Turkey Tetrazzini Recipe (2024)

By Laura

Posted Nov 20, 2022, Updated Feb 15, 2024

5 from 3 votes

1 Comment

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This turkey tetrazzini recipe is a delicious way to use up leftover roast turkey from the holidays. Spaghetti, turkey broccoli and cheese are tossed in a from-scratch sauce (no canned soups), and baked until bubbly.

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We often find ourselves with lots of leftover Thanksgiving turkey, and after a few meals I try to find new ways to use it – like this turkey tetrazzini recipe (and of course, turkey pot pie and the best turkey cranberry sandwich).

This turkey tetrazzini includes a rich & cheesy from-scratch sauce, which means no canned soup! It’s a hearty main dish that your whole family will love, and a nice change of pace from eating Thanksgiving leftovers for every meal.

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Turkey Tetrazzini: Ingredients & Substitutions

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  • Spaghetti. We use regular spaghetti noodles but really any shape of pasta works well in this recipe. I also have used chickpea pasta (gluten-free) with great results.
  • Salted butter. Unsalted butter works well too.
  • Minced garlic. Fresh or jarred are great choices.
  • All-purpose flour. Gluten-free all-purpose flour works well.
  • Chicken broth. If you have homemade turkey broth from your leftovers definitely use it in this recipe.
  • Whole milk. You need 2 cups of liquid dairy. Half and half is a great substitute for whole milk. Or you can use 1 cup whole milk, 1 cup heavy cream.
  • Broccoli. I use frozen broccoli because it’s easy. Fresh broccoli cut in small pieces works well too. If you don’t love broccoli you can substitute your favorite vegetable(s) or simply omit it.
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How to Make Turkey Tetrazzini

We’ll walk through how to make turkey tetrazzini step-by-step, and don’t forget to watch the video.

Begin this recipe by cooking the spaghetti. First, break the spaghetti noodles in half.

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Then, cook the noodles according to package instructions in salted water. Drain and set aside in a large bowl but do not rinse.

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Make the sauce

While the spaghetti is cooking, make the sauce. Begin by melting butter in a large stockpot.

Then, add the onion and garlic and cook until onion is soft (about 4 minutes).

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Next, add the flour, sea salt and pepper and whisk to combine. Then, cook for 30-60 seconds until the mixture starts bubbling.

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Then, add chicken broth (or turkey broth), whole milk and Italian seasoning, whisk to combine, and cook until the mixture just starts to thicken (it will boil).

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Once the mixture is thickened, whisk in 1 cup parmesan cheese and 1 cup mozzarella cheese until melted.

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Assemble

Turn off the heat, and add the spaghetti, broccoli and turkey to the sauce and stir to combine.

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Combine the topping ingredients in a medium bowl.

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Then, pour the turkey tetrazzini mixture into the prepared 9×13″ baking dish and evenly spread the mixture over the top of the tetrazzini in the pan.

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Bake

Cover and bake for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake an additional 5-10 minutes until the top is lightly browned and the filling is bubbly.

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Serve

Serve warm with a garnish of fresh parsley (if desired). The great thing about this turkey tetrazzini is that it’s a full meal on is own.

Sometimes we like to serve it with some homemade bread (homemade french bread, no knead bread, or homemade dinner rolls) and a green salad like this kale salad or burrata salad.

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Store/Freeze

Store leftover turkey tetrazzini in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Reheat in the microwave or in the oven.

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Turkey Tetrazzini Recipe FAQs

What is Turkey Tetrazzini made of?

This recipe includes a homemade sauce made of milk, cheese, butter, & spices, as well as leftover turkey, broccoli and spaghetti.

Can I halve this recipe?

Yes, to make a smaller amount halve the ingredients and bake in a 9×9″ or 8×8″ pan.

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Turkey Tetrazzini Recipe (19)

Turkey Tetrazzini Recipe (20)

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Turkey Tetrazzini Recipe

Laura

This turkey tetrazzini recipe is a delicious way to use up leftover roast turkey from the holidays. Spaghetti, turkey broccoli and cheese are tossed in a from-scratch sauce (no canned soups), and baked until bubbly.

5 from 3 votes

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Servings 16 servings

Calories 286

Prep Time20 minutes minutes

Cook Time30 minutes minutes

Total Time50 minutes minutes

Ingredients

Topping

  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese
  • ¼ cup parmesan cheese
  • ¼ cup breadcrumbs

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9×13” baking dish.

  • Break spaghetti noodles in half, then cooking according to package instructions in salted water. Drain and set aside in a large bowl but do not rinse.

  • While spaghetti is cooking, make the sauce.

  • In a large stockpot melt butter.

  • Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is soft (about 4 minutes).

  • Add flour, sea salt and pepper and whisk to combine. Cook for 30-60 seconds until mixture starts bubbling.

  • Add chicken broth, whole milk and Italian seasoning and whisk to combine. Cook until the mixture just starts to thicken (it will boil).

  • Whisk in 1 cup parmesan cheese and 1 cup mozzarella cheese until melted.

  • Turn off the heat, and add the spaghetti, broccoli and turkey to the sauce and stir to combine.

