The Creamiest Turkey Tettrazini
The creamiest, most delicious tettrazini we've come across.
Anytime there are turkey leftovers in the fridge, it’s hard to resist making Turkey Tettrazini and this recipe happens to be the creamiest, most delicious version we’ve come across. With an easy to make from-scratch sauce and cream cheese, mushrooms, and more mixed in, this recipe for the American classic is as comforting as it is creamy.
It’s said that Tetrazzini originated in San Francisco, and was named after a famous opera singer of the early 1900s who lived in the area — Luisa Tetrazzini. But no matter how the casserole came to be named, its staying power is in the fact that it’s incredibly tasty and the sort of casserole that the whole family seems to fall in love with.
In some versions you might find peas or egg noodles, but ours features spaghetti noodles and mushrooms that are tucked into a creamy sauce that’s accented with mozzarella and some cream cheese. (And of course there’s turkey involved, too.) The cream cheese gives the sauce a silkier feel so it’s thick and velvety when it comes out of the oven.
Our topping is pretty hard to resist – Panko breadcrumbs and Parmesan that get golden brown and perfectly crispy in the oven. Whether you use turkey or chicken, Tettrazini is always a crowd pleaser of a casserole and this version especially so!
The Creamiest Turkey Tettrazini
Ingredients
- 12 ounces dry spaghetti
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 white onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3/4 lb cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 8 oz cream cheese, chopped and softened
- 1 1/3 cups half and half
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 cups turkey, chopped
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 1/2 cup unseasoned Panko breadcrumbs
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray. Set aside.
- Cook spaghetti to al dente according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- In a large pot over medium-high heat, melt butter until foaming subsides. Add mushrooms and season with salt and pepper and cook until liquid releases and evaporates, about 5 minutes.
- Add onion and cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute more.
- Stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Stir in broth and half and half, and let cook until thick and bubbly. Let boil 1 minute.
- Stir in cream cheese until melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir in parsley and Italian seasoning.
- Stir in spaghetti, turkey, and 1 cup of the mozzarella.
- Transfer to baking dish, top with remaining mozzarella, cover with foil, and bake 20 minutes.
- Remove foil, top with Parmesan and breadcrumbs and bake until golden brown and bubbly, about 15 minutes more.
Recipe adapted from Striped Spatula.