Turkey Tetrazzini
This easy turkey tetrazzini recipe is a great way to use up Thanksgiving leftovers. It has a rich and creamy sauce and is topped with a buttery breadcrumb topping.
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My refrigerator is CRAMMED with Thanksgiving leftovers! Which I guess is a good thing until I have to spend 10 minutes rearranging just to find a place to put a gallon of milk. I love leftovers, but what I love even more is transforming those leftovers into something completely different.
I know what you’re thinking. The name turkey tetrazzini evokes thoughts of a lady wearing a hairnet standing behind a cafeteria serving line in me too. This recipe is NOT the same gob of mushy noodles and cream of mushroom soup you were served as a kid. The sauce is rich and creamy, the breadcrumb topping is buttery and crispy and it’s a great way to use those Thanksgiving turkey leftovers. This recipe is good ol’ comfort food and no lunch ladies were harmed in the process.
Need another idea for that leftover holiday turkey? Check out this recipe for Turkey Pumpkin Black Bean Chili.
What is a tetrazzini anyway?
Tetrazzini describes any American pasta dish made with diced poultry or seafood mixed with a mushroom cream sauce and parmesan cheese. It is typically served over noodles, such as linguine or spaghetti. It’s named after Luisa Tetrazzini, a famous opera singer of the early 1900s. Tetrazzini was a long-time resident of the Palace Hotel in San Francisco. In 1910, head chef Chef Ernest Arbogast invented Chicken Tetrazzini in her honor.
Ingredients and tools you will need
Creamy turkey tetrazzini is a baked pasta dish that the whole family will enjoy. To make homemade turkey tetrazzini, you will need:
- 1 package (16 ounces) spaghetti noodles, broken in half – you can also use the same amount of egg noodles.
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 large sweet red bell pepper, finely chopped
- 8 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms, washed
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 6 cups whole milk or heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon granules
- 6 cups cubed cooked turkey meat
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper – I love the little kick of heat from the cayenne. Feel free to use more if you like!
- Ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs – Panko breadcrumbs are Japanese breadcrumbs that are crunchier than regular breadcrumbs. They really retain their crunchy texture, even when baked, which is why I love to use it as a topping for this recipe.
- 9-in. x 13-in. x 2-in. casserole dish or two 8-in. x 8-in. baking dishes
How to make turkey tetrazzini
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of lightly salted water, according to the package instructions, until al dente. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- While the pasta is cooking, melt four tablespoons of butter in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté until they are tender, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add the mushrooms and red bell pepper and sauté 4-5 minutes longer.
- Stir in the flour and salt and stir until blended.
- Gradually whisk in the milk and bouillon.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer and stir for two minutes until the sauce has thickened.
- Stir in the diced leftover turkey meat, the Parmesan cheese, and the cayenne pepper. Heat the sauce through and season with additional salt and pepper to your liking.
- Add the drained spaghetti and stir to coat with the cheese sauce.
- Transfer everything to a baking dish coated with cooking spray.
- Melt the remaining four tablespoons of butter. Once melted, toss the butter with one cup of Panko breadcrumbs.
- Spread the Panko breadcrumbs over the top of the casserole.
- Bake the turkey casserole for 30-35 minutes until the casserole is heated through and the Panko breadcrumb topping is golden brown.
Storage, freezing, and reheating instructions
Storage. Allow the tetrazzini to cool completely, then cover the top of the casserole dish with a layer of foil or plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator for up to five days.
Freezing. Uncooked turkey tetrazzini can be stored in the freezer for up to one year. Follow the recipe through step 10. Then cover with foil and freeze. Allow the casserole to thaw before cooking. Right before putting it into the oven, make the Panko breadcrumb topping.
Reheating. Reheat individual servings of tetrazzini in the microwave for 1-2 minutes until heated through. You can also reheat it covered in the oven. Let the casserole sit at room temperature for 20 minutes, then bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes until heated through. Halfway through, remove the foil so the breadcrumb topping can crisp up again.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can use leftover chicken or shredded rotisserie chicken instead. If you are looking for more ways to use up leftover chicken, check out my recipe for chicken spaghetti with Rotel.
You can, but your sauce will not be as creamy.
Yes. Four ounces of drained canned sliced mushrooms is equal to eight ounces of sliced fresh button mushrooms.
Yes. Bouillon granules dissolve faster than cubes, but you can use them. Three bouillon cubes equals the one tablespoon of granules called for in the recipe.
Serve turkey tetrazzini with
Easy Turkey Tetrazzini
Ingredients
- 1 package (16 ounces) spaghetti
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 8 tablespoons butter divided
- 8 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms washed
- 1 large sweet red pepper chopped
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 6 cups whole milk
- 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon granules
- 6 cups cubed cooked turkey meat
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F.
- Cook spaghetti according to package directions until al dente. Drain the spaghetti and set aside.
- Meanwhile, in a large stock pot, melt four tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté until tender, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add the mushrooms and red bell pepper. Sauté 4-5 minutes longer or until vegetables are tender.
- Stir in flour and salt until blended.
- Gradually whisk in the milk and bouillon. Bring the milk to a simmer and stir for two minutes or until thickened.
- Stir in turkey, cheese and cayenne pepper. Heat through. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove the pot from the heat.
- Add the spaghetti noodles to the turkey mixture and mix well.
- Transfer the casserole to one 9-in. x 13-in. x 2-in. greased baking dish or two 8-in. x 8-in. greased baking dishes.
- Melt the remaining butter. Toss the butter with the bread crumbs and sprinkle it over the casserole.
- Bake, uncovered, for 30-35 minutes or until the casserole is heated through and bread crumbs are golden brown.
I loved eating this as a child-I have to try this one soon.
This is a great idea for dinner! That looks mighty tasty! I can not wait to try it. Yes, this is the perfect recipe for me.
I hear you gal..I too love recreating new dishes with leftovers! This pasta sounds delish!
I love finding different ways to use up leftovers and this looks great – a hearty, comforting meal.
I’m a big Fan of leftovers…just makes life so much easier. Love this idea by adding it to pasta. Sounds delicious.
This looks like a delicious way to use up leftover turkey – I’ll have to give that a go myself!
What a delicious way to make use of Thanksgiving leftovers. By the way, I’m holding a giveaway on my blog for Orglamix Organic makeup and you’re welcome to come by and enter. http://sweet-as-sugar-cookies.blogspot.com/2010/12/orglamix-organic-mineral-makeup-review.html