Turkey Casserole

Since you use cooked turkey, the casserole comes together in a flash. And instead of using cream of mushroom soup, I make a simple cheese sauce that adds layers of flavor and makes this dish oh-so-satisfying while still being an easy recipe! If you’re looking for more hearty casserole recipes, then try my breakfast casserole recipe, tuna casserole recipe, or easy chicken casserole.

What You Need to Make This Recipe

Egg noodles — start with uncooked egg noodles, but you could also use short pasta like macaroni or penne. Breadcrumbs — mixed with butter, breadcrumbs form a crisp golden topping. Butter — you need unsalted butter for turkey casserole. If you only have salted butter, use ½ teaspoon less salt than the recipe calls for. Aromatics — diced yellow onion and minced garlic add savory flavor to the casserole. Mushrooms — I used sliced white mushrooms, but you could also use cremini mushrooms (also called baby bella mushrooms). All-purpose flour — flour acts as a thickener for the creamy sauce. Milk — you can use whole milk or 2% milk. Basil — dried basil adds a slightly minty flavor to this dish. Cheese — shredded cheddar cheese adds richness and loads of flavor to the sauce. You’ll also need some for a light topping. Depending on your preferences, you can use sharp or mild cheddar cheese. Or use a completely different cheese like gouda or Colby. Turkey — you need 1 pound of cooked chopped turkey (about 3 cups). You can use light meat or dark meat or a mix of both. Another good recipe to try if you’re using Thanksgiving leftover turkey is my turkey pot pie recipe. Peas — if you don’t have frozen peas on hand or don’t like them, you can also use frozen carrot rounds, green beans, small broccoli florets, or corn. Fresh parsley — this is an optional garnish, but it adds a pop of bright green and a slightly peppery bite to the casserole.

How to Make Turkey Casserole

1. Add the egg noodles to boiling salted water and cook according to the package directions until al dente. Drain well and set aside for now.
2. Add 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter to a small bowl and melt it in the microwave in 20-second intervals. Cover the bowl with a microwave cover or paper towel in case the butter splatters. Add the breadcrumbs to the melted butter and stir until well coated. Set aside for the time being.
3. Set a large pot over medium-high heat, and melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. Add the chopped onion, sliced mushrooms, and minced garlic and cook until softened, which will take about 6 minutes.
4. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
5. Slowly stir in the milk and then add the dried basil, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring frequently, until thickened. This takes about 5 minutes.
6. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in 1½ cups of shredded cheese until melted.
7. Once the cheese has melted, add the cooked noodles, chopped turkey, and frozen peas to the pot. Stir until well combined.
8. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray and transfer the casserole mixture to it. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of cheese over the turkey mixture, and then top with the buttered breadcrumbs. Bake at 425°F for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the filling is nice and bubbly. For a pop of color, garnish with chopped fresh parsley before serving.

Pro Tips for Making This Recipe

Use a large pot. This makes it easy to mix everything together before transferring to the casserole dish. Swap the butter for olive oil. For cooking the onions, mushrooms, and garlic, you can use olive oil instead of unsalted butter. I recommend sticking with butter to mix with the breadcrumbs, though. Shred the cheese yourself. Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-clumping agents, so it doesn’t melt as nicely as freshly grated cheese. Plus, the blocks are typically less expensive per ounce than the pre-shredded bags! You can use a different pasta. Instead of egg noodles, you can use short pasta like penne, macaroni, gemelli, rotini, or fusilli. Don’t be concerned if the mixture looks very saucy. During baking, the noodles will absorb some of the liquid, and you’ll end up with a thick, creamy casserole. Make a turkey casserole with rice. Cook 2 cups of long-grain rice, brown rice, or wild rice to use instead of noodles. Cook the rice until just tender instead of completely soft because it may end up mushy when baked if it was cooked for too long. Add fried sage! For an extra dose of fall flavor, fry 12 sage leaves 2 tablespoons of oil in a small skillet. Reserve a few for garnish, then crumble the others and mix them into the pot along with the turkey.

If you’ve tried this turkey casserole recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!