Have you ever felt guilty for throwing out some leftovers or scarp food items?
If so, we are here to turn your guilt into major culinary satisfaction by introducing some amazing upcycled food recipes.
Nowadays, people are getting more concerned about recycling food leftovers, and let’s be honest, throwing away food makes us feel terrible too.
But what can we do with those forgotten leftover dinner items or those overripe food items?
Instead of turning them into garbage why not give repurposing food waste a try?
I know, you must be feeling lost in determining where to start, but with some amazing Upcycled Food Recipes that we are going to share, you will find your inner talent for turning waste into best!
So, let’s get into it.
Upcycled Food Recipes
You must be thinking all through these about,what to do with food scraps without composting? Wasting food items must not be a conscious choice anymore, but how to convince your family members to do so?
Well, let’s give these Upcycled Food Recipes a try which will turn your unwanted veggies in the fridge, the star dish of the meal time.
Believe me, after learning these recipes you will regret throwing away food items that you’ve considered spoiled.
#1. Marmande Tomato Tart with Basil And Garlic
Are you looking to turn those ripped Marmande tomatoes, basil, and garlic into something delicious? Then this fantastic upcycled food recipe is all you need.
You must’ve never thought of something so satisfying and flavorful that you can make from something that you’ve already marked as waste. So, let’s learn our very first using up food recipe.
Ingredients | Quantity |
Block frozen puff pastry | 375g |
Vine-ripened tomatoes | 2 large |
Finely chopped garlic cloves | 2 |
Extra virgin olive oil | 2 tsp |
Small basil leaves | For garnishing |
For Pistou | |
Packed basil leaves | 1 cup |
Grated parmesan cheese | ½ cup |
Pine nuts | ¼ cups |
Extra virgin olive oil | ¼ cup |
Crushed garlic clove | 1 |
Salt and pepper | As per taste |
Instruction:
- Start by preheating the oven to 200 degrees C. Then grease a tart pan with some melted butter or olive oil.
- Now roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface to make a 12-inch circle.
- Then, transfer the pastry sheet to the greased pan and press the bottom and sides perfectly.
- Bake the pastry for at least 10 minutes or until it becomes golden brown in color.
- In the meantime, make the pistou, to further enhance the taste of the tart. In a food processor combine all the ingredients, like basil leaves, garlic cloves, tomatoes, pine nuts, and all, and smooth them until it turns smooth in texture. When the food process is done, season it with some salt and pepper as per taste.
- Now, evenly spread the processed pistou over the pastry sheet but make sure to leave a 1-inch border on each side. Then top it with some tomato slices, garlic, and parmesan cheese, and drizzle some olive oil on top.
- Now, bake it for at least 10-15 minutes or until the tomatoes are properly softened.
- Serve the tart hot and garnish it with some basil.
And your tart with the goodness of basil and garlic is ready to be enjoyed!
The tomatoes which you were about to throw out because they were over-ripe, are now transformed into a Upcycled Food Recipes, which everyone will enjoy.
#2. Roasted Carrot Soup with Carrot Top Pesto
You bought carrots in bulk, now wondering what to do with the carrots in the fridge which you’ve neglected so far.
Are you thinking of throwing them away? Hold on, we’ve got an amazing food scraps recycling recipe with carrots, where you can also make use of the carrot tops.
Ingredients | Quantity |
For the soup: | |
Carrots with the tops | 2 bunches |
White onions | 2 medium |
Garlic cloves | 2 |
Olive oil | As per need |
Chicken or vegetable stock | 8 cups |
Cream | 200 ml |
Grated parmesan | ½ cup |
Salt | As per taste |
For the pesto: | |
Carrot tops | 2 bunches |
Fresh basil | ¾ cup |
Toasted pine nuts | 120g |
Grated parmesan cheese | ¾ cup |
Lemon Zest | 2 lemons |
Olive oil | 1 cup |
How to make:
- Start with separating the carrot tops from the carrots. Keep the carrot tops separately for using in the pesto.
- Now place the carrots along with garlic cloves and onions on an aluminum foil and drizzle a bit of olive oil on the top. Then roast the vegetables at 180 degrees C for 1 hour and 30 minutes until they are fully caramelized.
- Now, cut the roasted carrots into small pieces and put them in a large pot along with the roasted onion and garlic.
- Then add the stock and blend them until it becomes completely smooth in texture.
- Add some grated cheese and cream on the top of the soup and mix them well until they are fully combined. Now, season it with some salt and pepper as per your taste.
- Now, heat the soup in medium heat until it simmers.
- To make the carrot top pesto, take a food processor and combine the carrot tops with fresh basil, toasted pine nuts, grated parmesan, lemon zest and olive oil.
- Process it until all the ingredients get well combined and become a smooth consistency. Season it with salt and pepper.
- Now ladle the soup into bowls, with a generous amount of carrot pesto on top. For an additional flavor add some fresh cream if you like. It will add an elegant touch to your soup.
With this roasted carrot soup and carrot top pesto recipe, you’ve given a new life to the not-so-perfect carrots, living in the cold of your freezer by turning them into a wholesome hot bowl of soup.
This upcycled food recipe is an example of how you can turn trash into a masterpiece with a little culinary vision.
