Over 30 Recipes to Reduce Kitchen Waste
By Lindsay-Jean Hard
Even if you’re doing your best to cook root-to-leaf and nose-to-tail, there are probably still some edible bits you’re missing.
Today: Three dozen recipes to make sure your kitchen scraps don’t get scrapped.
If you cook, you’re going to end up with kitchen scraps. And whether your goal is to reduce the staggering amount of edible food thrown away in the U.S. every year, eke as much as you can out of your food budget, or try to be Dan Barber when you grow up (or all three), it isn’t always clear what to do with them beyond composting. Sometimes what you may consider waste is actually perfectly good to eat—not merely edible, but downright tasty.
More: 4 kitchen scraps to use in the garden – even if you don’t compost
Start putting all kinds of scraps to good use: We’ve got ideas for using everything from pickle brine to cherry pits and corn cobs to whey.
More: 5 ways to use up vegetable scraps
Turnip Greens:
Turnip Green Gomae by Fairmount_market and Turnip Greens Frittata by Amanda Hesser
More: Use, regrow, repeat: 4 vegetables that regrow in one week
Swiss Chard Stalks:
Pickled Chard Stems by Angela Brown and Swiss Chard Agrodolce by Meatballs&Milkshakes
More: 5 tips for conquering kitchen waste
More Swiss Chard Stalks:
Tara Duggan’s Chard Stalk Hummus and Anna Klinger’s Grilled Swiss Chard Stems with Anchovy Vinaigrette by Genius Recipes
More: Waste not, want not: when to save your scraps, and what to do with them
Chicken Fat and Chicken Bones:
Apple and Onion Schmaltz and Chicken Stock by Cara Nicoletti
More: How to make delicious greens (without sautéing them in olive oil)
Chicken Giblets and Broccoli Stalks:
Chicken Giblet Gravy by Cara Nicoletti and Broccoli Stems with Garlic and Anchovies by Amanda Sims
Asparagus Ends and Watermelon Rinds:
Annie Wayte’s Chilled Asparagus and Almond Soup by Genius Recipes and Spicy, Savory & Sweet Watermelon Rind Pickles by Nancy Manlove
Strawberry Tops and Apple Peels:
Strawberry Top Water and Apple Peel Bourbon by Marian Bull
Radish Greens and Carrot Greens:
Radish Top Soup and Slow-Roasted Radish Roots with Fennel Seeds by Viviane Bauquet Farre and Roasted Carrots with Carrot Top Pesto and Burrata by Kenzi Wilbur
Beef Bones:
Roasted and Whipped Bone Marrow by Cara Nicoletti and Rich Roasted Beef Stock by thirschfeld
Stale Bread:
Sopa de Ajo (Garlic Soup) by Marian Bull
Photos by James Ransom, Alpha Smoot, Mark Weinberg, Bobbi Lin, Angela Brown, and Eric Moran.
