5 Recettes Zéro Déchet Faciles pour Cuisiner Sans Gaspiller avec légumes frais, smoothie et croutons maison

5 Easy Zero Waste Recipes for Cooking Without Wasting Food

The zero waste challenge: 5 quick and easy anti-waste recipes for your kitchen!

Introduction

In an era where every action counts for the planet, the kitchen is one of the most effective playgrounds for adopting a more sustainable lifestyle. Zero waste isn't a utopia or a passing fad; it's a daily philosophy that begins… on your plate!

Today, we're giving you a simple but powerful challenge : cook delicious, quick meals without wasting food. The result? Less waste, more savings, and above all, much more satisfaction.

Discover here 5 quick and easy zero-waste recipes , perfect for using up leftovers, forgotten ingredients, or products you already have on hand. We've included plenty of tips, variations, storage advice, and best practices.

1. Quick vegetable top soup

⭐ Difficulty: ★☆☆☆☆
⏱ Preparation time: 10 min
🔥 Cooking time: 30 to 45 minutes
👨👩👧👦 For: 1 liter of broth

Vegetable Top Soup Ingredients: Carrot, radish, beet, or turnip tops; 1 potato; 1 onion; 1 clove of garlic; 1 stock cube; olive oil, salt, pepper. Preparation (15 min): Sauté the onion and garlic in a little oil. Add the well-washed tops, the chopped potato, and the stock cube. cube. Cover with water, cook for 10-12 min. Blend, season and serve hot with a drizzle of olive oil.

Ingredients :

  • Carrot, radish, beet or turnip tops

  • 1 potato

  • 1 onion

  • 1 clove of garlic

  • 1 bouillon cube

  • Olive oil, salt, pepper

Preparation (15 minutes):

  1. Sauté the onion and garlic in a little oil.

  2. Add the well-washed greens, the potato cut into pieces and the bouillon cube.

  3. Cover with water, cook for 10-12 minutes.

  4. Mix, season and serve hot with a drizzle of olive oil.

Zero waste tip:
You can keep the tops for a few days wrapped in a damp cloth in the fridge. They are full of nutrients and are a perfect substitute for fresh herbs!

2. Vegetable and rice patties

⭐ Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆
⏱ Preparation time: 10 min
🔥 Cooking time: 15 min
👨👩👧👦 Serves: 3 to 4 people

Vegetable and Rice Patties Ingredients: Leftover cooked vegetables (ratatouille, stir-fry, etc.) Cooked rice (or other grain) 1 egg Flour or breadcrumbs Spices (curry, paprika, herbs, etc.) Preparation: Mash the vegetables with the rice. Add the egg and one or two tablespoons of flour. Shape into Patties. Brown them in a pan with a little oil. Variations: With quinoa, bulgur, or even mashed potatoes. You can also add some grated cheese or blended legumes (chickpeas, lentils, etc.).

Ingredients :

  • Leftover cooked vegetables (ratatouille, stir-fry…)

  • Cooked rice (or other grain)

  • 1 egg

  • Flour or breadcrumbs

  • Spices (curry, paprika, herbs…)

Preparation :

  1. Mash the vegetables with the rice.

  2. Add the egg, one or two tablespoons of flour.

  3. Shape of the pancakes.

  4. Brown them in a pan with a little oil.

Variants:
With quinoa, bulgur or even mashed potatoes. You can also add some grated cheese or blended legumes (chickpeas, lentils, etc.).

3. Anti-waste toast with garlic and tops

⭐ Difficulty: ★☆☆☆☆
⏱ Preparation time: 5 min
🔥 Cooking time: 10 min
👨👩👧👦 Serves: 2 people

Zero-waste open-faced sandwich with garlic and leafy greens Ingredients: Stale bread Garlic Olive oil Leafy greens or herbs (parsley, cilantro…) Optional: cheese, roasted vegetables, hummus Preparation: Rub the stale bread with a clove of garlic. Drizzle with a little oil. Toast in the oven or on the pan.<!--nl--><!--nl-->Garnished according to inspiration: sautéed greens, leftover vegetables, cheese…

Ingredients :

  • Stale bread

  • Garlic

  • Olive oil

  • Leafy greens or herbs (parsley, coriander…)

  • Optional: cheese, roasted vegetables, hummus

Preparation :

  1. Rub the stale bread with a clove of garlic.

  2. Drizzle with a little oil.

  3. Grill in the oven or in a pan.

  4. Garnished according to inspiration: sautéed greens, leftover vegetables, cheese…

Storage tip:
Stale bread can be kept for several days in a cloth bag. Otherwise, cut it up and freeze it for quick use.

