Recipe Guide | British Leftovers | Allrecipes

What Is Bubble and Squeak? The Classic British Leftover Recipe

Author and Visit Details

Short answer: this is a researched recipe guide, not a restaurant visit. By Food Menu Journal. We did not visit a restaurant for this guide, and we did not cook the dish in our own kitchen. Every fact below comes from the Allrecipes recipe for bubble and squeak, submitted by Doreen Friesen, checked fresh on 2026-11-11, plus the competitor recipes named in Sources and Review Notes. Tasting notes are the source author and reviewers, not our own.

Introduction

Short answer: bubble and squeak is a classic British side dish made from leftover potatoes and cabbage, ready in 30 minutes and serving 6 people. It is the dish a Sunday roast leaves behind, fried the next day until the bottom turns golden and crisp. The Allrecipes version, submitted by Doreen Friesen, uses sliced cooked potatoes instead of mashed potatoes, so the slices crisp at the edges while the middle stays soft. Three slices of diced bacon and a cup of cubed cooked ham make it heartier.

Prep takes 15 minutes and cooking takes 15 minutes, for 30 minutes in total, and that only works because the potatoes are already cooked. Start from raw potatoes and the same dish takes far longer, so this is a leftovers recipe first. The cabbage cooks for 3 to 5 minutes, the bacon and onion fry for about 5 minutes, then everything meets in a cast iron skillet with butter, paprika, salt and pepper, and browns twice.

This bubble and squeak recipe guide covers the ingredients with exact amounts, the four steps in order, what each part adds, the nutrition picture with every figure labelled, and the questions readers ask most, including the fried egg on top and whether the dish freezes. Nothing here is invented: times, amounts and servings come from Allrecipes, and every competitor figure is labelled with its source.

Featured Image and Caption

Short answer: this golden bubble and squeak cake, topped with a fried egg, shows the crisp crust to aim for. The egg is a serving suggestion, not part of the base recipe.

Bubble and Squeak at a Glance

Short answer: it takes 30 minutes, serves 6, and starts from leftovers, per Allrecipes.

Item	Detail
Dish	Classic British side dish from leftover potatoes and vegetables
Source recipe	Allrecipes, recipe 18854, submitted by Doreen Friesen
Total time	30 minutes
Prep time	15 minutes
Cook time	15 minutes
Serves	6
Potatoes	3 cups, baked, cooled, thinly sliced
Cabbage	1/2 medium head, sliced
Meat	3 slices bacon, diced, plus 1 cup cubed cooked ham
Pan	Well-seasoned cast iron skillet
Seasoning	1/2 teaspoon paprika, salt and pepper to taste
Best for	Boxing Day, breakfast, or any night with roast leftovers

Why We Researched Bubble and Squeak

Short answer: it solves the oldest leftover problem in the British kitchen, what to do with the roast potatoes and cabbage from yesterday. A Sunday roast makes too much food on purpose, and the day after, the fridge holds cold potatoes, half a cabbage and a few slices of ham. This dish turns that exact pile into dinner in 30 minutes, with no extra shopping beyond the pan and the butter.

The timing needs one honest note. The 30 minutes only works because the potatoes are already cooked. Baked, cooled and sliced, they go straight into the skillet and crisp at once. Start from raw potatoes and the same dish takes far longer, which is why this is a leftovers recipe first. Leftovers are the point here, not the problem, and the crisp crust is the reward for using them.

What Goes Into Bubble and Squeak

Short answer: it needs 8 ingredients, led by cabbage and potatoes, with bacon and ham for heartiness. Check the fridge first, because most of them are already there after a roast.

