• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
101 Cooking For Two
  • 👨‍🍳RECIPES
  • 📋About
  • ❓FAQs/Help
  • 🛒Shop
  • 📮Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
  • 👨‍🍳RECIPES
  • 📋About
  • ❓FAQs/Help
  • 🛒Shop
  • 📮Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • 👨‍🍳RECIPES
    • 📋About
    • ❓FAQs/Help
    • 🛒Shop
    • 📮Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    🏠Home » Recipes » Turkey Recipes

    Leftover Turkey Tetrazzini with Parmesan Topping

    Nov 17, 2022 by Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan · 27 Comments

    Recipe Table of Contents    
    4.42 from 133 votes

    The perfect leftover turkey recipe. With tender chunks of turkey, creamy sauce, pasta, vegetables, and a crispy Parmesan topping, you may want to cook extra turkey this year. Or make it with rotisserie chicken for Chicken Tetrazzini.

    image of a large serving of turkey tetrazzini on a blue plate

    Jump To:
    • 👨‍🍳How to make this recipe
    • 🦃Ingredients
    • 👨‍🍳Make It Half Size
    • What is Tetrazzini?
    • ❓FAQs
    • 📖Leftover Turkey Recipes
    • 📖Other Leftover Recipes
    • 🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
    • 📝Recipe

    Blue ribbon divider used for visual effect

    Introduction

    Use that leftover turkey from Thanksgiving with this classic turkey tetrazzini recipe. The whole family will love this easy-to-make casserole.

    I try not to use a "can of soup" in recipes, which is not needed here. Fresh from scratch is better, and this recipe uses a roux instead Cream of Mushroom soup.

    I loosely based this recipe on Turkey Tetrazzini on Allrecipes.com. There were issues: no salt, no pepper, and no taste. These and others were pointed out by over 600 comments, which fixed the problems and gave it five stars anyway.

    👨‍🍳How to make this recipe

    1. Cook pasta al dente.
    2. Prepare the meat, topping, and casserole dish.
    3. Chop the onion and celery. Crush the garlic.
    4. In a large pan, melt the butter and saute the onion and celery until starting to clear, then add the garlic briefly.
    5. Add seasoning and sprinkle with flour, stir to make a roux, and cook for a few minutes.
    6. Add broth and whisk until thickened. Add in the milk and cheese. And continue to stir and thicken.
    7. Add meat, frozen peas, and cooked pasta. Mix well and move to the casserole dish.
    8. Add topping and bake until golden brown and bubbling.

    🦃Ingredients

    Turkey or chicken

    Turkey must be previously cooked and can be either dark or white meat cut into cubes or shredded.

    To make Chicken Tetrazzini instead, use precooked chicken like rotisserie chicken. Otherwise, the recipe is unchanged.

    Pasta

    Linguine is the perfect pasta for this dish. Some will use spaghetti, and any other standard pasta cooked al denta will work well.

    Vegetables

    Celery, onion, mushrooms, and peas are very typical additions. The celery, mushrooms, and onion need some precooking since the casserole doesn't cook that long. The peas are better if added frozen.

    Other suggestions are sliced green beans, black olives, broccoli, and red or green peppers.

    Topping

    There is only one topping acceptable in our house—a mixture of Panko bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. But feel free to top as you want.

    👨‍🍳Make It Half Size

    This is an easy recipe to cut in half, but I usually cook for leftovers and company, so I always do full-size.

    You can adjust the number of servings in the recipe card below. It will calculate the ingredient adjustments for you but not change the instructions. You will need to do those yourself.

    A half-size recipe fits in a 6 by 9 or an 8 by 8 baking dish. Cooking time will only be slightly less. You are cooking to a nicely browned topping—all the ingredients are already cooked and safe.

    What is Tetrazzini?

    While Americans think of this as a classic Italian dish, it is all American. Named after Italian opera star Luisa Tetrazzini, it first appeared in San Francisco in the early 20th century, where Tetrazzini was a long-time resident.

