12 Creative Ways To Use Leftover Lamb

When selecting a centerpiece for an Easter feast, lamb is the natural choice for many of us. Slow-roasted to falling-off-the-bone perfection and served with a side of crispy potatoes, glazed carrots, and perhaps a dollop of mint jelly, it makes for the ultimate celebratory meal to share with family and friends. If you've gone for a large lamb joint, such as a leg or shoulder, you may well find yourself with leftovers that can keep you going way beyond Easter Sunday. Luckily, there are plenty of creative ways to repurpose that tender meat into something different yet equally delicious.

Yes, you can absolutely add leftover lamb meat to a sandwich or toss it into a stew, but we believe you can do better than that. To do this flavorful meat justice, try accompanying it with  more unusual ingredients that'll help to bring out its distinct flavor and texture. Lamb can be incorporated into some wonderfully unique recipes, fitting in just as beautifully alongside warming spices and rich sauces as it does in a fresh, zesty salad. So, browse through the ideas below and equip yourself with some mouth-watering inspiration that'll ensure every last scrap of your lamb roast gets put to good use.

The rich, savory flavor of lamb makes it an amazing addition to a spicy curry. Those tender chunks of meat will soak up the warm, fragrant flavors wonderfully and pair perfectly with a range of flavor-packed aromatics.

To start, mince or blitz onion, garlic, and ginger in a food processor until you have a paste-like consistency. Then, saute this mixture in a casserole pot for about ten minutes. Add a medley of your favorite curry spices, such as cumin, turmeric, ground coriander, and curry powder. Or, opt for a dollop of store-bought curry paste. Once the spice elements have been mixed through, pour in a can of chopped tomatoes, followed by some lamb stock, and stir well. Now it's time to add the leftover lamb, which should be chopped into bite-sized chunks. Cover the pot, and simmer on low for an hour to allow those delicious flavors to meld. If desired, you could also bulk out your lamb curry with some additional veggies, such as carrots, cauliflower, or zucchini. Just saute these right at the beginning, alongside the paste mixture, before adding the other ingredients.

Serve your finished curry with sides of your choice, such as naan bread or fluffy basmati rice. A scattering of chopped cilantro, a squeeze of lime juice, and a dollop of mango chutney wouldn't go amiss, either.

If you're someone who struggles to get excited about a salad, perhaps you just haven't tried the right one yet. We believe leftover lamb is a pretty great ingredient for giving any salad a significant spruce up. It's satisfying, flavorful, and tender. Plus, it's exceptionally versatile, pairing seamlessly with a wide range of vibrant salad add-ins.

One tasty idea is to pair your lamb and other salad ingredients with a smoky harissa-based dressing. For this, you'll simply need some harissa paste, olive oil, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt and pepper. If you prefer a creamier dressing, add a dollop of tahini or Greek yogurt. Or, for an extra boost of sweetness, go for some maple syrup or honey. Garlic would make an excellent addition, whether that's in the form of garlic powder or fresh, minced cloves.

When it comes to the salad, choose a selection of your favorite crisp, fresh veggies. Cucumber, lettuce, red onion, cherry tomatoes, and shredded carrots would all work fantastically. To create a heartier dish, try pairing this with some mixed grains or legumes such as quinoa, brown rice, lentils, or chickpeas. Another top tip is to crisp up the lamb slightly. You can do this by tossing the leftover chunks in cornflour and frying them in a neutral oil until nicely browned. Then, just toss the meat with other ingredients and drizzle the mix with that spicy dressing. 

In Middle Eastern cuisine, lamb is a popular filling for a soft, chewy pita bread that creates the culinary wonder known as doner kebab. Another way to enjoy the irresistible lamb-bread combo is to mimic the classic pairing by creating a fully-loaded lamb flatbread. To keep things quick and convenient, there's no shame in opting for a store-bought flatbread here, which will likely require just a few minutes of warming up in the oven or a pan. For the leftover lamb, you'll want to shred it apart into chunks, and quickly heat it in a frying pan. 

Some fitting accompaniments to the lamb could include roasted vegetables, such as bell peppers, onions, and tomatoes, crispy spiced chickpeas, or a crunchy carrot and cabbage slaw. Whipping up a homemade yogurt sauce is also a great idea. Stir together Greek yogurt, fresh chopped dill, lemon juice, and minced garlic to create a creamy medley of flavors. To build the flatbreads, first spread over an even layer of the sauce, then simply arrange your toppings on the warm bread, just as you would with a pizza. 

