How to Turn Leftovers into Refrigerator Soup

This easy to throw together Refrigerator Soup is ready in under thirty on nights when you have a bunch of leftovers and no plan.

Have you even opened your fridge to realize that you had a bunch of random side dish leftovers, but nothing that could pass as a dinner for the family?

Your vegetable draw is in serious need of restocking and the items that are there are only a few days from being chicken feed. You don’t want to throw them out, but you have no idea what to do with this hodgepodge of cooked and raw veggies and side dishes that are on their way out the door.

That is where Refrigerator Soup comes into play.

What is Refrigerator Soup?

Refrigerator Soup is what its name implies, everything in the refrigerator.

I make this soup when I have a bunch of random veggies in the fridge that no-one wants to eat and they are nearing their end of life.

I hate to waste and am the queen of leftover makeovers. I love to reimagine leftovers into new dishes, because who really wants to eat the same thing over and over again?

This soup is a really easy spin off of a vegetable soup that you can change up to be anything you want. It is never the same twice, so there isn’t a real recipe for it, just a method.

The Method to the Madness that is Refrigerator Soup

As I plan out what this soup is going to turn into, I turn no place else than my refrigerator.

Today I have found some greenbeans from our Meatloaf and Scalloped Potatoes dinner the night before.

As I rummage through the vegetable drawer I find an onion that has been half used, some carrots that are nearing end of life, and a couple of sweet baby peppers that my kids promised they would eat.

In my potato bin I find some potatoes that are going to sprouts and throw them into the mix instead of using rice as a starch for the meal.

Since I don’t have any protein leftover in the fridge, I grab a jar of our canned deer meat and pinto beans for good measure. While I am in the pantry I also go ahead and grab some tomatoes that we canned this summer and a can of corn as well. These help to add a little variety of color and texture.

Then I am all set!

Assembly

I prep all of my fresh veggies by washing and chopping them, removing any parts that have turned. I dump them first into the crock pot.

I add some salt and pepper and decide to mince up some garlic to add along with it.

Then everything else goes in. I don’t bother to drain the corn or tomatoes, but do rinse off the beans and drain the meat so it doesn’t cloud my broth.

I add enough water or broth (who doesn’t have a half used carton hanging out in their fridge) to cover the veggies and throw in a bay leaf.

Then I let the crockpot do the magic. Four hours on high or six on low and you have such an easy dinner.

If you are looking for dinner in under 30, throw all the ingredients into a dutch oven and bring to a boil.

Once to a boil, stir and turn down to medium. Simmer on medium for thirty minutes and you are set.

Leftovers Have New Life

The wonderful thing about this meal is that not only does it use up all of those leftovers and cleans out your fridge, but it also tastes delicious and is super versatile.

You can use any veggies you have on hand. Squash, mushrooms, spinach, and cabbage are some of my favorite add ins.

You can really use any protein you like as well. Leftover chicken? Great! Use that! Hamburgers? Sure! Chop them up and add them in! Pulled Pork? Even better!

You can also easily make this completely meatless, just leave the meat out! The possibilities and combinations are endless

What to Serve with Soup

I highly recommend serving this soup with grilled cheese quesadillas for an extra little something special. There is something so delicious about a buttered flour tortilla toasted up with melty cheese oozing out of it. It is a big winner with the kids and the hubby.

You can also do a traditional grilled cheese, cornbread, or crackers. These are all great accompaniments to this delicious soup.

We also love to add Tabasco to give it an extra little kick! Try this Habanero Tabasco that we love so much!

Moving To No Waste in the Kitchen

When you are working to feed a family, sometimes you have to get creative with your leftovers. We are a waste not want not family and believe that everything has a use and a purpose. If I overlook that half a head of cabbage in the back of the fridge and it turns, well then into the compost it goes. No waste only fertilizer for the next garden. However, my goal is to make sure we use what we can to cut down on grocery costs.

As my husband and I continue our journey to a more sustainable future for ourselves and our family, it is not always easy. Sometimes we make mistakes and poor choices for our pocketbooks, our environment, and our goal towards sustainability. But we are learning and growing every day.

Little steps like this refrigerator soup help us get there.

We hope you try this method and learn that leftovers reimagined can be a delicious family meal that everyone loves. Let us know what you do to cut down on waste in your home! We would love if you would join us on our journey to a more sustainable tomorrow. Check us out on Pinterest for more ideas like these!

Refrigerator Soup

A delicious hodgepodge of all those veggies and proteins hanging out in your fridge and pantry

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine American

Ingredients

  

• 1 32 oz whole tomatoes in juice
• 1 15 oz corn
• Assorted Leftover veggies chopped peppers, onion, greenbeans, carrots etc.
• potatoes cubed
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 Bay leaf
• Cooked Protein of choice
• Water to cover

Instructions

 

• Place all ingredients into a dutch oven and bring to a boil.
• Stir and cover, reducing heat to medium low until potatoes are tender

Keyword leftovers, soup

Spread the love