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Cabbage	1/2 medium head, sliced	Cooked 3 to 5 minutes until tender, then drained
Bacon	3 slices, diced	Cooked with the onion until the onion is soft
Onion	1, thinly sliced	Softens in the bacon fat in about 5 minutes
Cooked ham	1 cup, cubed	Heated through before the vegetables go in
Butter	1 tablespoon	Melts in the skillet before the cabbage and potatoes
Potatoes	3 cups, baked, cooled, thinly sliced	Sliced, not mashed, so the edges crisp
Paprika	1/2 teaspoon	Seasons the whole pan
Salt and pepper	To taste	Season after the mix is in the pan

Two common swaps keep the dish honest. Brussels sprouts replace some or all of the cabbage, and a few bits of carrot add sweetness, as one Allrecipes reviewer notes. Keep the potatoes sliced rather than mashed for the crisp edge, and the paprika at half a teaspoon so it seasons without taking over.

How Do You Make Bubble and Squeak?

Short answer: it takes 4 steps in 30 minutes, all in one cast iron skillet. Gather everything first, then cook in order, and let the pan do the work.

1. Cook the sliced cabbage in a medium saucepan with a small amount of water until tender, about 3 to 5 minutes. Drain, and set aside.
2. Cook the diced bacon and thinly sliced onion in a well-seasoned cast iron skillet until the onion is soft and the bacon is cooked, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the cubed cooked ham, and cook until heated through. Add the butter, then mix in the cooked cabbage and potatoes. Season with paprika, salt, and pepper.
4. Cook until browned on the bottom, turn, and brown again. Serve hot.

The fourth step is the whole technique. Once the mix is in the skillet, leave it alone: stirring breaks the crust before it forms. Wait until the bottom is properly browned, then turn it in sections with a spatula and brown the other side. A well-seasoned cast iron skillet holds the heat and gives the even crust the dish is known for, and a good nonstick pan works too. Serve it hot, straight from the pan, with a fried egg on top if you like.

Our Food Review

Short answer: it is crisp outside, soft inside, and hearty enough for supper, as a researched guide verdict. We did not taste it ourselves, so the notes below are the source author and the Allrecipes reviewers, whose reviews on the page run mostly to 5 stars, with a 3 star and a 4 star review among those we read.

The source author calls it a great way to get kids to eat vegetables, and the reviewers agree on the flavour. One calls it fantastic. Another says the potato gets squashed down and browns into a crust, and calls that crust the best bit. The ham and bacon give the dish a savoury depth that plain potato and cabbage would lack.

The limits are honest ones. You have to love cabbage, as one reviewer puts it, because the dish never hides it. The flavour is simple and homely, not fancy, and it depends on the leftovers you start with. As a leftover rescue, though, it is hard to beat: quick, filling, and better than the sum of its parts.

How Does the Cabbage Taste in Bubble and Squeak?

Short answer: the bubble and squeak cabbage is half a medium head, sliced and cooked until tender, and it gives the dish its second core flavour. Boiled for 3 to 5 minutes and drained, it softens without turning to mush, then fries with the potatoes until the edges catch and crisp. The flavour is mild and sweet rather than strong, so the dish works even for people who think they dislike cabbage. Brussels sprouts are the common swap, and they behave the same way in the pan, soft inside and browned at the edges.

Why Do Sliced Potatoes Make Bubble and Squeak Crisp?

Short answer: sliced potatoes turn crisp because 3 cups of baked, cooled, thinly sliced potato fry into golden edges. Cooling matters as much as slicing: cold slices hold their shape in the pan, while hot mash would steam and go soft. The source author prefers slices for exactly this reason, and the reviewers agree, with one calling the browned, squashed potato the best bit. A mashed version still tastes good, but it makes soft cakes rather than a crisp cake, so use slices when crispness is the goal.

What Do Bacon and Ham Add to Bubble and Squeak?

Short answer: this bubble and squeak with bacon version is the heartier one, with 3 slices of diced bacon and 1 cup of cubed cooked ham. The bacon does two jobs at once: it adds a salty, smoky flavour, and its fat fries the potatoes and cabbage as they brown. The ham adds bulk and a mild savoury note, turning a side dish into a light main dish. Leave both out and the dish still works as a meat free side, fried in butter alone, but it will be lighter and less filling.

