Leftover Christmas Bubble and Squeak (with Chilli Jam)

Bubble and squeak has one of those wonderfully literal names that tells you exactly what’s happening in the pan. Traditionally made the day after a roast, it comes from the gentle bubbling and squeaking sounds the vegetables make as they fry together. It was never meant to be fancy — it was about thrift, comfort, and turning leftovers into something deeply satisfying.

After Christmas, when my fridge is packed with tubs of “just in case” vegetables, bubble and squeak feels like a small domestic triumph. I had nut roast, brussels sprouts, broccoli, carrots and parsnips staring back at me every time I opened the fridge. This dish was my way of bringing everything together one last time and finally restoring the fridge to something resembling normality.

Ingredients

Leftover nut roast (about 1 cup)

Leftover Brussels sprouts

Leftover broccoli

Leftover carrots

Leftover parsnips

2 medium potatoes, peeled and boiled (no roast potatoes left)

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Salt, if needed

1–2 tbsp oil or butter, for frying

Chilli jam, to serve

Method:

Mash all the leftover vegetables and nut roast, together in a large bowl, along with the freshly boiled potatoes (as there were no roast potatoes left).

Season generously with black pepper, and mix it well. I like to keep the texture slightly rustic so it holds together and crisps up nicely when fried.

Heat a frying pan and add oil or butter (I used butter).

Press the mixture into a hot pan with a little oil or butter and shaped it into one large pancake. As it cooked, the underside turned golden and crisp, and with a careful flip, the other side followed suit. This is where the dish really earns its name — gently bubbling and squeaking away as it fries.

Once crisp on both sides, slide it onto a plate, cut it into wedges, and finished it with a drizzle of chilli jam. It may not be traditional, but the sweet heat lifts the richness of the vegetables beautifully and feels like a celebratory flourish — a small reward for using up every last scrap of Christmas veg.

Simple, comforting, and quietly satisfying — and best of all, my fridge is finally back to normal.