While sometimes you truly love your leftovers, eating last night’s dinner over and over can feel repetitive and dull, but cooking a new dinner every night may seem impossible. If this dinner dilemma sounds oh-so familiar, consider a new cooking strategy for your leftovers: nextovers. Rather than reheated leftovers of the same meal the next day, try a few tweaks using the prepped ingredients to create an exciting nextover.
It’s a tried-and-true system of cook once, eat twice. Nextovers help you save time, effort, food, and money by getting twice the meals from a single set of ingredients. So, save some taco filling tonight to make tomorrow’s bowls a breeze, or transform that pot of chili into a craveable sandwich for lunch with these nextover recipes.
Milk-Braised Pork Tenderloin
Nextover: Pork Sandwiches with Provolone and Broccoli Rabe
The value-sized packs of pork tenderloin are a great budget-friendly option when looking for a lean protein. But the low-fat content sometimes means it can dry out while cooking. Braising the pork low and slow in milk, a classic Italian technique, ensures it’s always juicy and tender. Serve it up alongside mashed potatoes and vegetables for a crowd-pleasing meal. The next day, go for another dose of Italian inspiration with the leftovers. Layer the pork, seasoned broccoli rabe, and a slice of provolone into a satisfying sandwich.
Get the recipes: Milk-Braised Pork Tenderloin and Pork Sandwiches with Provolone and Broccoli Rabe
Cuban-Style Picadillo with Rice
Nextover: Picadillo Empanadas
Transport your tastebuds to Cuba in 30 minutes with rich and meaty, warmly spiced picadillo. This hearty beef and tomato stew gets a touch of sweetness from raisins and a pop of briny tang from green olives. Enjoy it with a side of rice tonight and as a nextover meal tomorrow stuffed inside crispy, air-fried empanadas.
Get the recipes: Cuban-Style Picadillo with Rice and Picadillo Empanadas
Quick Beef and Veggie Chili
Nextover: One-Pot Cincinnati Chili Melt
This duo of nextover recipes pushes a family favorite, beef chili, into new territory: Ohio. Canned pumpkin puree is the secret ingredient that adds a touch of sweetness and extra nutrients to a pot of one-alarm (mild) beef and bean chili. After you’ve piled your bowls high with all the fixings, create nextovers by cooking spaghetti directly in the repurposed chili and plenty of melty cheddar for a one-pot take on a regional favorite, Cincinnati chili.
Get the recipes: Quick Beef and Veggie Chili and One-Pot Cincinnati Chili Melt
Slow Cooker Birria Tacos
Nextover: Birria Grain Bowls
If you haven’t tried internet-trendy, Mexican birria yet, here are two tasty reasons to give it a go. A simple sauce made with chipotle peppers, aromatics, and spices is the key to a flavor-packed pork shoulder that turns fall-apart tender in the slow cooker. Enjoy it once stuffed inside crispy griddled tacos and repurpose leftovers later atop satisfying grain bowls with quinoa and fresh veggies.
Get the recipes: Slow Cooker Birria Tacos and Birria Grain Bowls
Old-Fashioned Onion Meatloaf
Nextover: Meatloaf Patty Melts
Treat the family to a double dose of throwback comfort food that starts with just 10 minutes of prep. Upgrade classic meatloaf with onion soup mix and sneaky veggies, like fresh zucchini and carrots. Instead of a second helping the next day, slice leftovers thick for a diner-inspired nextover meal of meatloaf patty melts complete with gooey American cheese on toasty bread.
Get the recipes: Old-Fashioned Onion Meatloaf and Meatloaf Patty Melts
Ratatouille Vegetable Stew
Nextover: Summer Vegetable and White Bean Soup
What’s better than French ratatouille brimming with the flavors of a late summer vegetable garden? A second meat-free meal that’s as easy as opening a can. The colorful medley of eggplant, peppers, squash, tomatoes, and fresh herbs makes a versatile plant-powered main course served alongside crusty bread for dipping. Then, transform leftovers into satisfying soup later in the week. Simply bulk out the meal with extra broth and white beans for a satisfying soup.
Get the recipes: Ratatouille Vegetable Stew and Summer Vegetable and White Bean Soup
Grilled Skirt Steak with Peppers
Nextover: Skirt Steak Quesadillas
One round of grilling is all you need for two mouthwatering meals that are perfect for steak lovers. Charred rings of mini sweet peppers are tossed with vinegar and parsley for a tangy, vibrant condiment that is spooned over grilled skirt steak. Serve with your favorite side dishes and then tuck the beef and pepper duo along with cheese into flour tortillas for a round two dinner. The meaty quesadillas cook in the oven for a speedy feast.
Get the recipes: Grilled Skirt Steak with Peppers and Skirt Steak Quesadillas
Spicy Pulled Pork Tostadas
Nextover: Tex-Mex Rice Casserole
Two surprising ingredients—salsa and beer—make the marinade for this two-for-one meal starring shredded pork shoulder. The slow cooker does most of the heavy lifting, along with flavorful ingredients like garlic and smoky chipotle peppers. You’re left with fork-tender meat to enjoy piled onto crispy tostadas with sour cream and avocados and reimagined later as a cheesy casserole with Mexican rice and frozen veggies.
Get the recipes: Spicy Pulled Pork Tostadas and Tex-Mex Rice Casserole
BBQ-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Cauliflower and Green Beans
Nextover: Pork Gyro with Tzatziki and Cucumbers
Sheet pan meals are always a winner on busy weeknights, especially when one stint in the oven knocks out two nights of dinner prep. Amp up pork tenderloin with your favorite barbecue spice blend and roast alongside green beans, cauliflower, and red onion for a balanced meal that takes just 15 minutes of prep. Later, take a trip to the Greek Isles with pork tenderloin gyros. Stuff pitas with your remaining roasted pork, store-bought tzatziki, and fresh cucumbers.
Get the recipes: BBQ-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Cauliflower and Green Beans and Pork Gyro with Tzatziki and Cucumbers
Ground Turkey Fried Rice
Nextover: Ground Turkey and Rice Soup with Vegetables
Frozen mixed veggies and quick-cooking ground turkey help get this two meals-in-one fried rice on the table in under 30 minutes (for even more speed, use microwave-ready rice). Then, fresh spinach, chicken broth, and a squeeze of lemon are all you need to shapeshift nextovers into a satisfying soup the whole family will love.
Get the recipes: Ground Turkey Fried Rice and Ground Turkey and Rice Soup with Vegetables
Slow Cooker “Mississippi Roast”
Nextover: Roast Beef and Swiss Sandwiches
The star ingredient of these two meaty meals ain’t your grandma’s pot roast. Onion soup mix and tangy jarred pepperoncini crank up the flavor of beef chuck roast that cooks to tender perfection in the slow cooker. Ladle it over store-bought mashed potatoes for a comforting, low-lift meal one day, then repurpose the components (including the cooking liquid) into stick-to-your-ribs sammies topped with melty Swiss.
Get the recipes: Slow Cooker “Mississippi Roast” and Roast Beef and Swiss Sandwiches
Instant Pot® Black Bean Chili
Nextover: Black Bean Pita Pizza
A pot of black bean chili transforming into pizza is a nextover pairing no one saw coming. Kitchen standby ingredients like dried beans, canned tomatoes, and frozen corn make this plant-powered chili easy to whip up anytime using the Instant Pot®. Later, top pitas with drained, mashed chili and cheddar cheese for a Tex-Mex take on pizza. Serve it with salsa and sour cream and thank us later.
Get the recipe: Instant Pot® Black Bean Chili and Black Bean Pita Pizza
