A terrific use of holiday leftovers, this warm, hearty dish comes together without much work at all. Keto broccoli casserole with turkey is creamy, satisfying, and loaded with tender turkey.
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A hint of bacon and a crunchy, buttery topping round the whole thing out. There are not many ingredients here, but the flavor genuinely delivers.
Use fresh broccoli, not frozen. Frozen broccoli releases too much water and turns the finished dish soggy and soupy instead of creamy.
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Chef Jenn’s Take on Broccoli Casserole with Turkey
Drain the broccoli well after cooking it, or the sauce turns genuinely runny instead of thick and creamy. This is worth double-checking before you fold it into the sauce.
Microwave the broccoli covered with a bit of water for about 2 minutes, until bright green and a bit tender, then drain it thoroughly. Fry the bacon and onion together until the bacon is crisp and the onion is translucent, about 5 to 6 minutes, then drain off the excess fat. Add the cream cheese and chicken stock, and blend well over medium-low heat, then whisk in the mustard powder and lemon juice. Add the cream, and thicken with just a quarter teaspoon of xanthan gum if using, do not add more too soon, it keeps thickening as it sits.
No turkey on hand? Leftover chicken works just as well in this recipe.
A pinch of red pepper flakes adds heat if you want it. Not a fan of the pork rind panko topping? Skip it and sprinkle shredded cheddar on top before baking instead.
What You’ll Love About Broccoli Casserole with Turkey
- Not many ingredients required, but the flavor still delivers.
- A genuinely great use for leftover holiday turkey, with plenty of flavor.
- Ready in about 30 minutes, with a crunchy, buttery topping.
Ingredients
- Broccoli – Fresh, not frozen, cut into florets.
- Leftover turkey – Diced, leftover cooked. Leftover chicken works too.
- Cream cheese – Full fat, softened.
- Bacon – Chopped.
- Onion – Diced.
- Chicken or turkey stock
- Pork rind panko – Optional topping. Shredded cheddar works as a substitute if you’d rather.
- Mustard powder – Adds a bit of depth.
- Lemon – Fresh squeezed.
- Pink salt & pepper
- Butter – For dotting the top before baking.
- Xanthan powder – Optional, for thickening. Just a quarter teaspoon.
How To Make Keto Broccoli Casserole with Turkey
Scroll down for the full recipe card with exact measurements and printable instructions.
Cut the broccoli into florets. Place in a large glass bowl with 1/4 cup water, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and microwave on high for about 2 minutes, until bright green and a bit tender. Drain well.
Fry the bacon and onion in a skillet until the bacon is lightly crisp and the onion is translucent, about 5 to 6 minutes. Drain all but 1 tbsp of the fat.
Add the softened cream cheese and chicken stock to the skillet, and blend well over medium-low heat. Whisk in the mustard powder and lemon juice.
Add the cream, and thicken with the xanthan gum if using. Mix until creamy and smooth.
Fold in the drained broccoli and diced turkey. Mix well.
Pour into a buttered casserole dish, top with the pork panko, and dot with the butter.
Bake at 375°F for about 10 to 15 minutes, until golden brown and bubbling.
Make It A Meal
I make rice or noodles for the kids, but for myself, just a side salad with Ranch Dressing is all this needs.
For more casseroles, Chicken, Ham & Asparagus Casserole, Philly Cheesesteak Casserole, Tex-Mex Beef Casserole, and King Ranch Casserole are all worth adding to the rotation.
Storage
This is best fresh, since broccoli casseroles tend to release a lot of water once thawed. If freezing anyway, wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months, thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat in the microwave.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe runs about 6 net carbs per hearty 1 cup serving, according to the recipe card’s calculation. The number in the recipe card below will recalculate once this post is republished, so use it as an estimate until then.
Yes! Not only is broccoli loaded with nutrition, but there are no starchy carbs in this particular broccoli casserole recipe.
You can have this tasty dish on the table in about 30 minutes!
With about 9 net carbs per hearty serving, this is a great keto recipe.
Add Preferred SourceKeto Broccoli Casserole with Turkey
Ingredients
- 3 cups turkey diced
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 4 cups broccoli cut into florets
- 5 slices bacon chopped
- 1/2 cup onion diced
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1/2 cup cream
- 1/2 tsp mustard powder
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 cup pork panko
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum optional
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- 1. Wash and chop the broccoli into florets or bite-size pieces. Put them in a large glass bowl or measuring cup, add 1/4 cup of water and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Cook on high in the microwave for 2 minutes or until the broccoli is bright green and a bit tender. Drain and set aside.
- 2. Fry the bacon and onion in a skillet until the bacon is lightly crisp and the onion is translucent. About 5-6 minutes. Drain all but 1 tbsp of the fat.
- 3. Add the softened cream cheese and chicken stock to the skillet and blend well over medium-low heat. Whisk in the mustard powder and lemon juice
- 4. Add the cream and thicken with 1/4 tsp of xanthan gum (optional).Mix until creamy and smooth.
- 5. Fold in the drained broccoli and diced turkey. Mix well to combine.
- 6. Pour the contents into a buttered casserole dish and top with the pork panko and dot with the butter.
- 7. Bake at 375-F for about 10-15 minutes until golden brown and bubbling. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Recipe Card Tips
- Drain the broccoli thoroughly after cooking, or the sauce turns runny instead of thick and creamy.
- Add just a small amount of xanthan gum if using. It keeps thickening as it sits.
- Skip the pork rind panko topping and use shredded cheddar instead if you’d rather.
Nutrition
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed. Erythritol carbs (sugar substitutes) are not included in the carbohydrate counts as they have been shown not to impact blood sugar, and they have zero calories and zero carbs. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
Want even more keto deliciousness? There’s nothing like a hearty breakfast made easy like with these egg bites, or feast on a hearty and beefy chaffwich for lunch. Keto soups & stews are also terrific, or try this amazing cauliflower dish as a side.
We are always looking for more ways to get broccoli in to our kids diet, and this looks delicious.
This sounds incredible! My husband is on the keto diet and honestly, I’ve run out of ideas for supper! I want more than just steak and salad, LOL! We are big fans of an old-school broccoli casserole, so I know this will be a hit!
i love recipes that I can use to repurpose holiday foods! You get sick of eating them after a few days as they are. Thanks!