24 Ways to Use Up Leftover Buttermilk

Do you have a carton of buttermilk sitting in your fridge after using it for just one recipe? Try these 24 ways to use up leftover buttermilk; use it to marinate and tenderize fried chicken, fluff flaky biscuits and more.

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Buttermilk Biscuits with Eggs and Sausage Gravy

Pepper-spiked, flaky biscuits can stand up to thick sausage patties and creamy gravy for down-home cookin' at its finest. Leftover biscuits are versatile enough to accompany Southern fare at dinner too.

Get the Recipe: Buttermilk Biscuits with Eggs and Sausage Gravy

Fried Chicken

A buttermilk dredge tenderizes chicken and helps it form a shatteringly crisp crust. If you can't hear yourself think over all of the crunching, you've done it right.

Get the Recipe: Fried Chicken

Kale Buttermilk Caesar Salad with Chicken

For an even healthier take on buttermilk, shake it up in a tangy Caesar dressing and toss it with a pile of kale. All of those greens help negate your Parmesan cheese intake.

Get the Recipe: Kale Buttermilk Caesar Salad with Chicken

Creamed Corn Cornbread

Sop up a bowl of chili with crumbly cornbread. Don't turn your nose up at the use of canned creamed corn — it helps provide moisture and extra texture to the otherwise-dense bread.

Get the Recipe: Creamed Corn Cornbread

Maple Buttermilk Tart

Buttermilk puts the tartness in this tart while maple syrup adds sweet richness. A hint of cornmeal in the crust and bronzed filling gives the elegant dessert texture from top to bottom.

Get the Recipe: Maple Buttermilk Tart

Best Old-Fashioned Mashed Potatoes for a Crowd

Which came first: the butter or the buttermilk? Don't worry yourself with that question — just use both in these foolproof, creamy spuds.

Get the Recipe: Best Old-Fashioned Mashed Potatoes for a Crowd

Idaho-Style Finger Steaks

Embrace your inner Midwesterner with chicken fingers' tastier cousin. Cube steak is just glorified hamburger, but when it is tenderized with buttermilk and has a crispy coating, you may just choose it over filet mignon.

Get the Recipe: Idaho-Style Finger Steaks

Carrot Cake Pancakes with Maple-Cream Cheese Drizzle and Toasted Pecans

Buttermilk and maple syrup are a match made in brunch heaven, especially when you can eat a stack of carrot cake for breakfast. Go heavy on the sticky-sweet cream cheese drizzle for an authentic frosted cake experience.

Get the Recipe: Carrot Cake Pancakes with Maple-Cream Cheese Drizzle and Toasted Pecans

Traditional Vegetable Curry

Buttermilk is the main ingredient in Indian vegetable curry, flavored with aromatic toasted spices like turmeric, cumin and garam masala. The fragrant dish tastes even better as leftovers, since the potatoes soak up all of the traditional flavors.

Get the Recipe: Traditional Vegetable Curry

Homemade Corn Dogs

Virtually anything can be battered with buttermilk: chicken, hot dogs on sticks, you name it. Kelsey Nixon's take on the boardwalk favorite will make it feel like summer year-round.

Get the Recipe: Homemade Corndogs

Buttermilk Pound Cake

This buttery cake is somehow dense and airy at the same time. The cake has only a slight hint of vanilla, and the clean flavor of buttermilk shines through. Slices are begging to be topped with fresh fruit and whipped cream.

Get the Recipe: Buttermilk Pound Cake

Buffalo Chicken Lollipop Wings with Buttermilk Blue Cheese Dip

These grilled lollipop bites satisfy wing cravings and help when you just want a vessel to get blue cheese dressing into your mouth.

Get the Recipe: Buffalo Chicken Lollipop Wings with Buttermilk Blue Cheese Dip

Gingerbread Pumpkin Waffles with Buttermilk-Rum Caramel Syrup

Merge two favorite holiday flavors and make gingerbread pumpkin waffles. Though the fluffy, warm-spiced dish is perfect for Christmas morning, the buttermilk-rum sauce also makes it great for a boozy brunch.

Get the Recipe: Gingerbread Pumpkin Waffles with Buttermilk-Rum Caramel Syrup

Breaded Pork Tenderloin Sandwich

Pork tenderloin is already tender by nature (and name), but when it's pounded thin and dredged in buttermilk, it gets a crunchy crust and practically melts in your mouth.

Get the Recipe: Breaded Pork Tenderloin Sandwich

Buttermilk Old-Fashioned Doughnut

When it's time to make the doughnuts, reach for buttermilk. A little tangy, a little sweet and glazed in smooth chocolate, these bad boys make it easy for you to put down a dozen of them.

Get the Recipe: Buttermilk Old-Fashioned Doughnut

Fried Quick Pickles with Buttermilk Ranch Dippin' Sauce

If pungent blue cheese isn't your style, use buttermilk in herbaceous ranch dressing. Kelsey's homemade pickles take only 20 minutes to make, then they're ready to fry up and dunk in dill-spiced dressing.

Get the Recipe: Fried Quick Pickles with Buttermilk Ranch Dippin' Sauce

Roasted Strawberry and Buttermilk Ice Cream

Roasting fresh strawberries brings out even more of their sweetness, transforming them into a sticky puree. Buttermilk and lemon juice brighten up the ice cream base with a fresh zip of flavor before the two churn together into a delightfully creamy dessert.

Get the Recipe: Roasted Strawberry and Buttermilk Ice Cream

Bacon, Cheddar and Chive Biscuits

Elevate classic biscuits with crumbled bacon, melted cheddar and the subtle onion-y flavor of snipped chives. 

Get the Recipe: Bacon, Cheddar and Chive Biscuits

Garlic and Sun-Dried Tomato Corn Muffin

The slight chew of sun-dried tomatoes accents kernel-studded corn muffins for an easy breakfast on the go.

Get the Recipe: Garlic and Sun-Dried Tomato Corn Muffin

Whiskey Buttermilk Pie with Fresh Whipped Cream and Tipsy Blackberries and Peaches

Punctuated by a tang of buttermilk and the smoky flavors of bourbon, this pie will knock you off your feet. Most of the sweetness comes from the fresh fruit, but watch out: The fruit is whiskey-soaked too.

Get the Recipe: Whiskey Buttermilk Pie with Fresh Whipped Cream and Tipsy Blackberries and Peaches

Crunchy Parmesan Chicken Tenders

Like with fried chicken, Giada's tenders get a swim in buttermilk and breadcrumbs, but she bakes them to cut down on calories. With nutty Parmesan cheese and Italian spices, there's no sacrifice on flavor or texture.

Get the Recipe: Crunchy Parmesan Chicken Tenders

Apple-Studded Brown Butter Streusel Coffee Cake

Buttermilk helps build this coffee cake's tender crumb, while crisp apples and crumbly streusel add a blend of textures that will make this breakfast treat disappear quickly.

Get the Recipe: Apple-Studded Brown Butter Streusel Coffee Cake

Crispy Chicken Wings with Tsaketa Hot Sauce

It's clear that chicken and buttermilk are easy friends. Buttermilk helps the meat fry up so tender that you may not even notice your lips are numb from spicy hot sauce.

Get the Recipe: Crispy Chicken Wings with Tsaketa Hot Sauce

Russian Quick Buttermilk Oladyi (Buttermilk Pancakes)

Similar to blinis, Russian oladyi pancakes are often topped with tart sour cream, briny caviar and salmon roe. Think of them as the fancy alternative to your morning flapjacks.

Get the Recipe: Russian Quick Buttermilk Oladyi (Buttermilk Pancakes)