How Do You Get the Crisp Crust on Bubble and Squeak?

Short answer: the crisp crust comes from patience, a hot cast iron skillet, and turning the cake only once it has browned. Melt the butter in the hot pan, spread the mix evenly, and do not touch it. Wait until the bottom is browned, then turn it in sections and brown the other side. A cold pan or constant stirring gives a soft, steamed mix instead of a crust, so the waiting is the technique.

Picky Eats

Short answer: it is a good way to get kids to eat vegetables, but cabbage is the hurdle to clear first. The source author says so directly, and the reason is the form: the cabbage is chopped small, mixed through the potato, and fried until crisp, so it never arrives as a plain pile of boiled greens.

Small crisp cakes are easier for a child to pick up than a loose spoonful, and a fried egg on top gives them something familiar to eat first. Ketchup is a fair offer, since the recipe description suggests serving it with ketchup, if desired. Keep a little plain potato aside before the cabbage goes in, for a child who will eat potato but not cabbage, and let them add their own sauce at the table.

Parents Review and Family Tips

Short answer: for parents, it is a 30 minute leftover win that serves 6 from one pan and one saucepan. Dinner comes from food that is already cooked, so the only real work is slicing an onion and watching the pan brown.

• Cook the roast with tomorrow in mind. Bake a few extra potatoes and keep half the cabbage back, so the next day starts with the dish half made.
• Let kids build their own plate. Plain potato aside, a small crisp cake, and the egg on top, with ketchup and seasoning at the table.
• Reheat in the pan, not the microwave. A hot skillet with a little butter brings the crisp edge back, while the microwave turns it soft.
• Save the Boxing Day version for the big leftover day. After Christmas dinner the fridge holds everything the recipe needs, and the dish feeds 6 with no extra shopping.

Nutrition and Carbohydrate Information

Short answer: Allrecipes publishes no nutrition panel for this dish, so the figures below are a labelled range from other sources, not Allrecipes figures. Use the range, not one number, because every source serves a different amount from a different starting point.

Source	Figure	Basis
Krumpli	213 kcal per serving	2 servings, leftover version, 10 min prep, 10 min cook
The Flavor Bender	220 kcal per patty	8 patties, 30 min prep, 40 min cook
TFRecipes mirror of the Allrecipes recipe	158.5 cal per serving, 19.5 g carbohydrate, 5.9 g fat, 7.8 g protein	Mirror figures, not Allrecipes figures

The figures disagree for a clear reason. Krumpli serves 2 from leftovers in 20 minutes, The Flavor Bender makes 8 patties in 70 minutes, and Mashed, which lists prep 10 minutes, cook 20 minutes and serves 10, starts from raw vegetables. A smaller serving of a richer version can carry more calories than a larger serving of a plainer one. Treat every figure here as an estimate from its source, not a laboratory result. The Allrecipes recipe itself gives no panel, so we give none for it.

What to Know Before You Cook

Short answer: before you cook it, check three things, cold potatoes, the right pan, and enough time to let it brown. Get those three right and the dish almost cooks itself.

Cold potatoes are the first check: the recipe needs baked potatoes that have cooled, then sliced thin, so if yours are still hot, let them cool first, or the mix will steam instead of crisping. The second check is the pan, a well-seasoned cast iron skillet, though a good nonstick pan works too. The third check is patience, because the crust only forms if the mix sits still long enough to brown. Brussels sprouts can replace some or all of the cabbage, and a few bits of carrot add sweetness, but keep the potatoes sliced and the paprika at half a teaspoon.

Is It Worth Making?

Short answer: bubble and squeak is worth making when the leftovers are already in the fridge, and not as a 30 minute plan from raw potatoes. With cold potatoes and cabbage on hand, it is one of the best quick dinners a roast can produce: crisp, hearty, filling, and ready in half an hour.

