Easy Ina Garten Turkey Tetrazzini Recipe: Comfort in Every Bite

Turkey tetrazzini represents a classic comfort dish that transforms leftover poultry into an irresistible culinary experience.

Pasta lovers and home cooks appreciate its rich, satisfying qualities that blend creamy textures with savory ingredients.

Hearty and filling, this recipe offers a delightful way to repurpose roasted meat into a crowd-pleasing meal.

Cold winter evenings call for warming dishes that bring families together around the dinner table.

Sophisticated yet simple, the recipe balances complex flavors with straightforward preparation techniques.

Each bite promises a delectable combination of tender proteins, soft noodles, and velvety sauce that feels both nostalgic and exciting.

Familiar ingredients come together in a way that transforms ordinary leftovers into an extraordinary dinner: Grab your appetite and get ready to savor every comforting spoonful!

Why Ina Garten’s Turkey Tetrazzini is a Comforting Classic

• Craft a Comfort Food Masterpiece: Ina Garten’s Turkey Tetrazzini transforms ordinary ingredients into a luxurious, soul-warming dish that wraps you in culinary comfort.
• Unleash Flavor Complexity: The recipe builds layers of taste through strategic techniques like deglazing with white wine, creating a rich sauce that balances smoky bacon, creamy cheeses, and tender turkey.
• Design a Crowd-Pleasing Casserole: This one-pan wonder delivers maximum satisfaction with minimal effort, perfect for busy weeknights, potlucks, or family gatherings where you want to impress without spending hours in the kitchen.

Ingredients for Ina Garten’s Turkey Tetrazzini

• Thin Spaghetti: Classic pasta base for this comforting dish, provides perfect texture and structure.

• Cooked Turkey: Tender meat that adds hearty protein and makes use of leftover roasted turkey.

• Cream Cheese: Adds richness and creates a creamy sauce base.
• Monterey Jack Cheese: Melts smoothly and provides a mild, buttery flavor.
• Parmesan Cheese: Brings sharp, salty depth to the overall dish.

• Garlic: Aromatic ingredient that provides deep, savory flavor to the sauce.
• Mushrooms: Earthy ingredient that adds robust umami character.
• Green Peas: Provides fresh color and sweet pop of vegetable nutrition.
• Black Olives: Adds briny, salty accent to complement other ingredients.

• Butter: Creates smooth base for sauce and adds rich flavor.
• White Wine: Deglazes pan and adds complex background flavor.
• Turkey Broth: Provides liquid base and enhances overall turkey flavor.
• All-Purpose Flour: Thickens sauce and creates smooth texture.

• Panko Breadcrumbs: Offers crunchy golden topping for textural contrast.
• Bacon: Adds smoky, salty flavor and crisp texture.

• Salt: Enhances overall flavor profile.
• Black Pepper: Provides subtle heat and depth.

How to Make Ina Garten’s Turkey Tetrazzini

Step 1: Warm Up The Oven

Crank your oven to a toasty 350°F, ensuring it’s perfectly heated for the upcoming culinary adventure.

Step 2: Cook Spaghetti

Boil thin spaghetti until just before reaching al dente perfection, remembering it’ll continue cooking during baking.

Step 3: Create Flavor Foundation

• Melt butter
• Add minced garlic
• Sauté until aromatic
• Toss in quartered mushrooms
• Sprinkle salt
• Cook until mushrooms turn golden brown

Step 4: Splash in Wine

Pour white wine, letting it simmer with mushrooms until liquid reduces by half.

Step 5: Thicken with Flour Power

Dust flour over mushrooms, stirring constantly for 1 minute to eliminate raw flour taste.

Step 6: Build Creamy Sauce

Slowly add turkey broth, whisking continuously until sauce transforms into smooth perfection.

Step 7: Melt Cream Cheese Magic

Lower heat to medium, add cubed cream cheese, stirring until mostly melted with delightful small chunks.

Step 8: Combine Tasty Elements

• Monterey Jack cheese
• Parmesan cheese
• Crispy bacon
• Black olives
• Green peas
• Cooked turkey

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Step 9: Marry Pasta and Sauce

Fold cooked spaghetti into sauce, ensuring complete coverage. Add extra broth if mixture seems too thick.

Step 10: Bake to Crispy Goodness

Transfer to large baking dish, sprinkle panko breadcrumbs on top. Bake for 20 minutes until bubbling and breadcrumbs turn golden.

Step 11: Serve with Love

Allow dish to rest briefly, letting flavors mingle and intensify before serving.

Pro Tips for Ina Garten’s Turkey Tetrazzini

• Customize Your Comfort: Mix in personal favorites like mushrooms or peas for a unique twist.
• Freeze with Finesse: Wrap individual portions in foil for quick future meals.
• Prevent Dryness Masterfully: Cover with foil during initial baking to lock in moisture.
• Elevate Leftovers Smartly: Use roasted turkey or rotisserie chicken for deeper flavor profiles.
• Cheese Selection Matters: Experiment with gruyère or fontina for a more sophisticated taste experience.

How to Store Ina Garten’s Turkey Tetrazzini

• Vacuum Sealing: Lock in freshness by using a vacuum sealer for your turkey tetrazzini. Remove all air pockets to prevent freezer burn and maintain the dish’s original texture and flavor. This method extends shelf life up to 4 months and keeps every bite as delicious as the day you made it.
• Glass Container Strategy: Opt for sturdy, clear glass containers with tight-fitting lids for refrigerating. These containers prevent odor absorption, maintain meal integrity, and allow easy visibility of your leftovers. Stack them efficiently in the fridge, saving precious space while keeping your tetrazzini perfectly preserved for 3-4 days.
• Portion Freezing Technique: Divide the tetrazzini into individual serving sizes before freezing. Use small, labeled freezer-safe containers or heavy-duty freezer bags to create grab-and-go meal portions.