#3. Almond Pulp Crackers
Did you know that you can make a food scrap recipe by upcycling the leftover almond pulp after making almond milk?
I mean, we all can relate to how we go on a guilt trip while throwing away the pulp of expensive almonds after extracting the almond milk from it.
But who has thought that this pulp can be turned into some delicious crackers? These crackers are gluten-free, vegan, and high in protein.
So, they can be your perfect healthy snack option, without investing a single additional penny!
Ingredients | Quantity |
Loosely packed almond pulp | 1 cup |
Mashed banana | ½ cup |
Peanut butter | 6 tbsp |
Ground flax meal | ¼ cup |
Vanilla extract | 2 tsp |
Cinnamon | 1 ½- 2 tsp |
Salt | ⅛ tsp |
Maple syrup(optional) | 2 tbsp |
How to make:
- Start by preheating the oven to 300 degrees F. Then line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Take a large bowl and combine all the ingredients like almond pulp, mashed banana, peanut butter, ground flax meal, vanilla extract, cinnamon and mash them together with a fork until everything is well combined.
- Divide the dough in half and spread the dough into a thin circle. Then use a fork to cut the dough into 1-inch squares.
- Bake them for 30 minutes then carefully flip them and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Then turn it to the opposite side and bake them for an additional 15 minutes until they become golden brown in color.
- Now let the crackers cool down on the baking sheets and transfer them to an airtight container.
These almond pulp crackers are a delicious and easy way to upcycle food waste products. This food upcycling recipe will turn the waste to something so delicious and healthy you may not have thought of!
You can also try Korean Recipes which are popular among Korean Drama Lovers!
#4. Pea and goat’s cheese tarts
Looking for a great way to use up leftover peas and some remaining goat cheese?
Then this tart recipe is all you need! The peas can be frozen or fresh, this recipe is certainly a great way to reuse those leftover sides of peas like a pro!
Ingredients | Quantity |
Frozen shortcut pastry | 2 sheets |
Frozen peas | 2 ½ cup |
Unsalted butter | 10g |
Caster sugar | A pinch |
Egg and egg yolk | 1 |
Chopped mint | 2 tbsp |
Thickened cream | 200 ml |
Soft goat’s cheese | 120g |
How to Make:
- First of all, start by preheating the oven to 180 degrees C.
- Now, cook the peas in boiling salted water until they become tender. Now drain the water and cool them slightly. Puree half of the peas in a processor until they become smooth in texture.
- In a bowl,combine the peas, egg yolk, mint, cream and three-quarters of the goat cheese. Don’t forget to season it as per your taste.
- To make the tart, spread the pastry sheet in a try and make a thin layer of it. Now, place them into the tart pans. After that, divide the pea mixture equally to the tart pans and scatter the remaining goat cheese on the top.
- Now bake the tarts for 20-25 minutes until they turn golden brown and serve warm at room temperature.
So, have you ever thought that you can utilize those frozen peas that were there in the freezer for eternity, and turn them into something so classy and flavorsome?
Why only the peas, you can also make good use of any remaining goat cheese or pastry puffs that are about to expire.
With this tasty tart recipe, you can save your money and control food wastage, what else can you demand from a food recipe?
#5. Brocolli Stem Fry
Broccoli is healthy and one of the most used veggies in every household, but in most recipes only the floret form of broccoli is enjoyed, people don’t really enjoy having the stem.
If you are throwing away the stem of the broccoli now, then you’ve no idea but you’ve been missing out.
The stem of the broccoli is not only delicious, they can be turned into something as amazing as fries! Yes, you’ve heard it right.
Let’s see how to make the healthy stems into a fantastic appetizer.
Ingredients | Quantity |
Head removed broccoli stems | 3-4 |
Extra virgin olive oil | 1 tbsp |
Cornmeal | ½ tsp |
Salt | ½ tsp |
Black pepper | ¼ tsp |
Garlic powder | ¼ tsp |
Sesame seeds | ¼ tsp |
How to make:
- To make the fries, start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Now, peel the broccoli stems and cut them into long and thin strips.
- Take a large bowl and toss the broccoli stems with other ingredients like olive oil, cornmeal, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Now spread the tossed broccoli stems on a baking sheet in a single layer.
- Bake the broccoli stamps for 15-20 minutes or until they become golden brown in color and turn into super crispy bites.
- Serve it immediately after taking it out from the oven and enjoy it with your choice of dip.
These broccoli stem fries aren’t only a delicious way to camouflage broccoli and serve it to the picky eaters, it is a nutritious way of enjoying something which you’ve been taking for granted since long.
You owe an apology to the broccoli stem! This is certainly one of the most amazing food waste project ideas.
These are the perfect way to turn trash into treasure!
So, after going through the sustainable Upcycled Food Recipes, you must admit that with the help of these upcycled food recipes, you can contribute your part in saving the environment and minimizing food wastage from your side.
Who has ever thought that you can make such gourmet-style meals by using those ingredients which you usually throw away in the trash.
So, the next time you’re looking for an easy-to-go and satisfying recipe, why not give these zero food waste recipes a try?
By choosing these recipes, you can save the planet, one bite at a time.