There is rarely a comfort food I will turn my back on. And this classic Turkey Tetrazzini noodle casserole with a creamy sauce, mushrooms, and a modicum of leftover turkey meat—because when you cook a turkey, there will most likely always be leftovers—makes me want to make mealtime memories every time.
At our house, Turkey Tetrazzini is a holiday and potluck favorite, and next to my Curry Turkey Pot Pie, is one of my favorite ways to use up leftover turkey. But in my opinion why wait for leftovers? I’ll readily fix my favorite turkey breast recipe any day of the week regardless of whether there’s a special occasion to celebrate or not.
In fact, a semblance of this recipe is one of the first meals I made as an adult, when my husband and I served it at the dining table of our first home for my grandma and grandpa for a special dinner just for the four of us.
My grandpa loved it. My grandma gushed over my cooking skills. And I was simply relieved that it came out edible and on time. It’s one of my favorite reasons I love making food for others, for the special memories I recall whenever I think of a special dish.
There’s not much that could have made my original turkey tetrazzini casserole better than it already was, but I got a hankering to mess around with my original recipe and make an addition.
So what is my secret ingredient to take this classic to a new level of goodness? Creamy avocados.
Many recipes for Turkey Tetrazzini call for cream to create and thicken the sauce but for this recipe, I’ve replaced the cream with a simple butter and flour roux that’s thickened with chicken broth instead. Then I amped up the flavor and the thickening power by blending avocados into the velvety Parmesan cheese sauce.
Not only does creaming in avocado add the avocado’s delicious flavor to this dish but we’re also replacing the majority of cream’s saturated fat with good fats from the avocado.
It’s a win-win all the way around, and a new comfort food that I’ll embrace with open arms. Okay, make that open mouth. Come on over, I’ll make it for you sometime.
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment below or take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.
Turkey Avocado Tetrazzini Recipe
Ingredients
- 16 ounces spaghetti noodles
- 8 tablespoons butter divided, plus more for the baking dish
- 1 clove garlic pressed
- ½ pound cremini mushrooms trimmed and sliced
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves stems removed
- Freshly ground black pepper and kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups chicken or turkey broth
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese divided, plus more for garnish
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- Juice from one lemon
- 2 avocados seeded, halved, and peeled
- 2 cups frozen peas thawed
- 4 cups shredded turkey
- 1/3 cup dry bread crumbs
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Cook the noodles in salted water according to package directions or until al dente. Reserve ¼ cup of the pasta water, drain the pasta and transfer to a large bowl then set aside.
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Meanwhile heat melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. When butter melts, add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add the mushrooms and onions and cook until the vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in the fresh thyme leaves and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
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In a separate saucepan, melt 6 tablespoons butter over medium heat then whisk in the flour, stirring constantly until the flour smells nutty and is lightly golden, about 2 minutes. Add the broth and raise the temperature to medium high, whisking constantly until the mixture thickens, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the wine. Transfer the mixture to a blender and add the avocado halves. Cover the blender but leave the plastic center of the blender topper off to vent the heat from the sauce. Blend for 1 minute or until smooth. Add ¾ cup of the Parmesan cheese, grated nutmeg and lemon juice and mix to combine.
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Pour the avocado sauce over the pasta, add the peas, turkey and reserved mushroom mixture and mix well to combine. Taste for seasoning and add more kosher salt or pepper to taste. If mixture is too thick, add a little reserved pasta broth until creamy.
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Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in the microwave. Add the bread crumbs and reserved ¼ cup Parmesan cheese to a small dish and drizzle with the melted butter. Toss to combine.
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Prepare a 13 by 9-inch baking dish with butter. Pour in the spaghetti mixture and sprinkle with the bread crumb mixture.
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Bake for 15 minutes or until the mixture is bubbly and the top is golden brown. Serve immediately.
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Originally published here.
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Anna @ Crunchy Creamy Sweet says
This is such a wonderful Spring dish! Great for busy weeknights! I am loving the avocado and peas!
heidi says
Thanks Anna, it’s totally spring-ey and man, it is seriously addicting! I can’t stop snacking on the leftovers straight from the fridge :)
Jean says
Yikes! This sauce tastes very decadent. What a brilliant idea to use avocados in place of the cream. I’m going to serve this over spaghetti squash. Have a feeling this will be a repeat performance here.
Madhurika says
Hi Hedi,
This is such an amazing recipe, I absolutely love it, this looks very healthy which is really good for people who diet a lot. I have never heard people using avocado as the sauce. Avocado is one of my favorite vegetable and using it as the sauce will taste delicious I bet. I am totally going to try this recipe over spring break. Thank you Hedi for providing an mouth watering recipe!
Leather jacket says
This classic creamy turkey and noodle casserole is all you need this weekend. it looks so rich and yummy that makes me only crave for it more.
Lutrinae987 says
Amazing recipe! I was intrigued by the fact that avocado is the sauce! It is SO delicious too!
Philip Barone says
Is there a work around for the avocado? My son is allergic.
Deborah Green says
I absolutely love this recipe! It is perfect for people who are dieting and trying to eat healthy food. As a student, I don’t pay much attention to what I am eating, you know. Sometimes I don’t even have time to do all of my homework by myself so I order most of it at supremedissertations.com, thankfully writers there are real professionals. So, eating healthy and being a student are two incompatible things. But, thanks to this blog, at least now I have some new healthy recipes to try.
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Ana says
Oh man. This tetrazzini is the best pasta dish I have made in a while. I love the flavor of the sauce (thyme, white wine, and butter are a winning combination) and the avocado gives it a nice creaminess. I only used 2 cups of shredded chicken and thin spaghetti. Turned out great! Thanks for the recipe!
heidi says
Thank you Ana, so glad you enjoyed it!
Write My Essays says
This classic creamy turkey and noodle casserole is all you need this weekend. It looks so rich and yummy that makes me only crave for it more. Thank you Hedi for providing a mouthwatering recipe!
Do My Essay For Me UK says
The smooth sauce for this casserole is made with condensed soup, so there’s very little prep involved. A dash of curry powder and chicken seasoning add taste to the sauce. Just prepare dinner the noodles, integrate the ingredients, and bake.
poemas de amor para mi novia largos says
Los poemas y los versos puede que no estén demasiado
de moda en estos momentos, sin embargo, lo que no se puede negar es que,
durante décadas, e incluso siglos, fueron el mejor método de conquistar a
las mujeres, y de conseguir enamorar al amor de tu vida.
Por ello, quizá sea el momento de volver a poner de moda los versos cortos de amor para enamorar a una chica.
poemas de amor para mi novia largos says
Los poemas y los versos puede que no estén demasiado
de moda en estos momentos, sin embargo, lo que no se puede negar es que,
durante décadas, e incluso siglos, fueron el mejor método de conquistar a
las mujeres, y de conseguir enamorar al amor de tu vida.
Por ello, quizá sea el momento de volver a poner de moda los versos cortos de amor para enamorar a una chica.
Immagini di Buon Compleanno says
Ecco perchè ho deciso di realizzare questo sito, dove ho raccolto le più belle frasi di auguri divertenti, simpatiche immagini e tante idee da cui puoi trarre ispirazione e fare un bel pensiero ad una persona speciale.
john smith says
This is such a stunning formula, I totally cherish it, this looks extremely sound which is great for individuals who eating routine a considerable measure. I have never heard individuals utilizing avocado as the sauce. Avocado is one of my most loved vegetable and utilizing it as the sauce will taste heavenly I wager. I am absolutely going to attempt this formula over spring break. Dark Brown Leather Jacket amazon