Have you found yourself lately in a recipe rut? We’ve all been there before and that’s why we want to help give you a meal makeover with this delicious Turkey Tetrazzini recipe that is sure to please!

What is Turkey Tetrazzini? We’re glad you asked!

This American dish was invented in the early 1900’s and named after the Italian Opera singer, Luisa Tetrazzini. A tetrazzini is basically a lighter, simpler alternative to a pot pie and a super-delicious way to use leftover veggies, odds and ends pasta, roasted or smoked poultry and stale bread. Yum!

Let’s get started!

Topping

Fresh breadcrumbs or thinly sliced bread

Salt

2T unsalted butter

¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Filling

3 cups thinly sliced white mushrooms

1 1/2 cups chopped onions

1/2-1 pound pasta, traditionally long strand pasta snapped in half is used here, but this recipe is great for using up bits of different kinds of pasta, just add them to the pot in order so they all finish cooking at the same time

2 cups frozen peas (sautéed collard greens, fresh baby spinach, baked or grilled summer squash all make good substitutes or additions)

4 cups leftover cooked boneless turkey meat or chicken meat, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

Sauce 

3/4 stick of butter

¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour

2 cups homemade chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth

3 tablespoons dry sherry

¼ teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg

2 teaspoons lemon juice from 1 small lemon

2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves or 1t dried thyme

3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1. For the Topping: Mix breadcrumbs with melted butter and salt then toast in 350 degree oven. Cool to room temperature and mix with 1/4 cup grated Parmesan in small bowl. Set aside. Or butter thin slices of bread to shingle on top of the casserole, sprinkling grated cheese on top.

2. For the Filling: Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees. Heat 2 tablespoons butter in large skillet over medium heat until foaming subsides; add mushrooms and onions and sauté, stirring frequently, until onions soften and mushroom liquid evaporates, 12 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and ground black pepper to taste; transfer to medium bowl and set aside. Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling, salted water until al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup cooking water, drain spaghetti, and return to pot with reserved liquid.

3. For the Sauce: Melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter in cleaned skillet over medium heat. When foam subsides, whisk in flour to make a roux and cook, whisking constantly, until flour turns golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisking constantly, gradually add chicken stock. Adjust heat to medium-high and simmer until mixture thickens, 3 to 4 minutes. Off heat, whisk in sherry, Parmesan, nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon salt, lemon juice, and thyme.

4. Assembly: Add sauce, sautéed vegetables, peas, and meat to spaghetti and mix well; adjust seasonings to taste.** Turn mixture into a buttered 13- x 9-inch baking dish (or other shallow, ovenproof dish of similar size), sprinkle evenly with reserved breadcrumbs, or shingle with buttered bread slices and sprinkle with parmesan cheese and bake until breadcrumbs brown and mixture is bubbly, 13 to 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

ENJOY!