Creamy Turkey Casserole

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Looking for a way to use up your leftover turkey? This creamy turkey casserole is guaranteed to hit the spot.

Have more turkey leftover than you need for your casserole? Why not make a Turkey Club Sandwich for lunch? Or try this Leftover Turkey Pot Pie!

Creamy Turkey Casserole

No matter what size bird you order, you are guaranteed to have more leftovers than you will know what to do with. There are only so many days where you can get away with serving up cold turkey slices and leftover veggies before the family starts complaining that they are bored of turkey and want to eat something different.

That is where this creamy turkey casserole comes in. While it might still be using leftover turkey, it does so in a way that provides that much-needed break from the classic festive cold cuts and is sure to please the entire family.

As an added benefit, you can make this casserole from ingredients that you already have in your kitchen so that you can avoid the shops for a few more days.

Could You Swap The Peas For Other Frozen Vegetables?

Frozen green peas are a great addition to almost any casserole.

Peas add that all-important burst of color to the dish and are also something that most of us have in the freezer all year round. But peas are not the only vegetable you can use in your creamy turkey casserole, so if you don’t have any on hand, don’t worry.

Frozen corn is a great substitute; it provides that vital burst of color that makes the dish visually appealing and adds a little sweetness in the same way peas do.

Another option that works just as well is frozen vegetable mixes which are also a cheeky way to sneak some extra veggies into the dish. The vegetables in these mixes vary, but carrots, peas, green beans, and sweet corn are often used.

If you don’t have any frozen vegetables in the freezer, there is also the option of using fresh vegetables. The only issue with this is that they require more prep time, requiring both cutting and parboiling before being added to the casserole.

What To Do If You Don’t Have Ritz Crackers

Ritz crackers are sold everywhere, so a situation where you can’t find them is unlikely to occur, but what should you do if you run out and don’t want to go to the store for the one ingredient?

Don’t panic; while Ritz crackers are the best for this recipe, really any plain cracker will work. This recipe is designed to use leftovers, so see what you have in the kitchen; it is sure to work just as well.

Alternatively, you could use breadcrumbs in place of crackers. Breadcrumbs will provide the same salty crunchiness when baked, plus you can also add extra seasonings to spice them up!

Could You Still Make This Casserole Without Leftover Turkey?

This creamy turkey casserole is designed to use up festive leftovers and provide a quick, healthy meal for the whole family. But what do you do in February when you’re asked to make that turkey casserole that everyone loved so much?

No one should be made to wait an entire year for their favorite meal, but at the same time, you can’t be expected to cook a whole turkey to make a casserole.

One option is to try and find cooked turkey pieces, like breasts, in your local store. Turkey is more challenging to find after December, but it might still be available in some places.

An easier solution is to use leftover chicken from a roast, something that you are much more likely to cook the whole year round. You could even get into the habit of freezing leftover chicken from a roast, so it is ready to pull out of the freezer for a quick weeknight casserole.

Best Noodle Shapes To Use

The noodles within this casserole are more than just a filling source of carbs. The noodles are the delivery system for your sauce and the main determining factor in the texture and mouthfeel of the whole dish.

Changing up the noodle shape you use is also a super easy way to make a dish that you regularly feel new and exciting.

Here are some of the best noodle shapes to use in your creamy turkey casserole.

• Tortiglioni

Penne is a classic shape to use in casseroles partly because it is so widely sold. While there is nothing wrong with using penne with its tube shape, which is so good at holding sauce, Tortiglioni is a definite step up.

Tortiglioni is larger in shape than penne which means that the internal tube has more shape for sauce. If you want to increase the sauce-to-pasta ratio in your casserole, you can’t go wrong with tortiglioni.

• Fusilli

The corkscrew shape of fusilli gives the noodle a good bite while also allowing a sizable amount of sauce to cling to it.

You can also find fusilli-style pasta, fusilli spiral, with tighter corkscrews if you want even more of a bite and less sauce caught between the spirals.

• Conchiglie

Conchiglie is another excellent shape for maximizing the amount of sauce you get with each mouthful. The classic shell shape provides the perfect balance of bite with the ability to hold sauce in its bowl-shaped center.

Looking for more quick and delicious Casserole recipes? Try these out:

• Sour Cream Ground Beef Noodle Casserole

• Hamburger Hotdish Tater Tot Casserole

• Mushroom Soup Chicken & RiceCasserole

Happy Cooking

Love,

Karlynn

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