Creative Uses for Hamburger Buns

Forget about the burger: use buns in different, creative ways.

While some barbeque leftovers like extra burgers or potato salad can be easily enjoyed as another meal, other items, like hamburger buns, are more challenging to use up. Rather than living eating only burgers or throwing the buns away, there are other creative ways to use hamburger buns.

Other Sandwiches

Despite being called hamburger buns, these rolls don't need to be solely devoted to patties of ground beef. Instead, use hamburger buns in lieu of bread to make any type of sandwich. Sloppy joes, meatball subs and other saucy sandwiches hold up great on the thickness of hamburger buns. Even plain deli sandwiches like roast beef, pastrami or turkey work nicely on hamburger buns. Use a panini press to make a delicious melted sandwich on a hamburger bun.

Croutons

Salad lovers can transform hamburger buns into a crunchy addition for their greens. To make croutons, simply cut the hamburger buns into tiny, bite-sized pieces. In a bowl, drizzle a few table spoons of olive or canola oil over the pieces of the buns. Sprinkle some seasoning, such as a seasoned salt, Italian seasoning or oregano, onto the pieces, then place them on a cookie sheet. Add the croutons to a 350 degree oven and bake them for about 15 minutes, stirring them once. When they're done, simply add them to a salad for a delicious crunch.

Bread Pudding

Chefs with a sweet tooth can turn their old hamburger buns into a tasty snack. For a fruity bread pudding, make a syrupy fruit mixture from plums, blackberries, raspberries and blueberries. Simply place the bottoms of the buns in a 8-inch square baking dish, then spoon the fruit on top of them. Cut up the top buns and spread the pieces over the pan. Add the remaining fruit mixture on top of the torn up buns.

French Toast

Often, french toast recipes call for day-old bread. Instead of using regular old French bread, use hamburger buns to make this delicious breakfast treat. Mix milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon in a shallow dish. Dip the rolls into the milk and egg mixture and flip it, letting the piece soak up the mixture. Place the moist buns on a skillet that's been heated with butter and cook on both sides until they are golden brown. Top off the french toast with maple syrup or fresh fruit.

References

• Real Simple: 7 Ways to Use Leftover Buns
• Many Little Blessings: 13 Uses for Leftover Hamburger Buns
• Cheap Cooking: What To Do With Leftover Hot Dog and Hamburger Buns