It’s the big question every holiday season: what to do with all the leftover turkey? This recipe not only does a great job of using up all the leftovers, but it incorporates a healthy dose of vegetables as well. And since they’re all available in the freezer section of the grocery store, this dish comes together in a snap!
There’s also no noodles in this recipe – the only carb comes from the leftover mashed potatoes on top. So this recipe starts bringing you back to the healthier, lower-carb way of eating that the holidays probably pulled you out of!
All the amounts below are optional – the beautiful thing about a casserole is that it’s imprecise. But don’t be afraid to go heavy on the spinach – it’s the healthiest ingredient in the whole dish, and a even a large amount doesn’t overpower everything else. If you use the quantities listed, this dish serves 6 – 8 people.
4 c. Leftover turkey, torn into pieces (not chopped)
3 c. Leftover mashed potatoes (optional)
1/2 c yellow corn
1/2 c green peas
1 c green beans
2 c chopped spinach
1/4 chopped parsley
1/2 c diced carrots
1/2 c Vidalia onions
one can of cream of chicken soup (organic, if you can find it)
salt & pepper
1/2 c sour cream (optional)
1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
1/2 c French onions (optional)
Combine the soup and a can of water in an extra-large bowl. If you’re not worried about the extra calories, stir in the sour cream for added richness, but the dish is tasty without it.
Stir in all the vegetables and season with salt and pepper.
Stir in the turkey last – if you add the turkey too early, the extra stirring will break the turkey pieces down into unappetizing shreds.
Spoon the mixture into a large baking dish. If you have leftover mashed potatoes, spread them on top of your turkey and vegetable mixture. If you don’t have enough to cover the whole casserole, then put little dollops in a pattern.
Top with shredded cheese or French onions, if you’re using either one of those. Otherwise leave it plain. Note: If you’re planning to top your casserole with French onions, use a little bit less Vidalia onion in the casserole itself.
Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 25 – 45 minutes. You’ll need more time if the veggies were frozen, less if they were fresh. Remove the aluminum foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes to make the top nice and brown.