For real comfort food, try this Turkey Tetrazzini Recipe. It’s a turkey casserole that’s so creamy and delicious, perfect for leftover turkey.
Do you have leftover Thanksgiving turkey and don’t know what to do with it? You absolutely MUST try making this Turkey Tetrazzini.
It is so cheesy and creamy saucy, and we absolutely love it! (If you love easy recipes made with spaghetti noodles – be sure to check out our Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti and our Quick Spaghetti and Meatballs recipes – both made FAST using the Instant Pot.)
This time of year life is too busy for complicated recipes. Fortunately, this pasta is not only perfect for using up all that leftover holiday turkey but is so simple to make – you’ll want to make it year-round.
When it’s cold outside I’m all about the comfort food. I love the smell of something wonderful baking in the oven and then all gathering in the kitchen to serve up something warm and hearty.
Fortunately, this recipe for turkey tetrazzini is perfect for that – turkey, pasta, creamy, cheesy sauce – everything you love all in one casserole dish.
turkey tetrazzini recipe
Here are some commonly asked questions
What is the best way to store leftover turkey tetrazzini?
After serving, place any leftover casserole in a shallow airtight container. Be sure to label with the date before refrigerating. The casserole should keep for up to 3 days.
As with most things, it is important to get food into the refrigerator within 1 hour after serving to prevent bacteria growth.
Why use a shallow container to store the leftovers?
Well, when the container is shallow, the contents chill faster than if you were to use a large, deep container. Ideally, you don’t want it to take too long for the leftovers to get to their chilled/stored temperature.
As I mentioned, if the food remains above about 35 degrees for more than 1 hour after cooking, the bacteria starts to grow.
Can this be made with frozen veggies?
If you’d like to add veggies, that will work, but I don’t recommend adding them in while they are frozen. I prefer canned veggies when adding them to this casserole because it keeps the baking time to a minimum.
But if you must use frozen, just run them under warm water for a few minutes and drain really well before adding to the mixture. You don’t want the added moisture that will be released from frozen veggies or the casserole won’t have the right consistency.
turkey tetrazzini easy
Recipe Tips, Adaptations and Substitutions
- Swap out the cream of mushroom soup with cream of celery or cream of chicken.
- Use sour cream instead of Greek yogurt.
- MAKE THIS WITH LEFTOVER CHICKEN instead of turkey.
- Try alfredo noodles or angel hair pasta.
- Egg noodles will work too.
- Add frozen peas.
- Mix in sauted mushrooms or cooked fresh mushrooms.
- Use cooking wine or white wine instead of water.
- Try chicken or veggie broth instead of water.
- Combine cream cheese and heavy cream in place of the yogurt or sour cream.
- Be sure to use a large pot for making the noodles.
- Bake a couple of extra turkey breasts to have some extra turkey leftovers on hand.
- Add 1 tsp poultry seasoning to the mixture.
- Sprinkle bread crumbs on top before baking.
- This is also great with leftover ham.
- Cheddar cheese on top is great too!
- Serve with a side of cranberry sauce or a green salad.
Can this recipe be doubled?
Yes, you can double this recipe. However, you will have to use 2 casserole dishes to accommodate the volume once everything is mixed together. But you can bake them side-by-side. This might also increase the cooking time – so just keep that in mind.
TIP: Make sure the turkey is cooled – preferably chilled – otherwise the yogurt can curdle during the mixing process.
recipe for turkey tetrazzini
Ingredients for Turkey Tetrazzini
- spaghetti noodles3 cups leftover turkey – shredded or diced
- condensed cream of mushroom soup – without the added water
- plain Greek yogurt
- water
- butter – melted
- grated parmesan cheese
- dried minced onions
- table salt
- black pepper
- granulated garlic
- cayenne pepper
Topping
- shredded mozzarella cheese
- shredded parmesan cheese
- fresh parsley – chopped for garnish
OPTIONAL – add a small can of diced green chiles to the mix for AMAZING flavor!
Can I use fresh chicken?
You sure can. Just cook it beforehand. You can do this by either cutting some boneless, skinless chicken breasts into 1″ pieces and sauteing in a skillet until cooked through.
Or you can cook the chicken breasts whole, either on the grill, baked or boiled, and then shred once cooked.
chicken tetrazzini
How long can you keep leftover turkey tetrazzini?
