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Turn your holiday leftovers into something hearty and comforting with this Instant Pot leftover turkey wild rice casserole. Packed with tender turkey, wild rice and a variety of vegetables, this cozy dish comes together easily in one pot. A quick pressure cook blends all those flavors into a creamy, satisfying casserole. Even if you expect the family to complain about “yet another turkey leftovers dinner” they won’t find fault with this leftover turkey wild rice casserole! Not only is it a Thanksgiving or Christmas leftovers solution but it’s a really tasty dish.
This Instant Pot leftover turkey wild rice casserole is creamy, hearty and made with fresh vegetables, juicy turkey and tasty stuffing. It is a nice one-pot comfort meal.
If you enjoy this recipe, you might also like mac and beer cheese, cider brined turkey breast or pesto crusted salmon filets.
Why You’ll Love It
One-pot convenience: Everything cooks together in the Instant Pot for easy cleanup.
Great use of leftovers: It’s perfect for using up cooked turkey and stuffing after your holiday meal.
Comforting and filling: Wild rice, cream and herbs make this a cozy cold-weather meal.
Flexible ingredients: Feel free to adjust the vegetables or grains based on what you have to use up.
Fast and flavorful: An Instant Pot cuts down cooking time without sacrificing any flavor.
Turkey Wild Rice Casserole Ingredients
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Unsalted butter: Adds rich flavor and helps soften the vegetables.
Garlic and onion: Build the savory base of the casserole.
Celery and carrots: Classic aromatics for depth and texture.
Chicken broth: Provides liquid for pressure cooking and ties the flavors together.
Rice: A wild rice and long grain rice blend adds the right amount of chewiness and substance to the dish.
Red lentils: Cook quickly and add protein and a soft texture.
Corn: Adds a pop of sweetness and color.
Stuffing: Brings in sage and seasoned bread for a classic holiday feel. You can use homemade stuffing or something like Stove Top.
Leftover turkey: Shredded and placed on top to warm through while cooking.
Spices and herbs: Black pepper, thyme, rosemary, sage and bay leaves provide warmth and balance.
Heavy cream: Stirred in at the end for a creamy finish.
Fresh thyme: Brightens the finished dish as a garnish.
How to Make Instant Pot Leftover Turkey Wild Rice Casserole
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.
Sauté the aromatics: Set the Instant Pot to sauté mode and cook butter, garlic, onion, celery and carrots until softened, then turn it off.
Add liquids and grains: Pour in broth, then stir in wild rice, long grain rice, lentils, corn and stuffing.
Layer the turkey and season: Add shredded turkey and sprinkle with spices. Place bay leaves on top.
Pressure cook: Seal the lid and cook using the manual pressure setting.
Finish the casserole: Release the pressure naturally, discard bay leaves and stir in the cream. Garnish and serve.
Substitutions and Variations
Use rotisserie chicken: If you don’t have leftover turkey on hand, shredded rotisserie chicken works too.
Add mushrooms: For a deeper, earthy flavor and texture.
Make it gluten free: Use gluten free stuffing and double-check that your broth is labeled gluten free.
Skip the cream: Use full-fat coconut milk or omit it altogether for a lighter version.
Serving Suggestions
With a salad: Opt for something simple like this lemon parmesan chopped salad.
With bread: Specialty bread like pumpkin seed bread or cranberry walnut bread would also be lovely with this Instant Pot leftover turkey wild rice casserole, or you might like to bake your own Irish soda bread, focaccia or one of these bread basket recipes.
Dessert: Finish your meal with a slice of pumpkin slab pie.
How to Store Leftover Turkey Casserole
Store: Keep leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator and eat within 3 days.
Freeze: This dish can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Thaw: Defrost overnight in the fridge.
Reheat: Warm it back up in the microwave or in a pan on the stove.
Top Tips
Deglaze the pot thoroughly: Scrape up all bits to prevent a burn notice.
Use fresh herbs for garnish: Adds brightness and a pop of color.
Cut vegetables evenly: This ensures they cook evenly under pressure.
Let it rest before serving: The texture thickens as it sits, making it easier to spoon and serve.
Turkey Wild Rice Casserole FAQs
Yes, but the texture and cook time may vary slightly. Wild rice holds up better under pressure.
Wild rice actually isn’t wild at all; it’s an aquatic grass with an edible grain that’s grown in “grow puddles” in farms to mimic the native growing conditions. Wild rice has a nutty taste and firm texture. It takes longer than regular rice to cook and the grains triple in size when cooked.
Yes, you can omit them or replace with more rice or another grain.
Instant Pot Leftover Turkey Rice Casserole
Instant Pot Leftover Turkey Wild Rice Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ Cup unsalted butter
- 2 Cloves garlic, minced
- 1 white onion, diced
- ½ Cup celery, diced
- ½ Cup carrots, diced
- 3 Cup chicken broth
- 1 Cup wild rice
- ½ Cup long grain rice, wild rice blend
- ½ Cup lentils, red
- ½ Cup corn
- 1 Cup sage stuffing, such as Stove Top stuffing or homemade leftovers
- 2 Cups turkey, left over or cooked fresh
- 1 Teaspoon salt
- 1 Teaspoon black pepper
- ½ Teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ Teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 Teaspoon dried sage
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ Cup heavy cream
- thyme, fresh, for garnish
Instructions
- Set Instant Pot to sauté mode. Once heated, add the butter. Once melted, stir in the garlic, onions, celery, and carrots.
- Sauté for 2 minutes to soften and turn off the instant pot.
- Pour in the chicken broth and deglaze the Instant Pot. Add the wild rice, lentils, corn, and stuffing. Stir to combine. Place shredded turkey on top and season with salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary, sage, and top with bay leaves.
- Seal and cook on manual high pressure for 20 minutes.
- Once the Instant Pot has finished cooking, allow natural release for 10 minutes.
- Discard the bay leaves and stir in the heavy cream. Remove the casserole from the Instant Pot and add to a serving bowl. Garnish with fresh thyme.
Notes
Use fresh herbs for garnish: Adds brightness and a pop of color.
Cut vegetables evenly: This ensures they cook evenly under pressure.
Let it rest before serving: The texture thickens as it sits, making it easier to spoon and serve.
Nutrition
Instant Pot leftover turkey wild rice casserole is a smart way to turn scraps into something hearty and scrumptious. With creamy broth, earthy grains and perfectly seasoned vegetables, this dish transforms leftovers into a meal that feels intentional and cozy. You’re going to love the amazing flavors in this leftover turkey and wild rice dish.
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Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
I love that rustic and hearty flavors in this dish. It was a hit with the family!
This was so good, one of my new fav Instant Pot recipes
Did you use dried lentils or canned?
They are dried
This calls for stuffing. Does that mean stuffing mix, such as Stovetop, or already prepared stuffing?
hi, I edited to clarify. Yes, stove top (https://amzn.to/3ufwlGS ) will work or homemade leftovers
This looks so comforting! I can’t wait to try this when it gets cooler out.
This looks so delicious and flavoursome, and healthy too! I need to try it soon.
What a fantastic way to use up leftovers, especially after the holidays!
How perfect. Learned about wild rice not being wild and found a recipe to try for my fresh from our farm turkey!
Such an easy recipe, perfect for a fuss free dinner! I need to try it
This looks so yummy! I could eat it all myself I think. 🙂