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Meet your new day-after hero: my Thanksgiving Casserole layers juicy turkey, creamy potatoes, savory stuffing, veggies, gravy, and a kiss of cranberry into one cozy leftover bake. It’s fast, flexible, never dry, and tastes like the best parts of the big meal—without a sink full of dishes.
5 Star Reviews ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Made This last year and making it again this year amazing recipe must try!!!!” – Shanon
“I tried this recipe last year, and it was so good, I cooked everything from scratch again, just to make the casserole! This is now my weekend after Thanksgiving must do that I look forward to eating for months. I substitute green bean casserole for the corn. Oh my, it’s tasty!” – Laura
“A great way to use the leftovers!! I doubled the recipe and it was delicious! Love the one dish, easy to bake and not lots of pots to clean. Thanks for posting!” – Nancy
Why I Love This Casserole
Thanksgiving Leftover Casserole came about a couple of holidays ago when I was staring down a fridge full of Thanksgiving leftover containers. Heating up leftovers separately in the microwave can take forever, and frankly, I just didn’t have it in me. So, I created this casserole and our leftovers have never been the same!
I keep it serving this casserole simple with a side green salad, leftover dinner rolls, and extra warm turkey gravy for drizzling. If I’m feeling fancy, I’ll add a quick cranberry relish or a pan of roasted Brussels sprouts.
🩷 Erica
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Cooked turkey – shredded or chopped; white, dark, or a mix.
- Mashed potatoes – creamy base layer that keeps everything moist.
- Stuffing (or cornbread dressing) – for that golden, toasty top.
- Turkey Gravy – whisk with a splash of milk or broth so it flows.
- Vegetables – corn, green beans, peas, carrots; use what you’ve got.
- Cranberry sauce – whole-berry or jellied; adds bright, tangy balance.
- Cheese (optional) – cheddar or mozzarella for melty richness.
- Spices – garlic powder plus salt & pepper; adjust to taste.
- Moisture booster – milk, chicken/turkey broth, or melted butter to prevent drying.
Ingredient Additions & Substitutions
- Swap the base: rice or sweet potato mash instead of white potatoes.
- Use what’s left: green beans or green bean casserole works in place of veggies.
- Crunchy topper: croutons or seasoned breadcrumbs if stuffing is gone.
- Veggie upgrades: onions, mushrooms, butternut squash, leftover roasted veg.
- Dairy tweaks: sour cream in the potatoes for extra creaminess; skip cheese to keep it dairy-lighter.
- Poultry swap: leftover rotisserie chicken works perfectly outside of Thanksgiving.
How to Make a Thanksgiving Casserole
- Heat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease an 8×8-inch baking dish (or 9×13 for a double batch). Toss turkey with cranberry sauce; spread in an even layer.
- Spoon on mashed potatoes and smooth; scatter veggies over the top. Whisk gravy with a little milk or broth; pour evenly over the casserole.
- Cover with stuffing; drizzle a bit of broth or melted butter over stuffing so it crisps without drying.
- Cover with foil and bake 25–30 minutes (bubbly and heated through), then uncover for 5–10 minutes to toast the top. Add cheese during the last few minutes.
Recipe Tips
- Never-dry rule: Always add liquid—loosen gravy with milk or broth and drizzle a little over the stuffing before baking.
- Even heating: Keep layers relatively thin; thick cold potatoes take longer to warm.
- Crispy top: Uncover at the end or broil 1–2 minutes, watching closely.
- Pan size: Double for a 9×13; add 5–10 minutes if your leftovers are very cold.
- Food safety: Reheat leftovers to 165°F in the center.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes—skip it or tuck a few spoonfuls between layers so it’s subtle. A splash of apple cider also adds brightness.
Warm the potatoes slightly and loosen with a splash of milk or broth so they spread easily and reheat evenly.
Drizzle 2–4 tablespoons of broth or melted butter over the stuffing before baking; cover the pan for most of the bake.
Absolutely. Swap it 1:1 and reduce added cheese since it’s already creamy.
Use GF stuffing/breadcrumbs and GF gravy; the rest is naturally GF depending on your ingredients.
Use dairy-free mashed potatoes and gravy; skip cheese and use broth or DF butter for moisture.
Generally 3–4 days in the fridge or 2–3 months in the freezer. Reheat to 165°F.
Make Ahead & Storage
- Assemble ahead: Build the casserole, cover tightly, and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Bake covered, adding 5–10 minutes if very cold.
- Freeze: Assemble in a freezer-safe dish, wrap well, and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then bake as directed.
