This creamy and comforting Turkey Tetrazzini is one of my favorite meals to make with leftover Thanksgiving turkey. It works equally well with leftover chicken and I often buy rotisserie chicken to use.
Tetrazzini Ingredients
In my opinion, the mushrooms and peas are essential for a tetrazzini. They’re my favorite part and I’ll admit that whenever I dish myself up, I always dig for a few extra mushrooms. A splash of sherry and a pinch of nutmeg also add wonderful flavor to a tetrazzini.
Variations
That being said, Turkey Tetrazzini is very adaptable and forgiving and you can leave any of these ingredients out to suit your taste.
- Try adding broccoli or even green beans instead of peas or mushrooms.
- No turkey? Use rotisserie chicken instaed.
- I love the flavor the sherry gives this casserole, but it can be left out.
- Use another pasta shape in place of spaghetti.
Because when you have a creamy, cheesey sauce pretty much anything tastes good in it.
From Scratch Recipe
Quite a few Turkey Tetrazzini recipes use Condensed Soup to make preparation quick and easy and I make a lot of casseroles using condensed soup, including tetrazzini on occasion. But this one is from scratch with a creamy sauce made from butter, flour, chicken broth, milk, and heavy cream. If you don’t like cooking with canned soup, this is a great recipe to try.
Make Ahead
Like most casseroles, Turkey Tetrazzini can be made ahead of time. Another reason it’s a family favorite. Just get it all assembled, wrap with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Take it out, discard the plastic wrap and add a few minutes to the baking time. You have yourself a hassle free weeknight meal.
How To Store
Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days.
Can It Be Frozen?
Yes. Freeze the unbaked casserole for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. I recommend waiting to add the bread crumb topping until just before baking.
Everyone will want seconds of this hot and creamy meal.
More Leftover Turkey Recipes
- Southwestern Turkey Ranch Casserole
- Creamy Leftover Turkey Wild Rice Soup
- Leftover Turkey Jambalaya
- Turkey Broccoli Alfredo
- Turkey Corn Chowder
- Turkey Florentine
And if you have some leftover ham, try this Ham Tetrazzini Recipe!
Turkey Tetrazinni
Ingredients
- 12 ounces spaghetti, snapped in half
- 6 tablespoons butter, divided
- 8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons Sherry
- 3 cups chopped cooked turkey or chicken
- 1/2 to 1 cup frozen green peas, defrosted
- 2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Topping
- 1/2 cup homemade bread crumbs or panko crumbs
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta. Cook to al dente and drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- While water is coming to a boil, add 2 tablespoons butter to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and sauté until brown. Remove mushrooms to a bowl and set aside.
- Add remaining 4 tablespoons butter to skillet along with flour. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.
- Gradually add the chicken stock, milk, and heavy cream, whisking well to avoid lumps. Cook until smooth and bubbly, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add salt, thyme, pepper, nutmeg, lemon juice, Sherry, and mushrooms.
- Stir in turkey, peas and Parmesan cheese. Check for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if desired.
- Add cooked pasta to the skillet, or if not enough room combine both in a large bowl. Stir to combine. Add some of the reserved cooking liquid if mixture is too dry.
- Transfer mixture to a greased 9X13-inch baking dish.
- In a small bowl combine bread crumbs, melted butter, and 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese. Scatter on top of casserole. Place in oven and bake for about 30 minutes. If desired, broil briefly to brown top.
Notes
Nutrition
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Originally published September 29, 2014.
I made for dinner last evening, was delicious, I liked the addition of the nutmeg. Will definitely make again.
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