Now that Thanksgiving is over, many of us probably have a lot of turkey leftovers in the fridge. Use up any extra turkey by making this quick and easy turkey and noodles recipe on the stove in less than 30 minutes. You can also make the dressing or stuffing with the extra celery and onions you had on hand.
I don’t usually cook on Thanksgiving, but I love a good smoked turkey and have also made a turkey breast in the crock pot. When I make either of these, I always have leftover turkey. Repurposing my leftovers is sort of my jam.
Beef and noodles and chicken and noodles are two recipes my family is always on board for eating. Once I smoked a turkey and had a lot of leftovers, I thought I’d try making turkey and noodles with them. [feast_advanced_jump_to].
The holidays have come and gone, and now you’re staring down a fridge full of turkey leftovers wondering what to do with it all. Before the thought of another turkey sandwich makes you queasy, let me introduce you to an easy, delicious way to use up that leftover bird – old fashioned turkey and noodles!
This recipe puts a fun spin on the classic chicken and noodles by swapping in shredded turkey meat. It captures all the comfort and flavor of grandma’s cooking with simple ingredients you likely have on hand. I’ll walk you through every step of how to make this hearty and nourishing one-pot meal.
Why You’ll Love Turkey Noodles
Here’s what makes this recipe for turkey noodles so crave-worthy:
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Twist on a classic – All the goodness of chicken and noodles, but with a creative twist using up your Thanksgiving or Christmas turkey.
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One pot ease – Cooks entirely in one pot so minimal cleanup. The noodles soak up all the rich, aromatic broth.
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Savory comfort food – With tender turkey egg noodles and veggies in a creamy sauce, every bite says comfort food.
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Feeds a crowd – Easily serves 6 people with leftovers. Perfect for using up all that extra turkey.
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Kid-friendly – Little ones will gobble up this fun spin on noodles smothered in a creamy savory sauce.
Let’s get cooking! I’ll walk you through how to make this easy, leftover turkey recipe step-by-step.
Ingredients Needed for Turkey and Noodles
To whip up a batch of leftover turkey noodles, you’ll need:
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4 cups cooked turkey – Leftover roasted or smoked turkey works great. Otherwise use rotisserie chicken.
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1⁄2 stick butter – For sautéing the veggies. Can use salted or unsalted.
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2 carrots, diced – Along with celery and onion, this makes up the flavor base.
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2 ribs celery, diced
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1⁄4 cup onion, diced
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1 tsp garlic, minced – For extra flavor.
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1⁄2 tsp thyme – Aids in seasoning the broth.
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7 cups chicken broth – Use your favorite boxed, canned or homemade.
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2 pkgs egg noodles – Use 12 oz frozen Homestyle or Broad egg noodles.
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1 can cream of chicken soup – Thickens the sauce and adds creaminess.
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Fresh parsley, salt, and pepper – For finishing touches.
That’s it! Mainly pantry staples and leftovers. Now let’s get cooking.
Step-By-Step Instructions for Making Turkey and Noodles
Here is an overview of the simple steps for how to make old fashioned turkey and noodles:
- Sauté veggies
- Add broth, thyme, and noodles
- Stir in soup and turkey
- Finish with parsley, salt, and pepper
I’ll expand on each step:
Sauté the veggies – Melt butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add carrots, celery, onion and garlic. Sauté 5 minutes until onions soften.
Make the broth – Add chicken broth and thyme. Bring to a boil.
Cook the noodles – Stir in egg noodles and gently separate any stuck together. Boil 8-10 minutes until nearly tender.
Add soup and turkey – Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in cream of chicken soup until blended. Add shredded turkey.
Finish and serve – Stir in parsley, salt, and pepper. Simmer 5 minutes. Serve turkey noodles warm.
That’s all it takes! The noodles soak up the rich, savory flavors as they cook. Let’s look at some optional add-ins.