    There is no exact definition, so the recipes do vary a lot. It is usually poultry or seafood, and mushrooms with a Parmesan sauce then served over linguine or spaghetti. There can be some wine involved in the cooking, and it is frequently baked as a casserole.

    The sauce found in most versions of Tetrazzini is very similar to Alfredo sauce.

    SO... I'm still calling it Italian.

    ❓FAQs

    What can be substituted for the turkey?

    Previously cooked meat like rotisserie chicken, other poultry or ham are good substitutes. There are seafood versions, but I'm not going there with this recipe.

    How is the sauce thickened?

    The sauce is made by using a traditional roux method of thickening for sauces or liquids. It mixes flour with fat, is cooked briefly, and then combined with liquid and whisked until thickened. or mam

    See How to Make Gravy from Scratch for more information on the roux method of thickening

    Can I make turkey tetrazzini ahead and freeze it?

    You can make this ahead in an oven-safe pan. Prepare up to the cooking point but seal well and freeze for 3-4 months. Be sure to defrost the frozen casserole overnight in the refrigerator before cooking.

    How to store leftover turkey tetrazzini.

    Once cooked, this casserole is good refrigerated for 3-4 days or frozen for 3-4 months.

    📖Leftover Turkey Recipes

    While this Turkey Tetrazzini is my personal favorite, here are a few other choices.

    Simple Chicken Pot Pie - Includes Turkey Pot Pie

    Three Bean Turkey Chili

    Cheesy Chicken, Broccoli, and Rice Casserole - Leftover turkey substitution included.

    Part of the Leftover Ham and Turkey Recipe Roundup

    📖Other Leftover Recipes

    Crock Pot Ham Bone and Bean Soup

    Old Fashion Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

    What to Do With Leftover Ham

    What to Do With Leftover Beef Tenderloin? Philly Sandwiches

    This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.

    Casserole Recipes, Comfort Food Recipes, Italian Recipes, Pasta Recipes, Turkey Recipes
    Blue ribbon divider used for visual effect

    🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions

    cubes of cooked turkey and casserole ingredients

    Preheat the oven to 350° convection or 375° conventional.

    draining cooked pasta

    Cook 1 pound of linguine or spaghetti to al dente per package instructions. Cube about 4 cups of leftover turkey.

    chopped onion with knife on white board

    Dice 1 small onion, crush four cloves of garlic, and dice two ribs of celery.

    Pouring celery into pan to cook

    Melt one stick of butter (½ cup) over medium heat and add onion, celery, and mushrooms. Cook for about 3-4 minutes until the celery is clearing. Add the four cloves of crushed garlic and cook one more minute. Add one teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper.

    sprinking flour into a pan with celery and butter

    Add ½ cup flour. Stir until browning some, about 2 minutes.

    adding chicken broth to pan with a roux

    Add one 14 oz can of chicken or turkey broth while continuously stirring. Bring to a boil, and when starting to thicken, add three cups of milk and one cup of shredded or grated Parmesan cheese. Continue to simmer and stir while thickening — about three more minutes.

    adding turkey cubes and frozen peas to the sauce with pasta

    Remove from heat, and add four cups of cubed turkey, one pound of cooked pasta, and one cup of frozen peas. Mix well and pour into a 9 by 13 inch baking dish that has been coated with PAM or butter.

    sprinkling cheese and bread crumbs over the casserole

    Mix one cup of Italian Panko breadcrumbs with ½ cup of shredded or grated Parmesan cheese and sprinkle over the top of the casserole.

    turkey tetrazzini casserole with a brown top

    Bake for about 35 minutes until golden brown and bubbling.

