Recipe ideas for leftover spaghetti

Always make too much spaghetti? Here are some ideas for using up the leftovers.

Thu, Jan 08 2009 at 2:23 PM EST

Spaghetti. The saving meal for all busy moms and dads. There are very few children who don’t like it. It’s one of the meals that no one will make a sour face over when they sit down to dinner at my house.

You would think since I serve it so often, that I could figure out how to cook the right amount. But I can’t. Either I’ve got my husband and my youngest fighting over the last serving or there’s a bunch left in the bowl at the end of the meal.

Last night, we had leftover. Extra leftovers, actually, because my husband wasn’t home for dinner and I absentmindedly made it for four. I got to wondering, what else can I do with this leftover spaghetti besides putting it in a container and hoping someone will be willing to eat the leftovers. I’m on a waste a lot less food mission, and leftovers seem to be my nemesis.

Here are some recipes that I found that use leftover spaghetti so I can creatively use my leftovers next time they occur. Unless stated otherwise, all these recipes use spaghetti without sauce.

Spaghetti Pancake – spaghetti, eggs, and optional add ins done up in a skillet

Spaghetti Pie – a recipe that shows how to take leftover spaghetti as well as some other leftovers and make something that looks yummy

Ratatouille-Pasta Gratinee – lots of good vegetables, Italian spices, and mozzarella cheese

Leftover Spaghetti Sandwiches – spaghetti and cheese grilled between bread; okay I might not want to try this, but chances are my kids would be game

I think one of the keys to keeping food waste down to a minimum is finding creative ways to use up your leftovers.

What do you do with leftover spaghetti?

Image: MK Media Productions

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