Thanksgiving Leftover Casserole

5 from 56 votes
65 Comments

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Thanksgiving Leftover Casserole combines all the flavors of the big meal in a simple, easy to make, never dried out dish. This is the best way to use up those Thanksgiving leftovers!

A scoop of Thanksgiving Leftover Casserole on a white plate with a fork next to it
Featured with this recipe
  1. Leftover Turkey Casserole
  2. Cost Saving (& Delicious) Thanksgiving Casserole
  3. Ingredients in Thanksgiving Leftover Casserole
  4. Frequently Asked Questions – Thanksgiving Leftovers
  5. More Thanksgiving Casseroles
  6. More Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes
  7. How to Make Thanksgiving Leftover Casserole
  8. Thanksgiving Leftover Casserole Recipe

Leftover Turkey Casserole

Thanksgiving Leftover Casserole came about a couple of holidays ago when I was staring down a fridge full of plastic 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!

This Thanksgiving Dinner Leftover recipe is so easy. It all cooks at the same time and can easily be modified according to how much of each leftover you have. If you have a ton of leftovers, you can double this recipe and cook it in a 9×13 pan.

You can also adapt the ingredients you use in the casserole to fit your preferences, tastes, and what you have left over in the fridge from Thanksgiving Dinner. Plus, we have a some other surprise Thanksgiving leftover recipe ideas too!

Side view of a casserole in a glass baking dish


Cost Saving (& Delicious) Thanksgiving Casserole

I like using my leftovers from Thanksgiving in a casserole because it will feed my family for another meal or two, and I, for one, think it tastes better than heating up everything in the microwave! Serve it with some leftover rolls and it is a hot meal with all of the wonderful tastes of Thanksgiving all over again.

A leftover Thanksgiving Casserole is delicious and economical! I hate to see any of the dishes I make for Thanksgiving go to waste. It takes a lot of time, energy, and money to put on a Thanksgiving dinner, and throwing any of it out is not an option at my house!

A scoop of Thanksgiving Leftover Casserole on a white plate with a fork next to it

Ingredients in Thanksgiving Leftover Casserole

This could also be called a Leftover Turkey Casserole recipe because the ingredients you use just build around the turkey left over from your Thanksgiving dinner. Along with the turkey, you can layer the following delicious food:

  • Mashed potatoes
  • Turkey gravy
  • Stuffing (or bread crumbs if you don’t have leftover stuffing)
  • Corn
  • Green beans
  • Rice
  • Carrots
  • Peas
  • Whole berry cranberry sauce or jellied cranberry sauce
  • Cheddar cheese or Mozzarella Cheese
  • garlic powder (optional)
  • Salt and Pepper, to taste

Other Ingredient Ideas

  • Onions
  • Sweet Potatoes
  • Bacon
  • Sour Cream
  • Butternut Squash
  • Mushrooms
  • Cornbread Dressing
Mashed potatoes and corn spread out in a casserole dish

Frequently Asked Questions – Thanksgiving Leftovers

What can I make with leftovers from Thanksgiving?

There are a ton of options for what you can do with Thanksgiving leftovers, we find our Thanksgiving Leftover Casserole or Thanksgiving Leftovers Pilgrim Sandwiches to be the easiest and tastiest.

What should I make for dinner after Thanksgiving?

Depends on if you have leftovers! If you do, our Leftover Casserole or Thanksgiving Sandwiches are easy and delicious. If not, we recommend something light to help you reset.

What food always has the most Thanksgiving leftovers?

In our family, we usually have the most leftover Turkey! The stuffing and other sides go fast!

Is turkey still good five days after Thanksgiving?

Most thanksgiving leftovers are good three to four days in the fridge, and a few months in the freezer. All the more reason to make our Thanksgiving Leftover Casserole ASAP!

When should you throw out Thanksgiving leftovers?

After three to four days in the refrigerator, or a few months in the freezer.

Fully cooked Thanksgiving Leftover Casserole in a glass baking dish

More Thanksgiving Casseroles

More Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes

If you still have leftovers after making this casserole, then here’s another delicious idea for leftovers that my family loves. We call them Pilgrim Sandwiches or “Bobbies” because that is what they are called at Capriotti’s, one of our favorite sandwich shops. The ingredients are used straight from the fridge, so the turkey sandwiches are cold. If you prefer to heat the ingredients or broil the sandwich, that is good too.

Another great use for leftover turkey is to make a Turkey salad sandwich. Simply combine shredded leftover turkey with some mayonnaise (we like Best Foods and Hellmans) in a large bowl. Then add they turkey mixture to leftover rolls or croissants with some lettuce.

You can also use leftover turkey in recipes that call for chicken. Leftover turkey is delicious in our Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup and Chicken Pot Pie.

How to Make Thanksgiving Leftover Casserole

Side view of a casserole in a glass baking dish

Thanksgiving Leftover Casserole

5 from 56 votes
Thanksgiving Leftover Casserole combines all the flavors of the big meal in a simple, easy to make, never dried out dish. This is the best way to use up those leftovers!

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings

Video

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.
    Turkey and cranberry sauce mixed together and spread on the bottom of a glass baking dish
  • Evenly press on leftover mashed potatoes and sprinkle corn over the top.
    Mashed potatoes and corn spread out in a casserole dish
  • 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).
    Stuffing on top of a thanksgiving leftover casserole in a glass baking dish
  • Cover with tin foil and bake at 400-degrees for 25-30 minutes or until heated through.
    Fully cooked Thanksgiving Leftover Casserole in a glass baking dish

Notes

Variations to this recipe

Feel free to use whatever leftovers you have on hand. It doesn’t have to be exactly the same as what is listed here. Some ideas to try:
  • Substitute rice for mashed potatoes.
  • Substitute peas, carrots, or green beans for corn, or use more than one vegetable depending on what you have on hand.
  • Substitute croutons or bread crumbs for the topping if you don’t have stuffing leftovers.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 320kcalCarbohydrates: 52gProtein: 11gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 18mgSodium: 561mgPotassium: 397mgFiber: 4gSugar: 17gVitamin A: 315IUVitamin C: 18mgCalcium: 36mgIron: 1mg

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About the author

Erica Walker

Erica lives in Boise, Idaho with her husband, Jared, an attorney, and her three beautiful girls. Beyond the world of recipes, she loves adventuring with everything from kayaking, to cruising, to snowboarding and taking the family along for the thrill ride.

More about Erica Walker
5 from 56 votes (31 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. 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.

  2. 5 stars
    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.

    1. 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.

  3. 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?

    1. 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!

  4. 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?

  5. 5 stars
    My favorite casserole ever, the cranberry sauce is unexpectedly the key, delicious ingredient that ties it all together!!

  6. 5 stars
    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!

  7. 5 stars
    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!

    1. 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.

  8. 5 stars
    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!

    1. Well I did tonight made 2 one with sweet potatoes and one with regular. If you don’t hear back it was amazing!!!!

  9. 5 stars
    LOVE this recipe! Such a great idea! I also had leftover cranberries, and fried onions leftover from our green bean casserole, so I sprinkled some of those in a corner to try it out, and we loved it!

  10. 5 stars
    I’ve been wanting to make an
    “Everything But the Kitchen Sink Thanksgiving Casserole” for years. I made this last night. It is quick and easy! Would of liked for it to hold up better when I served it. But that aside, why isn’t Thanksgiving dinner served like this!!! So happy I found your recipe. I’ve already added this to my TG recipes. 😊

  11. 5 stars
    This was a hit this year! 2020 was a letdown but this recipe made everyone happy! This was the first time, I didn’t make a big deal of Thanksgiving dinner. My adult son, who doesn’t eat leftovers, took leftovers home! Thank you!

  12. 5 stars
    This is a great recipe! It’s not only super delish, but also customizable. I like to make it with either green beans or mixed veggies, and I’ve also made it any old time of the year with chicken. We like whole berry cranberry sauce, so that’s what I use. I double the recipe, & bake it in a 13″ X 9″ Pyrex (we like the leftovers). Thanks ladies 🙂

  13. 5 stars
    It is now a tradition to make at least 2 of these for Thanksgiving every year. It’s just my spouse and I, and we don’t like fussing with big fancy meals and all those dishes. We actually just make and eat this FOR Thanksgiving and throughout the whole weekend. We use turkey breast cooked right in the dish, add green beans in with the corn, and because we aren’t picky we use those packets of instant mashed potatoes, stovetop stuffing, and gravy in a jar. It’s super easy, quick, hardly messy, hassle-free, and DELICIOUS. It’s honestly great at any time of year. We also altered the recipe and sometimes use ham and spiced applesauce in place of the turkey and cranberry sauce. 10/10

    1. I 💖 your idea! I too have been using boxed dressing mix for years. I dress it up though by sautéing a bunch of onions and celery – often oil-free in the microwave, adding it to the box mix with boxed chicken (or turkey if I can find it) stock. Makes it taste more like homemade. And I always do extra onions and celery so I can make another box (or 2 lol) for me as I send the leftovers home with the friends that I celebrate with.
      Stay safe. Alberta, Canada 🇨🇦 where it’s currently 7°C (44°F) at my house. Brrr!

  14. 5 stars
    This is the perfect way to use holiday leftovers, it really is easy and delicious! We really enjoyed this casserole!

    1. I don’t know of a good substitute for cranberry sauce. You can omit it from the recipe if you prefer.

    2. The tartness of the cranberry sauce balances the entire dish, so you could use anything that would do the same. Try experimenting with different fruits (such as cherries or spiced pears), a thicker vinegar-based sauce, or even some sort of mustard.

  15. All I have is jellied cranberry sauce. I guess that wouldn’t work would it? This recipe sounds delicious.

        1. There isn’t really a substitute for the cranberry sauce. You can just omit it if you don’t like it. It shouldn’t affect the recipe.

          1. 5 stars
            I used leftover spinach dip with water chestnuts in it. This gave the recipe a nice crunch. Part of my family do not like the sweet/salty taste. I put a divider made out of foil and bake both. Half had cranberry the other with spinach dip. This was a huge success… thank you

        2. The tartness of the cranberry sauce balances the entire dish, so you could use anything that would do the same. Try experimenting with different fruits (such as cherries or spiced pears), a thicker vinegar-based sauce, or even some sort of mustard.

  16. 5 stars
    This recipe saved the day when I had uneven quantities of leftovers for a “Thanksgiving Round II” gathering. The effort to rave reviews ratio earns it a spot in the “make it next year” recipe stack!

  17. 5 stars
    I followed the largest measurements for most of the ingredients. I didn’t have corn so I used 1 can of unsalted french cut green beans (drained). I only used 1 1/2 cups of gravy. Baked it covered for 30 mins and removed foil to bake uncovered for another 30 mins. I had wetter stuffing so I wanted to dry it out a little since there were other liquids in this casserole to keep it moist. This is so good! I almost prefer this to the actual dinner where everything is eaten separately LOL! Thanks for sharing. A keeper for sure.

  18. 5 stars
    Just made this and it is absolutely delicious!! It has a sweet/salty quality to it that makes it crave—worthy! Sharing this recipe with my sister immediately!

  19. Im looking forward to making this but I don’t have any leftover mashed potatoes. Do you think I should make mashed potatoes with butter or just mash and spread some boiled potatoes since the other ingredients are so rich?

    1. I never say no to butter! 🙂 I think mashing them as you normally would, with butter, gives them a better consistency.

  20. Hey there!
    Just made your turkey leftovers casserole and put it in the freezer.

    Looking forward to enjoying it in a month or so.

    Thanks for the recipe!

    Blessings,
    Tori

  21. 5 stars
    I made it last yr and the whole house has been asking for it!!! It’s very good and will become a leftover tradition, thank you for sharing!! ☺