Turkey tetrazzini is a delicious pasta dish with a creamy sauce and cheese melted on top. This classic comfort meal is easy to make with less than 10 ingredients!
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Easy Leftover Turkey Recipe
If you’re looking for a way to use up that leftover roasted turkey from your Thanksgiving menu, this turkey tetrazzini recipe is the perfect solution! It’s an easy casserole dish that transforms day old turkey into a mouthwatering creamy pasta bake.
It’s easy to make and takes less than 10 ingredients. Plus it’s super comforting and always a family favorite along with this healthy turkey chili. It’s one of my favorite leftover turkey recipes, as well as homemade turkey pot pie or leftover turkey soup.
If you’ve never had turkey tetrazzini, it’s a pasta dish with a creamy sauce and cheese melted on top. Pasta and cheese lovers will go crazy over this delicious dish. It combines the best of both worlds! We love to serve this pasta dish with a big chopped salad and leftover dinner rolls or french bread. Seriously so yummy!
Recipe Ingredients for Turkey Tetrazzini Casserole
Combine all these ingredients together to make the best turkey tetrazzini dish ever! I used up my leftover turkey to create this dish. Add in a few extra ingredients and you have another family dinner that everyone will love!
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Spaghetti: You can use either thin or linguine type of noodle.
- Butter: Salted or unsalted butter works well with this recipe.
- Onion: Finely chop the onion into small pieces. If you have kids that don’t like onions, you can leave them out or use a less amount.
- Garlic: Minced garlic works well. This adds in a hint of flavor.
- Turkey breast: Use up your leftover turkey meat.
- Cream of mushroom soup: This will add in thickness and flavor to your noodles.
- Sour cream: Thickens up the sauce plus helps with the creaminess in the mixture.
- Mozzarella cheese: Shredded mozzarella cheese will give this dish the cheesiest noodles.
- Parmesan cheese: Freshly grated cheese is better but store bought works great too!
How to Make Turkey Tetrazzini
This takes a few dishes to clean but it is well worth the extra work! It is so simple to assemble and comes together quickly. Bake for 30 minutes and enjoy this delicious casserole dish!
- Cook pasta. Cook pasta al dente, according to package directions. Then drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.
- Make the sauce. Melt the butter over medium-heat in a skillet. Add in the chopped onions and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Then add minced garlic and cook an additional minute. Next add in the turkey, cream of mushroom soup and sour cream. If you need to thin the sauce out a little, add in the pasta water.
- Combine. Toss together the sauce and noodles, then pour mixture in a buttered 8×8″ baking dish.
- Bake in the oven. Top with cheese and bake in oven at 350°F for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is bubbly and lightly golden.
Tips and Substitutions
This tetrazzini casserole dish is perfect for using leftovers and having an extra meal during the week. Here are a few tips and variations to help make your casserole even better. Create the best dinner for your family just the way you like it using these ideas!
- Can use homemade cream of mushroom soup if you’d prefer to make your own.
- Can add in 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms with the chopped onions.
- You can also use cooked chicken instead of turkey for a chicken tetrazzini.
- Cook the pasta al dente. Don’t overcook because it will cook even more in the oven. I like to use linguine noodles, but cooked spaghetti or even egg noodles would taste delicious.
- For more texture, feel free to sprinkle some bread crumbs on top.
- You can substitute chopped onions and minced garlic with 1/2 teaspoon both onion powder and garlic powder. Simply mix the seasonings with the melted butter.
- Frozen peas also taste yummy in this dish. Mix them in when you stir together the sauce and noodles.
Recipe FAQs
Tetrazzini is an American dish that is made with diced meat or seafood. It usually has a buttery cream sauce with mushrooms and topped with cheese.
It is known to have been originated in San Francisco. The dish is named after the famous opera singer Luisa Tetrazzini.
Ernest Arbogast who was the chef at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco created the tetrazzini. Now this dish has evolved into several different variations!
How to Freeze Turkey Tetrazzini
This dish makes a great freezer meal. Sometimes I double the recipe and pop one in the freezer for busy weeknights.
- To freeze before baking: Mix together the noodles with the sauce, then pour into a buttered baking dish. Let cool completely, then add cheese on top. Cover tightly with foil or lid and place in the freezer.
- To freeze after baking: Let cool completely, then cover with foil or a lid. Place in freezer until ready to enjoy.
- Reheating: Let thaw in fridge overnight, then bake in oven at 350°F according to directions.
5 star review
“Delicious! Everyone loved it and helped me stretch my meals with out being bored of turkey.”
– Michelle
Are you looking for more casserole dishes?! Try this breakfast casserole, meatball casserole, or this Mexican casserole.
More Baked Pasta Dishes
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Turkey Tetrazzini
Equipment
- 8×8 baking dish
Ingredients
- 8 ounces thin spaghetti , or linguine
- 3 Tablespoons butter
- ½ cup finely chopped onion
- 1-2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2-3 cups cooked turkey breast
- 1 cup cream of mushroom soup , or cream of chicken
- ¾ cup sour cream
- 1/2-1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1-2 Tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
S&P, to taste
Fresh parsley for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 8×8" baking dish and set aside. Cook pasta al dente, according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.
- In a skillet, melt the butter over medium-heat. Add the onions and cook 3-5 minutes. Then add the garlic and cook an additional minute.
- Next add in the turkey, cream of mushroom soup and sour cream. Add in pasta water if need to thin out. Salt and pepper to taste. Toss sauce with noodles and pour into baking dish.
- Sprinkle with cheese and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is bubbly and lightly golden. Top with fresh parsley if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: Casseroles, Dinner, Freezer-Friendly, Freezer-Friendly, Italian, Meal Prep, Nut-Free, Pasta, Thanksgiving
Had leftover turkey and found this recipe. The whole family loved it. Very tasty and so easy.
Yay! That is a success! I’m so glad your family loved them. They are a family favorite of ours as well.
This was delicious! Will definitely make again!
So glad you loved it, Debbie!
I love this recipe and have made it 4x for myself and others. I did add a jar of sliced mushrooms like was recommended at the end of the recipe and I don’t use as much garlic as recommended – about 1/4 of a teaspoon.
I’m so glad you love it! Thanks for your comment and review, Margaret :)
This is delicious made it once. Not enough so i doubled it. This time. Now just wait till its done.
So glad you enjoyed it :)
Easy, tasty……great!
This is absolutely amazing!! My kids loved it for dinner!
Yummy! I love chicken and pasta dishes. This is so easy to make too, can’t wait to eat it.
Oh my goodness this looks wonderful and so delicious! I can’t wait to give this a try! My husband is going to love this!
Delicious! Everyone loved it and helped me stretch my meals with out being bored of turkey.
I’m so glad everyone loved it! :)
Can this be frozen?
Yes, you should be able to freeze it just fine! The texture may change just a bit since it is a cream based recipe.
This is such an amazing turkey recipe!
This is so good and so easy, a definite family favorite!
Such an incredible dish! I can’t wait to try this!
A really great recipe to use up leftover turkey …so easy to make and everyone loves it!
Love that this works so well as a freezer dinner. Saves me time later when life is crazy!
This turkey recipe looks amazing. I can’t wait to try it. Adding it to my menu plan for next week.