When there’s a turkey dinner there’s inevitably leftovers, which opens up opportunities for more culinary adventures. I saved the carcass to make turkey stock later, and while some of the meat I planned to make yummy turkey waldorf salad with, for the family coming over for dinner tonight I decided to try this simple yet yummy looking recipe by The Kitchn.
I tweaked the ingredients based on the quantities I had on hand. The results were still great, and guests cleaned out their plates and the whole tray of pasta, with enough for a few people to have seconds. Give it a try!
Turkey Casserole
Ingredients
- 250 grams dried wide egg noodles
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 small carrot, chopped
- 1 stalk celery, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons plain flour
- 400 ml (about 1 3/4 cups) milk
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar, divided
- 2 cups cooked, shredded turkey
- 1 cup (about 200 grams) sour cream
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 180 degrees C (fan 160 degrees C).
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook until al dente, about 6 minutes.
In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat.
Add onions, carrots, and celery and sauté until tender and softened, about 10 minutes.
Add garlic and cook for another minute.
Whisk in the flour and stir until it is absorbed (and the “raw” tasted cooked out), about 1 – 2 minutes.
Slowly pour in the milk and cook, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 3 minutes.
Add 2 cups shredded cheese and stir until melted.
Add the cayenne, and season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
Add the cheese sauce, shredded turkey, and sour cream to the noodles. Season generously with cayenne, salt, and pepper to taste.
Grease an 8 x 11-inch baking dish (or similar size) casserole dish. Pour noodle mixture into baking dish…
…and top with remaining 1 cup of cheese.
Bake until casserole is warm and cheese is bubbling, about 25 minutes.
Serve with lots of hot sauce, preferably Frank’s.
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