Recipe: Thanksgiving Leftovers Turkey Tetrazzini
From the editors and writers of Food & Wine Magazine.
Make this baked pasta dish when you want to use up some of your Thanksgiving leftovers, or any time you want a comforting, cozy meal.
Thanksgiving Leftovers Turkey Tetrazzini
By Chandra Ram
Active Time: 30 mins.
Total Time: 1 hr.
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
8 ounces spaghetti
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, divided
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoon kosher salt, divided
1 small onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup gravy or chicken or turkey stock
2 to 3 cups chicken or turkey stock
6 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 teaspoon freshly ground ground black pepper
1 tablespoon thyme leaves
2 cups chopped cooked turkey
1 cup chopped cooked green beans or brussels sprouts
1 cup shredded Cheddar
1/2 cup grated Parmesan, divided
3/4 cup panko
Instructions:
Step 1: Preheat oven to 375°F. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil and cook spaghetti until not quite al dente, about 2 minutes less than the package instructions. Drain spaghetti and transfer to a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Toss with 1 tablespoon of the butter.
Step 2: While the spaghetti cooks, start the sauce. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and 1 teaspoon salt and cook until mushrooms are lightly browned, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the flour and stir until absorbed, about 1 minute. Whisk in white wine and bring to a boil. Whisk in gravy if using, and 1 cup of stock (or 2 cups if you are not adding gravy). Reduce heat and simmer sauce until it thickens, about 5 minutes, whisking frequently.
Step 3: Whisk in the cream cheese, pepper, thyme, and remaining salt (taste before adding more salt if you are using gravy in your sauce), then stir in turkey, vegetables, Cheddar, and half of the Parmesan. The mixture should be fairly soupy; add more stock if needed to achieve that consistency. Pour turkey mixture over spaghetti and stir to combine. Melt the last tablespoon of butter and add it to a bowl with the panko and remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan. Stir to moisten the panko and cheese with butter, then sprinkle the mixture on top of the spaghetti. Bake casserole until browned on top, about 25 minutes.
Notes
It may seem like you are adding too much liquid to the casserole, but it should look fairly soupy before you put it in the oven. A lot of the liquid will be absorbed while it bakes, and then it will be perfectly creamy when it's done.
FAQs
What goes in turkey tetrazzini?
Turkey tetrazzini is a homey dish that traditionally calls for spaghetti, turkey, and mushrooms baked together in a creamy, cheesy sauce. This recipe takes advantage of leftovers from Thanksgiving, using the cooked turkey, brussels sprouts or green beans, and gravy to make something new.
Can I make this tetrazzini without gravy?
Yes! We called for gravy in the recipe as an option, but you can use an equal amount of chicken or turkey stock instead. Depending on the seasoning in the stock, you may want to add a touch more salt to the tetrazzini if you are not using gravy.
Make ahead
This recipe calls for already cooked turkey, gravy, and vegetables, but is best eaten the day it is made, as the noodles will absorb the sauce. If you do have leftover tetrazzini, reheat it with a splash of milk or cream to smooth out the sauce.
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