Leftover Pork and Potato Hash

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 18 mins
Total: 38 mins
Servings: 4 servings

Leftover lunches and dinners are underrated. Using what you have in the fridge can be the easiest way to repurpose last night's leftovers and make a totally new and flavorful meal. It's also budget friendly, as you might already have most of the ingredients in the pantry. Combining leftovers is a great way of finally using the little bits and pieces of vegetables that you have in your fridge and freezer before they go to waste, and it's a great way to use pork that perhaps came out very dry.

Our leftover pork and cooked potatoes is not a replay of the dinner you already had, but instead a take on a decadent hash in a creamy sauce. We used leftover pork loin, but any cut of cooked pork will make a great dish as well. Cream of mushroom soup, comforting peas and carrots, and some savory and spicy add-ons like Worcestershire and Tabasco sauces combine to make this a hash with a ton of flavor—great for lunch or dinner. Serve this dish with biscuits or cornbread and a tossed salad for a complete and wholesome meal.

Be mindful that the FDA recommends that all food leftovers and opened packages should be consumed within a week—some earlier than that.

Leftover pork and potato hash on a plate

 The Spruce Eats

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, or margarine

  • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped onion

  • 1/4 cup coarsely chopped celery

  • 1 (10.5-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup

  • 1/2 cup milk

  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

  • 1 dash Tabasco sauce, or a pinch of red pepper flakes

  • 12 ounces pork, cooked and diced

  • 2 cups cooked, peeled, and diced potatoes

  • 3/4 cup cooked peas, or peas and carrots

  • 1 teaspoon paprika, or more to taste

  • Kosher salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for leftover pork and potato hash recipe gathered

    The Spruce Eats

  2. In a large skillet over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and celery and sauté until the onion is soft, translucent, and golden in color.

    Onion and celery frying in butter in a skillet

    The Spruce Eats

  3. Add the cream of mushroom soup, milk, Worcestershire sauce, and Tabasco sauce to the skillet. Stir until well combined.

    Cream of mushroom soup, milk, and seasonings added to the skillet

    The Spruce Eats

  4. Add the pork, diced potatoes, peas—and carrots if using—and paprika. Cook over low heat for about 10 minutes or until hot and bubbling. Taste test and add salt and ground black pepper.

    Pork, diced potato, peas, carrots, and paprika added to the skillet

    The Spruce Eats

  5. Before serving, sprinkle with more paprika, if desired, and fresh chopped parsley. Enjoy.

    Thickened pork and potato hash sprinkled with paprika and parsley

    The Spruce Eats

Best Potatoes for Hash

Different potato varieties have different starch content, which makes them ideal for one type of cooking method over another. Leftover low-to-moderate starch potatoes, such as red-skinned potatoes, new potatoes, or Yukon Gold, will hold up best in this hash. Sweet potatoes, orange or white like Murasaki, will also give a nice texture and hold their shape well.

Substitutions and Add-Ons

This is a very forgiving dish, so all your favorite veggies have a place. And there are many other substitutions that you could make. Here are a few of our favorite variations:

  • Replace the cream of mushroom soup with cream of celery soup, or about 1 1/2 cups of homemade white sauce seasoned with salt and pepper. 
  • Replace the diced cooked pork roast with diced leftover pork chops, roast beef, ham, or corned beef.
  • Add any of the following in 1/2 to 3/4 cup measurements of the cooked vegetable: broccoli or cauliflower florets, chopped kale or spinach, sliced turnips or parsnips, or sliced snap peas.
  • Add 3/4 cup shredded cheddar once the hash is done, and place in a 375 F oven for 10 minutes or until the cheese bubbles. For a tangier flavor, use freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano.

What Is the Safest Way of Storing Leftover Pork?

Always be mindful of when you placed the leftovers in the fridge—if possible, label the containers so there are no mix-ups. Foodborne illness from leftovers is common but entirely avoidable if the right precautions are taken:

  • Cooked pork should be placed in the refrigerator within two hours, well wrapped, or placed in an airtight container. Store it in the coldest part of the fridge—usually the back—for up to five days.
  • Cooked pork that is not going to be used within those five days should be placed in the freezer right away. Wrap it well, place it in freezer bags, and keep for up to three months.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
514 Calories
27g Fat
37g Carbs
32g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 514
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 27g 34%
Saturated Fat 12g 58%
Cholesterol 106mg 35%
Sodium 745mg 32%
Total Carbohydrate 37g 13%
Dietary Fiber 5g 17%
Total Sugars 11g
Protein 32g
Vitamin C 16mg 81%
Calcium 200mg 15%
Iron 3mg 16%
Potassium 1131mg 24%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)