This turkey casserole is made with diced leftover turkey, egg noodles and vegetables, all tossed in a creamy cheesy sauce and baked to perfection. A quick and easy dinner that’s perfect for repurposing holiday leftovers!
I always make a giant turkey for Thanksgiving so that I extras on hand for dishes such as creamy turkey salad, hearty turkey soup and this fabulous turkey casserole.
Every year on the day after Thanksgiving, I make a turkey casserole. My whole family enjoys this mix of pasta, creamy sauce and veggies, and I love how simple it is to make.
How do you make turkey casserole?
Start by cooking your noodles until they are tender. Place the noodles in a large bowl along with diced turkey, thawed frozen vegetables, cheese, cream of chicken soup, milk and seasonings. Mix everything together, then place it in a baking dish. Sprinkle cheese over the top, then bake until the casserole is warmed through and cheese is melted. Sprinkle with parsley, then serve and enjoy.
Tips for the perfect dish
- You can use any blend of frozen vegetables that you like. I typically go for a combination of carrots and peas, but there are other varieties that incorporate other veggies such as corn, green beans, onions and peppers.
- Yes, this recipe contains cream of chicken soup. I know that some people have issues with cream soups, but the convenience can’t be beat and they add a lot of flavor. I use the heart healthy style here which is lower in fat and doesn’t contain MSG.
- Turkey casserole will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can reheat individual portions in the microwave, or cover the dish and reheat the whole thing in the oven at 325 degrees F for 30 minutes.
- Skip the store bought shredded cheese and grate your own instead. The bagged cheeses often contain preservatives and anti caking agents and just don’t melt as nicely as freshly grated cheese.
How long does leftover turkey last?
Leftover turkey will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. I recommend keeping it in an airtight container for the best results. Turkey can also go into the freezer for up to 2 months.
Turkey Casserole flavor variations
This dish is great as-is, but you can switch up the ingredients to customize the flavors.
- Protein: No turkey on hand? This casserole also works great with chicken, ground turkey or beef or even smoked sausage.
- Noodles: Swap out the egg noodles for any type of short pasta such as penne, farfalle, fusilli or even macaroni.
- Soup: Any flavor of cream soup can be used here, I recommend trying cream of celery or cream of mushroom for a dfferent flavor.
- Veggies: Amp up the flavor with extra vegetables such as sauteed mushrooms and onions, fresh spinach leaves or fresh diced tomatoes.
- Cheese: Instead of cheddar, try mozzarella, colby jack or fontina cheese.
This turkey casserole is so good that it’s really worth enjoying all year long. It’s a comfort food classic that simply can’t be beat!
More great ways to enjoy turkey
- Turkey Pasta Carbonara
- Easy Turkey Meatloaf
- Slow Cooker Turkey Chili
- Turkey Meatballs
- The Best Turkey Burgers
Turkey Casserole
Turkey Casserole
Ingredients
- 12 ounces egg noodles uncooked
- 4 cups chopped cooked turkey
- 2 10 ounce cans cream of chicken soup
- 1 cup milk
- 2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese divided use
- 1 1/2 cups frozen peas and carrots or frozen mixed vegetables
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons parsley chopped
- cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9"x13" pan with cooking spray.
- Cook the egg noodles in salted water according to package directions.
- In a large bowl, combine the noodles, turkey, cream of chicken soup, milk, 1 cup of cheese, peas and carrots, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.
- Place the turkey and noodle mixture in the prepared dish and sprinkle the remaining 1 1/2 cups of cheese over the top.
- Cover the dish with foil. Bake for 25 minutes or until heated through. Uncover and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Dolores says
Excellent. I sautéed leftover over chicken or turkey in olive oil and butter to make it moist. Added some celery to the mixture. And try skim milk and reduced fat Sargentos MexicN shredded cheese to cut calories. Yummy!
Shannon says
Very yummy and disguised the left over turkey!
Rob says
Can you make a white sauce? Double the flour. Add mushrooms….add celery….chicken (use chicken broth)….whatever. You then have condensed whatever soup w/o the additives!
Sara says
Yes that would work!
Jacque Hooper says
I am always looking for recipes to use up leftover turkey and this looks spot on delicious! Saving this for the holidays; looks too good to pass up, indeed!
Natalie says
I love making this with all our leftover turkey from Thanksgiving. It’s a family favorite!
Kara says
I used chicken because that’s what I had on hand. It turned out delicious and the whole family loved it. Can’t wait to try it with all that leftover turkey this Thanksgiving!
Erin says
Loved this recipe. It reminded me of turkey pot pie, but easier since you don’t have to make a crust. Def recommend.
Maria says
I always use chicken but not turkey so this is a must try! Recipe looks yummy!
Dannii says
This would be such a good way to use up leftover turkey at Christmas.
Tavo says
Looks really yummy! I’ll sure be making this turkey recipe during the upcoming holidays.
Jessie says
I am saving this one!! We always have a ton of left over turkey from Thanksgiving and this one will be a great new way to use them!! Thank you!
Beth says
So yummy! My family really enjoyed this easy casserole. I am going to put it on the monthly rotation.
Renee says
Turkey casserole is such a comforting, reassuring meal – and it is so easy to make! The thing I love the most about this recipe, though, is just how flexible and forgiving it is. Another winner, Sara!