The 7 Best Ways To Use Up All That Charcuterie Leftover After The Holidays

If you’re one of those people who likes to make a lot of charcuterie at once, this guide is for you! If you’ve already cooked up a platter of cured meats, don’t let them go to waste.

Here are some fun ways to use up leftover charcuterie:

How to store leftover charcuterie

How you store your charcuterie depends on the type of meat, but there are common guidelines.

Keep it in the fridge! If you don’t have room for a specific ingredient, then wrap them up and freeze them for later—this works especially well with sausages, which take less time to defrost than other types of charcuterie.

It’s important to keep all of your leftover charcuterie in an airtight container so it doesn’t dry out or get moldy while being stored in the fridge.

If you’re going to store your charcuterie in the fridge, then make sure that it’s wrapped up tightly in plastic wrap.

This will keep out any moisture that could lead to the growth of mold.

If you want to freeze your meat, then use a vacuum sealer or freezer bags (if using freezer bags, be sure to remove as much air as possible before sealing).

7 ideas for leftover charcuterie

Make charcuterie lasagna

Lasagna is a stuffed pasta dish with layers of noodles and cheese sauce topped with more cheese.

It’s a familiar but elegant comfort food that can be made at home or ordered from your favorite Italian restaurant.

Charcuterie is any meat that has been cured, smoked, pickled, or dried for preservation and flavor.

Examples include bacon, ham hocks, salami, and prosciutto—the cured meats you see hanging in the windows of specialty shops like Whole Foods Market®!

The best way to store charcuterie? Refrigerate it immediately after purchase (or if you’re lucky enough to have some leftovers from last night’s dinner).

If it’s not going into the fridge right away keep an eye on its temperature before putting it back in there: if the room temperature has dropped below 40°F/5°C then put the meat somewhere warmer until then so it doesn’t spoil too quickly; otherwise just toss it in your fridge where you’ll know exactly where everything goes when you need something on hand later on down the road…which brings us right back around again to making lasagna!

Use it as a pizza topping

If you’re tired of just eating charcuterie on its own, try using it as a pizza topping.

It’s an easy way to get rid of any unused portions and make something delicious at the same time.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Pizza dough (there are plenty of recipes online)
• Your favorite cheese (mozzarella, cheddar and parmesan work well)
• Parmesan or Romano cheese (optional)
• Sausage (if you have any leftover from making sausage balls)
• Pepperoni (if desired)
• Ham slices or bacon strips

Enjoy it on its own as a snack

Enjoy it on its own as a snack.

You can savor it cold, or heat it up for a minute in the microwave for an extra-warm treat! You can even eat it straight from the bag instead of putting it on something else.

It’s up to you.

The best part is that you can eat it on its own or put it on anything.

Spread it on toast, crackers, bagels, or even sandwiches.

You can also use it as a dip for pretzels and veggies, like carrots and celery sticks.

You can even use it as a topping for your favorite pizza or pasta dish.

It’s so versatile that there are endless ways to enjoy this delicious snack!

Add it to mac and cheese for a grown-up take on the classic

Charcuterie isn’t just for snacking.

It can also be used as a topping on macaroni and cheese, turning this classic comfort food into something completely new.

You can use any type of leftover charcuterie you have at home—just make sure it’s your favorite! If you don’t have any leftovers, you can always take some time to make some fresh.

If your macaroni is gluten-free or vegan (or both), consider adding mushrooms, spinach, or tomatoes to make it more interesting.

The best part about leftovers is that they give everyone the chance to customize their own dish based on their own tastes and preferences.

Serve it up with a pile of crostini or crackers

You can also serve it with a baguette, or a loaf of crusty bread, or even a bagel.

I’m not here to judge how you choose to eat your charcuterie—I’m just here to give you options! The same goes for crackers: if you’re into that kind of thing, go ahead and get some crackers (or crostini) on the table.

If you’re more traditional, try serving up your charcuterie with an actual tortilla—because there’s nothing like wrapping meat in more meat!!! Or if wraps are more your speed, keep it simple and wrap everything up in some lettuce leaves!

Of course, you could always just serve your charcuterie with some good old-fashioned crackers.

If you’re making your own, try these rosemary and garlic-infused crackers! They’re super easy to make and taste amazing with any kind of cheese or meat (or both!).

If you don’t want to make your own crackers, there are plenty of store-bought options available.

I’m a fan of Wasa Crispbreads—they’re super thin and crispy (but not too crunchy), which works perfectly for these kinds of spreads.

They come in lots of different flavors like original wheat, rye, honey oat and multigrain; so no matter what kind of cheese or meat you’re serving up with them, they’ll pair perfectly!

Make a charcuterie grilled cheese sandwich

To make a grilled cheese sandwich with charcuterie, start by preparing the bread.

You can use any kind of bread you like, but I personally prefer sourdough because it adds a little bit of moisture and flavor to the sandwich.

Next, cut your cheese into slices or cubes.

You can use whatever you have on hand but remember that softer cheeses like brie will get melty faster than hard ones like cheddar and Monterey Jack.

Then add more charcuterie (or meat) if desired!

You can also add vegetables like tomatoes, spinach, or mushrooms.

I like to use red pepper flakes and garlic powder to give my sandwiches a little kick of spice and flavor.

Next, melt your butter in the pan over medium-high heat until it starts to bubble around the edges.

Then place your bread on top and cook for about 2 minutes per side (or until golden brown).

Breakfast strata

The strata is an egg casserole dish that can be made with just about any combination of ingredients.

This versatile dish is great for using up leftover charcuterie, because the eggs will help mask any meatiness that’s lingering.

Here’s how you make it:

• Prepare your strata by preheating the oven to 375 degrees F and greasing a baking dish or loaf pan with butter or cooking spray (if you want to make individual portions).
• In a large bowl mix together your cubed bread, cubed cheese and chopped veggies like spinach or broccoli florets.
• If desired, add in some diced ham too! The more flavorful ingredients included here will taste delicious in your breakfast casserole!
• Next pour beaten eggs over top of everything else until evenly coated then pour milk over top again until everything is soaking wet but not soaked through completely (this will make sure there are no dry spots).
• Lastly sprinkle parsley flakes on top if desired before baking at 375 degrees F until golden brown on top which should take between 30 minutes to an hour depending on how big/deeply-dish pan was used (if using individual portion ramekins bake 20-25 minutes total time until golden brown).

Conclusion

There are so many ways to use up leftover charcuterie, and we’re excited to share them with you! The best part is that these recipes are easy, delicious and won’t take much time or effort.

So next time you have some leftover meat and cheese from making that delicious charcuterie board, don’t throw it away—use it in one of our recipes instead!