Add Your Leftovers To Scrambled Eggs For A Tasty Fridge Clean Out

Do you have a container of leftovers sitting in your fridge and you don't feel inspired to eat it? Rather than ignoring it until it goes bad, clean out your fridge by adding it to your morning's scrambled eggs. These extra bits and bobs from your weekend takeout or last night's dinner are a great way to elevate a classic breakfast dish while also making great use of leftover veggies and meat. 

There are some items like leftover pasta that aren't going to work well. Incorporating a starch isn't an issue — consider that egg fried rice is a tried and true method for making a substantial meal while clearing out the leftovers in your fridge — but pasta or other bulky foods won't fold into your eggs nicely. Still, almost everything else will. For surefire wins, stick to meat and vegetables. Shred up last night's chicken breast and add it to your scramble. Better yet, if you got barbeque and brought smoked ribs or grilled sausage home in a doggie bag, cube it up and add it to the dish. Even leftover side dishes like sweet potato and asparagus will elevate your breakfast to gourmet status. But since you have a fairly neutral, well-loved base of eggs to start with, there's definitely room for experimentation too.

While adding chicken or steak to scrambled eggs is a no-brainer, you might be surprised by what other kinds of leftovers you can toss in. Had a caramelized onion and mushroom burger? Chop up the meat, and slide in the onions and mushrooms. Add some Gruyère cheese to tie it together. If you enjoyed a seafood restaurant the night before, create a southern-inspired dish by adding anything from shrimp to lobster to scallops into your scramble. Top it off with some truffles to enhance the flavors.

As for side dishes, you can put your leftover Brussels sprouts to work by mixing them with eggs and topping them off with breadcrumbs. Or, if you want it to be even heartier, throw some sausage into the mix. You can even toss some charcuterie leftovers into your egg dish. If you're tired of eating brie on crackers, add it to your breakfast instead. Use these breakfast scrambles to flex your culinary know-how, and since these leftovers were destined for the bin, you can feel good while doing it too.