It’s summer. The time of backyard BBQs, grilling, and fun. BUT, what do you do when you overbuy on hotdog and hamburger buns? Instead of letting them go to waste, I’m sharing a ton of ideas on ways to use them up.
40+ Ways To Use Up Leftover Buns
- Turn Them Into French Toast Or French Toast Bake
- Use Them As Garlic Bread – Brush with butter and sprinkle with garlic salt, Italian seasoning, and cheese. Bake.
- Make Sloppy Joes
- Use In Bread Pudding
- Create Mini Subs For Lunch The Next Day
- Make Toastie Dogs – Take a hotdog bun and add a piece of cheese and hotdog; wrap in foil and bake.
- Use For Breakfast Wraps
- Make Classic Mini Cheeseburgers
- Create Tuna Boats – Add tuna salad, slice of Velveeta, then fold back together. Wrap in foil and bake about 20 mins or over campfire.
- Make Homemade Croutons With Them – Dice up the buns, add olive oil, parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, pinch of salt, onion powder, and garlic powder to taste. Bake at 400 for 8-10 minutes or desired crispness.
- Use For Philly Steak ‘n Cheese Sandwiches
- Pizza Dogs – Cut them and the dogs in half long ways. Place hotdog on bun and add pizza sauce and mozzarella cheese. Bake in oven.
- Dry Them Out And Grind Up For Bread Crumbs For Stuffing – Toast really well with butter and garlic and then grind in food processor. Keep in a container or bag in the freezer.
- Make Mini Pies – Use a dough roller and flatten the buns out. Put a spoon of apple pie filling on them and roll them up. Lay in a casserole dish with the seam side down. Pour melted butter over them, sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes at 250-300.
- Create Mini Meatball Subs – Cook Italian meatballs, spaghetti sauce, and mozzarella cheese in the oven until heated through, then place on a bun and serve.
- Feed Some To The Birds
- Turn Into Grill Cheese
- Make Crispy Chicken Sandwiches
- Use As Breadcrumbs For Meatloaf
- Create Mini Pizzas – Just add your favorite pizza toppings and bake.
- Make S’mores Boats – Top with a BBQ grilled banana, marshmallows, chocolate chips.
- Use As A Base For A Breakfast Casserole
- Baked Ham And Cheese Sandwiches – (Wrap in foil to bake) Just add whatever meat you’d like…hard salami or pastrami and cheese, roast beef and provolone with horseradish sauce, etc.
- Use For Crab Salad Rolls
- Make PB & J Banana Dogs – Fill them with a banana and then use peanut butter and jelly as the condiments.
- Serve Tuna Melts
- Create French Toast Roll ups – Roll the buns out thin with a rolling pin. Spread cream cheese on them. Roll up tightly. Dunk in egg, milk, vanilla mixture. Then add butter to pan and cook until brown on all sides like French toast.
- Make Pepperoni Subs
- Copycat Italian Dunkers (like what the schools serve – kids love them!)
- Serve Hotdog/Hamburger Bun Toast For Breakfast
- Make Sub Sandwiches
- Spiedie’s – Serve marinaded chicken cubed up and grilled over the buns.
- Create “Hobo’s” – Just add cheese singles and bacon slice, place in the broiler until cheese is melted.
- Make “Egg Soufflé” Breakfast Casserole – Fry up your favorite breakfast meat, a dozen eggs, 1 1/2 cups of milk, 6 slices of bread (or hotdog/hamburger buns) – tear bread in small pieces, add any other ingredients such as sautéed onions or veggies (all optional of course!), add in about 1 cup of shredded cheese. Throw all in a dish or pan, let soak over night. Bake at 350 for about 45 min – 1 hour. Sprinkle a little cheese on top at the end for perfection!
- Serve Bird Dogs – Just use chicken strips instead of hotdogs!
- Turn Into PB & J Sandwiches
- Make Pulled Pork Sandwiches
- Use As A Meatloaf Base – Cook a meatloaf on top of opened up hot dog buns. It stops up the grease and keeps the bottom tender.
- Split And Slice To Make Breadsticks
- Sweet Dessert – Toast them in the oven or under the broiler, then butter them and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.
- Use For Breakfast Sandwiches/ McMuffin Copycats
- Make ‘Sketti Buns’ – Serve spaghetti topped over a toasted bun.
- Freeze With A Paper Towel Inside Each Bag To Use At A Later Date – This helps to prevent the moisture from making them soggy as they thaw.
- Make The Kids Pigs In A Blanket – Just squeeze a hotdog into a hamburger bun, seal the edges, and bake.
- MAMA’S EASY BUTTER ROLL Recips:
4 hotdog buns
1 stick butter
Open buns and line a 9×13 pan. Melt butter and our over the buns.
In blender mix:
2 cups mile
¼ stick melted butter
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 t vanilla
Pour the milk mixture over the buttered buns and bake at 350 for about 40 minutes. This is delicious – sort of between an egg custard and a bread pudding.
Of course, you can always share with neighbors, family, and friends or donate some to your local food bank.
Tell me, what's your favorite way to use up leftover buns?
I’m a city girl turned country by my awesome husband and we have three busy boys and two darling daughters. I love spending time with my family, reading Karen Kingsbury novels, and catching up with friends while our kiddos have play dates. I’m blessed beyond measure and can’t wait to see what God has in store.
Follow Miranda on Pinterest | Twitter| Blog | Instagram
This post currently has 17 responses.
-
-
We always have buns left over and you shared some great ideas. I’d love to try the mini-pies.
-
These are all really terrific ideas. I know my husband would enjoy making Garlic Bread out of the buns!
-
During the summer we throw them on the grill and melt cheese for open faced sandwiches. I am going to try the crouton idea for something different.
-
These are some great ideas! I’ve never thought of using them in bread pudding, they usually go to waste.
-
We had leftover hot dog buns, and I made croutons! SO good and so easy! I love the bread pudding idea though.
-
These are great ideas! Thanks Miranda!
-
I haven’t had bread putting in ages. Good idea.
-
Great ideas. These are even good for a regular loaf of bread when it starts to get a bit old
-
Unfortunately, we often waste rolls. Sometimes I just don’t think about other ideas but this list is just great.
-
good to know,,i have sometimes put butter and garlic powder on them and toasted them in the oven and made garlice toast for pasta dishes
-
I want to use it to make S’mores Boats. What a special treat for ME!!! I need a break too.
-
I have throw so many buns away……. no more going to save this
My favorite — Make PB & J Banana Dogs -
So many great ideas! I have made croutons with them. I like the tuna boats and the pizza dogs.
-
This is an incredible list of ways to use leftover buns, thank you so much for sharing! I will definitely be pinning this for later.
-
Yes, great ideas. Since mine are usually onion buns, bread pudding is out but going to try the mini pizzas as we always have pepperoni and cheese on hand. Croutons also. Thanks!!
I like the idea of using them as Garlic Bread. They are probably getting a little stale anyway. This is a perfect solution.