Turkey Tetrazzini Recipe - Belly Full (2024)

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5 from 1 Rating

Published: November 12, 2021Author: Amy

This easy Turkey Tetrazzini recipe is classic comfort food that’s irresistibly creamy, cheesy, and delicious! It’s a great make-ahead meal and freezer-friendly. Also pretty much the most perfect use for leftover Thanksgiving Turkey.

We love this dish all on its own, but also served with some homemade garlic bread, roasted carrots, or a side salad.

Turkey Tetrazzini Recipe - Belly Full (1)

What is Turkey Tetrazzini?

Turkey Tetrazzini is a popular American pasta bake casserole made with diced up turkey (or chicken), vegetables, and a buttery, cream based sauce. Chef Ernest Arbogast debuted this creation at his San Francisco hotel in the 1900’s in honor of the Italian opera star Luisa Tetrazzini.

If making this dish for the very first time, you might be put off by the combination of strange “gloppy” ingredients. But then it cooks up all cheesy and bubbly and you are sold within one bite, finally understanding what all the fuss is about. It’s synonymous with Thanksgiving, since it’s the perfect casserole to use up leftovers, but you can definitely make this all year round or sub the turkey with chicken and make chicken tetrazzini instead.

Turkey Tetrazzini Recipe - Belly Full (2)

Easy Turkey Tetrazzini Recipe

Here’s what you’ll need to make it:
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for measurements and details.)

  • Pasta: We use spaghetti, but you can make this with any kind of noodles. It’s important to cook them al dente, because they will continue cooking as the casserole bakes and you don’t want the noodles to end up mushy.
  • Turkey: Put that leftover Thanksgiving turkey to use here! Light or dark meat are both delicious. Dice or shred, depending on your preference.
  • Sauce: This is one of the few recipes I make which incorporates cream of canned goods. I’ve made a couple completely from scratch versions and just didn’t like them as much. Bonus, this way is quicker! You’ll also need low-sodium chicken broth, sherry, melted butter, and sour cream.
  • Seasonings: Salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
  • Cheese: A trifecta of shredded mozzarella, cheddar, and Parmesan is delish!
  • Peas and carrots: We love sweet peas and carrots in this casserole for flavor and color.

How to Make Turkey Tetrazzini

This dish only has a few simple steps and the prep is super easy. Here’s a brief summary:
(For all the details, scroll down to the complete printable recipe card and don’t miss the video below.)

  1. Start by dicing up the cooked turkey.
  2. Cook up the pasta according to package directions, al dente.
  3. Combine the sauce ingredients and spices until fully incorporated. Mix in the turkey, pasta, peas and carrots.
  4. Pour the mixture into a greased 9×13 casserole dish, sprinkle with the cheeses.
  5. Cover and bake for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 15.
  6. Let is rest for 5 minutes or so and dig in!
Turkey Tetrazzini Recipe - Belly Full (3)

Make Ahead and Storing Leftovers

  • Can Turkey Tetrazzini be made ahead of time? Yes! This is a fantastic make-ahead meal. Make as instructed, but instead of baking, cover the casserole tightly with foil and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When ready to bake, remove from fridge and add about 15 minutes onto the baking time.
  • How to freeze Turkey Tetrazzini: Prep according to the recipe in a freezer-safe casserole dish, cover tightly in plastic wrap and again in foil and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and then bake accordingly.
  • How to store leftovers: allow any leftovers to cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

More Ways to Use Leftover Turkey:

  • Add some to this Mushroom Rice and make a meal out of it.
  • Make a Turkey Apple Pasta Salad.
  • Cranberry-Turkey Enchiladas are a must!
  • Swap out the chicken for turkey in these Chicken Pot Pie Crescent Bundles.
  • Put some in Chicken Noodle Soup.

I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full onTikTok,Facebook,Instagram,Pinterest, andYouTube!

Turkey Tetrazzini Recipe - Belly Full (4)

Turkey Tetrazzini

5 from 1 Rating

This easy Turkey Tetrazzini recipe is classic comfort food that's irresistibly creamy, cheesy, and delicious! It's a great make-ahead meal and freezer-friendly. Also pretty much the most perfect use for leftover Thanksgiving Turkey.

Print Recipe Rate Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings: 8

Ingredients

  • 10 ounce can reduced-sodium cream of celery soup (not diluted – no water added)
  • 10 ounce can reduced-sodium cream of mushroom soup (not diluted – no water added)
  • 2 cups sour cream
  • 1/2 cup butter , melted
  • 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon dry sherry
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas and carrots (does not need to be thawed)
  • 2 1/2 cups chopped or shredded leftover cooked turkey
  • 1 pound spaghetti , cooked al dente
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
  • Fresh chopped parsley , for garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray, set aside.

  • In large bowl whisk together both soups, sour cream, butter, chicken broth, sherry, salt, pepper, and garlic powder until combined.

  • Stir in the peas and carrots, turkey, and cooked spaghetti; toss to combine until fully coated.

