Turkey Tetrazzini

More than just a way to use up leftover Thanksgiving turkey, this simple casserole also tastes good. Although it also works nicely for that. All year long, I yearn for this extremely creamy, savory pasta dish. Turkey, mushrooms, and cheese are added to baked spaghetti to create a delicious weekday meal that everyone will enjoy.

I’m sure you’re asking yourself at this point, “Is turkey tetrazzini genuinely Italian food?” Turkey Tetrazzini is not Italian food, despite the fact that it uses spaghetti noodles and an Italian name. It is said that Ernest Arbogast, a chef at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco, invented the dish and gave it the Italian opera diva Luisa Tetrazzini’s name because she was a major star in the early 1900s. Over a century later, the dish is still popular, showing up on American dinner tables all year long, but notably in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Start with well-seasoned turkey if you want mouthwatering tetrazzini. Try a turkey breast seasoned with harissa or tandoori turkey cooked in the air fryer for a change of pace.