Sarah Butler: How to make the ultimate toastie or turkey curry with leftovers

Creative ways with leftovers for more taste and less waste

Sarah Butler shares her recipes for Christmas leftovers

In the days after the Christmas feasting, you can be left with lots of cooked meat and be unsure what to do with it.

Here are two recipes that are sure to please everyone and reduce your food waste while you’re at it.

The curry is really delicious and a great way to use up leftover turkey. If you have fussy eaters, you can blend the curry sauce and vegetables into a smooth sauce with a stick blender
before you add the turkey.

A little tip like this helps hide those veggies. Adding a bit of saffron to the rice while it cooks is a nice twist and a lovely flavour boost too.

The toastie is utter indulgence, using all the delicious flavours of Christmas. It’s quick to make and filling enough to keep everyone well fed as you laze about in the days after Christmas.

These recipes show how leftovers can make a really delicious lunch or dinner, while also reducing your food waste and your shopping bill.

I hope they give you some inspiration to get creative with leftovers in 2026 and be more sustainable in your kitchen.

Cranberry, Brie, Turkey & Ham Toastie

recipe by:Sarah Butler

This simple toasted sandwich is the perfect way to use up leftover Christmas meat and cheese. With melty brie, sweet chutney and buttery golden bread, it comes together in minutes and makes a deliciously comforting lunch or movie snack.

Servings

2

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 5 mins

Total Time

 15 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 4 slices of white bread

• 25g butter

• 80g leftover ham, sliced

• 80g leftover turkey, sliced

• 100g brie, sliced

• 25g cranberry chutney

• 1 tbsp olive oil

Method

1. Butter all four slices of bread, then spread the cranberry chutney on the buttered sides.

2. Lay the brie on first, then add the turkey and ham to two slices of bread, and top with the remaining slices of bread to form the sandwiches.

3. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat, then place the sandwiches in and toast for 2–3 minutes on each side, until golden and the brie has melted.

4. Cut in half and serve warm.

Sarah's secret

Add a few fresh thyme leaves for a delicious hint of herbiness that pairs beautifully with the brie and cranberry.

Leftover Turkey Curry with Saffron Rice

recipe by:Sarah Butler

With lots of leftovers, a post Christmas curry is always a winner. Use up your turkey in the most delicious way with this tasty one-pot wonder.

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 15 mins

Cooking Time

 10 mins

Total Time

 25 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 200g basmati rice

• Pinch of saffron

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 onion, finely sliced

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 1-inch piece of ginger, finely grated

• ½ red pepper, diced

• ½ green pepper, diced

• ½ orange pepper, diced

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• 1 tsp paprika

• 1 tsp ground coriander

• ½ tsp turmeric

• 1 tbsp garam masala

• 1 tbsp flour

• 400ml chicken stock

• 1 tsp tomato purée

• 1 tbsp mango chutney

• 50ml fresh cream

• 500g leftover cooked turkey, cut into cubes

• Fresh coriander, to serve

Method

1. Rinse the rice a few times to remove starch. Place the rice in a saucepan with 300ml cold water. Add the saffron. Bring to a simmer, then place the lid on and turn the heat to low. Cook for 12 minutes.

2. Remove from the heat and leave to stand for five minutes with the lid on. Fluff with a fork before serving.

3. To make the curry, heat the oil and fry the onion, garlic, ginger, and peppers over a medium heat for five minutes until softened. Add the spices and flour and mix. Stir in the stock and allow the sauce to thicken.

4. Add the tomato purée and chutney. Pour in the cream. Add the cooked turkey and combine. Once the sauce is simmering, season with salt and pepper. Serve with rice and a sprinkle of coriander.

Sarah's secret

To make a smooth sauce, that hides all those vegetables, simply blend with a stick blender before adding in the turkey.