Creamy & Cheesy Leftover Turkey Noodle Casserole

This comforting and delicious creamy turkey noodle casserole can be made with leftover turkey after the holidays (assuming you have leftovers this year!) or with ground turkey year round. Topped off with plenty of sharp cheddar cheese, it’s sure to be a hit!

This recipe was created in partnership with Knorr®. Thanks for supporting me and the brands I love!

Creamy Turkey Noodle Casserole

Right about now you’re probably thinking: “Seriously, NOT *another* casserole recipe!” But I’m here to tell you, you’re going to be SUPER thankful you bookmarked/pinned/printed this one when that big container of leftover Thanksgiving turkey is staring you down every time you open your fridge…

Yes, this turkey noodle casserole is the perfect answer to the post-holiday “what’s for dinner” inquiries. It’s creamy, cheesy, and the perfect vehicle for using up some of that leftover turkey. In addition it:

✔ uses just 6 ingredients
✔ which are all pantry/freezer staples
✔ bakes to perfection in 25 minutes
✔ creamy and full of flavor
✔ you can pick up everything you need for this recipe at Meijer!

We’re talking a total winner winner turkey casserole dinner!!

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Leftover Turkey Noodle Casserole Ingredients

Much like the cheesy chicken and rice casserole and Italian stuffed peppers I’ve shared recently, this leftover turkey noodle casserole starts with a package of Knorr Butter & Herb Pasta. This simple shortcut saves time and builds flavor with zero extra effort. AND you can conveniently pick it up at Meijer, along with all of the other necessary ingredients!

Knorr Pasta Side Dishes cook on the stovetop in just 7 minutes, which makes them an ideal quick and easy side for any meal. But this also makes them perfect as a main dish meal recipe starter! Just add your favorite protein and veggies for a dinner your family is sure to love.

ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS:

cubed or shredded cooked turkey — as I’ve mentioned, this recipe is the ideal way to use up leftover turkey after the holidays. But if you’re a turkey aficionado, you can easily turn it into a year-round ground turkey noodle casserole by substituting a pound of browned ground turkey!

frozen peas and carrots — place in a colander, rinse under cold water, and then let drain well before adding to the other ingredients. Not a fan of peas and carrots? Swap in the same amount of frozen mixed veggies, peas only, carrots only, or really just whatever frozen vegetables you like best.

sour cream — bulks up the creamy, herby sauce perfectly.

shredded sharp cheddar cheese — sharp cheddar adds the most flavor. We prefer a variety with larger shreds, but finely grated works just fine, as well.

poultry seasoning — a mixture of ground sage, rosemary, thyme, and more that’s a natural pairing in this casserole.

How To Make Turkey and Noodle Casserole

This no-stress, use-it-all-up, easy turkey and noodle casserole is simple enough that you even may be able to kick back, put your feet up, and let your kids do all of the work.

If they’re not old enough to use the stovetop and oven themselves, there are still plenty of helpful small tasks you can give them — like thawing the frozen peas and carrots, stirring everything together, and sprinkling the cheese over the top.

1| Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. While the oven is preheating, bring a saucepan filled with 2 cups of water and a tablespoon of butter to a boil to prepare the noodles. Meanwhile, chop or shred the turkey and thaw the frozen vegetables.

2| After the noodles are done cooking, remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the sour cream, poultry seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Fold the turkey and thawed peas and carrots into the noodle mixture. Transfer the mixture to a small casserole dish.

3| Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until the casserole is heated through. Remove the casserole, sprinkle with sharp cheddar cheese, and return to the oven for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

A few quick tips for best results:

• Be sure to keep a close eye on the noodles when they’re cooking and stir often. It’s easy to get distracted when you’re trying to multi-task.
• Drain the frozen vegetables well after thawing so as not to water down the sauce.
• Add the sharp cheddar cheese at the end of the baking time so that the turkey and noodle layer maintains its integrity and the cheese is melty and gooey on top.

Above all, don’t be afraid to make this turkey noodle casserole recipe your own! It’s very forgiving, and there are so many easy changes you can make: use ground turkey instead of leftover turkey, use a different flavor of Knorr Pasta Sides as your base, add a different variety of veggies, or even try a breadcrumb topping instead of the sharp cheddar cheese (see my easy tuna casserole for an example).

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Knorr Sides are pretty much always on my Meijer grocery list. Not only for sides and as meal starters, but because my kids often make them as a quick lunch or afternoon snack, too!

Which reminds me… Have you tried Meijer’s super convenient grocery pickup and/or delivery, yet? I can’t recommend it enough — it not only saves time, but it also saves me from all of those unplanned extras my kids have a tendency to toss into my shopping cart!

Oh, and as an added bonus, Meijer has a great buy 4 get 1 free sale on Knorr Side Dishes right now! Add some to your next pickup or delivery order, along with the remaining ingredients for this tasty turkey noodle casserole.