Turkey Tetrazzini

Turkey leftovers anyone? Try this classic American turkey casserole – Turkey Tetrazzini – a hearty pasta casserole with sautéed mushrooms, a cheesy creamy sauce, leftover turkey peas and egg noodles.

The original turkey tetrazzini recipe

Tetrazzini is thought to hail from San Francisco, named after a famous early 20th-century opera singer – Luisa Tetrazzini – who lived there for many years.

However, for my mom, turkey tetrazzini is just another way of saying turkey casserole. In her opinion, casseroles are passé; she hasn’t done one in twenty years. (Note to readers – my mom is far from a snob, although she can sound like one at times. Note to my mom’s friends – she loves your casseroles.) Luckily, neither my dad nor I care if something ” in”. or “off”; all we care about is whether we like it or not (and by the way, mom used to make a damn good tuna casserole).

I made this for her the other night and judging by my dad’s three helpings it goes by with flying colors. It’s a great way to use up leftover turkey!

Don’t you have any peas? Try these veggie subs

Green beans
broccoli
Red or green peppers
Leek
artichoke hearts

Prepare turkey tetrazzini ahead of time

If you’ve cooked a whole turkey, this is a great recipe to make with leftover turkey and freeze, adding months to the life of your leftovers.

Follow these steps for easy freezing.

Before placing the ingredients in the casserole dish, line it with foil, using enough foil to allow the foil to come up the sides and over the rims of all sides of the bowl.
Follow steps 1 to 7.
Bake as described in step 8.
Cool the cooked casserole completely.
Cover the cooled casserole dish with a layer of foil and place in the freezer, inside the casserole dish.
Once the casserole is completely frozen, remove it from the casserole dish and wrap tightly in a second layer of foil.
Freeze up to 3 months.

Thaw overnight, remove from foil and return to original casserole dish. Reheat at 375°F for about 30 minutes or until casserole is bubbly.

How to freeze lasagna and other casseroles

CONTINUE READING:

Chilling leftover turkey tetrazzini

Cover leftovers and refrigerate for 3 to 5 days. Reheat individual servings in the microwave or oven at 375°F for about 30 minutes or until casserole is bubbly.

5 more ways to use leftover turkey

Turkey Quinoa Black Bean Casserole
Casserole with sweet potatoes, mushrooms and leftover turkey
Cajun turkey pot pie
Mom’s Turkey Soup
Black bean enchiladas from Turkey

preparation time
30 minutes

cooking time
75 minutes

total time
105 minutes

portions
4
up to 6 servings

12 ounces Mushrooms,sliced (about 4 to 5 cups)
8th tablespoon unsalted butter, divided
1/4 Cup all purpose flour
12 ounces egg noodles, Spaghetti, linguini or other pasta
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 Cup heavy cream
2 cups chicken soup
1/4 Cup dry sherry (or vermouth or dry white wine)
3 cups coarsely chopped cooked Turkey
1 Cup Peas
2/3 Cup grated parmesan, divided
1/3 Cup grated Swiss cheese
2 tablespoon lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Ground nutmeg (Optional)
1/3 Cup fine fresh breadcrumbs (or panko)
Fresh chopped parsley for garnish (optional)

Preheat the oven and boil the water:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Start boiling 2 to 3 liters of water for the pasta. Add 1 teaspoon of salt for every liter of water.
Fry mushrooms:

Cook the mushrooms in 3 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat, stirring, until all the liquid the mushrooms give off has evaporated, 5 to 7 minutes. Put aside.
Make a Roux:

In a large, heavy saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Stir in the flour and cook the mixture over low heat, stirring, for 3 minutes.
Cook pasta:

Now place the noodles in the boiling water that you have heated. Follow package directions and cook until al dente. While the pasta is cooking, continue with the recipe.
Make the sauce:

Place in the saucepan with the butter and flour, slowly stir in the milk, cream, chicken broth and the sherry. Bring to a simmer and cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, about 5 to 8 minutes.
Assemble casserole:

When the noodles are done, drain. In a large bowl, combine the pasta, sauce, mushrooms, turkey, and peas. Stir in 1/3 cup Parmesan and 1/3 cup Swiss cheese. Stir in the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.

Note that if you used unsalted butter and/or unsalted or low-sodium broth, you may need to add more salt than you might expect. Just keep sprinkling it in until it’s seasoned to your liking.

Add a pinch of ground nutmeg if using, again to taste. Transfer the mixture to a buttered 3-quart casserole dish.
Make the topping:

In a small bowl, mix together the remaining 1/3 cup parmesan and breadcrumbs. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the tetrazzini and pat the top with the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, cut into chunks.
Bake:

Bake the tetrazzini on the middle shelf of the oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until bubbly and golden on top.

Garnish individual servings with chopped parsley.