Easy Turkey Noodle Casserole
Easy turkey noodle casserole: egg noodles and leftover turkey in a from-scratch sharp cheddar sauce with vegetables and sour cream, baked under more cheddar at 350F. Serves 8.
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Ingredients
- cooking spray for the baking dish
- 12 ounces dried egg noodles
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 yellow onion medium; diced
- 1 cup carrots diced (from 2 medium)
- 1 cup celery diced (from 3 stalks)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt plus more as needed
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground, plus more as needed
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups milk whole or 2%
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 4 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded (1 pound), divided: 3 cups for the sauce and 1 cup for the top
- 4 cups cooked turkey shredded (1 pound); leftover turkey
- 1 cup sour cream
- hot sauce for serving; optional
Instructions
- Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Bring a large pot or Dutch oven of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook until al dente, about 6 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water and set aside in the strainer.
- Melt the butter in the now-empty pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, salt and pepper and sauté until the onion is tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cayenne and cook 1 minute more.
- Add the flour and stir until it is absorbed and the raw taste is cooked out, about 1 minute. Slowly pour in the milk and cook, stirring often, until it comes to a simmer and starts to thicken, about 6 minutes. Take the pot off the heat, add 3 cups of the cheese and stir until melted.
- Add the noodles, turkey and sour cream and gently stir to combine. Taste and season with more salt, pepper and cayenne as needed. Transfer to the baking dish, spread into an even layer and sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of cheese.
- Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the center reaches 165°F on a food thermometer, about 30 minutes.
- Set the dish on a wire rack and let it cool 5 minutes before serving. Pass hot sauce at the table if you like.
Notes
Use leftover turkey within 3 to 4 days of cooking. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours; eat within 3 to 4 days. Reheat to 165°F. Cream sauces may separate if frozen.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 708kcalCarbohydrates: 44.7gProtein: 40.2gFat: 40.9gSodium: 927mgFiber: 2.5gSugar: 8.2g