Turkey Tetrazzini is a delicious and easy casserole that transforms turkey leftovers into a comforting meal.
With a rich and velvety cream sauce, a variety of veggies, chunks of turkey, wiggly noodles, and a buttery crisp topping, this hearty dish will make you forget about all the work that goes into roasting a holiday turkey--because this cozy leftovers meal is the reward!
This from scratch, super creamy turkey tetrazzini recipe is our favorite way to enjoy turkey leftovers.
To be honest, we look forward to this comfort dish more than the main turkey meal at Thanksgiving. There, I said it.
That's because this casserole sends warm cozy vibes, tastes downright amazing, and also feels a little fancy.
Cooking sherry adds a touch of restaurant quality flavor. The homemade cream sauce, made with evaporated milk, is velvety rich and super smooth. It smothers the spaghetti, mushrooms, peas (and of course, turkey) and more in creamy, dreamy deliciousness. Top all of that with buttery parmesan breadcrumbs, and this meal is a winner.
Once you try this super comforting recipe, you will forget all about making turkey sandwiches with your leftovers. In fact, you just might start buying a bigger bird from the start just to make this special, savory noodle casserole!
Jump to:
🥘Ingredients
- celery, mushrooms, peas, onions- I use sliced canned mushrooms & defrosted frozen peas
- butter- to sauté the veggies in
- flour- used as a thickening agent for the sauce
- low sodium chicken broth- you can also use vegetable broth, but I like chicken because of the low sodium option
- evaporated milk- for the creamy base; this has less fat than cream
- cooking sherry- compliments the flavors, especially the mushrooms, so nicely; it really does make this meal feel special; some of the alcohol content burns off on the stove, but if this is a concern, simply omit
- leftover turkey- be sure to use this within 3 days; you can also use chicken leftovers or rotisserie chicken (but it tastes better with turkey)
- cooked spaghetti- really any cooked noodle will do, but spaghetti is so fun in this casserole because it's long and wiggly; cook this to al dente since it cooks more in the oven
- Italian breadcrumbs, butter, & freshly grated Parmesan cheese- for the delicious breadcrumb topping
See recipe card for quantities.
🔪Instructions
- Step 1: Sauté veggies in butter for 5 minutes; add flour and stir to combine; slowly add broth and sherry; stir well until mixture begins to bubble.
- Step 2: Slowly add milk and cook until thickened, stirring constantly.
- Step 3: Add turkey and spaghetti; stir to combine.
- Step 4: Mix breadcrumbs ingredients and sprinkle over casserole; bake.
Hint: Add only half of the flour (2 tbsp) at first. If the sauce isn't thick enough, add the rest when you add the milk. If you choose to omit the cooking sherry, only use 2 tablespoon flour total for the recipe since there won't be as much liquid.
🥣Substitutions
- Onion - 1 teaspoon onion powder can be used instead
- Protein - turkey is best, but you can also use leftover chicken, rotisserie chicken, or ham
- Noodles - egg noodles can be used instead of spaghetti
📖Variations
- Spicy - add red pepper flakes or a dash of cayenne to the sauce
- Crunchy - try mixing crushed Ritz crackers with the butter and parmesan for the topping instead of breadcrumbs
- Roasted Veggies - roasted red peppers and carrots add a smoky depth to the casserole; they can replace the peas
See Beef Ragu Italiano and Marry Me Mushrooms for other noodle dinners with velvety cream sauces that we love!
🍽Equipment
- large saucepan (6 qt or larger); I use an oven-safe saucepan for one less dish as pictured
- medium saucepan (for noodles)
- cutting board and knife
- measuring cups and measuring spoons
- cheese grater
- small, microwave-safe mixing bowl
- 13x9 casserole dish, well greased (transfer mixture to this before topping with breadcrumbs if you don't have a large, oven-safe saucepan)
🍶Storage
Store Turkey Tetrazzini in an airtight container; refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Leftovers can also be frozen in proper packaging; defrost overnight in the fridge.
Reheat leftovers, covered, in a 325°F oven for 20 minutes, or until heated through. You may find it helpful to add a little bit of milk to thin the sauce.
💭Top tip
To avoid noodles from falling apart, cook them to al dente before adding to the casserole. They will soften further in the oven during baking.
🗨️FAQ
The biggest difference is the way the sauce is made. In a tetrazzini dish, flour and butter are heated together to form a roux before adding the milk. Alfredo is a cream sauce thickened with Parmesan
Long strand pasta is the traditional choice, but really any pasta will do. Egg noodles are a good alternative.
This dish is named after a famous opera singer, Luisa Tetrazzini, from the early 1900s. An American chef created a creamy dish in her honor and named it after her. The name is Italian, but the dish is an American comfort food creation.
🥄Related
Looking for more casseroles? Try these:
🍴Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Turkey Tetrazzini:
📋Recipe
Turkey Tetrazzini
Equipment
- large saucepan (6 qt or larger; I use an oven-safe saucepan)
- medium saucepan (for noodles)
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- serrated knife
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- cheese grater
- small, microwave-safe mixing bowl
- 13x9 casserole dish, well greased (transfer mixture to this before topping with breadcrumbs if you don't have a large, oven-safe saucepan)
Ingredients
- 1 cup celery chopped
- 1 cup mushrooms sliced
- 2 cups peas defrost from frozen before adding
- ¼ cup white onion diced
- 3 tablespoon butter
- 2-4 tablespoon flour* see recipe notes
- 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
- ½ cup cooking sherry* see recipe notes
- 3 cups leftover turkey diced
- 4 oz spaghetti, cooked to al dente measurement is for dry spaghetti
- 1 cup Italian breadcrumbs may use plain
- ¼ cup butter melted
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375℉.
- In a large saucepan, sauté celery, mushrooms, peas, and onions in 3 T. butter for 5 minutes over medium heat.
- Add 2 T. flour to create a roux, or thick paste.
- Slowly add broth and sherry (if using); stir until mixture begins to bubble.
- Slowly add evaporated milk; continue to stir until mixture thickens. *Optional to add additional 2 T flour in this step for a thicker sauce; see recipe notes.
- Stir in cooked noodles and leftover turkey.
- If not using oven-safe saucepan, transfer mixture to well greased 13x9 casserole dish.
- Melt the ¼ cup butter in small microwave-safe bowl; stir in breadcrumbs and parmesan. Spoon breadcrumbs mixture over casserole; evenly cover.
- Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until casserole is bubbling. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Please note that nutritional information is provided by a third party service and is intended for guidance purposes only. KitchenReadyBetty.com makes no claims to its accuracy.
Comments
No Comments