Fancy a lamb salad with a slightly more comforting feel? Pasta salad is the answer! If you've never tried using leftover lamb in this way, you're about to make a delicious new discovery. This recipe is very much open to interpretation, with countless ways to enjoy the combination of the tender pasta and hearty morsels of meat. By now, we've learnt that lamb pairs beautifully with fresh, aromatic flavors. Some great additions include herbs like mint or basil, tangy Dijon mustard, and even capers for a hint of briny flavors. You can pair these with a light balsamic vinaigrette, or a creamy mayo-based dressing for a richer consistency. Salad wise, opt for a colorful medley, such as sliced bell peppers, arugula, tomatoes, and avocado, or even roasted vegetables like butternut squash, broccoli, or zucchini.

Once you've selected your ingredients, toss everything together with the cooked pasta. You can add the diced or shredded leftover lamb meat as is, or warm it beforehand. Feel free to inject some extra flavor by tossing the meat in some complementary seasonings before adding it to the salad.

Another take on the undeniably tasty lamb and bread combo, lamb gyros is essentially made by stuffing chewy pita breads with seasoned meat, crisp salad veggies, and a classic tzatziki sauce. This offers a portable, handheld way to bring these ingredients together, with plenty of room for customization. First up, you'll need to toss the diced leftover lamb with some olive oil, herbs and spices. Oregano, paprika, and garlic powder are brilliant options here, plus a good pinch of salt and pepper. You can also spice things up with a dash of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes. Once well coated, heat the lamb by sauteing it in a skillet for a couple of minutes and prepare the fillings. These might include sliced red onion, cucumbers, tomatoes, and lettuce. Anything that can offer crunch and color is great.

To assemble, start by spreading a generous layer of tzatziki onto a warm pita. Then, pile it with the veggies and seasoned meat. To finish, go in with some fresh chopped herbs like parsley or mint, a squeeze of lemon, or some crumbled feta to amp up the creaminess. Serve with fries for the ultimate gyros feast!

A rich, savory ragu is traditionally made with ground beef or pork. But, you can give this Italian classic a pretty serious flavor transformation with the addition of leftover lamb. The base of a ragu features the veggie dream team of onions, carrots, and celery, which add plenty of natural sweetness and a deep aromatic flavor to the sauce. Dice these finely, and saute them in a large, high-sided frying pan with a splash of olive oil until softened, then add some minced garlic. Dice your leftover lamb into bite-sized chunks, and toss this into the pan, stirring until everything is heated through. Next, add chopped tomatoes or tomato sauce, along with some broth (lamb or chicken will both taste great), and a couple of bay leaves, stir well, and bring to a boil. 

Once the mixture is boiling, reduce to a simmer and let everything cook for about 15 minutes. You lamb ragu is then ready to serve. The natural pairing here is pasta, whether that's spaghetti, fusilli, or pappardelle. But, you could totally spoon it over a baked potato, layer it into a lasagna, or stuff bell peppers with it. However you enjoy your ragu, don't forget to finish the dish with a generous sprinkling of grated Parmesan and some cracked black pepper.

A tagine is a traditional North African dish featuring meat or fish, vegetables, fruits, and plenty of warming spices, all slow-cooked to create a satisfying, flavor-loaded stew. Lamb can serve brilliantly as the meat element here, imparting heaps of savory richness into the hearty tagine. First up, saute some diced onion and garlic with olive oil in a large casserole pot until softened and fragrant. Add spices, such as cumin, ginger, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, and cardamom, and stir for a few minutes to coat the onion. Pour a broth of choice, plus any other vegetable elements, such as plum tomatoes, carrots, or zucchini. Dried apricots and chickpeas are also popular tagine additions and can both be tossed into the pot at this point, along with the diced leftover lamb.

For best results, you'll want to pop and lid on the pot and let everything simmer on low for at least an hour. Alternatively, you can place the covered pot into the oven (so long as it's oven-safe!). Once ready, the meat and vegetables should be perfectly tender and sitting in a sweet, spicy, and tangy sauce. Serve the tagine over rice or couscous. Garnish with pomegranate seeds, fresh cilantro, and toasted almonds for an authentic final touch.

This vibrant and nutritious grain-based salad is about to get a meaty makeover. Tabouli, or tabbouleh, originates in Levant , and in its classic form, it's generally a plant-based dish. A seemingly simple salad, tabouli in fact packs a rather moreish zesty, herbaceous punch, and adding tender chunks of roasted lamb can balance that beautifully.

Step one in crafting the perfect tabouli is cooking bulgur wheat. Add the grains to a pot with some water, bring to a boil, and cover with a lid. Leave it to simmer for ten minutes, after which it should be tender and fluffy. Once cooled slightly, you can toss it with other tabouli ingredients. You'll need fresh parsley and mint, cucumber, tomato, and scallions, which are sliced or diced to ensure every spoonful of the salad is packed with diverse textures and flavors. For the dressing, whisk up lemon juice and olive oil with minced garlic, salt, and pepper, then pour this over other salad ingredients before tossing well.

