Looking for creative ways to use leftovers? Gluten-free turkey casserole uses up all the tasty bits in one creamy, comforting meal.
Some people complain about casseroles, others praise them. I'm a fan when they use up ingredients you have on hand or leftovers, which is exactly this! Turn your Thanksgiving leftovers into a one-dish meal or make all fresh components if need be.
Want an even easier way to use up more from the main meal? Turkey Pot Pie with Leftovers even uses up your cranberry sauce! And if you aren't gluten-free for dietary reasons, I highly recommend serving Cranberry Sourdough Bread next to this casserole, slathered with butter, of course!
Key Ingredients
Rice - Rice is one of the best gluten-free carbs around. Safe for so many people, and super affordable as well.
Sweet Potatoes - Diced up, these make a perfect contrasting texture.
Bacon - Makes everything better, am I wrong??
Turkey - Yup, those scrappy leftovers are perfect here! I just set out a bowl while carving the nice slices so I can add every last scrap from the bones or that isn't "pretty" straight to the bowl.
Yogurt and Cheese - Might seem a bit odd, but I LOVE using yogurt as a base, it's tangy and totally works in a savoury dish, especially mixed with cheese.
How to Make Leftover Turkey Casserole
***See recipe card below for precise measurements and instructions.***
Step 1: Make your creamy sauce in a large bowl.
Step 2: Dice up turkey and stir in.
Step 3: Add cooked rice and stir to coat.
Step 4: Finally add in bacon and potatoes.
Step 5: Pour casserole into a greased baking dish.
Step 6: Top with cheese and bake until crunchy and golden.
FAQs
Nope, as with so many of my recipes, you can "use what ya got." I love tangy so much, that I would absolutely sub in some sour cream here for part of the yogurt. You can also use thicker yogurt and thin with some whole milk. Really you just want to have the proper amount of cream case so that you can evenly coat the ingredients and they don't dry out in the oven. I do recommend using at least some thicker things and not straight milk.
Use your favourite type of white rice, like Jasmine. A great way to do most of the recipe ingredients is make extra when you are making the components for another meal. Double your dinner rice, bake extra potatoes. You need about 6 cups cooked rice in the end. Try using your Instant Pot - do 2 cups rice to 2.25 cups water, pressure cook for 4 minutes and let rest for 10 minutes before releasing pressure. Perfect every time!
Photos by Megan Hampton
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Gluten-Free Turkey Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 cups basmati rice yields 6 cups cooked
- 4 cups peeled and diced sweet potato
- 1 red onion minced
- 10 slices bacon
- 2 - 3 cups yogurt or sub in some sour cream
- 1 ½ cups cheese Parmesan or Mozzarella are great (divided)
- 1 tablespoon dried sage
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 4 cups cooked, diced turkey
Instructions
- Prepare the rice using your favourite method.
- While the rice is cooking, roast the sweet potato and onions in the oven with a drizzle of oil. Bake at 350°F for about 25-30 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Alternatively, you can air fry them 350°F for about 20 minutes with no oil.
- While the rice and potatoes are cooking, cook the bacon until crispy and cut into small pieces.
- Mix the yogurt, cheese (reserving ½ cup to top the casserole), and seasonings in a large bowl. Add in the turkey, stir to coat. Then add in the rice, potatoes, onions, and bacon, stirring to coat after each inclusion.
- Grease a 9x13-inch pan and pour in the ingredients. Bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes, until heated through. If you are starting with cold leftovers, you might need 5-10 more minutes.
- Top the casserole with the remaining cheese and let bake until browned.
Notes
- Use what ya got! Use sour cream for part of the yogurt. Use chicken instead of turkey. Some ham instead of bacon.
- All ingredients are going into the casserole cooked. So feel free to sub any veggies or otherwise, as long as everything is already ready to eat.
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