Easy Turkey Tetrazzini Recipe - perfect for that leftover turkey! (2024)

Our EASY TURKEY TETRAZZINI is a creamy casserole loaded with leftover turkey, fresh mushrooms, and cheese. You’ll look forward to leftover turkey when you know you have this casserole waiting on you!

Easy Turkey Tetrazzini Recipe - perfect for that leftover turkey! (1)

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Thanksgiving is upon us and that means one thing: ALL THE LEFTOVER TURKEY. It’s here and it needs to be used up before it goes bad.

It used to stress me out every Black Friday…I have all this turkey and I feel such pressure to use it. Can you relate?

I’ve now gotten a few favorite recipes that we make every year to use up that leftover turkey.

One of them is obviously our hot turkey sandwich. Roasted turkey sandwiched between bread and drowned in gravy? It’s the best!

We also make leftover turkey soup and leftover turkey casserole every year along with this turkey tetrazzini recipe.

These days I buy the biggest bird I can find so that we have loads of leftovers, because now I have so many recipes to use the turkey in!

Easy Turkey Tetrazzini Recipe - perfect for that leftover turkey! (2)

This easy turkey tetrazzini is absolutely packed with creamy, cheesy goodness, fresh mushrooms, and of course…turkey. We love it and I bet you will too!

Did I mention that it’s ready to go in about 40 minutes? I love when comfort food comes together fast!

Table of Contents

Ingredient Notes:

Turkey – This recipe is perfect for using up leftover Thanksgiving turkey! Just shred it up and you’re good to go.

Egg Noodles – You can use either the dried or frozen kind of egg noodles, or even other types of pasta like penne if you don’t have any egg noodles.

Veggies – You’ll chop up some onion and mince some garlic to add a little extra flavor to this dish. Feel free to mix in some peas and carrots, if you want extra veggies!

Mushrooms – A must in turkey tetrazzini!

Cream – You’ll add in a can of cream of celery soup along with some sour cream to really ramp up the creamy flavors in this recipe!

Cheese – Plenty of Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese will get mixed in to finish off the creamy, cheesy sauce.

Seasoning – A little salt, pepper, and onion powder is all you need to perfectly season this dish.

What We Love About This Recipe!

This turkey tetrazzini is an easy leftover recipe that is perfect for using up any remaining Thanksgiving turkey! It’s also easily adapted for using up leftover chicken. It’s creamy, cheesy comfort food!

How To Make Turkey Tetrazzini:

Sauté: To start, you’ll want to sauté some fresh mushrooms, onions, and garlic in a bit of butter. Your house is going to smell divine!You can do this while the pasta boils. Cook the pasta for one minute less than the package instructions call for.

Easy Turkey Tetrazzini Recipe - perfect for that leftover turkey! (3)

Combine: Add the cooked veggies to a large mixing bowl with the cooked egg noodles, leftover turkey, cream of celery soup, and sour cream. Season it up with salt, pepper, and onion powder.

Bake: Spread this creamy goodness into a baking dish and top it off with a mix of mozzarella and Parmesan.

Easy Turkey Tetrazzini Recipe - perfect for that leftover turkey! (4)

This turkey tetrazzini casserole bakes in about 25 minutes. It’ll come out hot, cheesy, bubbly, and delicious!

We sprinkle with fresh herbs before serving…parsley, basil, dill, whatever I have on hand really works great here.

Substitutions:

  • Turkey: Make this recipe all year long using cooked, chopped chicken in place of the turkey! Or make our air fryer turkey breast and use the leftovers here!
  • Cream of Celery:Use cream of mushroom or cream of chicken, if you prefer. You can even use my homemade substitute for cream of chicken soup, if you don’t like the canned goop.
  • Dried Egg Noodles:Use the frozen variety, if you like the thicker cut! You can even swap in macaroni or penne.
  • Mushrooms: There are lots of people who have a strong dislike of mushrooms. If you’re one of those, don’t worry! You can enjoy this dish without them. Maybe add in some veggies like peas or carrots to replace the mushrooms.

FAQs:

What is tetrazzini?

Tetrazzini is a casserole style dish that is generally made from poultry or seafood with mushrooms in a creamy, cheesy sauce. It’s pure comfort food, and perfect for using up leftover turkey or chicken!

Can I store turkey tetrazzini?

Yes, you can store this dish in the fridge for up to 3 days in the fridge.

Can I make this ahead of time?

You could prepare the dish ahead of time and bake the following day. Just follow the steps up until you assemble the casserole and then cover with some foil in the fridge until you’re ready to bake!

Easy Turkey Tetrazzini Recipe - perfect for that leftover turkey! (5)

MORE FAMILY FAVORITE CASSEROLE RECIPES!

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Easy Turkey Tetrazzini Recipe - perfect for that leftover turkey! (6)

Follow me on social for more recipe ideas & inspiration!

