Leftover Turkey Noodle Casserole {Freezer-Friendly}
What do you do with a ton of leftover turkey from Thanksgiving? If you quickly tire of turkey sandwiches and turkey soup, here is an easy casserole dish you can make and freeze for later. It’s the perfect winter dish for a cold December or January evening. Depending on how much turkey you have to use up, make two or three casserole dishes to freeze. Save one or two for your family and give the remaining dish to a neighbor, someone who is sick or recovering from an illness, or an expectant mother. You never know when an extra dish to share will come in handy.
The recipe was inspired by a turkey noodle casserole recipe from Savory Nothings. I chose this recipe to follow because it provided specific freezer instructions, seemed fairly simple to make, and did not call for any canned creamed soup or canned gravy. Instead of the canned stuff, you will need to make a roux sauce. Fear not! If I can make a roux, you can too!
As far as vegetables go for this dish, I chose frozen carrots and peas. Feel free to use other vegetables like corn, green beans, or broccoli. Sharp cheddar cheese was used to cover the casserole, but mozzarella would work just fine, or a mixture of the two. If you are looking for a dish that is a bit creamier, mix cream cheese or extra shredded cheese into the casserole itself, as suggested by Savory Nothings.
The casserole is a complete meal in itself but goes well with a biscuit or salad.
Leftover Turkey Noodle Casserole (Freezer-Friendly)
Equipment
- Oven
- Casserole dish
- Stove top
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp butter
- 2 c chicken broth
- 1 c whole milk
- 4 tbsp flour
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 c chopped onion
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 lb egg noodles (or noodle of choice)
- 16 oz frozen vegetable mix (peas, carrots, corn, green beans, etc.)
- 3 c leftover turkey, diced
- 1 c shredded cheese
Instructions
- Cook noodles according to package instructions.
- Make roux sauce: Start by melting butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once butter is melted, stir in flour until smooth then whisk in chicken broth and milk. Continue to whisk mixture until smooth.
- Once roux is finished, mix in seasonings and onion. Then stir in vegetables, noodles, and turkey.
- Coat 9"x13" casserole dish with olive oil or cooking spray.
- Pour turkey casserole mix into casserole dish. Spread mixture evenly through dish and top with mozzarella cheese.
- To freeze: Let cool completely. Seal with plastic wrap and lid and store in freezer. To bake frozen: Remove plastic wrap and loosely cover with lid or aluminum foil and bake at 375°F for 60 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes or until cheese begins to bubble and is fully melted.
- To bake now: Preheat oven to 375°F while prepping dish. Once dish is prepped, bake 20-30 minutes uncovered or until cheese is fully melted and begins to bubble. Add salt and pepper to taste.