    turkey tetrazzini on a fork
    graphic Subscribe to 101 Cooking for Two

    📝Recipe

    large serving of turkey tetrazzini on a blue plate

    Leftover Turkey Tetrazzini with Parmesan Topping

    From Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
    The perfect leftover turkey recipe. With tender chunks of turkey, creamy sauce, pasta, vegetables, and a crispy Parmesan topping, you may want to cook extra turkey this year. Or make it with rotisserie chicken for Chicken Tetrazzini.
    Tap to leave a Rating
    4.42 from 133 votes
    Print Email CollectionCollected
    Prep Time: 30 minutes
    Cook Time: 35 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
    Servings #/Adjust if desired 12

    Ingredients

    US Customary - Convert to Metric
    • 1 pound pasta - spaghetti or linguine preferred
    • 4 cups diced turkey - about
    • 1 onion - small
    • 2 stalks celery
    • 1 cup sliced mushrooms - optional
    • 4 cloves garlic
    • ½ cup butter - one stick
    • ½ cup flour
    • 14 oz chicken broth
    • 3 cups milk
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon pepper
    • 1 cup Parmesan cheese - shredded or grated
    • 1 cup frozen peas

    Topping

    • 1 cup Italian Panko bread crumbs
    • ½ cup Parmesan cheese - shredded or grated
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350° convection or 375° conventional. Coat a 9 by 13 baking dish with PAM of butter.
      leftover turkey and ingredients for tetrazinni
    • Cook 1 pound of linguine or spaghetti to al dente per package instructions. Cube about 4 cups of leftover turkey.
      cooked pasta in pan draining
    • Dice 1 small onion, crush four cloves of garlic, and dice two ribs of celery.
      chopped onion on black board
    • Melt one stick of butter (½ cup) over medium heat and add onion, celery, and mushrooms. Cook for about 3-4 minutes until the celery is clearing. Add the four cloves of crushed garlic and cook one more minute. Add one teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper.
      adding chopped celery to black pan making sauce
    • Add ½ cup flour by sprinkling over the pan. Stir until browning some, about 2 minutes.
      adding flour to pan of sauce to thicken
    • Add one 14 oz can of chicken or turkey broth while continuously stirring. Bring to a boil, and when starting to thicken, add three cups of milk and one cup of shredded or grated Parmesan cheese. Continue to simmer and stir while thickening — about three more minutes.
      pouring broth into the thickened sauce in a plack pan
    • Remove from heat, add four cups cubed turkey, one pound cooked pasta, one cup of frozen peas. Mix well and transfer to a 9 by 13-inch baking dish that has been coated with PAM or butter.
      mixing in the turkey and peas to the pan with sauce and pasta
    • Mix one cup of Italian Panko breadcrumbs with ½ cup of shredded or grated Parmesan cheese and sprinkle over the top of the casserole.
      adding topping to the casserole dish
    • Bake for about 35 minutes until golden brown and bubbling.
      browned casserole out of oven
    See the step-by-step photos in the post. Some recipes have an option to display the photos here with a switch above these instructions but the photos DO NOT print.

    Your Own Private Notes

    Click here to save your own private notes only you will see. These will print and be saved for your next visit.
    Blue ribbon divider used for visual effect

    Recipe Notes

    Pro Tips

    1. You can use light or dark meat. I prefer cubed, but shredded is OK. You can also use precooked chicken, like rotisserie chicken, or even ham.
    2. This recipe moves a bit fast. Please read and understand the recipe before starting. And have the ingredients out and ready to go.
    3. Use pasta of your choice, but spaghetti or linguine are preferred.
    4. This is an easy recipe to cut in half. Adjust the servings under the ingredient list. It will do the calculations for you in the ingredient list but the instructions will not adjust. You can handle that.
    5. If doing the half recipe, use a 6 by 9 or 8 by 8 baking dish. Also, the cooking time may be a bit less.
    6. I skipped the mushrooms as usual due to family food allergies. Toss about 1 cup in with the celery if you wish.
    7. Good refrigerated for 3-4 days or frozen for 3-4 months.

    To adjust the recipe size:

    You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.

