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Get ready to want to save your leftovers for my Thanksgiving Leftover Casserole every year! This tasty turkey leftover casserole brings all your favorites together in one effortless dish. Incredibly easy to make in just 30 minutes, and you won't waste any of your Thanksgiving feast. It's the best way to use up your leftovers!
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Leftover Thanksgiving Casserole
Ever since I was a little girl, leftover turkey casserole has always been one of my favorite ways of enjoying Thanksgiving leftovers. My mom would make her famous Thanksgiving leftover casserole for us each year without fail as our post-holiday tradition. To this day, the tradition lives on: my kids and grandchildren love it just as much as I do!
It's time to ditch all of those leftover containers in the fridge, and forget about having to reheat everything separately! Cook all your holiday leftovers together in a casserole dish for an easy, quick meal that's ready in just 30 minutes. Best of all, it's easy to adjust for the amount of leftovers you have and to fit your tastes!
If you're the kind of eater who likes to have a taste of everything with each bite, you're really going to love this recipe! Seriously, your Thanksgiving leftovers will never be the same once you try it. Grab a spoon and let's dig in!
Turkey and Stuffing Casserole Ingredients
- Leftover Thanksgiving turkey (shredded or cubed)
- Mashed potatoes
- Green beans
- Gravy
- Stuffing
- Cheddar cheese
- Butter
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Fresh parsley or chives
How to Make Thanksgiving Casserole
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 by 13-inch baking dish with butter or non-stick cooking spray to prevent any sticking. Start by spreading leftover mashed potatoes evenly across the bottom of the casserole dish.
- Evenly distribute the shredded or cubed turkey over the mashed potatoes.
- If you have leftover green beans, scatter them evenly over the turkey layer. (If you don't, why not make my Instant Pot Green Beans to go with the dish?)
- Pour leftover gravy evenly over the casserole.
- Spread leftover stuffing evenly over the whole casserole to create a top layer.
- Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese over the stuffing. The cheese will give it a nice golden crust. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to taste. (But, keep in mind the stuffing and gravy already contain salt!)
- Place the uncovered casserole dish into the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the casserole is heated through and the stuffing on top is crispy and browned.
- Remove the casserole from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley or chives if desired. Serve and enjoy!
Family Foodie Tip: To make this recipe even easier, start layering your casserole in the baking dish on Thanksgiving night as you're doing the dishes! You won't even need any leftover containers. Then after it cools, you can store in the refrigerator and bake it the next day. So easy!
Turkey Stuffing Casserole Storing and Freezing
This has to be one of my favorite things about this recipe! You can assemble leftover Thanksgiving casserole right away, or after your leftovers have been chilling in the fridge for a few days. I personally love getting it ready while cleaning up after the meal so I can just pop it in the oven the next day.
- Refrigerator: Allow to cool, then cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Assemble your casserole and tightly cover it with plastic wrap, then wrap it again with foil. You can store it in the freezer for up to 6 months!
Thanksgiving Casserole Tips
- Customize to your taste: Get creative with your Thanksgiving leftovers! Add in any of your favorites, like cranberry sauce, honey-glazed ham, air fried Brussels sprouts, sweet potato casserole, corn casserole, or even create a layer with pieces from dinner rolls.
- Sprinkle with your favorite cheese: I topped mine with shredded cheddar cheese, but you could mix it up with mozzarella or Swiss cheese.
- Seasonings: If you want any extra flavor, sprinkle in some black pepper, salt, or garlic powder. Just make sure you don't add too much salt if your leftovers already have enough.
- Extra moisture: If your casserole seems a bit dry, you can add in more gravy, turkey stock, melted butter, chicken broth, or even cream of mushroom soup.
- Garnish: Top your leftover Thanksgiving casserole with fresh herbs, fried onions, crispy bacon, or additional turkey gravy. I always make candied bacon as a treat for the holidays, and it's delicious crumbled over this casserole.
Thanksgiving Leftover Casserole FAQ
If stored properly, your Thanksgiving leftovers will last in the fridge for about 3-4 days. Store in an airtight container placed in the back of your fridge.
You can substitute the turkey in my leftover turkey casserole for diced-up ham or even shredded chicken! Sometimes I will make mine with both for a delicious ham and turkey mixture.
Thanksgiving Turkey Leftover Recipes
- Turkey Sandwiches
- Turkey Tetrazzini
- Thanksgiving Leftover Pizza
- Turkey Carcass Soup
- Turkey Noodle Soup (replace the chicken with turkey!)
If you enjoyed the recipe, leave a comment and a rating below!
Thanksgiving Leftover Casserole
Equipment
- 9 by 13 inch baking dish
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter - for greasing the casserole dish
- 2 cups mashed potatoes - leftovers
- 3 cups turkey - leftovers, shredded or cubed
- 1 cup green beans - leftovers, optional, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup gravy
- 2 cups stuffing - leftovers
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese - or your favorite cheese
- pinch salt - to taste
- pinch black pepper - to taste
- fresh parsley or chives - for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13" baking dish with butter to prevent any sticking. Start by spreading the leftover mashed potatoes evenly across the bottom of the casserole dish.2 tablespoons butter,2 cups mashed potatoes
- Evenly distribute the shredded or cubed turkey over the mashed potatoes.3 cups turkey
- If you have leftover green beans, scatter them evenly over the turkey layer.1 cup green beans
- Pour the leftover gravy evenly over the casserole.1 cup gravy
- Spread the leftover stuffing evenly over the casserole, creating a top layer.2 cups stuffing
- Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese over the stuffing. The cheese will give it a nice golden crust. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to taste. (keep in mind the stuffing and gravy already contain salt)1 cup shredded cheddar cheese,pinch salt,pinch black pepper
- Place the uncovered casserole dish into the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the casserole is heated through, and the stuffing on top is crispy and browned.
- Remove the casserole from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley or chives if desired. Serve and enjoy!fresh parsley or chives
Notes
-
- Customize to your taste: Get creative with your Thanksgiving leftovers! Add in any of your favorites like cranberry sauce, honey-glazed ham, air fried Brussels sprouts, sweet potato casserole, corn casserole, or even create a layer with pieces from dinner rolls.
-
- Sprinkle with your favorite cheese: I topped mine with shredded cheddar cheese, but you could mix it up with mozzarella or Swiss cheese.
-
- Seasonings: If you need any extra flavor, sprinkle in some black pepper, salt, or garlic powder.
-
- Extra moisture: If your casserole seems a bit dry, you can add in more gravy, turkey stock, melted butter, chicken broth, or cream of mushroom soup.
-
- Garnish: Top with Thanksgiving casserole with fresh herbs, fried onions, crispy bacon, or additional turkey gravy.
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