Without the leftovers, the same dish is a different job. Baking, cooling and slicing the potatoes adds an hour or more before the 30 minutes even starts, so plan it for the day after a roast, not the night of one. Boxing Day and the morning after a Sunday roast are its natural home, and breakfast with a fried egg is its best serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is bubble and squeak?

This traditional bubble and squeak is made from the leftovers of a Sunday roast or Christmas dinner, fried until crisp. It is a practical dish: it turns food that would be thrown away into a second meal, and the Allrecipes version adds bacon and ham for a heartier dish.

How long does bubble and squeak take to make?

It takes 30 minutes in total, with 15 minutes of prep and 15 minutes of cooking, and it serves 6. That timing comes from the bubble and squeak Allrecipes page, and it only works because the potatoes are already cooked. Other recipes give different times, from 20 to 70 minutes, because some start from raw potatoes and some make patties, so check whether your recipe starts from leftovers.

Should I use mashed potatoes or sliced potatoes for bubble and squeak?

Use sliced potatoes if you want the crisp edge, because the Allrecipes version uses 3 cups of baked, cooled, thinly sliced potatoes. Mashed potatoes make a softer cake, and many traditional versions use mash, but slices fry into golden, crisp edges that mash cannot match. If you only have mash, form small cakes and fry them gently.

Can I serve bubble and squeak with a fried egg?

Yes, a fried egg is the classic topping for bubble and squeak, and it is how many British cooks serve the dish for breakfast. The runny yolk runs over the crisp cake and adds richness. One Allrecipes reviewer describes it as a poor man Eggs Benedict, with the yolk over the little cakes. Serve the egg on top of each portion, not mixed through the pan.

How do I store and reheat leftover bubble and squeak?

Cool it, keep it covered in the fridge, and reheat it in a hot pan with a little butter, which brings the crisp edge back. The microwave will heat it through but it will turn soft, so the pan is the better choice. This is general kitchen practice, not a figure from the Allrecipes page, so eat the leftovers within a day or two.

Can I freeze bubble and squeak?

Yes, you can freeze it, but expect the texture to soften, so freeze it as cooked cakes and reheat them in a pan. Let the cakes cool fully, wrap them well, and fry from thawed in a little butter until crisp again. The Allrecipes page gives no freezing time, so this is general guidance, and the fresh version will always be crisper.

Related Food Guides

Short answer: the two guides below share the leftover theme, one for leftover beef and one for a vegetable side.

• Beef Cheek Ragu Pasta: Easy Leftover Recipe and Tips: A 15 minute pasta from leftover slow cooked beef cheeks.
• 9 Impressive Health Benefits of Beets: Nutrition and Risks: A root vegetable guide with nutrition, uses and cautions.

Sources and Review Notes

Short answer: this bubble and squeak guide rests on the Allrecipes recipe by Doreen Friesen, checked on 2026-11-11, with competitor figures labelled beside it.

• Allrecipes, recipe 18854, submitted by Doreen Friesen, checked 2026-11-11: 30 minutes total, serves 6. Allrecipes recipe 18854
• Krumpli, 213 kcal per serving, 2 servings, 10 plus 10 minutes, checked 2026-11-06.
• The Flavor Bender, 220 kcal per patty, 8 patties, 30 plus 40 minutes, checked 2026-11-06.
• Mashed, prep 10 minutes, cook 20 minutes, serves 10, checked 2026-11-06.
• TFRecipes mirror of the Allrecipes recipe, 158.5 cal per serving with its nutrient list, labelled as the mirror, not Allrecipes.
• Precheck file: posts-57-62-competitor-research.md, checked 2026-11-06.

Limits: this is a researched guide, not a restaurant visit and not our own cooking test. Allrecipes publishes no nutrition panel for this recipe, so no Allrecipes nutrition figure appears here. Competitor times and calories differ because servings and starting points differ, and each figure is labelled. Storage, reheating and freezing notes are general kitchen guidance, not source figures. ChatGPT and Claude cannot be read from here, and SBMM runs in the user’s own Chrome, so open SBMM on the live URL before reporting the post as done.