GF/DF Turkey Noodle Casserole

Ingredients:
 

• 2 Tbsp. vegan margarine, plus more for greasing the baking dish

• 1 tsp salt, plus a little more for cooking the pasta

• 1 cup gluten-free fusilli or macaroni pasta

• 1 celery stalk, chopped

• ½ onion, chopped

• ¼ tsp garlic powder

• ¼ tsp black pepper

• 1 Tbsp. gluten-free 1-t0-1 flour blend

• 1 Tbsp lemon juice

• 1 ¾ cups dairy-free milk, warmed (oat milk or coconut milk is recommended)

• ½ cup dairy-free cream cheese

• 1 cup dairy-free shredded cheese or dairy-free feta, divided

• 1 ½ cups leftover cooked turkey, shredded or cut into cubes

• ½ cup frozen peas and carrots

• ½ tsp dried herb of your choice (parsley, summer savory, thyme, oregano, etc)

• 1 cup crushed sweet potato chips (alternatively, if you can eat regular potatoes, you can use regular potato chips)
   

Directions:
 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9”x9” square baking dish with some vegan margarine.
 

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat. Cook the pasta until just al dente. (You want it just barely soft enough to eat at this point. It will cook further in the casserole, so be careful with it at this stage.)
 

In a large pan, melt the vegan margarine over medium heat. Add the celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes. Add the onion and cook for another 5 minutes until the vegetables soften. (It helps to give the celery a bit of a headstart as it’s harder than the onions.)
 

Add the salt, garlic powder and black pepper. Stir into the vegetables. Next, add the flour and stir it in as well. Add the lemon juice. Gradually whisk in the warmed dairy-free milk and cream cheese.

Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring often, until the sauce is thickened, about 2-3 minutes.
 

Remove from the heat. Stir in ½ of the dairy-free shredded cheese of feta until it melts into the sauce. Fold in the turkey, peas and carrots, and the pasta.
 

Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Top with the dried green herb and crushed chips. Top it all with the remaining dairy-free shredded cheese or feta.
 

Bake in the pre-heated oven until bubbly, 20-30 minutes.
 

Makes 3-4 servings.
 

Note: this recipe can be made ahead. It can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. If frozen, thaw in the fridge before reheating.
 

This recipe is easily doubled to make 6-8 servings. When doing so, use a 9”x13” baking pan. Likewise, this recipe is easily halved to make just 1-2 servings. When doing so, use a loaf pan.