    Nutrition Estimate

    Nutrition Facts
    Leftover Turkey Tetrazzini with Parmesan Topping
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 390 Calories from Fat 117
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 13g20%
    Saturated Fat 7g35%
    Cholesterol 61mg20%
    Sodium 598mg25%
    Potassium 409mg12%
    Carbohydrates 43g14%
    Fiber 2g8%
    Sugar 6g7%
    Protein 25g50%
    Vitamin A 595IU12%
    Vitamin C 6mg7%
    Calcium 258mg26%
    Iron 2mg11%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Serving size is my estimate of a normal size unless stated otherwise. The number of servings per recipe is stated above. This is home cooking, and there are many variables. All nutritional information are estimates and may vary from your actual results. To taste ingredients such as salt will be my estimate of the average used.
    Course : Casserole|Main Course
    Cuisine : Italian

    © 101 Cooking for Two, LLC. All content and photographs are copyright protected by us or our vendors. While we appreciate your sharing our recipes, please realize copying, pasting, or duplicating full recipes to any social media, website, or electronic/printed media is strictly prohibited and a violation of our copyrights.

    Publisher's Note: Originally published November 29, 2015. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.

    dogs in snow

    More Turkey Recipes

    • Chicken Broccoli and Rice Casserole
    • Turkey Tenderloin with Gravy
    • How to Cook a Turkey Breast the Easy Way
    • Leftover Ham and Turkey Recipe Roundup

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Comment (Policy Link in Footer) Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Nancy Malburg

      January 12, 2022 at 4:54 pm

      5 stars
      Hi, my name is Nancy and I live in northern Illinois. I found your recipe on the internet, it just looked better than all the rest. It is very good!! I used left over boneless turkey and stir fried the onions celery, carrots, and broccoli prior to adding the milk and the chicken broth, I used lower salt broth. I also added mozzarella shredded cheese when adding the linguine. I did use the panko crumbs and the Parmesan cheese in the top. It was very good and I will make this again. I would like to try this recipe with shredded chicken. I also like that no canned or awfully salty canned sauce was used in this recipe. Thank you and I will try your other recipes in the future. Have a good new year.

      Reply
    2. Melissa

      December 03, 2021 at 9:45 pm

      5 stars
      I love this recipe and have made it a couple times. I was wondering if I can just use the meat I cooked off the bone. Just a variety of shredded light and dark. I think it will be fine, ousted wanted some input .

      Reply
      • Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan

        December 03, 2021 at 11:23 pm

        Hi Melissa,

        Welcome to the blog.

        Yes, any turkey or chicken meat will be fine. But I want to point out that leftovers over 4 days of age should be discarded.

        Dan

    3. Ed

      November 28, 2020 at 9:24 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you for the perfect “Turkey-day” leftover recipe!

      I halved the recipe because there are only three of us and we all enjoyed it very much BUT found it to be on the dry side. I have two “vegetable adverse” eaters so I omitted the peas and mushrooms but followed everything else as written. I’m pretty good at following a recipe but still a novice in the kitchen so I’m not that great at “tweaking” them yet. I’m thinking the missing moisture from the veggies might be the reason it came out dry? Maybe?? What would you suggest to adjust the recipe so it won’t be dry next time? Just up the broth and/or milk? Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

      Thanks again for the recipe... will definitely be making again!

      Reply
      • Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan

        November 28, 2020 at 11:46 pm

        Hi Ed,

        Welcome to the blog.

        If it was too dry, another 1-2 oz of broth in the sauce will be fine. The real question is why? The veggies can release a bit of fluid but not that much. I suspect the turkey was a bit dryer and absorbed some liquid. Or the pasta... we will never know.

        Thanks for the note, question, and the rating.

        Dan

      • Ed

        January 06, 2021 at 6:07 pm

        So, yeah. Can I change my rating to 5 ⭐️‘s? Was my first turkey and now that you mention that it might have been ‘a bit dryer’ I’m pretty sure is was Cooker Error, lol.... I way over cooked that poor bird for fear of not cooking it enough! The ‘popping’ thingy in the turkey never did ‘Pop’ and it cooked waaaayyyyy longer then the times listed on the tag 🤦‍♂️ Cook and learn, lol.

