Health Library

Recipe of the month: Thanksgiving leftovers casserole

Thanksgiving Casserole

For some, the only thing better than Thanksgiving dinner is leftovers!

It's warm and cozy, requires little effort, and you get to enjoy all your Thanksgiving favorites in every bite—what more could you want?

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 2 medium carrots, finely chopped
  • 1 large stalk celery, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 2 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
  • 2c. low-sodium turkey or chicken broth
  • 1c. whole milk
  • 4c. shredded leftover turkey or shredded rotisserie chicken
  • 1c. frozen peas 4c. leftover mashed potatoes, warmed
  • 3c. shredded sharp cheddar
  • 3c. leftover stuffing
  • 1 (14-oz.) can whole cranberry sauce

Directions:

Step 1

Preheat oven to 400°. In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter. Add onion, carrot, celery, garlic, and thyme; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 8 minutes.

Step 2

Add flour and cook, stirring, until lightly toasted, about 3 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and stir in broth and milk. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring frequently, until thickened to a gravy consistency, about 7 minutes. Add turkey and peas and cook, stirring, until just heated through, about 1 minute; season with salt and pepper.

Step 3

Scrape turkey mixture into a 13" x 9" baking dish. Dollop mashed potatoes over; smooth top with a spoon. Sprinkle cheese over potatoes. Scatter stuffing over cheese.

Step 4

Bake casserole, tenting top with foil if top is browning too fast, until warmed through, about 20 minutes.

Step 5

Let cool slightly. Dollop with cranberry sauce.

If you make this delicious dish, send us a photo and tell us about it for a chance to be featured in our next newsletter!