Use leftover turkey in this easy turkey casserole! Creamy Turkey Tetrazzini is full of pasta, vegetables and a homemade parmesan sauce.
This easy turkey recipe will soon become a family favorite! It uses pre-cooked turkey (hello there Thanksgiving turkey) and is ready in less than 45 minutes.
Is turkey healthy?
About 95% of us Americans eat turkey for Thanksgiving dinner. And guess what? It’s good for you too! Turkey is:
- low in fat
- high in B vitamins
- packed with lean protein
And it’s illegal for hormones or steroids to be added to turkey. How’s that for healthy?
What is turkey tetrazzini?
Tetrazzini is an American comfort food that has diced meat (in this case turkey), pasta, and vegetables in a creamy, buttery cheese sauce.
Tetrazzini is traditionally topped with cheese, but we take our topping a step further and add crushed butter crackers too. The kids love when I do this!
What is tetrazzini sauce?
Tetrazzini sauce is a butter & milk based sauce. You first form a roux with butter and flour, then you add in milk.
It’s only 5 ingredients:
- butter
- flour
- milk
- turkey broth
- parmesan cheese
It’s really easy to make if you just take your time!
How to Make Turkey Tetrazzini
Although we will give you the exact instructions we used to make this turkey casserole, feel free to use leftovers that you have on hand from Thanksgiving dinner:
- leftover veggies
- turkey stock
- top it with dressing bread cubes for a twist!
Here’s the steps to making a delicious turkey tetrazzini:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a 9×13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Cook pasta according to package and drain when finished. If you have leftover pasta, this recipe is super quick!
- Place the cooked, diced turkey in a large bowl. Season the turkey with seasoned salt. Mix and set aside.
- Add 2 tablespoons butter to a skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms, onions and thyme. Cook about 3 minutes or until mushrooms are slightly softened. Place in a bowl with turkey.
- In the same skillet, add 3 tablespoons of butter. Whisk in flour then whisk in milk and turkey broth. Let simmer for 3-4 minutes to thicken. Stir in ½ cup of parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
- Stir together pasta, vegetables, mushroom mixture, turkey and cheese sauce. Place in the prepared baking dish and top with remaining cheese and crushed butter crackers.
- Bake until top is golden brown about 17-20 minutes. (If the pasta is cold, this may take up to 30 minutes to heat through.)
- Serve warm.
Can you freeze turkey tetrazzini?
Yes! This tetrazzini casserole is a great freezer meal. While you are making one, go ahead and make two and freeze one.
Here’s how to do it:
Put the casserole together but don’t sprinkle the cracker crumbs on. We recommend using a foil pan for the freezer. Wrap the casserole in plastic wrap, then wrap again with foil. Freeze for 2-3 months.
When you are ready to serve the casserole:
Remove the casserole from the freezer at least a day before you’d like to bake it. The casserole bakes best if it is mostly thawed.
Bake as the recipe states, but you may need to bake longer if the casserole is still slightly frozen.
Remember…the casserole just needs to be heated through since the turkey was already cooked.
What to Serve with Turkey Tetrazzini
Since this has protein, pasta and veggies, this is really a one-dish meal if you’d like! If you’re looking to add more, try one of these comforting sides:
Other Turkey Recipes You’ll Love
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Turkey Tetrazzini
Ingredients
- 8 ounces spaghetti
- 1 pound turkey cooked and diced small
- ½ teaspoon seasoned salt
- 5 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup cremini mushrooms* diced in small chunks
- ½ cup diced onion
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup turkey broth
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 cup frozen vegetable mix (peas, green beans, carrots, corn)
- 1/2 cup crushed butter crackers
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a 9×13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Cook pasta according to package and drain when finished.
- Place the cooked, diced turkey in a large bowl. Season the turkey with seasoned salt. Mix and set aside.
- Add 2 tablespoons butter to a skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms, onions and thyme. Cook about 3 minutes or until mushrooms are slightly softened. Place in a bowl with turkey.
- In the same skillet, add 3 tablespoons of butter. Whisk in flour then whisk in milk and turkey broth. Let simmer for 3-4 minutes to thicken. Stir in ½ cup of parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
- Stir together pasta, vegetables, mushroom mixture, turkey and cheese sauce. Place in the prepared baking dish and top with remaining cheese and crushed butter crackers.
- Bake until top is golden brown about 17-20 minutes. (If the pasta is cold, this may take up to 30 minutes to heat through.)
- Serve warm.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Yum! I followed the recipe except I used canned mushrooms, frozen onions, and only peas. Family approved!