  • Pour the tetrazzini mixture into the prepared 9×13” baking dish.

  • Combine 1 cup mozzarella, ¼ cup parmesan cheese and ¼ cup breadcrumbs in a medium bowl.

  • Evenly spread the mixture over the top of the tetrazzini in the pan.

  • Cover and bake for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake an additional 5-10 minutes until the top is lightly browned and the filling is bubbly.

Video

Notes

Ingredient Substitutions

  • Spaghetti. We use regular spaghetti noodles but really any shape of pasta works well in this recipe. I also have used chickpea pasta (gluten-free) with great results.
  • Salted butter. Unsalted butter works well too.
  • Minced garlic. Fresh or jarred are great choices.
  • All-purpose flour. Gluten-free all-purpose flour works well.
  • Chicken broth. If you have homemade turkey broth from your leftovers definitely use it in this recipe.
  • Whole milk. You need 2 cups of liquid dairy. Half and half is a great substitute for whole milk. Or you can use 1 cup whole milk, 1 cup heavy cream.
  • Broccoli. I use frozen broccoli because it’s easy. Fresh broccoli cut in small pieces works well too. If you don’t love broccoli you can substitute your favorite vegetable(s) or simply omit it.

Store/Freeze

Store leftover turkey tetrazzini in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Reheat in the microwave or in the oven.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.75cup | Calories: 286kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 544mg | Potassium: 290mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 480IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 234mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you enjoy this recipe? Have a question? Leave a comment below!

Try these recipes

Roast Turkey Recipe

Turkey Cranberry Sandwich

Healthy Turkey Meatballs

Healthy Turkey Chili Recipe

Leftover Turkey Pot Pie

Healthy Turkey Meatloaf

Turkey Tetrazzini Recipe (2024)

FAQs

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.

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.

Why is Tetrazzini called Tetrazzini? ›

The dish is named after the Italian opera star Luisa Tetrazzini. The origins of tetrazzini are widely disputed. Some accounts ascribe tetrazzini as a creation of Auguste Escoffier.

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!).

What wine is best for turkey Tetrazzini? ›

Serve it with leftover Thanksgiving wine, especially a rosé, a nice crisp white, or even champagne. Put on some music – Tetrazzini was famous for her interpretations of Verdi's La Traviata and Bellini's La Sonnambula– and raise a glass to those who have left us a legacy to be thankful for, whatever it might be.

What is Tetrazzini in English? ›

adjective. (often lowercase) served over pasta with a cream sauce, often flavored with sherry, sprinkled with cheese, and browned in the oven: chicken Tetrazzini.

What is the best side dish in the world? ›

30 best side dishes
  • Cauliflower cheese.
  • Epic summer salad.
  • Quick kimchi.
  • Roasted carrots.
  • Easy pilau rice.
  • Ultimate roast potatoes.
  • Giant couscous & tomato salad with zhoug-style dressing.
  • Best ever macaroni cheese.

What is a side dish called? ›

A side dish, sometimes referred to as a side order, side item, or simply a side, is a food item that accompanies the entrée or main course at a meal.

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.

Where does Tetrazzini originate? ›

It was widely believed to have been created by Louis Abargast in 1908 at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco. Other sources claim it came from the Knickerbocker Hotel in New York in 1908. The original recipe resembles the recipe I'm sharing here though it was richer, typical of the era.

What is turkey casserole made of? ›

Mix turkey, celery, pimento peppers, almonds, and salt into mushroom soup mixture; cook and stir until heated through, about 5 minutes. Pour mixture into a 2-quart casserole dish; top with bread crumbs and Cheddar cheese. Bake in the preheated oven until casserole is bubbling and cheese is melted, 30 to 40 minutes.

Why is it called killer spaghetti? ›

The name assassina, which means killer, refers not to the felony, but rather the risottatura cooking technique that cooks pasta like risotto. Instead of boiling the spaghetti, it's cooked directly in the pan by consistently adding water to it each time the pasta absorbs it.

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.

Why is spaghetti called spaghetti? ›

Noodles made of wheat and eggs were known in the Mediterranean world in antiquity, but the pasta we know as spaghetti—which takes its name from the Italian spaghetto, “l*ttle cord”—was probably introduced to Sicily by the island's Arab conquerors in the 8th century.

What is spatch cooked turkey? ›

Spatchco*cking is a non-gimmicky way to get you to perfectly cooked turkey—fast. Also known as butterflying, the technique involves removing the backbone and flattening the bird for cooking.

What is the meaning of Tetrazzini? ›

Tetrazzini in American English

(ˌtetrəˈzini, Italian ˌtetʀɑːtˈtsini) adjective. (often lc) served over pasta with a cream sauce, often flavored with sherry, sprinkled with cheese, and browned in the oven.

What is turkey dish made of? ›

A typical serving consists of cheese (beyaz peynir, kaşar, etc.), butter, olives, eggs, muhammara, tomatoes, cucumbers, jam, honey, and kaymak, sucuk (optionally spicy Turkish sausage), pastırma, börek, simit, poğaça, açma, fried dough (known as pişi), as well as soups are eaten as a morning meal in Turkey.

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