Description
Turkey Tetrazzini is a comforting and creamy baked pasta casserole featuring tender turkey, mushrooms, peas, and cheeses combined in a rich white wine and broth sauce. This classic dish is topped with crunchy panko breadcrumbs and baked until golden and bubbly, making it a perfect hearty meal for family dinners or holiday leftovers.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 1 1/2 lb. thin spaghetti, broken in half
Sauce and Filling
- 4 Tbsp. butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lb. white mushrooms, quartered
- 1/2 tsp. salt, plus more to taste
- 1 cup white wine
- 1/3 cup flour
- 4 cups turkey (or chicken) broth, plus more for thinning
- 1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese
- 3 cups cooked turkey, shredded or diced
- 1 cup finely chopped black olives
- 1 1/2 cups frozen green peas
- 4 slices bacon, fried and cut into bits
- 1 cup grated monterey jack cheese
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- Ground black pepper, to taste
Topping
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Boil the spaghetti according to package instructions until it is just shy of al dente. Drain, rinse under cold water to stop cooking, and set aside.
- Sauté mushrooms and garlic: In a large pot, heat butter over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 2 minutes until fragrant. Add quartered mushrooms and salt, sauté another 2 minutes until the mushrooms soften. Pour in white wine and cook until the liquid reduces by half, intensifying the flavor.
- Make the roux and thicken sauce: Sprinkle flour evenly over the mushroom mixture and stir for 1 minute to cook out the flour taste. Gradually pour in turkey broth while stirring to avoid lumps. Continue cooking for a few minutes until the sauce thickens into a smooth, creamy base.
- Add cream cheese and combine fillings: Reduce heat to medium-low. Cut cream cheese into pieces and add to the pot, stirring occasionally to help it melt into the sauce. Once mostly melted, add shredded turkey, chopped olives, frozen peas, bacon bits, monterey jack cheese, and parmesan cheese. Stir everything together, seasoning with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Add cooked spaghetti and adjust moisture: Fold the cooked spaghetti into the sauce mixture. Add extra broth a splash at a time if needed to keep the mixture moist but not soupy, as it will firm up during baking. Up to 2 cups of additional broth can be added if necessary.
- Assemble and bake: Transfer the entire mixture into a large baking dish. Evenly sprinkle panko breadcrumbs on top for a crunchy crust. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 20 minutes or until the casserole is bubbly and the breadcrumbs are golden brown.
Notes
- For best texture, do not overcook the pasta before baking; it should finish cooking in the oven.
- Use leftover cooked turkey or chicken as a convenient protein option.
- Adjust salt and pepper at the end after all ingredients are combined to avoid over-seasoning.
- White wine adds depth to the sauce but can be substituted with more broth if preferred.
- Panko breadcrumbs create a crispy topping; regular breadcrumbs can be used but the texture will differ.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 430
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 620mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0.3g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
