Sharing is caring!

Creamy Turkey Casserole is a quick and easy dish made with chopped fresh turkey, pasta, mushrooms, frozen peas, and mozzarella cheese. This delicious casserole dish is perfect for a busy weeknight meal and is a wonderful way to use leftover turkey. It will quickly become a family favorite.

Creamy Turkey Casserole

This turkey casserole recipe is topped with crunchy breadcrumbs, which provide a wonderful texture contrast with the creamy interior of the dish. It’s filled with seasonings like garlic powder, onion powder, and dried basil, making this noodle casserole flavorful and a dish you won’t be able to put down. 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Lightly grease a 9×13” casserole dish and set aside.

Cook pasta al dente according to package directions, drain and set aside.

Melt butter in a medium sauté pan.

Add sliced mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes or until tender.

In a large bowl, add cooked pasta, cooked mushrooms, soup, milk, seasonings, turkey, frozen peas, and ½ cup of the shredded cheese.

Stir to combine.

Transfer mixture to prepared casserole dish.

Sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese.

To make the topping, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and stir in the bread crumbs.

Sprinkle topping in an even layer on the casserole.

Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes.

Turn oven settings to broil and bake for an additional 5 minutes.

 

Expert Tips and Variations 

This turkey noodle casserole is easily changed depending on your preferences. Here are some delicious options you can try. 

• Use ground turkey, ground chicken, or shrimp if you don’t have fresh turkey.  
• Add vegetables like corn, spinach, asparagus, zucchini, or sun-dried tomatoes.  
• Try other types of pasta like rigatoni, farfalle, shells, or orecchiette.  
• Add chopped pecans, walnuts, or chopped bacon to the topping.  
• Cook this dish in the air fryer, instant pot, or slow cooker if you want to change the cooking method. 
• Swap the mozzarella with shredded cheddar cheese.   

 

How to serve 

Creamy turkey casserole can be served on its own or with a side dish like oven roasted sweet potatoes with bacon, roasted carrots and mushrooms, roasted green beans, or roasted broccoli.  

 

How to store 

To refrigerate: Keep leftover turkey casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. 

To reheat: To reheat the casserole, scoop some onto a plate and heat it in the microwave on 30-second intervals, stirring when it stops. Continue heating until it’s hot all the way through. 

To freeze: Freeze this casserole for later by saving the leftovers or making an entire batch in an aluminum foil pan. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and aluminum foil to protect against freezer burn. Save it in the freezer for up to three months. 

You can cook it on a busy night when you don’t have anything else to make, or you can give it to a friend. 

 

FAQs 

What type of cheese is best for turkey casserole? 

Soft, melty cheese is best for this casserole. You can use mozzarella cheese, cheddar, gruyere, or Havarti. 

Can I make this turkey casserole spicy? 

You can easily add spice to this dish by adding red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper with the other seasonings.  

What’s the difference between creamy turkey casserole and tetrazzini? 

Tetrazzini is made with more liquid like cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, and chicken broth to make a sauce to cook long pasta (rather than short pasta).