5 Things to Do with Leftover Potatoes

Potatoes are such a versatile side dish.

They go with all kinds of cuisines, and flavors, they’re budget-friendly and gluten-free. It’s no wonder we love them!

But inevitably after a meal, we have a few leftovers. Today I want to show you some EASY, real food recipes for leftover potatoes.

There’s no reason for them to ever go to waste. Whether you have a lot or just a few – use these ideas for your leftover potatoes!

Easy Recipes for Leftover Potatoes

Don’t worry, I’m not going to tell you to knead them into a batch of bread. While that is an easy thing to do if you already bake bread regularly, homemade bread is not everyone’s jam.

Rather, let’s focus on recipes that require minimal preparation or planning. These are my favorite real food hacks. I want to eat good food, but keeping it simple and delicious is key.

Recipes for Leftover Mashed Potatoes

Here are my family’s favorite simple recipes for leftover potatoes:

1. Frittata

This is an easy protein-rich breakfast you can make the next morning. I call this recipe “How to use up all the veggies in the crisper drawer.” It’s delicious, simple, and prevents food waste.

As a busy parent, I love this easy, make-ahead breakfast because I can reheat leftovers the rest of the week.

To make a frittata, simply toss your leftover potatoes (diced) into a hot skillet with some butter or oil. While they brown, add any other veggies that need to be eaten (onion, peppers, mushrooms, broccoli, greens, etc). Scramble a few eggs in a bowl with some milk, add salt and pepper, a handful of cheese, mix it all up, and bake it in the oven for 10-20 minutes.

Get the full recipe here!

2. Egg Scramble/Burrito

Same thing as above, but instead of trying to make it into a frittata, I just let it scramble in the pan. Pack it in a tortilla with some salsa for a breakfast burrito. Omit the burrito for a gluten-free breakfast scramble!

Honestly, eggs and potatoes for breakfast are so filling and nourishing, it’s one of my favorite ways to start the day.

Sometimes I make more of a southwest scramble, with black beans and sour cream. Sometimes, I make eggs, potatoes, a little browned sausage, and some hot sauce. Sometimes I make caramelized onions (you can make a big batch and use them over several days) and sautéed greens with potatoes and eggs.

As long as you have leftover potatoes and a few eggs, you can make all kinds of delicious breakfasts.

3. Potato Nachos

Easily my very favorite way to use up a large number of leftover potatoes, which is why I dedicated an entire video to it. Potato Nachos are everything we love about nachos, but we substitute the chips for leftover diced potatoes. Amazing.

I make it in several different flavors, but in the video, I demonstrated my two favorites.

Can’t see the video? Make potato nachos here on YouTube!

For potato nachos, all you need is leftover diced potatoes (they can be baked or boiled) and your favorite nacho or baked potato toppings! This is especially handy if you have corn sensitivities in your house but you love the flavors in nachos. It’s also a budget-friendly way to make nachos more real food and less processed. 

I even tried this with leftover mashed potatoes in the video!

Get the recipe here.

4. Add leftover potatoes to soup

If you only have a stray potato or two, dice it up and add it to your next pot of soup.
Here are a few that work well with leftover potatoes:

• Hamburger Veggie Soup (my family’s favorite)
• Vegan Lentil Turmeric Soup
• Cheeseburger Soup
• Sausage, Kale, Bean Soup
• Kid-Friendly Blended Green Soup

5. Potato Soup

If you have more potatoes, make a batch of Katie’s Cream of Potato Soup. It’s a warm, comforting dinner that’s loaded with veggies and super flexible!

More Recipes for Leftover Potatoes:

• Potato Salad
• Smashed Potato Pea Muffins
• Picadillo (Beef & Potato Soup)
• Potato Peel Soup
• Lentil Shepherds Pie

What Should I Do With My Leftover Potatoes?

Don’t toss your leftover potatoes! And don’t let them die a slow death in your fridge. There are so many simple recipes for leftover potatoes (if you can even call them recipes). You can toss them into your eggs the next day, pack them in a burrito, make nachos, or soup, salad, or shepherd’s pie. 

Don’t Let Your Leftover Potatoes Go Bad!

With so many simple ways to just toss those potatoes into what you’re already making (eggs, soup, burritos, and tray of nachos), there’s no reason to let leftover potatoes go bad. I hope this gives you some simple, easy, real food ideas for recipes for leftover potatoes.