Easy Turkey Tetrazzini Recipe - perfect for that leftover turkey! (7)

Recipe

Turkey Tetrazzini

This creamy casserole is the perfect way to use up that leftover turkey!

4.09 from 12 votes

Print Pin Save

Prep20 minutes minutes

Cook25 minutes minutes

Total45 minutes minutes

Serves 6

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces egg noodles
  • ¼ cup butter
  • ½ medium onion diced
  • ½ cup sliced mushrooms
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 cups shredded leftover turkey
  • 10 ounces cream of celery soup
  • 2 cups sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cracked pepper
  • ½ cup mozzarella
  • 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick spray.

  • Boil the pasta 1 minute less than package directions state.

  • While the pasta is cooking, add the butter to a large skillet over medium heat to melt. Add the onions and mushrooms to the skillet and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.

  • Add the vegetables to a large mixing bowl along with the cooked and drained egg noodles.

  • Stir in the turkey, soup, sour cream, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Stir well to combine.

  • Spread mixture into the prepared 9×13 baking dish and sprinkle the top with the mozzarella and Parmesan.

  • Bake for 25 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Tips & Notes:

We use the dry, curly egg noodles in this recipe, but any egg noodles or other type of pasta you like will work in this dish.

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 1| Calories: 516kcal (26%)| Carbohydrates: 36g (12%)| Protein: 21g (42%)| Fat: 33g (51%)| Saturated Fat: 18g (113%)| Cholesterol: 134mg (45%)| Sodium: 1000mg (43%)| Potassium: 406mg (12%)| Fiber: 2g (8%)| Sugar: 5g (6%)| Vitamin A: 1017IU (20%)| Vitamin C: 2mg (2%)| Calcium: 268mg (27%)| Iron: 2mg (11%)

Author: Karly Campbell

Course:Main Course

Cuisine:American

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Easy Turkey Tetrazzini Recipe - perfect for that leftover turkey! (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!).

Which of the following is the most popular way to serve leftover turkey? ›

One of the most classic and beloved ways to enjoy leftover turkey is by making a delicious sandwich. Whether you prefer a simple turkey and mayo combo or a more elaborate creation with cranberry sauce and stuffing, the options are endless.

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 the difference between Tetrazzini and a La King? ›

It turns out the difference is that Chicken Tetrazzini has cheese in it and Chicken à la King does not. In the 1950s, you would open a can of Campbell's cream of mushroom soup, a package of frozen peas, carrots, a can of sliced mushrooms, some Velveeta cheese, and chicken or turkey and voila...an abomination!

What is tetrazzini in English? ›

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

What is cream pasta sauce called? ›

Types of pasta sauce with cream and butter
  • Alfredo. A good alfredo sauce starts with generous amounts of both cream and butter to create a thick, wholesome sauce that pairs well with a long noodle such as linguine. ...
  • Brown butter sauce. ...
  • Burro. ...
  • Cacio e pepe. ...
  • Carbonara.
Feb 2, 2022

How do you make leftover turkey juicy again? ›

Instructions
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 350°F.
  2. Slice the turkey and spread into a baking dish. ...
  3. Cover the turkey with broth and dot with the butter. ...
  4. Reheat in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes. ...
  5. Serving.

How do you make leftover turkey moist? ›

Simply heat your oven to 300 degrees, put the carved meat in a baking dish, and add some chicken broth or turkey stock to the pan. The meat will absorb some of the liquid as it heats, making it nice and juicy. Cover the pan tightly with foil and place it in the oven until the meat is hot, 20 to 30 minutes.

Why does leftover turkey taste different? ›

The flavor is variously described as "rancid," "stale," and like "cardboard," and even compared to "damp dog hair." Warmed-over flavor is caused by the oxidative decomposition of lipids (fatty substances) in the meat into chemicals (short-chain aldehydes or ketones) which have an unpleasant taste or odor.

Why is it called Turkey Tetrazzini? ›

In reality, they're all-American dishes that happen to be named after an Italian opera singer, Luisa Tetrazzini, the enormously popular “Florentine Nightingale” whose career spanned the late 19th and early 20th centuries. There are various stories about the origin of the dish.

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.

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 does Tetrazzini originate 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 Ala King sauce made of? ›

Ingredients. Corn starch, Wheat flour, Salt, Modified milk ingredients, Dehydrated vegetables (onion, carrot, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, garlic), High oleic sunflower oil, Disodium inosinate and disodium guanylate, Natural flavour, Spices and herbs, Citric acid.

Where does the word Tetrazzini come from? ›

In the early years of the 20th century, when the Italian opera star Luisa Tetrazzini was singing to adoring crowds in San Francisco and New York, some enterprising chef got the idea of making an insanely rich pasta dish and naming it for her.

Why is tetrazzini called that? ›

It is indeed an American dish named for an Italian opera star, Luisa Tettrazini, famous at the beginning of the 20th century. 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.

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 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.

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