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    Mashed Potato Casserole

    Mashed Potato Casserole
    Photo Credit: always use butter.

    Leftover potatoes can be transformed into a tasty mashed potato casserole that's both creamy and cheesy. This dish is a great side that you can prepare ahead of time.

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    Leftover Mashed Potato Gnocchi

    Leftover Mashed Potato Gnocchi.
    Photo credit: Veena Azmanov.

    Transform your leftover mashed potatoes into delicious gnocchi that are light and fluffy. They pair perfectly with a cheesy tomato sauce for a cozy meal.

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    Classic Potato Salad

    Classic Potato Salad
    Photo Credit: Cooking With Karli.

    This potato salad is creamy and tangy, featuring a unique dressing that adds a lot of flavor. A surprising ingredient gives it an extra boost that you'll love.

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    Ham and Potato Casserole

    Ham and Potato Casserole.
    Photo credit: Sustainable Cooks.

    This Ham and Potato Casserole is a hearty dish loaded with cheese and savory ham. It's a great way to use up leftover potatoes.

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    Leftover Egg, Ham and Potato Casserole

    Leftover Egg, Ham and Potato Casserole.
    Photo credit: Hearth & Vine.

    This dish is a tasty way to use up leftover potatoes, ham, and eggs. It's a comforting casserole from Hungary called Rakott Krumpli.

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    Potato Pancakes

    A stack of vegan potato pancakes.
    Photo Credit: Veggie Society.

    These mashed potato pancakes are crispy on the outside and packed with flavor, thanks to the chives and a crunchy Panko coating. They pair perfectly with chimichurri sauce, sour cream, or a savory mushroom filling.

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    Leftover Boiled Potato Casserole

    Leftover boiled potato casserole.
    Photo credit: alwaysusebutter.com.

    Leftover boiled potatoes can be transformed into a tasty casserole. This dish is creamy, cheesy, and simple to prepare, capturing all the comforting flavors of baked potatoes.

    Get the recipe

    Roasted Potato Salad

    25 Minute Roasted Potato Salad
    Photo Credit: Midwest Foodie Blog.

    This potato salad features crispy baby red and gold potatoes, bacon bits, fresh herbs, and a creamy Dijon dill dressing. It's a simple yet elegant side dish that's perfect to make with leftover potatoes for an even quicker version.

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    About Emmeline Kemperyd

    Emmeline Kemperyd is a writer, food blogger, recipe creator and food photographer and the founder of alwaysusebutter.com. She has 20+ years experience creating and simplifying recipes so they taste good, and are quick, easy, and approachable. She is a regular contributor to MSN and her work has been featured by The Guardian, Well+Good, Vulture, SheKnows, Good Men Project, and The Feed Feed, among others.

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    Hi, I'm Emmeline! I love tasty food, but I'm always in a hurry. And I have the quick and easy recipes to prove it!

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