- Reheat slices: Microwave in short bursts or reheat covered in a 325°F oven until hot.
More Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes
More Thanksgiving Casseroles
This Thanksgiving Casserole is the easiest, tastiest way to turn leftovers into a brand-new comfort dinner—customize the layers, keep it moist with gravy, and bake until golden and bubbly. If you try it, tell me what you added (or swapped!) and how your family liked it. Don’t forget to leave a star rating and a comment—your tips help other readers, too. 🍁🧡🍂
Thanksgiving Casserole (made with leftovers)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups turkey shredded
- 3/4 cup cranberry sauce
- 2 cups mashed potatoes
- 1 cup corn
- 1 cup turkey gravy
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 2 cups stuffing
- chicken broth or melted butter to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400-degrees. Combine turkey and cranberry sauce and spread evenly on the bottom of an 8×8 glass baking dish. (or double and use a 9×13 inch pan).
- Evenly press on leftover mashed potatoes and sprinkle corn over the top.
- Mix together milk and leftover gravy and spread evenly over potatoes and corn.
- Sprinkle on leftover stuffing and lightly drizzle chicken broth over the top (this will keep the stuffing from drying out).
- Cover with tin foil and bake at 400-degrees for 25-30 minutes or until heated through.
Video
Notes
- Double for a 9×13 pan; add 5–10 minutes if starting cold.
- For extra moisture, add 2–4 Tbsp broth over stuffing before baking.
- Swap in green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, rice, or other leftover sides.
- Reheat leftovers to 165°F for food safety.
Loved it. Simple and quick and delicious. The only thing I made twice the recipe and used a 9×12 glass pan rather than an 8×8. It fit perfectly.
I love this recipe, it’s one of the best. Thank you so very much ❤️.
Do you have any suggestions for freezing this?
I love the Boise area a lot, I lived in Garden Valley for a short while while on a sabbatical and did my shopping in Boise.
Thanks again for your recipes.
Thank you for your comment, Carrie! I’m so glad you like the Thanksgiving Casserole. It is so perfect for leftovers! I’ve never tried freezing it. The mashed potatoes don’t freeze well. The turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce all freeze well, so I would recommend freezing those separately then adding fresh mashed potatoes. The Boise area is beautiful – Emily and Erica live in the area and I visit all the time.
Very good! We plan to make this again. We were skeptical but were happily surprised after trying it!
I can’t rate because just made it and we haven’t tried it. Can it be made a day ahead and stored in fridge until baking time?
Yes, add a few minutes to the baking time to adjust for it being cold when placing it in the fridge. Check the center of the casserole to make sure it is warmed through before serving. Thanks for asking. Merry Christmas!
30 minutes is not long enough to heat the casserole. The time needs to be 1 hour
Over many years I’ve also made a very similar casserole, but serve the cranberries separately because some family members dislike them. The left-over casserole is so delicious and I plan on making it again this holiday season. My question is: How safe is it to freeze this casserole, and for how long?
We haven’t tried freezing this casserole, so I am not sure!
My favorite casserole ever, the cranberry sauce is unexpectedly the key, delicious ingredient that ties it all together!!
Made This last year and making it again this year amazing recipe must try!!!!
I tried this recipe last year, and it was so good, I cooked everything from scratch again, just to make the casserole! This is now my weekend after Thanksgiving must do that I look forward to eating for months. I substitute green bean casserole for the corn. Oh my, it’s tasty!
A great way to use the leftovers!! I doubled the recipe and it was delicious! Love the one dish, easy to bake and not lots of pots to clean. Thanks for posting!
HAHA…… after Thanksgiving we put all the side dish leftovers in the frig in their serving or casserole dishes, so after I put this together, I had a whole sink of Thanksgiving dishes to do! It is a great way to use up the leftovers.
I make this every year. It even appeals to my husband and two kids who are very picky.
I have made this several times. It is excellent. In fact, this year I’m not having Thanksgiving at my house but I will get a Rotisserie Chicken and make small batches of potatoes, stuffing, and cranberry sauce just so I can make this recipe!
Has anyone tried using sweet potato casserole instead of mashed potatoes?
Well I did tonight made 2 one with sweet potatoes and one with regular. If you don’t hear back it was amazing!!!!
Yes! Using leftover Marshmallow Sweet Potato Casserole is just Fabulous!
Has anyone tried green bean casserole as your vegetable.
Yes, and it’s fabulous! I don’t like corn, but I love green bean casserole.