        Thanks again and Happy New Year!

      • Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan

        January 06, 2021 at 6:39 pm

        Hi Ed,
        Rating fixed. I do have a turkey breast "how to" that gives excellent results. https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/how-to-roast-a-turkey-breast-the-easy-way/ I don't have a full turkey recipe. Never trust those pop up timers.
        Dan

    4. Allen Arthurs

      October 17, 2020 at 1:58 pm

      All went Well until combining the liquid mixture with the turkey and spaghetti. I went to a large deep skillet, saw that it was not big enough so went a big chili pot. Made it early in the day so covered and refrigerated until supper time. Not sure how long to bake but will bake until bubbly and brown. May suggest to use a big pot to begin with to save having to wash so many dishes. Of course, I am a somewhat old and lazy man. Ask my wife. Lol

      Reply
    5. CG

      October 14, 2020 at 9:36 pm

      5 stars
      I really enjoyed this easy recipe. It is a great way to use up leftover items and very family friendly with the ingredient multiplier at the top that adjusts ingredient amounts automatically. Thanks for posting it !

      Reply
    6. Katherine Aust

      December 04, 2019 at 6:13 pm

      4 stars
      I made this recipe, but had to omit the mushrooms because my husband doesn't like them. I added a couple of tablespoons of dry sherry to the onion/celery/butter before stirring in the flour. Accidentally grabbed angel hair pasta and used shredded Swiss. The dish was fabulous and even better the next day. Thanks!

      Reply
    7. Dawn

      April 07, 2019 at 12:28 pm

      I am confused about the salt. You show a picture of kosher salt but don’t mention kosher salt in directions. Also, your pictures used to always show Morton’s kosher salt. This picture is a different brand and even when I enlarge the picture I can’t tell what it is. I have been reading lately that Morton’s and Diamond Crystal are the two major brands and they measure differently. What brand are you now using?

      Reply
      • Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan

        April 07, 2019 at 12:40 pm

        Hi Dawn,
        Welcome to the blog.
        Sorry for any confusion. Here is a link to my discussion about salts. https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/abbreviations-salts-and-oven-temperature/
        --------------------------
        This is from that page:

        All recipes on this blog have nutritional estimates. With salt, if it says “salt”, it is table salt. If it say Kosher salt, it will be Diamond Kosher salt or the equivalent of Morton Kosher salt.

        If the recipe says “to taste” for the amount of salt, it is my estimate of average usage.

        1 teaspoon table salt = 1 1/4 teaspoon Morton kosher salt = 2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt

        If a recipe called for Kosher or coarse salt, it is using Diamond Crystal as a reference. I usually buy Diamond Crystal and adjust accordingly.

        Also, things like sea salt etc. usually are in the Morton salt range.

        BUT since salt is mostly to taste, use what you want.
        ____________________

        So this recipe is 1 teaspoon salt (table salt) or the equivalent in what you have. 1 1/4 teaspoon of Mortan Kosher or 2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal.

        I frequently use less salt for my taste. And since Diamond Crystal is the least "salt" of the salts, it is what I usually buy but I now have to get 3 pound boxes. A real bummer.

        Dan

    8. Trish

      January 10, 2019 at 8:48 pm

      I dont know if it's just me and not feeling well, but I didnt care for the recipe and I love every ingredient.

      Reply
      • DrDan

        January 11, 2019 at 7:03 pm

        Hi Trish,
        Welcome to the blog.
        Sorry, it didn't work well for you.
        Dan

    9. Jeanne Tomlin

      January 01, 2019 at 3:53 pm

      How is a dish that serves twelve 'servings for two'? Talk about deceptive advertising.

