Instant Pot turkey rice casserole is creamy, cheesy, and hearty. It’s perfect for using up leftover turkey after Thanksgiving and Christmas or roasted chicken after the weekend. Topped with pan-toasted buttery crumbs, you can make it without an oven.
Instant Pot Turkey Rice Casserole
If you are wondering what to do with that leftover turkey from Thanksgiving or Christmas, then this post-holiday Instant Pot recipe is for you!
In fact, it’s a handy recipe for using leftover roast chicken too, and you can make it any time of the year.
This one-pot turkey and rice casserole is easy to make with the Instant Pot, requires no oven, and is the perfect dinner after working hard in the kitchen over the holidays.
The casserole features diced leftover turkey, a trio of onions, carrots and celery, white rice, frozen peas and corn, and a touch of rosemary and garlic – all cooked in stock in the pressure cooker. The dish is then finished with a splash of cream and Parmesan cheese and topped with buttery pan-toasted crumbs.
Enjoy this creamy leftover turkey rice casserole recipe after Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any time you have some turkey or chicken you need to use.
Turkey Casserole Ingredients
This leftover turkey casserole is made with leftover diced turkey, rice and other delicious stuff. It’s a tempalte recipe and a great oppotynity to use up various ingredients left after the holiday feast.
Here are the ingredients you will need to make this casserole.
- Turkey: You can use whatever leftover turkey; breast meat is what we used, but you can also remove meat from the bone and dice that up.
- Rice: We used uncooked long-grain white rice, but you can use a different type of rice. If using brown rice or wild rice, remember to adjust the cooking time accordingly. For example, brown rice requires 20-22 minutes on HIGH pressure, which will cook the vegetables for longer but will still work fine for this casserole.
- Vegetables: The base is onion, carrots, and celery and we also threw in some frozen peas and corn. You can substitute with other vegetables but keep the cooking time in mind as some veggies can overcook and get mashy and might be better added at the end.
- Stock: You can use chicken, turkey, or vegetable stock to make this Instant Pot casserole.
- Creamy bits: Cream and Parmesan cheese are stirred into the casserole at the end but you could leave some of them out, reduce the quantity, or swap for low-fat versions.
- Check the recipe card for the full ingredients list.
You will find the full recipe with ingredients and nutritional breakdown in the recipe card below.
There are three parts to making this turkey rice casserole in the pressure cooker. The first part is to saute the onions, carrots, and celery. The second part is to cook the rice and turkey casserole. The final part is to finish the dish with some cream and cheese. If you want to finish the casserole with the crumbs, you can toast those in a pan while the main dish is cooking.
Let’s break it down with step-by-step photos and video. You can use a 6-quart or 8-quart Instant Pot.
Step 1. Turn the Instant Pot on Saute and add the olive oil, butter, onions, carrots, and celery. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring a few times, to soften.
Step 2. Add the garlic, stir through the press Cancel.
Step 3. Rinse the uncooked rice under cold water 2-3 times to remove some of the starch. Add the rinsed rice to the pot.
Step 4. Add chicken stock, diced turkey, frozen peas, corn and rosemary and stir through. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the pot with a spatula to remove any stuck bits.
Step 5. Secure the lid and set the Instant Pot to High Pressure for 5 minutes. Once the timer is done, quick release the pressure as soon as possible or the rice will continue to cook and soften.
Step 6. Open the lid and stir the contents. Add the cream, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, and pepper. Stir through to melt the cheese into the rice and for everything to get creamy. Taste for seasoning.
Step 7. Place the crackers in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse into fine crumbs. Melt the butter in a small frying pan and once hot, add the crackers crumbs and breadcrumbs and stir through. Cook over medium heat until golden brown and aromatic. You can add a little dried rosemary or garlic powder to the crumbs for extra flavor.
Step 8. Transfer the casserole into a serving dish (if you like). Finish the casserole by topping it with the buttery crumb topping and fresh parsley.
Recipe Tips
Be sure to use cooked turkey but uncooked rice for this recipe! Leftover roast chicken can be used as well.
You can use store-bought seasoned crumbs instead of pan-frying your own or serve the casserole without any, it will still be delicious.
Store any leftovers covered in the fridge and gently reheat the next day.
Brown rice can be used instead of white rice. Increase cooking time to 20-22 minutes with natural pressure release. Note that vegetables will be much softer due to longer cooking time.
What To Serve With This Casserole
The beauty of this one-pot turkey rice meal is that it doesn’t need anything else. It’s hearty, filling, and delicious all by itself. A lovely green salad or a side of green beans, broccoli, or other greens would complement it and freshen it up. A glass of buttery Chardonnay would be a great wine pairing.
More Instant Pot Casserole Recipes
- Instant Pot Pork Al Pastor & Rice Casserole
- Instant Pot Chicken Broccoli & Rice Casserole
- Instant Pot Mexican Beef Rice Casserole (For Nachos Lovers!)
- Instant Pot Casseroles Perfect For Comfort Dinners
- Want more turkey recipes? Check out these Instant Pot Leftover Turkey Recipes
Rate This Recipe
Leftover Turkey Rice Casserole Recipe (Instant Pot)
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups white rice long-grain, uncooked
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 yellow onion finely diced
- 2 carrots finely diced, medium
- 1 celery rib finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves finely diced
- 3.5 cups chicken stock turkey or vegetable stock are also fine
- 3 cups diced turkey meat cooked
- 1 cup frozen peas
- ½ cup frozen corn
- 1 tsp dried rosemary or fresh
To finish the casserole
- 2/3 cup cream heavy or half and half
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 1.5 tbsp lemon juice juice of 1/2 lemon
- ¼ tsp pepper
- ¼ tsp salt or to taste
- 1-2 tbsp parsley for garnish
For buttery crumbs
- 10 Ritz crackers about 1/2 cup
- ¼ cup breadcrumbs like Panko
- 2 tbsp butter melted
- ½ tsp dried rosemary optional
Instructions
- Turn the Instant Pot on Saute and add the olive oil, butter, onions, carrots and celery. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring a few times, to soften. Add the garlic, stir through the press Cancel.
- Rinse the uncooked rice under cold water 2-3 times to remove some of the starch. Add the rinsed rice to the pot.
- Add chicken stock, turkey, frozen peas, corn and rosemary and stir through. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the pot with a spatula to remove any stuck bits.
- Secure the lid and set the Instant Pot to High Pressure for 5 minutes. Once the timer is done, quick release the pressure as soon as possible or the rice will continue to cook and soften.
- Open the lid and stir the contents. Add the cream, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, and pepper. Stir through to melt the cheese into the rice and for everything to get creamy. Taste for seasoning.
- To make the buttery crumbs: Place the crackers in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse until fine crumbs. Melt the butter in a small frying pan and once hot, add the crackers crumbs and breadcrumbs and stir through. Cook over medium heat until golden brown and aromatic. You can add a little dried rosemary or garlic powder to the crumbs for extra flavor.
- Finish the casserole by topping it with the buttery crumb topping and fresh parsley. You can transfer the casserole into a baking dish or a large platter first before topping it with the crumbs.
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