diff --git a/src/cachetools/__init__.py b/src/cachetools/__init__.py
index 6471a85..1be3933 100644
--- a/src/cachetools/__init__.py
+++ b/src/cachetools/__init__.py
@@ -587,7 +587,10 @@ def ttu(self):
         return self.__ttu
 
     def expire(self, time=None):
-        """Remove expired items from the cache."""
+        """Remove expired items from the cache and return an iterable of the
+        expired `(key, value)` pairs.
+
+        """
         if time is None:
             time = self.timer()
         items = self.__items
@@ -596,12 +599,16 @@ def expire(self, time=None):
         if len(order) > len(items) * 2:
             self.__order = order = [item for item in order if not item.removed]
             heapq.heapify(order)
+        expired = []
         cache_delitem = Cache.__delitem__
+        cache_getitem = Cache.__getitem__
         while order and (order[0].removed or not (time < order[0].expires)):
             item = heapq.heappop(order)
             if not item.removed:
+                expired.append((item.key, cache_getitem(self, item.key)))
                 cache_delitem(self, item.key)
                 del items[item.key]
+        return expired
 
     def popitem(self):
         """Remove and return the `(key, value)` pair least recently used that
diff --git a/tests/test_tlru.py b/tests/test_tlru.py
index 673c0c2..61ca7e9 100644
--- a/tests/test_tlru.py
+++ b/tests/test_tlru.py
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ def __init__(self, maxsize, ttu=default_ttu, **kwargs):
 
 
 class TLRUCacheTest(unittest.TestCase, CacheTestMixin):
-
     Cache = TLRUTestCache
 
     def test_ttu(self):
@@ -157,28 +156,32 @@ def test_ttu_expire(self):
         self.assertEqual(2, cache[2])
         self.assertEqual(3, cache[3])
 
-        cache.expire()
+        items = cache.expire()
+        self.assertEqual(set(), set(items))
         self.assertEqual({1, 2, 3}, set(cache))
         self.assertEqual(3, len(cache))
         self.assertEqual(1, cache[1])
         self.assertEqual(2, cache[2])
         self.assertEqual(3, cache[3])
 
-        cache.expire(3)
+        items = cache.expire(3)
+        self.assertEqual({(1, 1)}, set(items))
         self.assertEqual({2, 3}, set(cache))
         self.assertEqual(2, len(cache))
         self.assertNotIn(1, cache)
         self.assertEqual(2, cache[2])
         self.assertEqual(3, cache[3])
 
-        cache.expire(4)
+        items = cache.expire(4)
+        self.assertEqual({(2, 2)}, set(items))
         self.assertEqual({3}, set(cache))
         self.assertEqual(1, len(cache))
         self.assertNotIn(1, cache)
         self.assertNotIn(2, cache)
         self.assertEqual(3, cache[3])
 
-        cache.expire(5)
+        items = cache.expire(5)
+        self.assertEqual({(3, 3)}, set(items))
         self.assertEqual(set(), set(cache))
         self.assertEqual(0, len(cache))
         self.assertNotIn(1, cache)