Description
A comforting and savory turkey casserole featuring tender pasta, creamy soup, and vegetables topped with buttery crushed Ritz crackers. Perfect for a hearty family dinner, this easy-to-make baked dish combines cooked turkey with a flavorful creamy sauce and a crunchy topping for a satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Protein
- 1 pound pasta (rotini, shells, etc.)
- 2 ½ cups (345g) cooked turkey or chicken (shredded or cubed)
Sauce
- 4 ounces (113g) cream cheese, softened
- 1 10.5 ounce can cream of mushroom soup
- ½ cup (118ml) nonfat milk
- ½ cup (118ml) chicken broth (or water or turkey stock)
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Vegetables
- 1 10-12 ounce bag frozen vegetables, thawed
Topping
- 1 ½ cups (about 30) Ritz crackers, crushed
- 4 tablespoons (57g) melted butter
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F to prepare for baking the casserole.
- Cook Pasta: Cook the pasta according to the package directions until al dente, then drain well.
- Prepare Sauce: In a large bowl, mix the softened cream cheese with the cream of mushroom soup until smooth. Then stir in the nonfat milk, chicken broth, ground black pepper, and garlic powder until fully combined.
- Combine Ingredients: Add the cooked pasta, thawed frozen vegetables, and cooked turkey or chicken to the sauce mixture. Stir everything together thoroughly to combine all ingredients evenly.
- Transfer to Baking Dish: Pour the combined mixture into a 9×13-inch baking dish, spreading it out evenly.
- Prepare Topping: Crush the Ritz crackers in a large gallon-size resealable bag. Add the melted butter to the crushed crackers, then mix by squeezing and massaging the bag to evenly coat the crackers with butter.
- Add Topping: Sprinkle the buttery cracker mixture evenly over the top of the casserole in the baking dish to create a crispy topping.
- Bake: Bake the casserole in the preheated oven for approximately 15 minutes, or until the casserole is bubbly and heated through.
- Serve and Store: Serve the turkey casserole hot. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
- An amazing savory dish combining chicken or turkey, vegetables, and creamy soup base.
- Smashed Ritz crackers provide a flavorful and crunchy topping.
- Great for using up leftover cooked turkey or chicken.
- Can substitute chicken broth with water or turkey stock as preferred.
- To add extra flavor, consider mixing in herbs such as thyme or parsley.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 536 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 280 mg
- Fat: 26 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 51 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