Customize Your Turkey Noodles
While the classic recipe is delicious on its own, you can customize your leftover turkey noodles by:
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Swapping turkey for chicken or addingmixed veggies
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Trying oregano, rosemary, basil or sage instead of thyme
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Serving over mashed potatoes for extra carbs
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Making it soupy with more broth
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Adding crunchy panko breadcrumb topping
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Using low sodium chicken broth for lower sodium
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Mixing in broccoli, peas, zucchini or other veggies
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Garnishing with extra parsley or green onions
The possibilities are endless! Play around to make this comforting one-pot meal your own.
Storage and Reheating Leftovers
One of the bonuses of this easy turkey and noodles recipe is that it makes a large batch, so you’ll have leftovers! Here are some storage tips:
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Let cool completely before storing.
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Transfer to airtight containers or zip top bags.
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Store in fridge up to 4 days.
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Can freeze leftovers up to 3 months.
To reheat, place desired portion in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on Medium, stirring every minute, until hot throughout. Or reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat until warmed through.
Enjoy your leftovers as is or get creative by using them in casseroles or pot pies!
More Ways to Use Up Leftover Turkey
Beyond turkey noodles, here are more delicious ways to use up leftover holiday turkey:
- Turkey tetrazzini
- Turkey enchiladas or quesadillas
- Turkey salad sandwiches
- Turkey hash with eggs
- Turkey & stuffing casserole
- Turkey pot pie
- Buffalo turkey wraps
With some creativity, you can give new life to leftover turkey all month long after the holidays! No more boring old sandwiches.
Enjoy Comforting Turkey Noodles Tonight!
Give this easy, leftover turkey recipe a try the next time you have extra bird to use up after the holidays. Old fashioned turkey and noodles is a hearty, one-pot meal the whole family will love.
The savory, creamy sauce absorbs into the noodles, delivering comforting flavor in every bite. Plus you get to stretch your Thanksgiving or Christmas turkey for more family dinners.
Instructions – How to Make Turkey and Noodles with Leftover Turkey
Start by grabbing a large Dutch Oven or soup pot to make this turkey and noolde recipe in. I love an extra large pot for making soups or noodle recipes like this one. Start this recipe by chopping up the celery, onions, and garlic.
Drop the holy trinity of cooking into the Dutch oven along with butter. Sauté until the onions just begin to soften.
Then add the chopped or shredded turkey to the sauteed vegetables. Pour in one can of the cream of chicken soup after 2-3 minutes of the turkey cooking.
Then slowly stir in the chicken broth. Keep stirring to dissolve the cream of chicken soup before adding the second can. Stir to combine to form a watery sauce. Add the garlic pepper to your taste preference.
Finally, add the egg noodles to the pot once the mixture begins to boil. Stir to combine. Once it starts to boil again, turn down the heat and let it cook for 20 minutes, or until the noodles are done.
My family loves any meat and noodle concoction over mashed potatoes. No need to do this, but if you have extra mashed potatoes, why not serve the homemade turkey and noodles on top of the warmed-up mashed potatoes?
When you’re cleaning up after Thanksgiving dinner, make this while the turkey is still warm. That way, you won’t have to cook again the next day.
I know that some of you may want to make this with a few changes because of allergies or different tastes. Here are some common substitutions I get asked about.
- Without Cream of Chicken Soup: Mix a cup and a half of milk with two tablespoons of cornstarch to make soup instead of cream of chicken soup. This should be added to the turkey and chicken broth instead of the soup. Another way to thicken the sauce is to mix flour into the butter that is already in the vegetables. Then, add the broth and milk.
- Gluten Free Noodles: To make the turkey and noodles gluten-free, use gluten-free noodles and the cornstarch and milk mix above.
This recipe for turkey and noodles is a great starting point for adding more foods or even making it into a soup. Regardless of how you change it up, it will still be able to use up those thanksgiving leftovers.
- Carrots: If you want more vegetables, add carrots to this recipe.
- Turkey Noodle Soup: To make this turkey noodle soup, double the broth.
- Herbs: To make the recipe taste even better, add any of these herbs, like thyme, parsley, or sage.
See this crock pot chicken and noodles on Beyer Eats and Drinks for the slow cooker cooking method.
When you want to make sure you have all the right things to pull off this turkey and noodles recipe, be sure to check out my favorite kitchen items and pointers on which tools and ingredients to stock your cabinets.
