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Turkey Tetrazzini is the creamy, cheesy casserole that turns leftover turkey into a brand-new dinner the whole family fights over. I started making it the week after every holiday when we had turkey coming out of our ears, and now the kids ask for it on purpose. If cozy baked pasta is your love language, you will also adore our creamy chicken alfredo bake.
Tender spaghetti, savory mushrooms, and juicy turkey baked under a golden, buttery cracker topping make this the ultimate comfort-food casserole.
Turkey Tetrazzini Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 20 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 70 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 8 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 560kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Creamy, savory, and cheesy with earthy mushrooms and tender turkey
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, as forgiving as our creamy chicken stroganoff
Quick Answer
Cook spaghetti to al dente, then saute onions, mushrooms, and garlic in butter. Melt in cream cheese, then stir in cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, and milk to make a rich sauce. Toss the sauce with the pasta, cooked turkey, and peas, spread it in a baking dish, top with mozzarella and crushed butter crackers, and bake until bubbly and golden.
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Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- It rescues leftover turkey. Two cups of diced cooked turkey become the star of a whole new dinner, so nothing goes to waste.
- A trio of dairy builds the sauce. Cream cheese, cream of mushroom soup, and sour cream give you that ultra-creamy tetrazzini texture without making a roux from scratch.
- Mushrooms add savory depth. Baby bella mushrooms sauteed in butter bring an earthy, meaty flavor that makes the casserole taste rich and special.
- The cracker topping is everything. Crushed butter crackers crisp up over the cheese for a buttery, golden crunch in every bite.
- It is a make-ahead dream. Assemble it earlier in the day and bake when you are ready, perfect for busy nights or feeding a crowd.
- It feeds a hungry family. One 9×13 dish stretches a little leftover turkey into eight cozy, satisfying servings.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It is the best way to use up leftover holiday turkey, and it tastes nothing like leftovers.
- Creamy, cheesy, and topped with a buttery cracker crunch, it is pure comfort food.
- It feeds a crowd from one 9×13 dish, just like our cheeseburger tater tot casserole.
Key Ingredients
Here is what gives this tetrazzini its rich, creamy comfort. Most of it is pantry and fridge staples, plus that leftover turkey.
- Cooked Turkey: leftover roast turkey is perfect here; rotisserie chicken works as an easy swap too.
- Mueller’s Spaghetti: cooked just to al dente so it holds up to baking without turning mushy.
- Cream Cheese, Cream of Mushroom Soup, and Sour Cream: the creamy trio that makes the signature tetrazzini sauce.
- Baby Bella Mushrooms: sauteed in butter for an earthy, savory backbone.
- Mozzarella and Butter Crackers: the melty, golden, crunchy topping; use a good cracker like you would for our chicken noodle casserole.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
This casserole is easy to adapt to whatever you have on hand or in the freezer.
- Use chicken: rotisserie or leftover chicken makes a quick chicken tetrazzini any time of year.
- Add more veggies: stir in spinach, broccoli, or extra peas for a heartier bake.
- Swap the pasta: linguine, fettuccine, or egg noodles all work in place of spaghetti, like in our spaghetti aglio e olio.
- Make it cheesier: add a handful of parmesan or swap in a cheddar blend on top.
- Change the topping: panko, crushed Ritz, or french-fried onions all crisp up beautifully.
How to Make Turkey Tetrazzini
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cook the spaghetti to al dente per the package directions, drain, and set aside. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.
- In a large skillet over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and cook until translucent, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook until softened, about 5 minutes, then stir in the garlic and Italian seasoning until fragrant, 30 seconds.
- Add the cream cheese to the pan and stir constantly until melted, then stir in the cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, and milk until smooth and combined.
- In a very large bowl or your pasta pot, combine the cooked spaghetti, the skillet sauce, the diced turkey, and the frozen peas. Mix until everything is coated, then spread it into the prepared baking dish.
- Top with the shredded mozzarella, cover with nonstick foil, and bake for 45 minutes until bubbly. Remove the foil, scatter the crushed butter crackers over the top, and bake 10 to 15 minutes more until golden brown. Garnish with parsley and serve.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Cook the pasta just to al dente; it softens more in the oven, so slightly firm noodles keep their texture.
- Break up the cream cheese as it melts so the sauce turns out perfectly smooth, not lumpy.
- Cover while baking so the casserole heats through and stays creamy before you crisp the top.
- Add the crackers at the end so they stay buttery and crunchy instead of soggy.
- Use leftover holiday turkey the same way we repurpose a whole roasted turkey into easy meals.
- Let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes after baking so the sauce sets up for cleaner servings.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Turkey Tetrazzini is a full meal on its own, but a crisp green salad and some garlic bread round it out beautifully for a cozy family dinner.
It is the ultimate post-holiday dinner, so serve it the weekend after Thanksgiving alongside leftover savory mashed sweet potatoes and finish off the turkey in style.
For a comfort-food spread any night of the week, pair it with a simple spaghetti aglio e olio for the pasta lovers, or follow it with our creamy chicken stroganoff later in the week.
Turkey Tetrazzini FAQs
Yes, it is a great make-ahead casserole. Assemble it through the mozzarella layer, cover, and refrigerate for up to a day. Add the crackers and bake when ready, adding a few extra minutes since it starts cold.
Absolutely. Two cups of diced rotisserie or leftover chicken make a delicious chicken tetrazzini, so you can enjoy this dish any time of year.
Yes. Assemble it without the cracker topping, wrap tightly, and freeze for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, add the crackers, and bake until hot and bubbly.
Overbaking or overcooked pasta are the usual culprits. Cook the spaghetti just to al dente and bake covered so it stays creamy; stir in a splash of milk if it ever looks dry before baking.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. Reheat in the microwave or a 350 degree oven, adding a splash of milk to bring the sauce back together.
Crushed Ritz, panko breadcrumbs, crushed cornflakes, or french-fried onions all give you that crunchy golden topping.
Have more leftover turkey to use up? Turn it into another cozy dinner with our creamy chicken noodle casserole, an easy weeknight favorite.
Build your comfort-food spread with our hands-off slow cooker mashed potatoes, a creamy crowd-pleaser.
Turn holiday leftovers into a feast with a side of sausage stuffing.
Use up the bird in our turkey chili for an easy second meal.
Turkey Tetrazzini
Ingredients
- 16 ounces dried Mueller’s® spaghetti pasta
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup small-diced onion
- 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 2 10.5 ounce cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 2 cups diced cooked turkey
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup crushed butter crackers
- fresh chopped parsley for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cook the pasta to al dente per the directions on the back of the Mueller’s® spaghetti pasta box. Drain and set aside. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray, set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium-low heat add the butter and let it melt. Add the onions and cook until translucent, stirring occasionally, 5-8 minutes. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook until softened, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Add the garlic and Italian seasoning, mix it in until fragrant, 30 seconds.
- Add the cream cheese to the pan and stir constantly, breaking it up until melted. Add the cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, and milk, stir to combine.
- In a very large bowl or the stockpot you cooked the noodles in, add the cooked spaghetti, the sauce from the skillet, the diced turkey, and frozen peas. Mix it all together until combined. Add this to the prepared baking dish and smooth it out.
- Top with shredded mozzarella. Cover with nonstick foil and bake for 45 minutes, until bubbly. Take the foil off and top with the crushed butter crackers. Place it back in the oven for 10-15 minutes until golden brown on top. Add a garnish of fresh parsley if desired, serve immediately.
Nutrition
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