Turkey and Wild Rice Casserole
Perfect use of leftover holiday turkey. This delicious casserole is easy to make ahead of time, let sit in the refrigerator, and then pop in the oven when you get home from work.
Perfect use of leftover holiday turkey. This delicious casserole is easy to make ahead of time, let sit in the refrigerator, and then pop in the oven when you get home from work.
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 4 ounces sour cream
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup chicken stock
- 3/8 cup long grain rice (brown or white)
- 3/8 cup wild rice
- 5 ounces alfredo sauce
- 1/8 cup parmesan cheese grated
- 2 cups turkey cut into cubes
- 1 1/3 cups frozen mixed vegetables
- 1/4 cup bread crumbs (i use seasoned bread crumbs)
- Carbohydrate 47.9094750284984 g
- Cholesterol 97.0351345466736 mg
- Fat 22.0561757070361 g
- Fiber 4.57844876384545 g
- Protein 43.8531025481751 g
- Saturated Fat 8.38889245996864 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (376g)
- Sodium 10076.673617512 mg
- Sugar 43.3310262646529 g
- Trans Fat 1.81119036868916 g
- Calories 566 calories
Step-by-step
- In 3-quart saucepan, heat water, brown rice and wild rice to boiling . Reduce heat; cover and simmer 40 to 50 minutes or until rices are tender. If necessary, drain
- Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. In very large bowl, mix pasta sauce, sour cream, broth, Parmesan cheese, poultry seasoning and pepper until well mixed. Stir in rice mixture, turkey and vegetables. Spoon into baking dish.
- Stop here if you want to prep this ahead of time and cook when you get home from work. Cover with plastic wrap and place in lowest available shelf of your refrigerator until ready to cook. Remove plastic wrap and continue below to complete the dish.
- Sprinkle bread crumbs over mixture and drizzle oive oil over bread crumbs. Bake uncovered 45-50 minutes or until bread crumbs are lightly browned, casserole is bubbly and the internal temperature meets or exceeds 165 F.
Simmering the rice grains until completely tender before mixing prevents a gritty interior texture inside the bake. Wild rice requires sufficient moisture absorption to soften properly, unlike instant varieties. Raw grains left undercooked will remain stubbornly hard after baking.
Budget management relies on utilizing leftover poultry efficiently without letting components spoil in the back of the refrigerator. Combining cubed meat with grains, frozen vegetables, and dairy sauces into a single baking vessel consolidates leftovers into a coherent meal. Assembling the components entirely beforehand saves active evening labor. Cover the glass dish tightly with plastic wrap and hold it in the refrigerator for up to twenty-four hours safely.
Texture preservation dictates the final steps of preparation. Moisture control is critical here. Adding bread crumbs too early causes them to turn soggy from the surrounding alfredo sauce and broth. Drizzling olive oil strictly over the dry bread crumb topping just prior to baking ensures a crisp golden crust forms during the forty-five to fifty-minute oven phase at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. If substituting dried bread crumbs with fresh soft bread crumbs, reduce the oil quantity slightly to prevent greasiness.
