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!!
"A great recipe for leftovers!"
I made this delicious casserole with my leftover turkey from Christmas. Everyone loved it and I will make this again!
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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Tips For Best Results:
- 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.
Examples: 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 (my easy tuna casserole uses this).
Printable Recipe ↓
Turkey Noodle Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 (4.4-ounce) package Knorr Pasta Sides butter & herb fettuccine
- 2 cup water
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 pound ground turkey - browned
- 2 cup frozen peas and carrots - thawed
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Prepare the Knorr Butter & Herb Pasta by bringing water and butter to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the contents of the Knorr package. Simmer until the noodles are tender, about 7 minutes.
- Remove from the heat. 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. 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.
Recipe Notes
Featured Products
More Easy Casserole Recipes
If you like this yummy turkey noodle casserole, you might also enjoy these other delicious & easy casserole recipes:
- 6-Ingredient Tuna Casserole with Peas
- 5-Ingredient Cheesy Meatball Casserole Recipe
- Baked Mac and Cheese Casserole Recipe
- Cheesy Mexican Mexican Tater Tot Casserole
Did you make this recipe?
I'd love to see how your turkey casserole turns out... Tag me @Unsophisticook on Instagram or use the hashtag #Unsophisticook so I can check it out. Enjoy!
Eileen Kelly says
I made this delicious casserole with my leftover turkey from Christmas. A great recipe for leftovers. Everyone loved it and I will make this again.
patty says
You can never have too many recipes for leftover turkey! Love this cheesy and gooey one! So good!
Cate says
This casserole looks absolutely delicious, and so simple to make! A great way to use up leftover turkey as well, thanks for sharing!
Jesse says
This is the BEST way to use your leftover turkey. Love this turkey noodle casserole. So creamy and delicious!
Anjali says
This casserole is comfort food at its best!! It was super easy to make and my whole family loved it!
Anjali says
This casserole is comfort food at its best!! It was super easy to make and my whole family loved it!
Kelli says
Love how quick and simple this meal is! Adding it to our meal plan asap!
jacque hastert says
This casserole is out of this world amazing! I made it last night with leftover turkey from Christmas and it was gone quickly! Everyone enjoyed seconds!
Megan says
Best way to use up leftover turkey! Yum!