Delicious Variations on Ina Garten’s Turkey Tetrazzini

• Seafood Sensation: Replace turkey with a mix of shrimp, crab, and scallops for an oceanic twist. Select fresh seafood and adjust cooking time to prevent overcooking delicate proteins.
• Vegetarian Veggie Blast: Swap turkey with roasted butternut squash, cauliflower, and spinach. Enhance protein content by adding extra firm tofu or plant-based chicken alternatives for texture and nutrition.
• Spicy Southwest Style: Incorporate diced green chiles, jalapeños, and swap Monterey Jack for pepper jack cheese. Add southwest seasoning and top with crispy tortilla strips instead of panko for a zesty Mexican-inspired version.
• Lean Chicken Classic: Use shredded rotisserie chicken breast instead of turkey. Include additional herbs like thyme and rosemary to elevate the flavor profile and maintain moisture in the casserole.

Ina Garten’s Turkey Tetrazzini: A Creamy, Hearty Meal

Culinary magic emerges from Ina Garten’s signature turkey tetrazzini, a comfort classic that whispers nostalgic memories.

Mediterranean influences dance through each creamy forkful, blending rustic ingredients with sophisticated charm.

Layers of tender pasta, succulent turkey, and rich cheese create symphonic harmony on dinner plates worldwide.

Complex flavors weave seamlessly between crisp panko crumbs and silky sauce, elevating this dish beyond ordinary casseroles.

Family gatherings become extraordinary moments when this masterpiece arrives steaming from kitchen ovens.

Passionate cooks: click that share button, spread deliciousness, inspire kitchen adventures, and connect through this remarkable recipe’s delectable story.

Ina Garten Turkey Tetrazzini Recipe

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4.7 from 14 reviews

• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Yield: 6 1x

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Description

Ina Garten’s Turkey Tetrazzini brings comfort and elegance to leftover holiday turkey. Creamy pasta, tender poultry, and a golden breadcrumb topping create a luxurious casserole that delivers warmth and satisfaction in each delightful bite.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Protein:

• 3 cups of cooked turkey, shredded or diced
• 4 slices of bacon, fried and cut into bits

Main Ingredients:

• 1 ½ pounds (680 grams) of thin spaghetti, broken in half
• 1 pound (454 grams) of white mushrooms, quartered
• 1 cup of white wine
• 4 cups of turkey or chicken broth, plus extra for thinning
• 8 ounces (227 grams) of cream cheese
• 1 cup of finely chopped black olives
• 1 ½ cups of frozen green peas

Seasoning and Topping:

• 4 tablespoons of butter
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon of salt, plus extra to taste
• ⅓ cup of flour
• 1 cup of grated Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
• Ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 cup of panko breadcrumbs

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Instructions

1. Warm the oven to 350°F (175°C), creating an ideal environment for baking the casserole.
2. Cook thin spaghetti in salted water until slightly undercooked, as the pasta will continue to soften during baking.
3. In a large pot, melt butter over medium-high heat. Introduce minced garlic and sauté until aromatic, releasing its fragrant essence.
4. Add quartered mushrooms and a pinch of salt, cooking until they develop a rich golden color and release their moisture.
5. Deglaze the pot with white wine, allowing the liquid to simmer and reduce by half, concentrating the flavors.
6. Dust flour over the mushroom mixture, stirring continuously for one minute to eliminate the raw flour taste and create a thickening base.
7. Slowly incorporate turkey broth, whisking consistently to develop a smooth, velvety sauce without any lumps.
8. Reduce heat and introduce cream cheese cubes, stirring until they mostly melt, leaving small pockets of creamy goodness throughout the sauce.
9. Fold in Monterey Jack and Parmesan cheeses, crispy bacon pieces, sliced black olives, green peas, and cooked turkey. Season with salt and pepper to enhance the overall flavor profile.
10. Gently combine the partially cooked spaghetti with the sauce, ensuring each strand is thoroughly coated. If the mixture appears too dense, thin it with additional turkey broth.
11. Transfer the creamy mixture to a large baking dish, creating an inviting base for the casserole.
12. Sprinkle panko breadcrumbs across the surface for a delightful crispy texture.
13. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the casserole bubbles enthusiastically and the breadcrumbs transform into a golden-brown crust.
14. Allow the dish to rest for a few minutes, letting the flavors meld and intensify before serving.

Notes

• Transform mundane leftovers into an extraordinary culinary experience that brings excitement to your dinner table.
• Creamy cheese blend creates a luxurious sauce that melts perfectly and coats every single pasta morsel.
• Crispy panko topping adds an irresistible crunch that contrasts beautifully with the silky smooth underlying casserole.
• White wine introduces sophisticated depth, deglazing the pan and unlocking hidden layers of mushroom flavor.
• Versatile recipe welcomes creative substitutions, allowing home cooks to personalize the dish with available ingredients.
• Simplify meal preparation by assembling the casserole ahead of time, making weeknight dinners effortlessly delicious.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 35 minutes
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 6
• Calories: 547 kcal
• Sugar: 3 g
• Sodium: 730 mg
• Fat: 28 g
• Saturated Fat: 14 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
• Trans Fat: 1 g
• Carbohydrates: 59 g
• Fiber: 4 g
• Protein: 24 g
• Cholesterol: 72 mg