  • Pour mixture into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with the cheeses.

  • Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes, then remove foil and continue baking for another 15 minutes until cheese is melted and casserole is hot throughout.

  • Remove from oven and sprinkle with parsley. Let stand 5-10 minutes.

  • Serve and enjoy!

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 661kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 136mg | Sodium: 843mg | Potassium: 718mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1840IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 295mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and any changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are very important to you, I would recommend calculating them yourself.

Other Notes

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: turkey leftovers, turkey tetrazzini recipe

Did you make this recipe?Snap a picture and mention @bellyfullblog!

Turkey Tetrazzini Recipe - Belly Full (2024)

FAQs

What is Tetrazzini sauce made of? ›

The basis of Tetrazzini sauce is a béchamel sauce. While a basic béchamel is made with just butter, flour and milk, for Tetrazzini, we dial up the deliciousness by adding chicken stock (for flavour), cream (for richness) and cheese (a good thing in anything!).

Why is Tetrazzini called Tetrazzini? ›

It is supposedly named for Italian opera singer Luisa Tetrazzini, and was made by the chef at her hotel in the early 1900s.

What is turkey Tetrazzini made of? ›

Try this American classic turkey casserole—turkey Tetrazzini—a hearty pasta bake that includes sautéed mushrooms, a cheesy creamy sauce, leftover turkey, peas, and egg noodles.

What is a chunky pasta sauce called? ›

Marinara sauce is only cooked for about 30 minutes, not enough time to break down the tomatoes, so it's chunky and a bit watery. In addition to the base ingredients, other spices like oregano, black pepper and red pepper flakes can be added for more flavor, as is common in the United States.

What is tetrazzini in English? ›

a hodgepodge; confused medley; jumble. an extensive array or variety. total obscuration in an eclipse.

What is the difference between tetrazzini and a La King? ›

Usually served with chicken, a dish served à la king generally consists of a cream sauce flavored with wine, mushrooms, peas and other vegetables served over rice, noodles, or with bread. While it does bear a resemblance to tetrazzini, tetrazzini gets the distinct pleasure of containing cheese.

Who created turkey Tetrazzini? ›

The book San Francisco: A Food Biography does a deep-dive into the history of the dish, noting that the Palace Hotel in San Francisco, helmed by Chef Ernest Arbogast in 1905, is the person who was so inspired by Luisa Tetrazzini that he created the dish and named it after her.

Where did turkey Tetrazzini come from? ›

There are various stories about the origin of the dish. One story, probably the best known, has it that the dish was invented by Ernest Arbogast, then chef at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco, California, where the singer lived for many years.

When was turkey Tetrazzini invented? ›

The original dish is named after the Italian opera star Luisa Tetrazzini. It is widely believed to have been invented circa 1908–1910 by Ernest Arbogast, the chef at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco, where Tetrazzini made her American debut at the Tivoli as Gilda in Rigoletto on January 11, 1905.

What country is tetrazzini from? ›

Chicken Tetrazzini is an American dish. It's unclear which chef, but a chef, created it in honor of Italian opera singer Luisa Tetrazzini when she debuted as Gilda in Rigoletto in San Francisco in 1905.

What is pasta called in turkey? ›

Manti is usually eaten as a main dish. Minced chicken and quail meats are also used to prepare mantı in some regions of Turkey. Homemade pasta is called "erişte" in Turkey.

Why don t Italians like chicken in pasta? ›

It's no big deal in British and American kitchens, but pasta with chicken is unheard of in Italy. It could be because the texture of chicken is too similar to cooked pasta, or maybe it's just because that's not what Nonna used to do, but chicken is kept strictly to the secondo, or second course.

What is the main ingredient in a casserole? ›

In the United States, a casserole or hot dish is typically a baked food with three main components: pieces of meat (such as chicken or ground meat) or fish (such as tuna) or other protein (such as beans or tofu), various chopped or canned vegetables (such as green beans or peas), and a starchy binder (such as flour, ...

How do you use Tetrazzini in a sentence? ›

The restaurant was full of people enjoying a plate of turkey tetrazzini. Turkey tetrazzini is a great way of using up leftover turkey.

What is pasta and tomato sauce called? ›

Marinara sauce is tomato-based and is seasoned with classic Italian flavors like basil, oregano and garlic. It's an incredibly versatile sauce; use it to make lasagna or chicken parmesan, serve it with meatballs or even just use for dunking mozzarella sticks.

What is traditional pasta sauce made of? ›

Marinara sauce, or pasta sauce is a slow-simmered sauce that is often made with tomatoes, garlic, and herbs. In America, we often refer to marinara as a meatless, tomato-based sauce. Spaghetti sauce is essentially any sauce that you put on spaghetti.

What is Italian spaghetti sauce called? ›

The marinara sauce that most are familiar with today is more of an Italian-American rendition than the "mariner-style" sauce that was used back in the day. Because marinara pasta sauce has relatively few ingredients, it can be used as the base of other more complex sauces.

References

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