Turkey Casserole
Published 11/25/2022
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After the holiday meals, you are SURE to have leftover turkey, so why not make this delicious turkey casserole recipe. Thanksgiving leftovers with a twist!
Amazing Turkey Casserole
This simple meal combines the flavors of hearty vegetables, slices of turkey, chicken broth, and of course, cheese.
There’s no cream of chicken soup added, so you don’t have to worry about that! This creamy turkey casserole is a family favorite, made after the holidays or for a regular dinner.
Why you’ll love it!
You can make this dish with simple ingredients and a creamy taste. Mix in some fresh veggies, and you have a turkey casserole that everyone will love.
It’s an easy meal to make and freeze for later or to serve up any day of the week. Make your turkey leftovers into something sensational with this simple dish!
We Love Casserole Cooking
Casseroles are an easy way to combine savory ingredients in a deep dish pan and cook them all at once. They are some of the most leisurely meals to make with minimal prep.
You can turn almost ANYTHING into a casserole if you top it with bread crumbs or cheese and add a tasty side! Most don’t even need a side because all the food groups are included in the dish.
Ingredients for Turkey Casserole
Find all of the ingredients needed for this complete meal at your local grocery store or supercenter. Be sure to purchase fresh vegetables and cook your turkey ahead of time!
You can buy pre-sliced or cut turkey if you don’t want to cook your own. Here are the ingredients for this easy recipe:
- cubed butternut squash
- large carrot
- yellow onion
- olive oil
- salt
- ground pepper
- long-grain white rice
- water
- unsalted butter
- all-purpose flour
- chicken or turkey broth
- heavy cream
- Worcestershire sauce
- garlic powder
- parmesan cheese
- frozen peas
- frozen corn
- cooked turkey
Use any part of the turkey, but we LOVE to use dark meat. It’s one of our favorites for this comforting casserole.
How to Make Turkey Casserole
A casserole is simple comfort food for fall and winter. It’s great to use up leftover turkey and can be served with a simple green salad as a side.
This easy turkey casserole takes 30 minutes to prep and 30 minutes to bake! It will quickly become one of your family favorites. If your family isn’t big on a giant turkey for the holidays, use this instead at Thanksgiving dinner.
PREP VEGGIES:
Preheat the oven to 375ºF and place the butternut squash, carrot, and yellow onion onto a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil.
Then, sprinkle on some salt and pepper. Toss to combine and bake for 17 minutes.
COOK RICE:
Bring your pot of rice and water to a boil. Turn the heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until all of the water has been absorbed. Uncover to let the rice partially cool.
MAKE YOUR ROUX:
Melt your butter in a saucepan over medium/high heat. Once melted, add the flour and whisk until it turns into a paste. Slowly pour in the chicken broth and cream and continue to whisk until nice and thick.
Remove your roux sauce from the heat and add the Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, salt, and shredded parmesan cheese. Whisk until the cheese has melted.
COMBINE INGREDIENTS:
Spray your casserole dish with cooking spray. Then assemble your casserole dish by combining the roasted veggies, cooked rice, frozen peas and corn, shredded cooked turkey, and the cheese sauce. Sprinkle the remaining shredded parmesan cheese on top of the casserole.
BAKE:
Bake at 375ºF for 20 minutes or until everything is toasty warm.
Let your creamy casserole cool for a few minutes, and then enjoy!
What is the Key to Making a Good Casserole?
When making a casserole, there are a few things to keep in mind:
- Use a proper baking dish – You don’t want to use one that constantly burns your food. You want delicious food, so use a nice dish.
- Undercook your pasta – The pasta will cook more from the liquids in your dish. This is sometimes true for rice but be careful with brown rice.
- Beware of mushy vegetables – Some veggies will go mushy in a casserole if they weren’t fresh or went into the casserole frozen.
- Don’t skip the topping – The bread or cheese on top gives the best results, so don’t skip it!
- Prepare it now and bake it later – The best way to make a casserole is to make it ahead of time and cook it right before you need it.
FAQs
As a general guideline, leftover turkey should only be kept for 3-4 days.
We love making this turkey casserole or our turkey wild rice soup.
Favorite Ceramic Casserole Dishes
Storage
Store this turkey casserole in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.
To reheat: cover and reheat at 350°F for 10-15 minutes or until warmed through.
Can Turkey Casserole be Frozen?
Turkey casserole can be frozen as long as the meat is pre-cooked. You NEVER want to freeze a casserole with raw meat in it, the meat won’t thoroughly cook if you try to cook all the ingredients together from frozen.
After baking this delicious turkey casserole, feel free to freeze the leftovers for a future meal. When you want to warm it up, pop it in a preheated oven and let it bake. Do not thaw your casserole before cooking. The melting ice may create a soggy bottom on your pan.
freezer tip
We suggest baking your turkey casserole in a disposable tin casserole dish. This will free up your other casserole dishes for real-time baking.
What do you eat with turkey casserole?
The great thing about a casserole is that all parts of your meal are usually baked right into the casserole. Typically you get a grain, vegetable, and carb, so there really is no need to serve it with anything else. However here are a few suggestions:
Turkey Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 cups cubed butternut squash, we used a medium butternut squash
- 1 large carrot, diced
- ½ medium yellow onion, minced
- 1.5 tablespoons olive oil
- 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
- 1.5 cups long-grain white rice, uncooked
- 3 cups water
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1.5 cups chicken or turkey broth
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese, divided
- 1.5 cups frozen peas
- ½ cup frozen corn
- 2 heaping cups shredded, cooked turkey
Instructions
- First, prepare the veggies: Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Place the butternut squash, carrot, and yellow onion onto a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Season with ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon ground pepper. Toss. Bake at 375ºF for 17 minutes. The butternut squash should still have a bite to it.
- Meanwhile, make the white rice: Bring 1.5 cups white rice and 3 cups of water to a rolling boil. Turn the heat to low and cover. Simmer for around 15-20 minutes or until all of the water has absorbed. Remove the top from the pot and let the rice partially cool.
- Prepare the roux sauce: Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a medium saucepan over medium/high heat. Once melted, add the flour and whisk until a paste forms. Slowly add the chicken broth and cream and continue to whisk over medium heat until thickened – about 2-3 minutes. Remove the roux sauce from the heat and add in the Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese. Whisk until the cheese is melted.
- Combine ingredients: Prepare a 9×13-inch casserole dish by spraying it with cooking spay. Then, combine the roasted veggies, cooked rice, frozen peas and corn, shredded cooked turkey, and the cheese sauce in the casserole dish and mix to combine. Sprinkle the top of the casserole with the remaining shredded parmesan cheese. Wipe the sides down with a paper towel.
- Bake: Bake at 375ºF for 20 minutes or until everything is warm through.
Tips & Notes
- Feel free to use any roasted veggies you have.
- Shredded chicken can easily be subbed for shredded turkey.
- You’re more than welcome to use different rice varieties such as brown rice or wild rice or a combination.
Watch It
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Photography: photos taken in this post are by Ashley McGlaughlin from The Edible Perspective.
Your article was very well-written. You have a talent for writing that shines through.
the best casserole i have ever made this the review I from my family thanks for sharing
Absolutely delicious! My husband could not get over how delicious it was. As soon as he walked in the door after work he was thrilled by all the amazing smells. This is a perfect after-work quick dinner that does not disappoint. Highly recommend it, Thank you for the great recipe.
Aw we’re blushing! So glad you and your hubby loved this casserole as much as we do 😀
You’re the best fantastic cook I know! This dish is indescribably delicious. You have to give me the recipe for this dish!