Leftover turkey tetrazzini can be stored in the refrigerator safely for up to 3-5 days after preparation. It should not be stored in the freezer longer than 4-6 months.
How to Make Turkey Tetrazzini
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
- Prepare a 9×13 casserole dish by spraying with cooking oil – set aside.
- While the oven is preheating – cook the pasta to the package directions for al dente and then drain.
- In a large bowl, combine the leftover turkey, condensed soup, yogurt, water, melted butter, grated parmesan cheese, minced onions, salt, pepper, granulated garlic, and cayenne pepper. Stir well.
- Add the cooked pasta to the mixture and stir until fully incorporated.
- Transfer to the prepared baking dish.
- Top with mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
- Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes or until hot and bubbling.
- Carefully remove the foil and bake for another 15-20 minutes.
- OPT- broil for several minutes until the top is golden.
- Sprinkle with parsley before serving.
How many can this serve?
This will depend greatly on portion sizes & the appetites of your crowd. We typically get 2 nights out of this recipe for our family. (feeding 3-4 adults)
tetrazzini recipe
Can I use cream of chicken soup instead?
Absolutely! We love using cream of mushroom, but you can also use cream of celery, or cream of chicken – whatever we have on hand at the time.
What to serve with this casserole
This is definitely a stand-alone dish, but it is nice to have a little something extra on the side. Here is a list of our favorite recipes to pair with this casserole.
- Garlic Parmesan Pull-Apart Biscuits
- 30-Minute DInner Rolls
- Bacon and Garlic Green Beans
- Cheesy Spinach Crescents
Can turkey tetrazzini be frozen?
Yes, leftover turkey tetrazzini can be frozen. Make the casserole as usual and place individual servings on a cookie sheet before placing it in the coldest part of your freezer.
Once solid, remove from sheet and store together in an airtight container until ready to use.
To serve as leftover turkey tetrazzini, let the frozen casserole thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 1/2 hour or until thoroughly heated through.
recipe for tetrazzini
Products I love when making turkey tetrazzini…
This leftover turkey casserole recipe is SUPER EASY and delicious – and if you’re like me this time of year, then you maybe already have some of these items on hand OR maybe you have never made a casserole before, & you might be a bit nervous – but you’re going to love it. I have made a list below of the things I absolutely can’t live without when it comes to making this easy dinner recipe.
- spaghetti noodles
- condensed cream of mushroom soup
- grated parmesan cheese
- dried minced onions
- granulated garlic
- salt
- pepper
- cayenne pepper
- spatulas
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- mixing bowls
- stock pot
- casserole dish
If you love this Easy Turkey Tetrazzini recipe, you’re going to love these other dinners too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!
Other Casserole-Style Dishes
Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells
Chicken Spinach and Sausage Bubble Up
If you love this recipe for Turkey Tetrazzini as much as I do, please write a five-star review, and be sure to help me share on Facebook and Pinterest!
CONNECT WITH YUMMI HAUS!
Be sure to follow me on my social media, so you never miss a post!
Turkey Tetrazzini
Ingredients
- 12-16 ounces spaghetti noodles depending on the depth of your casserole dish – mine was full with 12 ounces.
- 3 cups leftover turkey – shredded or diced
- 26 ounces condensed cream of mushroom soup – without the added water
- 2 cups plain Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup butter – melted
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tbsp dried minced onions
- 1 tsp table salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp granulated garlic
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper can be reduced to 1/8 tsp or omitted if you don’t like spice
Topping
- 2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley – chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
- Prepare a 9×13 casserole dish by spraying with cooking oil – set aside.
- While the oven is preheating – cook the pasta to the package directions for al dente and then drain.
- In a large bowl, combine the leftover turkey, condensed soup, yogurt, water, melted butter, grated parmesan cheese, minced onions, salt, pepper, granulated garlic, and cayenne pepper. Stir well.
- Add the cooked pasta to the mixture and stir until fully incorporated.
- Transfer to the prepared baking dish.
- Top with mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
- Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes or until hot and bubbling.
- Carefully remove the foil and bake for another 15-20 minutes.
- OPT- broil for several minutes until the top is golden.
- Sprinkle with parsley before serving.
Notes
Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate. Please double-check with your own dietary calculator for the best accuracy. We at Yummi Haus cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.
Reader Interactions
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Share Your Thoughts