Creative Ways to Use Leftover Spaghetti Sauce and Meatballs

Spaghetti and meatballs are a classic dish that we all love.

But what happens when you have leftover sauce and meatballs?

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If you’re anything like us, you’ll want to find as many ways as possible to use them up!

So, what can you make with leftover spaghetti sauce and meatballs?

Some good ideas for leftover spaghetti sauce and meatballs include making a quesadilla (with some cheese), serving it with salad or vegetables as part of an antipasto platter, or mixing it into macaroni salad with some mayonnaise and vinegar dressing.

Below, we’ve put together a list of 19 creative ways to use it up—and we’re sure you’ll find something that inspires you to put those leftovers to good use.

See Also: What Salad Goes with Spaghetti and Meatballs? 10 Best Salads

What to Make with Leftover Spaghetti Sauce and Meatballs

 Here are 19 creative ways to use up leftover spaghetti sauce and meatballs:

1. Make Meatball Subs with It

If you have leftover meatballs and spaghetti sauce, but no extra pasta?

No problem! Just make some sub sandwiches with the ingredients instead!

Just spread some of the spaghetti sauce onto rolls and top it with some shredded cheese (and maybe even some lettuce) before adding the meatballs.

Top each sandwich with another roll half and enjoy!

2. Make a Pizza with It

Slather your favorite pizza crust with leftover spaghetti sauce (you can use fresh or canned) and top it with whatever you want—from more meatballs to mushrooms, onions, bell peppers… whatever your heart desires!

Top with shredded cheese and bake until golden brown on top (or finish under the broiler if you prefer). Serve hot from the oven!

3. Make a Calzone or Stromboli

Fill up an Italian-style pizza crust with the meatballs (or just the sauce!) and any other ingredients you can think of—shredded cheese and sliced scallions are both great options!

Fold over the edges of the crust to seal it shut, then bake according to package instructions until golden brown and crispy on top.

Let cool slightly before slicing into wedges for serving; serve with salad greens sprinkled with vinegar dressing for an easy dinner option any night of the week!

4. Use It as A Dip for Chips or Breadsticks

Make some breadsticks using pizza dough (or any other kind of bread dough) and then cut them into long strips before baking them so they get crispy on the outside but stay soft on the inside.

They make an excellent pairing with leftover spaghetti sauce!

You could also try baked potato chips with the spaghetti sauce as a dip instead.

5. Mix It Into Your Favorite Pasta Dish

Add leftover spaghetti sauce and meatballs to any pasta dish you love (pasta salad? Yum!) and see what happens!

If you like spicy food, try adding hot peppers or red pepper flakes; if you prefer a milder flavor, go ahead and skip them!

6. Put the Leftovers on Top of Hot Dogs or Hamburgers

We love this idea because it makes an already delicious meal even more satisfying (plus it’s fun to eat).

Simply take a hot dog bun or hamburger bun and spread it with some sauce and top with a spoonful of meatballs and mozzarella cheese.

You can also add lettuce and tomatoes for extra nutrition!

7. Freeze It for Later Use

If you have enough leftover sauce and meatballs to make up one meal’s worth of meals (or more), take advantage of the freezer by dividing them up into individual portions in airtight containers or freezer bags.

Then when it comes time to defrost and heat them up, they’ll be ready to go!

You can even make some extra pasta so that each serving has enough food without being too much work.

8. Make Some Homemade Soup

If you want to use up even more of your leftover meatballs and spaghetti sauce at once, turn it into some homemade soup!

Just chop up some veggies (think carrots, celery, potatoes) and add them in along with the remaining sauce and meatball mixture.

Then add water until it reaches your desired consistency before heating it up on the stovetop until everything is hot again.

This is an easy way to stretch out your leftovers while getting some extra nutrients from all of those veggies too!

9. Make a Salad with Your Leftover Spaghetti Sauce and Meatballs

Combine your meatballs with some lettuce greens and shredded carrots for a fresh side salad that’s ready in minutes.

This is one of our favorite ways to use leftover spaghetti sauce and meatballs because it’s so simple yet so flavorful—and it’s a great way to get kids to eat their vegetables!

10. Add It to A Quesadilla or Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Spread cold spaghetti sauce on top of a flour tortilla and add some cheddar cheese before frying it in oil until crispy on both sides; top with lettuce leaves and tomato slices before folding it up into a quesadilla!

You can also spread the sauce onto bread slices before topping them with cheese and grilling them in butter until golden brown on both sides; serve hot or at room temperature with pickles on the side.

11. Make a Quick Pasta Bake

Add some sliced mushrooms and shredded cheese (mozzarella works well) to leftover spaghetti sauce and meatballs, then add cooked pasta—penne is a good choice here—and bake until everything is hot and melted together.

Serve with breadsticks if you like!

12. Make Egg Rolls

Roll up your favorite leftover meatballs in egg roll wrappers with a little bit of ricotta cheese mixed in for extra flavor (or simply enjoy the meatballs by themselves).

Fry them up until they’re golden brown, then serve them hot with marinara sauce on the side!

13. Turn It Into a Cheesy Casserole

Combine spaghetti sauce and leftover meatballs with macaroni or other small pasta shapes, shredded cheese, milk or cream, and seasonings like basil or oregano for a cheesy casserole that will fill your house with delicious aromas.

Serve warm or at room temperature—it’s great for lunch boxes!

14. Pour It Over Toast with Cheese on Top

It’s the perfect way to use up those last few pieces of bread in your fridge while still getting all of the flavor from the spaghetti sauce.

You can also try topping them with tomato slices and fresh basil if you have it on hand!

15. Use as A Topping for Baked Potatoes

Top your baked potatoes with leftover spaghetti sauce and meatballs for an easy meal that’s full of flavor and sure to please everyone at the table!

You can even add some shredded cheese on top if you want a cheesier dish.

16. Add It to A Stir-Fry

Take some leftover spaghetti sauce and toss it with some cooked rice noodles (or regular noodles if you prefer), chopped vegetables like bell peppers, carrots, mushrooms, spinach leaves, etc., any type of leftover cooked protein (like chicken breast) or tofu cubes/strips—then add in some sauce from the stir-fry your making!

You can also add in some frozen peas during the last few minutes of cooking time if you want extra veggies.

17. Make an Omelet

Combine leftover spaghetti sauce with some eggs, salt, pepper and cheese (or even bacon!) for an easy omelet in the morning.

Just beat up the eggs with some milk or water in a bowl until they are combined well enough to pour into the skillet without running all over your stovetop!

Add the spaghetti sauce mixture on top of the eggs while they are still cooking so they get nice and warm inside before serving.

18. Turn It Into a Lasagna

This is another great way to repurpose your leftover meatballs and sauce into a meal that’s perfect for dinner parties, potlucks, or even as an easy weeknight dinner when you’re short on time.

Just layer the cooked pasta with the cooked veggies from your lasagna recipe (or whatever veggies are in the fridge) and top it off with some ricotta cheese and mozzarella cheese before baking it at 350° until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

19. Use It as Salsa

If you don’t want to make a casserole, just toss the leftover spaghetti sauce with some diced tomatoes, onions, peppers (if desired), and fresh cilantro—or any other ingredients you might have on hand—to make salsa for dipping tortilla chips or spreading on sandwiches or wraps.

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