      Reply
      • DrDan

        January 01, 2019 at 4:03 pm

        See https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/recipes-not-two-servings/

    10. KJill

      November 24, 2018 at 12:17 pm

      Thank you for the timely reminder that milk, butter, flour and seasonings makes the perfect comfort food out of leftover meat, veg and starch. I didn't follow your recipe very closely other than the proportions for the 'gravy' and procedure - good basic technique is always a safe starting point. Leftover turkey, roast carrots, broccoli, brown rice, added finely chopped very mild chili to onion/garlic/celery, reduced the cheese to topping only. I always enjoy the dog pictures. Thanks

      Reply
      • DrDan

        November 24, 2018 at 2:18 pm

        Hi KJill,

        Welcome to the blog.

        A recipe is just "guidelines" anyway (see https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/so-how-is-recipe-like-pirate-code/). It is always good to remind the readers that these things should be adjusted to your needs at the time.

        Thanks for the note.

        Dan

    11. Kari

      October 07, 2018 at 8:45 pm

      Hi Dr Dan
      If I have shredded turkey How can i measure it to be cubes?

      Reply
      • DrDan

        October 07, 2018 at 8:51 pm

        Hi Kari,

        Welcome to the blog.

        Use about the same volume with shredded or cubed. With casseroles, soups, stews, and chili, I view the amount of meat as a bit variable, a little more or a little less is fine.

        Dan

    12. Debbie

      October 01, 2018 at 11:31 am

      Why is your website called Cooking for Two when I have yet to find a recipe for just two people??? I'm confused....

      Reply
      • DrDan

        October 01, 2018 at 11:45 am

        Hi Debbie,

        You are not the first to ask so I have it discussed in this page. https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/recipes-not-two-servings/ .

        The recipes are generally for smaller households and most non-meat recipes will be for more than two with leftovers. Many are cut down for other massively big recipes.

        Most of the meat recipes are for two or can be easily done with two servings and you will see that.

        Also, the recipe card can adjust the quantities of ingredients to the number of servings you want. It does not adjust the instructions.

        Hope that helps.

        Dan

    13. Jo

      May 13, 2018 at 6:31 pm

      Can you freeze the leftovers?

      Reply
      • DrDan

        May 13, 2018 at 7:40 pm

        It should be good in a refrigerator for about 3 days and freezer for 2-3 months.
        Dan

    14. George

      November 27, 2017 at 8:54 pm

      Thanks for the great recipe.
      It really made a large amount of food and we enjoyed the leftovers from this the rest of the week as well. The taste was fantastic!
      Also fairly easy to make, even for a novice like me.

      Reply
      • Ellise

        December 19, 2021 at 5:02 pm

        5 stars
        Best tettrazinni recipie I have made thus far!

    15. Chris

      December 01, 2015 at 2:16 pm

      One of our holiday favorites! One of my relatives always served this at our family homecoming the Sunday after Thanksgiving each year and I loved it.

      Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    DrDan image Hi, I’m DrDan, and welcome to 101 Cooking for Two, the home of great everyday recipes with easy-to-follow step-by-step photo instructions. About DrDan

    Popular Recipes

    • Baked Chicken Legs - Quick and Easy
    • Pan Seared Oven Roasted Filet Mignon
    • Oven Baked Chicken Thighs
    • Small Ribeye Roast
    • Pan Seared Oven Roasted Strip Steak
    • Pan Seared Oven Baked Chicken Breasts
    kitchen reference sheet graphic wide blue
    graphic of sites that I work with or have had recipes featured or referenced.
    SITES THAT I WORK WITH OR HAVE HAD RECIPES FEATURED OR REFERENCED.

    Footer

    ↑ back to top ↑

    About

    • About DrDan and the Blog
    • Business Questions
    • Comment Policy

    Content

    • Food FAQ
    • Kitchen Reference Sheets
    • Recipes Featured in the Videos
    • Guide To Cooking for Two
    • Saved Recipes Collections

    dogs by the pond

    Privacy Policy | Terms | Contact

    COPYRIGHT © 2010-2023 101 COOKING FOR TWO. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | BASED ON FOODIE PRO THEME