Turkey Tetrazzini

Your new favorite leftover turkey recipe! This Easy Turkey Tetrazzini recipe is a leftover turkey casserole with soft egg noodles, chock-full of flavor from mushrooms, peas, and a creamy, cheesy sauce.

Thanksgiving leftovers are one of the best parts of the holiday, and it’s even better when you can make something a little new and different the next day. Turkey Tetrazzini casserole is the perfect easy meal that’s flavorful, comforting, and perfect for an easy lunch or dinner. This leftover turkey casserole is a crowd-pleaser that your family will love.

This leftover turkey recipe starts with a creamy sauce with Italian seasonings, lemon, and two different kinds of cheeses. It gets mixed with turkey, mushrooms, and peas, and then baked with hot egg noodles and topped with crunchy, buttery breadcrumbs. This easy turkey tetrazzini is the perfect answer to what to make with leftover turkey!

What is tetrazzini?

Tetrazzini is an American casserole typically consisting of turkey, chicken, or tuna, baked with pasta in a creamy béchamel sauce, with mushrooms and a crunchy topping. According to Wikipedia, the dish is thought to be named after an Italian opera singer, Luisa Tetrazzini, who was a long-time resident of San Francisco, California. A hotel chef in San Francisco named Ernest Arbogast is said to have created and named the dish after Tetrazzini.

Turkey Tetrazzini Recipe Ingredients

Here’s everything you need to make my easy leftover turkey recipe:

• 12 oz egg noodles
• cooking spray
• 8 tbsp butter, divided
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 tbsp all purpose flour
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 tsp italian seasoning
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 3 cups turkey meat, cooked and shredded
• 6 oz canned sliced mushrooms
• 3/4 cup frozen peas
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup mozzerella cheese
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

How to Make Turkey Tetrazzini

Here are the steps for making Turkey Tetrazzini:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
3. Cook egg noodles in a large pot, according to package instructions. Strain and set aside.
4. Add 4 tbsp of butter to a large skillet with diced onion. Cook on medium-high until translucent.
5. Add flour and whisk until a thick paste forms.
6. Slowly add chicken broth and then milk, whisking until smooth and creamy.
7. Mix in italian seasoning, nutmeg, and lemon juice.
8. Mix in turkey, mushrooms, peas, and cheeses. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
9. Add in cooked egg noodles and gently mix to combine. Add to casserole dish and smooth into an even layer.
10. In another saute pan, melt remaining 4 tbsp butter over medium-high heat. Add breadcrumbs and cook until golden, stirring constantly. Remove from pan immediately so they don’t continue to brown in the hot pan.
11. Sprinkle breadcrumbs evenly over top of the casserole.
12. Bake for about 30 minutes, until bubbling and heated through.

Side Dishes for Turkey Tetrazzini

This casserole would be great alongside traditional Thanksgiving sides like Southern Sweet Potato Casserole, Squash Casserole, or Mashed Potatoes. And try it with Caramel Apple Cake or Pumpkin Dump Cake for dessert!

I hope you love this idea for what to do with leftover turkey. Let me know if you love to create new dishes out of leftovers too!

Turkey Tetrazzini

Kristen King

Perfect for using up leftover turkey, this Turkey Tetrazzini recipe has comforting noodles and a creamy, cheesy sauce.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 12 servings

Calories 295 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 12 oz egg noodles
• cooking spray
• 8 tbsp butter divided
• 1 small onion diced
• 2 tbsp all purpose flour
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 tsp italian seasoning
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 3 cups turkey meat cooked and shredded
• 6 oz canned sliced mushrooms
• 3/4 cup frozen peas
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup mozzerella cheese
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped (for garnish)

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
• Cook egg noodles in a large pot, according to package instructions. Strain and set aside.
• Add 4 tbsp of butter to a large skillet with diced onion. Cook on medium-high until translucent.
• Add flour and whisk until a thick paste forms. Slowly add chicken broth and then milk, whisking until smooth and creamy.
• Mix in italian seasoning, nutmeg, and lemon juice.
• Mix in turkey, mushrooms, peas, and cheeses.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Add in cooked egg noodles and gently mix to combine.
• Transfer to a casserole dish and smooth into an even layer.
• In another saute pan, melt remaining 4 tbsp butter over medium-high heat. Add breadcrumbs and cook until golden, stirring constantly. Remove from pan immediately so they don’t continue to brown in the hot pan. Sprinkle breadcrumbs evenly over top of the casserole.
• Bake for about 30 minutes, until bubbling and heated through.

Keyword casserole, thanksgiving, turkey