How to Turn Cold Pizza Into Hot New Meals

Pizza melt
Cole Saladino/Thrillist

Chances are there's pizza in your fridge right now, slowly aging until you guiltily throw it in the garbage because you didn't feel like eating pizza a few nights in a row (welcome to the first world!) Don't ignore the pizza like the creditor hunting you down to pay your student loans -- turn it into croutons. Or a sandwich. Or even a breakfast that beats the hell out of the standard cold-pizza hangover buster. Here are nine ways to transform leftover slices.

Pizza patty melt

Because we know pizza and cheese are likely the only edible things you have in your fridge at any given moment (other than a solitary can of beer from a Halloween party three years ago), all you need for this recipe is pizza, mozzarella, provolone, and a spatula. Remember not to eat the spatula.
 

Pizza casserole

Allrecipes shows you how to take a baking dish, mozzarella, a third of an onion, eggs, and a few slices of leftover pizza and turn it all into a breakfast that looks like you spent time on it.
 

Pizza bread pudding

On the surface, turning leftover pizza into bread pudding sounds like an awful idea dreamed up by a sadomasochist Internet chef trying to trick people into making something that will taste awful. But we trust any blog called "A Mama With Ideas..." Just a hunch. Also, eggs, milk, and Parmesan are the main ingredients, which sounds good to us.

Drew Swantak/Thrillist

Pizza croutons

Ninety-nine percent of Americans who aren't on a diet agree that salad is a waste of a meal. But thanks to our pizza crouton recipe, you can successfully choke down an entire bowl of lettuce and other veggies if you dice up the remnants of last night's pizza dinner and throw 'em in there. Or just drop them into a bowl of tomato soup!
 

Waffle-iron pizza

The good folks at Serious Eats show you exactly how to fold, cut, and trim your leftover pie in order to cram it into a waffle iron and end up with melty handheld bites that looks like they'd be easy to eat while you drive. It's a mystery why no pizza chain has stolen this idea yet.
 

Pizza + Chinese food rolls

Perfect for the person who has ordered nothing but takeout all week and wants to continue their shameful fat- and sodium-fueled downward spiral, The Cooking Channel's recipe combines pizza and Chinese takeout into one glorious amalgamation that will surely convince the person eating it that they've hit bottom.

Carrie Dennis/Thrillist

Pizza house

Granted, you're going to need at least four leftover thin-crust pizzas, so you'll probably have to order a few pies to go with the leftovers in your fridge, but it'll be worth it. Look at this glorious, edible structure. It's basically the tiny house of the future, and it's all thanks to our recipe. We've solved the housing crisis!

Pizza scrambled eggs

Italian seasoning is the key ingredient in the Spoon University recipe that turns boring old scrambled eggs into an Italian-ish meal that's great for breakfast... and equally great for any other meal. You'll have to part with the crust and bread of your pizza, but you won't miss them when you're eating the eggs.

Pizza frittata

If you're looking to take your love of eggs and pizza to the next level, follow this recipe from a Food.com user, who smartly heaps on cheddar, garlic, and spinach to considerably beef up two slices of leftover pie.

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Lee Breslouer is a senior writer for Thrillist, and is going to order pizza right now. Follow him to easy dinner ideas: @LeeBreslouer.

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