Quick and Easy Turkey Tetrazzini

Turkey Tetrazzini recipe

 The Spruce Eats

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 55 mins
Total: 75 mins
Servings: 6 to 8 servings

Though the dish sounds very Italian, tetrazzini is actually an American dish that was purportedly named after American opera singer Luisa Tetrazzini. It is commonly made with turkey or chicken, spaghetti, and a creamy Parmesan cheese sauce which is made with the addition of sherry. Mushrooms are usually included in the dish as well. Turkey, chicken, tuna, salmon, and ham are some of the many possible variations on the dish, and different cheeses may be used in the sauce.

Turkey Tetrazzini has long been a favorite way to use leftover turkey. But you don't have to wait for a major holiday dinner to make this tasty dish. Make it with diced cooked chicken or cook a simple turkey breast or turkey tenderloins to use in the dish.

The combination of pasta, cheeses, turkey, and Parmesan is delicious. This version is a shortcut version made with condensed cream of mushroom soup instead of the more traditional white sauce.

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces thin spaghetti, broken into 3-inch lengths

  • 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheesedivided

  • 6 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, divided

  • 2 to 3 cups diced cooked turkey

  • 2 tablespoons pimientos, diced, optional

  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

  • 4 ounces mushrooms, sliced

  • 1/4 cup chopped onions

  • 1 (10.5-ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup

  • 1/2 cup chicken stock

  • 1/4 cup dry sherry

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients and preheat the oven to 350 F/180 C/Gas 4.

    Turkey Tetrazzini recipe ingredients

     The Spruce Eats

  2. Grease a 2 1/2- to 3-quart casserole dish.

    blue casserole dish

     The Spruce Eats

  3. Cook the spaghetti in boiling salted water following the package directions. Drain well.

  4. In a large bowl, combine the cooked and drained spaghetti with 1 cup of cheddar cheese and 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan cheese. 

    cooked spaghetti in white bowl

     The Spruce Eats

  5. Add the diced turkey and pimientos. 

    Diced turkey and pimientos on cooked spaghetti in white bowl

     The Spruce Eats

  6. In a skillet or saute pan, melt butter and sauté the mushrooms and onions until they are tender and most of the liquid has evaporated; add to the turkey mixture along with remaining ingredients including the cream of mushroom, chicken stock, and dry sherry. Taste and add salt and pepper, as needed. Gently stir to combine ingredients.

    diced meat added to bowl

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  7. Transfer the mixture to the prepared casserole and sprinkle with remaining cheddar and Parmesan cheeses.

    Mixture in prepared casserole and sprinkle with cheddar and Parmesan cheeses.

     The Spruce Eats

  8. Cover the baking dish with a lid or foil and bake for about 45 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

    baking dish covered with foil

     The Spruce Eats

  9. If desired, place the casserole under the broiler (high heat) for about 4 to 6 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned.

    Cooked Turkey Tetrazzini

     The Spruce Eats

  10. Serve and enjoy!

Glass Bakeware Warning

Do not use glass bakeware when broiling or when a recipe calls to add liquid to a hot pan, as glass may explode. Even if it states oven-safe or heat resistant, tempered glass products can, and do, break occasionally.

Variations

  • Parmesan and Bread Crumb Topping: Omit 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese for the topping and replace it with 1 cup of soft fine bread crumbs tossed with 2 tablespoons of melted butter and the remaining 4 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle the bread crumb and Parmesan cheese mixture over the casserole and bake as directed.
  • Chicken or Ham Tetrazzini: Replace the turkey with diced cooked chicken or ham, or a combination of both.
  • Vegetarian Tetrazzini: Replace the turkey with 3 to 4 cups of broccoli and/or cauliflower florets and use vegetable broth instead of chicken stock. Extra mushrooms may be added as well.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
324 Calories
17g Fat
17g Carbs
25g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 324
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 17g 21%
Saturated Fat 8g 38%
Cholesterol 87mg 29%
Sodium 616mg 27%
Total Carbohydrate 17g 6%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 25g
Vitamin C 1mg 5%
Calcium 253mg 19%
Iron 1mg 8%
Potassium 323mg 7%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)