Your guide to Boxing Day food

Keep the flavours flowing into Boxing Day with food that makes the most of every festive moment. From clever ways to reinvent your leftovers to fresh favourites ready to enjoy straight from the fridge, explore our recipes or top up your Christmas Food to Order slot to get started.

Assistant Copywriter

Florence Head

What Boxing Day food to serve on the day?

Wondering what to serve on Boxing Day? After the big feast, it’s all about laid-back, flavour-packed food everyone can tuck into. Whether you’re planning a second festive spread, transforming leftovers or laying out a table of picky bits, we’ve got plenty of ideas to keep the celebrations going.

Here are some Boxing Day favourites:

See our Christmas food

Best recipes for Boxing Day to use up your leftovers

Turn extra turkey into hearty sandwiches or a flavour-packed curry, transform roast veg into bubble and squeak or a golden-topped pie, and give leftover cheese or Christmas pudding a new lease of life in indulgent dishes like gooey bakes or festive ice cream.

Christmas recipes How to use Christmas leftovers

The best leftovers sandwich

Nothing says Boxing Day quite like an over-the-top leftovers sandwich. Our turkey sandwich is everything you love about Christmas Day in one crunchy, gooey stack. Think gravy-soaked sourdough, tender turkey, pigs in blankets, sprouts, cranberry, chutney and molten cheese, all wrapped in foil and baked until golden.

Prefer something cheesier? Tom Kerridge’s leftovers three cheese toastie turns your leftover cheeseboard and cooked ham into a seriously impressive melt. A mix of comté, soft fleur des Alpes and stilton works beautifully, layered with Sticky Fig and Hot Honey Chutney and sourdough.

Use it up frittata

Fold roast turkey, spare veg and any leftover cheese into whisked eggs, then add a little ’nduja for gentle heat. It’s an easy, flavour-packed way to turn whatever’s in the fridge into a brilliant Boxing Day brunch or lunch.

See the recipe

Cheesy Brussels sprout gnocchi pie

Transform leftover greens with this hearty gnocchi bake. Soft, pillowy gnocchi is folded through Brussels sprouts and cooked vegetables, then finished with a golden Cornish Cruncher topping for extra crunch.

See the recipe

Pigs in blankets carbonara

Give the classic carbonara a Boxing Day twist with this comforting pigs in blankets version. Smoky pigs in blankets meet a silky, cheesy carbonara sauce, tossed through perfectly cooked spaghetti for an easy way to turn leftovers into something everyone will want seconds of.

See the recipe

Leftover Christmas cake ice cream

This no-churn ice cream is an easy Boxing Day treat and a brilliant way to use up leftover Christmas cake. Whisk cream, condensed milk and vanilla to soft peaks, fold in the crumbled cake, then freeze until scoopable. Serve with an extra sprinkle of cake and a splash of amaretto for a satisfyingly sweet finish.

See the recipe

What to do with leftover cheese

Turn any leftover Christmas cheese into something irresistible with these festive recipes.

Use up your leftover goodies in this bacon, brie and cranberry quiche. Crisp pancetta, creamy Brie and caramelised shallots are folded into a rich egg custard and swirled with cranberry and port sauce. Bake straight away or freeze to enjoy later – a treat from your Christmas leftovers anytime.

What do you get when you combine everyone's two favourite things? A pigs in blankets pizza, of course. Crispy sage, tangy cranberry sauce and a mix of melting cheeses top a golden base, turning leftover cheese and pigs in blankets into a shareable, flavour-packed slice everyone will want seconds of.

Make the pizza Make the quiche

What to do with leftover turkey

Use up any leftover roast turkey in these flavour-packed recipes. Turn your leftovers into spiced turkey nachos, topped with Indian-inspired flavours and served with lime wedges, fresh coriander and a side of rice or naan. For a twist, they also make a tasty jacket potato filling.

Or try a light, vibrant turkey pho. Packed with fresh herbs and warming spices, it’s an easy way to use up leftovers while helping you warm up after the Christmas festivities.

See the turkey katsu curry Make the festive nachos

Serve up a Boxing Day brunch

Whether you need a big breakfast after a boozy Christmas or want to start the day in style, Boxing Day brunch is the perfect way to kick things off. Make it the main event with a spread that’s indulgent but effortless – think bubble and squeak with crispy bacon and eggs, golden panettone French toast drizzled with syrup, or fluffy mince pie pancakes for a sweet festive twist. It’s a great way to feed a crowd and enjoy the season’s favourites.

More Christmas breakfast ideas

Jazz up your grazing board

Boxing Day is all about relaxed, help-yourself dining – and a grazing board is the perfect way to keep everyone happy. Start by raiding the fridge for your Christmas Day leftovers: