Turkey Stuffing Casserole gives you tender turkey under a creamy, cheesy layer and a golden stuffing top—just the sort of cozy dinner you want when holiday leftovers are waiting in the fridge. Each scoop holds together loosely, with savory stuffing above the soft filling rather than mixed into it.
How to make turkey stuffing casserole: Layer cooked turkey, condensed soup or leftover gravy, cheddar, and prepared stuffing in a casserole dish. Bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes, until the top is golden and the center reaches 165°F.
Why You’ll Love It
- Quick to assemble: You need about 10 minutes to put the layers together when your turkey and stuffing are ready.
- Uses holiday leftovers: Cooked turkey and prepared stuffing go straight into the casserole.
- Creamy beneath, golden above: The soup or gravy and cheddar sit under the stuffing, so you get both textures in a scoop.
- One baking dish: Once you assemble it, the casserole goes into the oven in the dish you’ll serve from.
Ingredient Notes
Cooked turkey: Dice it so you can spread it across the bottom of the dish. Shredded cooked turkey also works.
Condensed cream of chicken soup: Buy the condensed kind and use it undiluted. It forms the creamy layer over the turkey; adding water would change the filling you’re building here. Leftover turkey gravy is an option if you have it.
Cheddar: Use shredded cheese so you can distribute it over the creamy layer. I like to check the corners before adding the stuffing; they’re easy to miss when you’re spreading cheese by the handful.
Stuffing: Measure it after it has been prepared. The amount of dry mix needed depends on the package, so let the prepared amount guide you.
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked turkey, diced
- 1 1/4 cups condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
- 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
- 3 cups prepared stuffing
How to Make Turkey Stuffing Casserole
1. Heat the oven. Heat your oven to 350°F and coat an 8-by-8-inch casserole dish with cooking spray. Set the dish where you can reach it easily as you build the layers.
2. Add the turkey and creamy layer. Spread the cooked turkey evenly across the bottom of the dish. Spoon the undiluted condensed cream of chicken soup over it, or use leftover turkey gravy in its place, covering the turkey as you go.
3. Add the cheddar. Scatter the shredded cheddar over the creamy layer. I spread it toward the edges rather than leaving a mound in the middle, so a scoop from either side gets some cheese.
4. Add the stuffing. Distribute the prepared stuffing evenly over the cheese. Keep it on top instead of stirring it down into the filling; you want to see a distinct stuffing layer when you look into the dish.
5. Bake and check. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the stuffing is golden brown and a food thermometer inserted into the center of the casserole reads 165°F. Check the center even if the top looks done. Serve hot.
Can You Use Leftover Stuffing?
Yes. The topping calls for prepared stuffing, so leftover stuffing is exactly what you can use. If you don’t have leftovers, prepare boxed stuffing according to its package directions, then measure out the amount the recipe needs. Don’t pour dry stuffing mix over the cheese and expect the casserole to prepare it for you.
I think of the stuffing as a separate top layer, not something to stir through the turkey. Underneath it, the undiluted soup or leftover gravy makes a creamy filling with the melted cheddar. From the side, you should be able to see that soft layer beneath the golden stuffing.
That golden color tells you what the surface looks like, but it doesn’t tell you the temperature at the center. Put the thermometer into the middle of the casserole, below the topping, and use its reading to decide when the dish is ready.
Tips for Success
Why are there plain, dry-looking pieces of turkey?
The creamy layer may have landed in one spot instead of covering the turkey. As you assemble the dish, use the back of your spoon to spread the soup or gravy across the pieces you can see. You want turkey beneath the creamy layer, not exposed patches beside it.
Why does one scoop have much more cheese than another?
Shredded cheddar can end up piled in the middle when you add it quickly. Before the stuffing goes on, look over the dish and move any thick mound toward a sparse edge. I find that easier than trying to fix an uneven layer once the topping covers it.
Make It Ahead
You can assemble the casserole without baking it, wrap it tightly, and refrigerate it for 1 to 2 days before baking. If your turkey is already a leftover, take into account how long it has spent in the fridge before you assemble the dish. Don’t treat assembling it as a fresh start for the turkey’s storage time.
To freeze the assembled, unbaked casserole, wrap it tightly. Thaw it in the refrigerator before following the baking directions, not on the counter. I’d keep the thermometer handy when baking a make-ahead dish rather than judging its center by how the topping looks.
Variations
- Use rotisserie chicken: Substitute cooked rotisserie chicken for the turkey when holiday leftovers aren’t on hand. Keep the cheese and prepared-stuffing layers the same.
Storage & Reheating
USDA FSIS says to refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow, covered containers and use them within 3 to 4 days. Freeze a tightly wrapped, assembled unbaked casserole for up to 3 months and thaw it in the refrigerator before baking. Reheat cooked leftovers to 165°F, checking with a food thermometer; USDA FSIS does not recommend reheating leftovers in a slow cooker.
What to Serve With It
If you need cooked turkey for this dinner, start with Slow Cooker Turkey Breast. A potato dish such as slow cooker scalloped potato casserole can sit alongside the turkey meal. For another night, save Ritz Cracker Chicken Casserole or Million Dollar Chicken Casserole if you’re in the mood for a creamy poultry dinner. You can change things up further with Stuffed Pepper Casserole or Tamale Casserole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the turkey need to be cooked before it goes into the dish?
Yes. Start with cooked turkey, then dice or shred it for the casserole. The baking directions are for a dish assembled with cooked poultry, not raw turkey.
Can I use leftover gravy instead of condensed soup?
Yes. Leftover turkey gravy can make the creamy layer in place of the cream of chicken soup. Spread it over the turkey the same way, then add the cheddar and stuffing.
What size dish should I use?
Use an 8-by-8-inch casserole dish for the ingredient amounts and baking directions given here. It gives you room to build the turkey, creamy filling, cheese, and stuffing in separate layers.
Final Notes
Keep a spoon nearby when you assemble the casserole so you can spread the creamy layer into the corners. If you have a question or make it for dinner, tell me how it turned out in the comments.
Turkey Stuffing Casserole
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Ingredients
- 2 cups turkey cooked and diced
- 1 1/4 cups cream of chicken soup condensed and undiluted
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
- 3 cups stuffing prepared; use leftovers or prepare boxed stuffing according to its package directions
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F. Coat an 8-by-8-inch casserole dish with cooking spray.
- Spread the cooked turkey evenly in the dish. Spoon the undiluted condensed cream of chicken soup over the turkey, or use leftover turkey gravy in its place.
- Distribute the shredded cheddar cheese over the creamy layer.
- Top evenly with the prepared stuffing.
- Bake for about 30 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a food thermometer inserted into the center reads 165°F. Serve hot.
