A generous Filipino Christmas feast almost always has leftovers. And one of the most famous dishes we Filipinos love to binge-eat even after Christmas is lechon. This roasted pig clad in crisp golden brown skin is so flavorful and versatile that it fuses perfectly with a lot of recipes we already love. But we’re not talking about lechon paksiw, pata tim, or all the other lechon recipes you grew up with.
Discover the unique ways you can use your lechon leftovers to cook up a recipe your family may have never heard of. Keep reading!
Lechon Spaghetti
Prep time: 20 mins; Cook time: 25 mins
With lechon spaghetti, you are hitting two birds with one stone. Lechon and spaghetti are regulars on the Filipino Noche Buena table. Everybody loves them, so almost every household prepares extra generous servings that often last a couple of days after Christmas.
If you want to try something new with your leftover lechon and spaghetti, why not fuse them in one dish? This recipe adds lechon skin to your traditional sweet style spaghetti recipe. To level up the dining experience, use the saltier and spicier version of lechon—Cebu Lechon.
Lechon Belly Roll
Prep time: 30 mins; Cook time: 3 hours 45 minutes
But what if you do not have Cebu Lechon? Say no more because this lechon belly roll recipe transforms your regular lechon into the highly acclaimed Cebu Lechon. Experience Cebu’s best using your leftover lechon, no need to spend extra. You just need a dash of creativity and ounces of dedication.
As the saying goes, good things take time. Lechon belly roll is one of those good things. Wow the family with this new recipe they can look forward to even after the holiday feels subside. Take the dining experience to another level and recreate the famous spicy vinegar dip it goes perfectly with.
Lumpiang Hubad with Lechon Kawali
Prep time: 30 mins; Cook time: 20 mins
After stuffing ourselves with great food on Christmas day, it is natural and necessary to be on a leaner and healthier diet on the days that follow. But with your leftover lechon still in the fridge, you may find yourself in a dilemma. Luckily, we found a healthy recipe that still has lechon in the mix.
This lumpiang hubad with lechon kawali recipe is a respite from the greasy and indulgent glory of lechon. Aside from the chunks of lechon kawali, lumpiang hubad mostly contains vegetables, giving you a generous dose of nutrients and antioxidants you need to feel lighter and healthier.
Lechon Wraps
Prep time: 10 mins; Cook time: --
Simplify preparing a lightweight lechon meal even more with this lechon wraps recipe. No need to cook all the vegetables—just put together your leftover lechon and some ready-to-eat greens like lettuce and spring onion stalks.
Take a break from the holiday hustle and get this sumptuous meal ready in just 10 minutes. It’s healthy, simple, and a great interlude before holiday feasting begins again for the New Year.
Lechon Empanada
Prep time: 30 mins; Cook time: 45 mins
From Mexico’s tortilla wraps, let’s turn your lechon leftover into one of our favorite Spanish snacks—empanada. For this lechon empanada recipe, chop the lechon meat and toss in your favorite aromatics to prepare the perfect stuffing. Then prepare your empanada dough.
Here’s some good news: you don’t have to work too hard in making the empanada dough. If you use a food processor, flattening the dough with a rolling pin is the only manual work you’ll have to do.
Lechon Kawali Ceasar Salad
Prep time: 5 mins; Cook time: --
Who said lechon is only for cheat day? To all salad lovers and healthy diet enthusiasts out there, you can still enjoy your lechon leftover after treating yourself to an indulgent holiday meal. This lechon kawali caesar salad recipe is easy to make, you only have to make sure you have the essential ingredients.
Did you know that you can be more creative in making this lechon kawali caesar salad? Think of Filipino pantry staples like pandesal and bagoong and add that to your salad. Check this out to find out more.
Pinakbet with Lechon Kawali
Prep time: 10 mins; Cook time: 40 mins
Speaking of adding vegetables into your leftover lechon, we can’t miss this classic dish that’s 100% Filipino—the crowd favorite pinakbet. In this pinakbet with lechon kawali recipe, we will use your leftover lechon chunks to enhance the taste of pinakbet.
The crispy lechon skin brings out the best part of the pinakbet dining experience. Think of crispy binagoongan and you would see how similar it tastes to this pinakbet with lechon kawali dish. It’s like eating two dishes in one bite.
Chop suey con Lechon Kawali
Prep time: 10 mins; Cook time: 30 minutes
Not too fond of bagoong? Don’t worry, your lechon leftover goes well with another famous dish also containing an assortment of vegetables—chop suey. Unlike the regular chop suey dish, this chop suey con lechon kawali recipe only has the lechon kawali as its meat component. There is no need to prepare stir-fried seafood or chicken liver. The taste now depends on how you fuse the lechon’s flavors into the sauce.
Chopsuey literally means odds and ends, because it is traditionally made using leftovers. Thus, it is a perfect way to turn your lechon leftovers into a new dish.
Lechon Sinigang
Prep time: 10 mins; Cook time: 40 mins
Feeling extra cozy in the cold air of December? Turn your lechon leftover into this hearty lechon sinigang recipe to warm up the appetite. Kids and adults will enjoy this favorite comfort food hailed as the world’s best soup.
The savory and tangy tamarind broth of traditional sinigang seeps through the already flavorful lechon chunks. This lechon sinigang perfectly balances out the greasiness of lechon and the clean taste of the sinigang broth. Truly, it is an indulgent dish but never a guilty pleasure.