These leftover turkey and noodles absolutely are great the next day or two. They also freeze well for a great weeknight meal in the future.
- Refrigerating Leftovers – Store in an airtight container. You might need to add a little water to thin it out again when you reheat it. The noodles will absorb the liquid in the fridge.
- Putting leftovers in the freezer: Lay the turkey and noodles flat in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to three months. Let it thaw all the way, then heat it up on the stove or in the microwave. Add more water as necessary for consistency.
If you cooked a whole turkey for Thanksgiving and still have the neck and giblets from inside the bird, you can use them to make turkey broth. Just cook the parts with water completely covering them for 20 minutes and drain then.
Yes, you can freeze turkey and noodles. After the turkey and noodles have cooled, freeze for up to three months in a freezer-safe bag.
You can use cooked turkey that was frozen in this recipe. For trukey and noodles, you can use frozen turkey that was already cooked.
Ingredients for Leftover Turkey and Noodles
The ingredients for turkey and noodles are very similar to that of chicken and noodles.
- Extra Turkey Meat: Both dark and white turkey meat will work in this recipe. Cut up whatever you have left over and use it in this recipe.
- Onions: White or sweet onions work best for this. They add more flavor to the dish.
- Celery—You can leave out the celery if you don’t want it. It changes the texture and gives it an earthy flavor. Also, it’s a great way to use up Thanksgiving leftovers.
- Garlic: I have to have garlic, but you don’t have to if you don’t like it. I always have garlic bulbs on hand, but garlic mince from a jar would also work.
- Butter – Fat is flavor. Get the butter out to cook the celery and onions in.
- Cream chicken soup—The cream of chicken works best, but cream of celery could be used if you need to.
- Chicken Broth: You can also use Better Than Bouillon plus water instead of chicken broth. Use turkey broth from Thanksgiving that you have left over in this recipe.
- Wide Noodles: I like Reames frozen wide noodles, but dry wide noodles also work.
- Garlic Pepper: Garlic powder, salt, and pepper work well together in this recipe. You will use this in many recipes, so buy a big bottle. Garlic salt and ground pepper is also a great substitute.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Turkey Noodle Casserole Recipe – Thanksgiving Leftover Turkey Special
FAQ
How long is leftover turkey good for?
What can I do with leftover turkey fat?
How do you get meat off leftover turkey?
How do you eat leftover Turkey Noodle Dinner?
Easy noodle dinner made with leftover turkey, veggies, and cream sauce. Dice carrots and slice onions thinly. Pour broth and heavy cream into the cups so it’s ready to use. Cook noodles according to the package instructions. You can save some time by cooking noodles at the same time as preparing veggies and sauce.
Can one have turkey and carrots?
Eating turkey and carrots is part of healthy habits. The turkey has meat like chicken and is another healthy poultry option. Carrots are rich in carotenoids, it is a source of vitamin A, fiber, potassium and vitamin B3.
What can I use leftover Turkey noodle casserole for?
Turkey: Use leftover turkey or use rotisserie chicken. Leftover ham is another great variation in this recipe. Vegetables: This turkey noodle casserole is so versatile. Use either frozen mixed vegetables or veggies from your crisper drawer (see recipe notes for fresh vegetables). Pasta: Any medium shape can be used in this recipe.
Can you freeze leftover Turkey & noodles?
These leftover turkey and noodles absolutely are great the next day or two. They also freeze well for a great weeknight meal in the future. Refrigerating Leftovers – Store in an airtight container. When you reheat, you may need to stir in a little water to thin out again. The noodles will absorb the liquid in the fridge.
What is Turkey and noodles?
I kind of love the recipe so much that I could roast a turkey just so I could make this dish! Turkey and noodles is pretty similar to turkey and dumplings (or chicken and dumplings), though obviously these starchy thick noodles are thinner than dumplings.
Can You refrigerate Turkey noodle noodles?
Refrigerating Leftovers – Store in an airtight container. When you reheat, you may need to stir in a little water to thin out again. The noodles will absorb the liquid in the fridge. Freezing Leftovers – Place the turkey and noodles in a freezer bag and lay flat. Freeze for up to three months.