What to do with leftover mince

What to do with leftover mince

Mince meat is incredibly versatile and is a lifesaver when you need a quick dinner for the hungry family. It's a great source of protein for mid-week meals, can be kept in the freezer until it's needed, and it's easy and fast to cook.

There are endless recipes for a packet of mince. Whether you have leftover Bolognese, or you've got stacks of mince meat filling your freezer, these ways to use up mince make delicious family dinners that will have everyone asking for seconds.​

Mexican meals

A bit of taco seasoning does wonders for leftover mince meat. Classics like tacos and nachos start with some mince, as do the options you might not have thought of below:

• Mexican Chicken Empanadas

• Chicken and Rice Enchiladas

• Nachosagne

Burgers

Whether it be leftover mince or mince in the freezer, making burger patties is a fantastic idea. Making burger patties is especially good when you don't have a full packet of mince leftover, because you can make a few patties and stretch the meal further with filling burger toppings like eggs or avocado.

Try one of these burger recipes:

• Aussie Burger with the Lot

• Grilled Smoky Beef Burger on a Mushroom Bun

• Egg-in-a-hole Burgers

Meatballs or nuggets

Making delicious meatballs and nuggets can be a great dinner-in-a-dash idea. Serve your nuggets with a side of veggies, or stir your meatballs through hearty pasta. Meatballs are a great way to use up the leftover mince, but if there are more than you need for one meal, they make for a great lunch the next day.

Try one of these meatball or nugget recipes:

• One-pan Meatball Parmigiana

• Chicken Meatballs in a Creamy Mushroom Sauce

• Sweet Potato, Chicken and Couscous Nuggets

Shepherd's pie

When you just want a mince recipe that you can simply throw in a pan, with no need to shape dainty meatballs or patties. Shepherd's pie is that recipe! Brown up that mince with vegetables and top with beautiful cheesy mash. Related: Click here for the best way to brown mince meat.

Lasagne

When you have leftover or unused mince, especially if it's Bolognese, make a big tray of lasagne. Lasagne is a great family dinner idea, it goes down a treat at dinner parties, and a tray of lasagne can make a great gift to someone in need. This Cheat's Frypan Lasagne uses leftover Bolognese and a quick cheese sauce for lasagne in a jiffy.

Try these lasagne recipes:

• Classic Beef Lasagne

• Chicken, Spinach and Mushroom Lasagne

More mince meat recipes to try

Below are even more mince recipes to try. You can also click here for 33 creative ways to use mince meat. Happy eating!