4. Ugly Fruit Smoothie

⭐ Difficulty: ★☆☆☆☆
⏱ Preparation time: 5 min
🔥 Cooking time: 0 min
👨👩👧👦 Serves: 2 glasses

Fruit Smoothie Ingredients: Slightly bruised fruit (bananas, apples, pears, strawberries…) Plant-based milk or water Optional: yogurt, chia seeds, rolled oats Preparation: Cut the fruit (remove any really bruised parts). Blend with a little liquid. Add whatever you like to boost the texture or flavor.

Ingredients :

  • Slightly damaged fruit (bananas, apples, pears, strawberries…)

  • Plant-based milk or water

  • Optional: yogurt, chia seeds, oatmeal

Preparation :

  1. Cut the fruit (remove the really damaged parts).

  2. Mix with a little liquid.

  3. Add whatever you want to boost the texture or the taste.

Tips:

  • You can freeze slightly soft fruit for future smoothies.

  • Add a spoonful of peanut butter or cocoa for a more indulgent version.

5. Quick compote with peelings & cores

⭐ Difficulty: ★☆☆☆☆
⏱ Preparation time: 5 min
🔥 Cooking time: 15-20 min
👨👩👧👦 Serves: 4 to 5

Compote with Peelings and Cores Ingredients: Clean peelings (apples, pears, peaches…) Cores without seeds Cinnamon, sugar (optional) Water Preparation: Put the peelings in a saucepan with a little water. Add cinnamon and a little sugar if necessary. Simmer for 15-20 min.<!--nl--><!--nl-->Mix and store in a jar.

Ingredients :

  • Clean peelings (apples, pears, peaches…)

  • Seedless cores

  • Cinnamon, sugar (optional)

  • Water

Preparation :

  1. Put the peelings in a saucepan with a little water.

  2. Add cinnamon and a little sugar if necessary.

  3. Let it simmer for 15-20 minutes.

  4. Mix and store in a jar.

Conservation :
5 days in the fridge, or several weeks by sterilizing the jars.

Zero-waste cooking tips

  • Keep the peelings from organic vegetables to make homemade broth .

  • Compost what is not edible.

  • Plan one "empty fridge" day per week.

  • Freeze the leftovers in glass jars.

  • Use manual utensils to avoid unnecessary electricity (like our 500ml manual chopper ).

Useful products for zero-waste cooking

Useful internal links

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FAQ: 10 frequently asked questions about zero-waste cooking

1. Does zero-waste cooking take more time?
Not necessarily! The recipes are often very simple and quick to make, like the ones presented here.

2. Can we really use every part of a fruit or vegetable?
Not everything, but a large part yes: tops, peelings, cores (if well washed and untreated).

3. How to avoid plastic when shopping?
By bringing your own containers, buying in bulk, and choosing products without excess packaging.

4. Can stale bread really be reused?
Yes! On toast, as croutons, as breadcrumbs or even in a sweet pudding.

5. How to organize your fridge to avoid waste?
Place items that need to be eaten quickly in front, and label the leftovers with a date.

6. What are the alternatives to plastic film?
Bee wraps (wax-coated fabrics), silicone lids or simply… an upside-down plate!

7. Can you make desserts with leftovers?
Of course: French toast, compote, crumble made from bruised fruit, muffins with overripe bananas…

8. What is zero-waste batch cooking?
It's about cooking several dishes at once, optimizing ingredients and containers, without wasting anything.

9. What if you don't have a compost bin at home?
Balcony composters are available, or collection points are available in some cities.

10. Where can I find zero-waste recipe ideas?
On our blog, our weekly emails or on apps like Frigo Magic or Too Good To Go.

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