Leftover Turkey Baked Ziti

This leftover turkey baked ziti turns cooked Thanksgiving turkey into a creamy, cheesy pasta dinner with just 15 minutes of prep. Use gluten-free pasta if needed, with easy dairy-free substitutions included.

Course Main Course, Dinner

Cuisine Italian American

Keyword leftover turkey baked ziti, turkey baked ziti recipe, baked ziti with turkey, leftover turkey pasta, leftover turkey recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 22

Total Time 37

Servings

Calories 309kcal

Author Jamie Monkkonen

Ingredients

16 ounces ziti or penne pasta , use 12 ounces of gluten-free pasta*
24 ounces pasta sauce
1 cup heavy cream , use full fat coconut milk for dairy-free
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning blend
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
2-3 cups cooked leftover turkey , shredded or roughly chopped
2 cups shredded mozzarella or dairy-free mozzarella
1 bunch chopped fresh basil optional

Instructions

Pasta: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Then make the ziti noodles in salted water according to the package instructions but drain just before they are al dente (a minute or two early).
16 ounces ziti or penne pasta
Sauce + Meat: To a large bowl, add the pasta sauce, olive oil, cream or coconut milk, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Gently stir it all together, then stir in the leftover turkey.
24 ounces pasta sauce, 1 cup heavy cream, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning blend, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, 2-3 cups cooked leftover turkey
Layer: To the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, add a little bit of the sauce mixture to prevent the noodles from sticking. Then layer half the noodles followed by half the remaining sauce and half the cheese. Layer the rest of the noodles, sauce, and cheese.
2 cups shredded mozzarella
Bake + Broil: Bake covered with aluminum foil for 20 minutes. Then uncover and broil for 2 minutes on high (watch carefully to prevent burning). Leftover poultry should be reheated to 165°F. Serve with chopped fresh basil and enjoy!

Notes

Gluten-free pasta: I use 12 ounces of gluten-free penne in place of 16 ounces regular pasta. Cook it 1–2 minutes shy of al dente before assembling.

Dairy-free: Use full-fat canned coconut milk and dairy-free mozzarella. I tested the dairy-free version with Violife mozzarella shreds.

Chicken substitution: Cooked shredded or chopped chicken can be used in place of the turkey.

Storage: Refrigerate promptly. Cooked turkey and turkey dishes should generally be used within 3–4 days; freeze portions if you need to store them longer.

Nutrition