Leftover Roast Lamb Recipes

Those extra slices from Sunday’s table don’t need to sit forgotten in the fridge. With these few simple ideas, they transform into new meals that feel just as comforting, from shepherd’s pie to a quick lamb hash, each one making good use of already-cooked lamb without wasting a scrap.

This is the classic British way to give leftover meat a second life.
Ingredients

• 500g leftover leg of lamb, finely chopped or minced
• 1 onion, 2 carrots, and 1 stick of celery, chopped
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• A few sprigs of rosemary and thyme
• 150ml lamb stock or leftover gravy
• Mashed potatoes for topping

Warm a drizzle of olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat, then add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook until soft and lightly golden before stirring in the tomato purée and herbs. Add the chopped lamb and stock, simmering gently until it thickens into a rich, savoury sauce. Season with salt and pepper, then spoon into a baking dish and top with smooth mash.

Bake in a hot oven until golden and bubbling at the edges. You end up with tender lamb mingling with buttery potatoes and the faint aroma of rosemary. If you’ve used slow-roasted lamb, it will almost melt into the sauce, giving a lovely depth that makes this dish a proper main course, not just an afterthought.

A curry made from roast lamb leftovers feels rich and satisfying without much effort.

Ingredients

• 400g chopped leftover lamb
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp each cumin, coriander, turmeric, and garam masala
• 1 tin chopped tomatoes
• 100ml stock or coconut milk

Start by warming a little olive oil in a deep pan over medium heat, then add onion and garlic, cooking until fragrant and soft. Stir in the spices and let them bloom for a minute before adding the tomatoes and stock. Once it begins to simmer, stir in the lamb and cook on medium heat for about 15 minutes. You’ll notice that the sauce starts to thicken as the lamb soaks up the spices, turning silky and aromatic. Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice for brightness and serve with rice or flatbreads.

The gentle heat of the spices works perfectly with coastal lamb, whose herbal, salty flavour stands up beautifully to strong seasoning.

This Italian-style ragu transforms yesterday’s roast into something elegant. The lamb’s tenderness gives a luxurious texture, and the sauce clings beautifully to every strand — proof that leftover cooked meat can hold its own beside any fresh dish.

Ingredients

• 400g leftover lamb, chopped or shredded
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tin chopped tomatoes
• 1 small glass red wine
• A pinch of oregano and thyme

Warm a little olive oil in a heavy pan and cook the onion and garlic until soft. Add the wine and let it bubble for a moment, then stir in the tomatoes, herbs, and leftover lamb. Simmer gently for twenty minutes until it thickens into a rich, glossy sauce.

Toss into some fresh pasta with a knob of butter and plenty of black pepper. A spoonful of grated cheese on top and a drizzle of olive oil
finish it perfectly.

Patties or croquettes are ideal for using those smaller bits of leftover meat. Serve with a spoon of tzatziki on pita bread with a green salad, or go classic with French fries. If you prefer a little more zing, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice over the top brings the whole dish to life.

Ingredients

• 300g minced leftover lamb
• 1 cup mashed potatoes
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp chopped rosemary and thyme

Mix the lamb with mashed potatoes, onion, garlic, and herbs until combined. Form into small patties and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes to firm up. Warm a thin layer of oil in a pan over medium heat and fry the patties until crisp and golden on both sides. The edges brown beautifully while the centre stays tender and full of flavour.

When reheating lamb, medium heat is best. Too hot and the meat tightens; too low and it goes soggy. Always start with a drizzle of olive oil or butter in the pan to bring moisture back. If you’re using the oven, cover the meat loosely with foil to keep it tender. Pair these dishes with simple sides like roasted vegetables, rice, or buttered peas. A crisp salad with lemon juice and salt adds balance, while flatbreads or potatoes make it filling. And if you’re feeling indulgent, leftover lamb with French fries and tzatziki is never a bad idea.

Reheated lamb gets a bad reputation, but when it’s good meat, it only deepens with time. A night in the fridge lets the flavours settle, the rosemary softens, the fat firms up, and the juices blend back through the meat. Warmed gently with olive oil or butter, it becomes tender again, richer and more rounded than the day before, ready to eat with your favourite roasted veggies and potatoes.

The trick is patience, so don’t rush it on high heat or drown it in sauce. Give it space in the pan and watch as it comes back to life, releasing that same scent that filled the kitchen on Sunday.

Leftover lamb is forgiving, but it still deserves a little care. Always warm it slowly over medium heat to bring it back to life without drying the meat or toughening the edges. A drizzle of olive oil or a small knob of butter in the pan helps restore tenderness. Avoid strong sauces that hide the lamb’s own flavour; instead, use herbs like rosemary, thyme, or oregano to lift what’s already there. If you know you’ll want leftovers, plan for them before you even start roasting your lamb. Choose a slightly larger joint, roast an extra leg or shoulder, and keep the bones for stock to add depth to gravies, soups, and even sauces for pasta. Save any leftover gravy and add a spoonful stirred into a curry or shepherd’s pie for instant richness.

Good lamb also freezes well. Divide any extra into small portions before freezing so you can defrost only what you need. Once thawed in the fridge overnight, warm it through gently in the oven or a covered pan. Add a splash of stock or water to bring back moisture. Cooking this way saves time stretches value from every joint, and cuts down on waste. It’s a small way to cook more thoughtfully, making the most of every bit of effort that went into the first meal.

The best leftovers begin with good meat.

Find lamb that’s reared slowly on organic pastures — flavour runs deeper, and the texture stays tender long after cooking. Whatever cut you start with, you’ll taste the difference. The care that goes into organic farming gives cleaner flavour and better texture, and even after a night in the fridge, this lamb still tastes fresh and full of character.

A delicious roast doesn’t end when the carving’s done. With a bit of imagination, those extra slices turn into a week of meals worth savouring. Each leftover dish tells part of the same story: the Sunday roast shared at the table, the quiet Monday supper, the midweek pasta. Nothing wasted, everything enjoyed. It’s food that fits real life, full of flavour, simple to make, and always a reminder of where it began.

Now that you know how to make the most of your leftovers, start with lamb that’s worth roasting in the first place. Rhug Farm Shop offers quality cuts, from Welsh and coastal lamb to organic lamb leg steaks, that make every meal, even the next day’s, something to look forward to.