Turkey Tetrazzini

February 21, 2022  •  Easy Entrees, One Dish Meals, Pasta & Pizza

I’ve never really loved turkey. I mean, it’s okay, as long as it comes with stuffing, mashed potatoes, and gravy. You know – the real stars of Thanksgiving dinner. So when faced with leftover turkey, it’s always a challenge for me to use it up. I’ve seen some version of this recipe every year after Thanksgiving, yet never made it, until this past year. The recipe I saw called for peas, which I didn’t have on hand, so I substituted some diced zucchini. In hindsight, it would be delicious with some chopped wilted greens stirred in too (spinach, kale, Swiss chard, or beet greens would all work). The casserole is so rich and dense that greens would actually lighten it up. No turkey on hand? Use chopped chicken. No zucchini? Use another green veggie. This is definitely a flexible recipe!

Turkey Tetrazzini
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Recipe type: Entree
Serves: 10 to 12
Ingredients
  • 1 pound spaghetti
  • 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
  • 1 pound cremini mushrooms, quarter
  • 1 zucchini, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • ⅓ cup all-purpose flour (see note)
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 3 cups chicken or turkey stock (see note)
  • 8 ounces light cream cheese, cut into chunks
  • 3 cups chopped cooked turkey
  • 1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
  • 1 cup grated fontina cheese
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 cup bread crumbs
  • 1 cup sliced almonds
Instructions
  1. Heat a large pot of heavily salted water to boiling and add the spaghetti to cook, removing and draining 2 minutes short of the suggested cooking time.
  2. While the pasta is cooking, heat the butter in a large skillet over medium high heat and add the mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they release their moisture and begin to brown. Add the zucchini and continue cooking for a couple of minutes just until the zucchini begins to soften. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
  3. Add the flour to the skillet and stir until it's moistened and sticking to the vegetables. Our in the wine and stir constantly until the flour is incorporated and the mixture thickens. Add the stock and continue stirring until it's thick and bubbly.
  4. Combine the drained pasta with the vegetable mixture, turkey, cheese, and pepper and toss with tongs to combine. Fold into a large baking dish. Mix the bread crumbs and almonds together and spread over the top.
  5. Bake at 375 degrees until bubbly and browned on top, about 30 minutes.
Notes
I found the resulting casserole to be a bit too "tight" and would have liked a slightly creamier sauce. To achieve that, reduce the flour to ¼ cup and increase the stock by ½ or 1 cup, or add some cream or half and half.

 

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