To incorporate the leftover lamb, dice or shred the meat and stir it through the tabouli or simply arrange the meat on top of each portion. There's also the option to crisp up the lamb in a pan first or even saute it with some other vegetables like bell peppers or onions to introduce a contrasting warm element.

Yes, lamb is already a star ingredient in a good old shepherd's pie, but using leftovers from your Easter roast in place of the standard ground lamb can give this wholesome dinner a whole new texture and a deeper, caramelized flavor. Start off your pie filling as usual by sauteing diced onion, carrot and garlic until softened. Stir through some tomato puree and pour a splash of red wine, then let this cook off for a couple of minutes. Add some lamb or beef broth, a glug of Worcestershire sauce, and any herbs you prefer, such as thyme, rosemary, or parsley. Finally, add the lamb, season to taste with salt and pepper, and let the mixture simmer away whilse you prepare the topping.

For that comforting potato lid, boil some peeled and diced potatoes until fork-tender. Drain them and mash with butter, milk, and salt until lump-free. Transfer the filling mixture to a large oven-safe dish, and spread the mashed potatoes over the top to cover. For a crispy finish, roughly score the potato layer with a fork, and sprinkle some shredded cheddar cheese on top. Now it's ready for the oven. Just bake until the top is golden, and the filling is bubbling up around the edges, and your shepherd's pie ready to enjoy.

Leftover lamb can also benefit from being paired with umami-rich, Asian-inspired flavors, perfectly tender-crisp veggies, and chewy noodles. A lamb stir-fry couldn't be simpler to whip up, and it's also super easy to switch up flavor combos or spice levels according to your taste. First, prepare your stirfry sauce. A base of soy sauce is a great place to start. Ingredients like sesame oil, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, lime juice, and red pepper flakes are all delicious options to work with. And, if you prefer a thicker, stickier sauce, mix up a spoonful of cornstarch with a splash of water to create a slurry and stir this into the sauce.

Start working on your noodles, boiling or soaking them according to the instructions on the packaging, and then start stir-frying. Heat some neutral oil in a wok, and add veggies of your choice. This could be a combination of thinly sliced carrots, broccoli, bell peppers, mushrooms, or baby corn. Once they are nicely charred, add the diced leftover lamb along with your prepared sauce. Saute for a few minutes to heat everything through before serving the lamb stir-fry over drained noodles. Top with fresh lime wedges, sesame seeds, and chopped green onions for even more color and flavor.

There's something incredibly comforting about a homemade moussaka. With tender layers of thinly sliced eggplant or potato and a rich meat and tomato sauce, all topped with a luscious bechamel sauce, the dish is nothing short of hearty. To create a version with leftover lamb, you'll switch out the usual ground meat for the pre-cooked version. Just make sure to dice it finely to ensure even distribution throughout the sauce.

The first step in crafting a moussaka is roasting the sliced eggplant and/or potato in the oven until tender. While it cooks, you can get started on the meat sauce. Saute onion and garlic in olive oil for around ten minutes, then add diced lamb, along with some tomato paste, canned tomatoes, red wine, and seasonings of choice. Oregano and cinnamon are two classic options. Stir well, and leave to simmer while you move on to the bechamel. First, make a roux by stirring flour into melted butter in a saucepan. Then, gradually whisk in milk until you have a thick sauce. For the ultimate flavor boost, we also recommend stirring in some grated cheese. This could be Parmesan, cheddar, or even a traditional Greek kefalotryi. And, once the mixture has cooled slightly, you'll add egg yolks for extra richness. Assemble your moussaka by creating multiple layers of meat and vegetables in a large oven dish before topping everything with a creamy bechamel. Bake until bubbly and golden.

Stuffed peppers – a dish that offers endless opportunities for customization. You could fill these conveniently hollow veggies with various combinations, with some favorites featuring feta and orzo or even tofu and kimchi. But, another fantastically creative approach is to enhance them with your roasted lamb leftovers.

Start by preparing the bell peppers. Slice them into halves, remove the seeds, and rub them with a little olive oil. Place them onto a lined baking sheet and roast until they are tender and attain a light char. How you want to fill the peppers is down to you. To build a well-rounded meal, try pairing the lamb with some grains such as rice, quinoa, or couscous. You can saute cooked grains together with the meat and some aromatics such as onion and garlic, spices like paprika and cumin, as well as a handful of fresh herbs like basil, parsley, or mint. For some added tang and sweetness, try tossing everything with chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Or, for a creamier addition, crumble some feta cheese.

Once you've spooned the warm lamb mixture into the baked bell pepper halves, topping everything with a creamy sauce is always a great idea. A blend of Greek yogurt, minced garlic, and lemon juice would taste amazing here.