Thanksgiving leftovers casserole turns all those containers in your fridge into one delicious, easy meal! Layers of mashed potatoes, turkey, green bean casserole, gravy, stuffing, and cranberry sauce. Perfect for freezing for later!

stack of 3 plates with mashed potatoes and green beans on top

After spending two full days cooking, serving, eating, and washing dishes, the last thing I want to think about is cooking another meal from scratch. And I can’t cook anything because the fridge is stuffed with storage containers full of leftovers.

This is exactly where this casserole saves the day! Instead of reheating individual portions of each dish, you layer everything together into one amazing meal that actually tastes better than just eating plain leftovers. You poured so much love into making that Thanksgiving dinner, don’t let them go to waste.

Everything is already cooked so all you have to do is assemble it. And I love to do this when I am cleaning up from the big meal. That way, I don’t have to wash the food storage containers later.

Whatever doesn’t fit in my casserole gets sent home with my guests!

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ingredients for a leftovers casserole in individual bowls with text overlay labeling them

See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and their quantities.

Ingredient Notes

Turkey – Great for using up any leftover turkey or substitute rotisserie chicken. If you don’t have leftovers but want to use turkey, use some cooked ground turkey or grab some from the deli and shred or dice it up. Not everyone in my house eats the dark meat so this is a great way to use it up.
Mashed potatoes – Leftover mashed potatoes or substitute store bought if you don’t have any leftovers. You can also use extra stuffing if you have it.
Dressing – Use up any leftover stuffing or extra mashed potatoes if you don’t have any. I usually make a double batch so I always have some leftover for these stuffing balls.
Green beans – If you have leftover green bean casserole, use it because the gravy will help moisten the casserole. If you don’t have any, use frozen or canned green beans. Just be sure to drain and rinse them.
Gravy – This disappears fast in my house. If that happens you can make a new batch or substitute cream of mushroom soup. This works well if you use plain green beans.
Cranberry – Leftover cranberry sauce you have it (we always do) or open a can of whole cranberry sauce. Or you can leave it out all together!
Fried onions – If you didn’t use them all for the green beans, this is the place to finish them up. I try and get two cans of them so I have one just for this casserole.

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How To Make Thanksgiving Leftovers Casserole

Preheat oven to 350° F and grease a 9×13 or 9×9 casserole dish with cooking spray or butter.

bowl of mashed potatoes with gravy poured on top

In a large bowl, combine the mashed potatoes and 1 cup of gravy. Spread in the bottom of the prepared baking dish.

casserole dish with a layer of mashed potatoes and shredded turkey on top

Add the turkey on top of the potato layer. Pour the remaining gravy over the turkey.

casserole dish with green beans and stuffing

Spread the stuffing in a layer and top with green beans. If your stuffing is a little dry, drizzle ¼ cup of chicken broth over the top.

leftovers casserole in a dish with 4 pats of butter on top

Top the green beans with the fried onion. Add pats of butter around on top.

baked leftover Thanksgiving casserole in a white dish

Bake for 25 – 30 minutes or until heated through completely. Serve with cranberry on top or on the side.

For the full recipe and detailed instructions, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

close up of Thanksgiving leftovers casserole in a white casserole dish on a wire rack

Storage

Because you are using leftovers and they have been previously cooked, I would only keep this casserole for a day or 2 if you don’t eat it all. You might be tired of Thanksgiving foods by now anyway.

As a note, don’t make this casserole if the leftovers have been in the fridge for more than 4 days. I would assemble and bake this casserole as soon as possible after the big dinner. This saves space in the refrigerator too! There won’t be a bunch of food storage container in there.

close up of green beans and fried onions on top

How To Freeze

It’s best to use up your leftovers quickly. But if you don’t feel like eating turkey and mashed potatoes for days on end, assemble the casserole and freeze it!

Once you are craving them again, or just need an easy meal during the busy holiday season, thaw it overnight in the fridge and bake the next day. You can store it in the freezer for up to 2 months.

fork with bite of mashed potatoes with green beans and cranberry sauce

Serving Suggestions

After using up all the best leftovers, serve this with a salad, some or some soup. Extra cranberry sauce on top freshens it up quite a bit.

Or take a slice of this and turn it into a sandwich!

overhead picture of plate with leftovers from thanksgiving dinner

Recipe Tips & Tricks

Food safety first – Assemble the casserole as soon as possible so the leftovers don’t sit out too long. Freeze it if you don’t want to eat it right away.
Add moisture – If ingredients are a little dry, add a splash of chicken broth or stir in some cream of chicken soup.
No turkey? – Substitute rotisserie chicken if you’re out of leftover turkey.
Topping options – Swap fried onions for cornflakes or shredded cheese if you prefer a cheesy top layer.

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Pinterest pin image of Thanksgiving leftovers casserole recipe

This Thanksgiving leftovers casserole recipe is the best way to consolidate those leftovers into one dish you can freeze and serve when you’re in the mood for turkey again.