A turkey Tetrazzini recipe is an uncomplicated preparation that anyone can make, even if not familiar with how it is done. It is a dish that imitates the likes of a casserole, making it a no-sweat dish to make...
The spread of food that Thanksgiving calls for, is one that includes a lot of turkey that is bound to be left over, which is quite useful post the occasion. We can all agree to the fact that turkey meat is luscious, and probably a much-favored meat to devour than say chicken, or squab.
After cooking that big hunk of turkey meat for Thanksgiving, it's no surprise to have some of it still left the next day. For a classic turkey Tetrazzini recipe, using leftover turkey is great, because it's already been cooked and seasoned.
Easy Turkey Tetrazzini Recipe with Cream of Mushroom Soup
Nothing is more perfect than a dish with the comforting presence of a creamy, cheese sauce that rounds up all the other elements thrown in. Let's take a look at how you can transform a bunch of simple ingredients, into one of the tastiest casseroles ever concocted.
Serving Size: 4 Calories: 269/serving
Ingredients Required:
2 cups of broken spaghetti
½ a teaspoon of celery salt (use regular salt if not attainable)
½ a pimiento (red bell pepper)
A cupful of shredded cheese (Parmesan)
½ a teaspoon of powdered pepper (white)
1 can of undiluted mushroom soup (condensed cream)
¾ cup of boiling water
1 medium-sized onion (red/chopped)
Turkey leftovers (1 and a half cup per recipe)
½ a cup of chicken stock
How to Get Started
The first thing that needs to be done, is boiling the spaghetti - using a large pot, dunk into this 3 cups of water, and wait for it to start bubbling. Slowly drop into this your broken spaghetti bits and then cover the lid - let it boil away on a medium flame. While that cooks, take a deep-dish tray and mix into this your mushroom soup, julienned/deseeded pimiento, turkey (shredded), chopped onion, pepper and salt. Once all the ingredients are well coalesced, add in the spaghetti after draining it.
[A quick tip on how to check if pasta is well cooked, is to take a bite of it and chew - if it sticks to your teeth, it still needs more time to cook, and if not - then it is all set to be drained and added to your dish preparation. It should in other words be, al dente]
Once you've added the spaghetti to the deep-dish tray, mix it all up so that the strands are coated with the mixture. Lastly, add the shredded cheese to the mix, making sure that it covers the top in an even, thick mesh. Slip the tray into the oven that's been preheated to 350°F, and timed for 35 minutes.
Low-fat Turkey Tetrazzini Recipes
The classic turkey recipe usually involves the use of mushroom soup, to give the entire dish its unique creamy character, and of course cheese to create a heightened creaminess. Sometimes toasted breadcrumbs are added to the top of the dish before it is set to bake, to give the casserole a crunchy layer just as you sink your teeth in. Let's now experiment with a heart (and tummy) friendly recipe, that is great for those who keep track of their calorie intake. Diabetics can indulge in this dish as well, where you wouldn't have to think twice before you dig in.
Recipe 1
Serving Size: 4 Calories: 330/serving
Ingredients Required:
½ a packet of flat pasta (whole wheat, not refined)
Turkey leftovers (1 and a ½ cup/shredded)
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon of salt
2 tablespoons of unsalted/non-fat butter (softened)
¾ cup of non-fat milk
1 can of non-fat cream
½ a cup of chicken stock
½ a cup of non-fat sour cream
¼ teaspoon of powdered pepper (white)
Crushed cardamom (4/black)
2 tablespoons of dry wine
1 can of sliced mushrooms
1 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese
How to Get Started
The first step is to of course boil the flat pasta, in 4 cups of water - wait for the water to boil over, before placing the pasta ribbons into it. Once the pasta softens (don't overcook it), drain it and keep it aside in a big bowl (while draining it, douse the pasta in cold water before keeping it to one side, so that it doesn't soften further). In a large nonstick pan, sauté the shredded turkey, mushrooms, garlic powder, dry wine, salt, butter, crushed cardamom and white pepper. Do this for about 4 minutes, making sure that you're continuously tossing these about in the pan.
Once the mushrooms soften, slowly add into the pan the milk, cheese and sour cream - gently folding in all the ingredients in the pan. Pour into this, the chicken stock and then transfer the contents of the pan into a deep-dish tray, that's been lightly greased with vegetable oil. Combine the flat pasta with this mixture, and then slip it into the oven that's been preheated to 450°F, timed for 12 minutes.
Recipe 2
Serving Size: 4 Calories: 320/serving
Ingredients Required:
½ a packet of flat pasta (whole wheat, not refined)
Turkey leftovers (1 and a ½ cup/shredded
5 cloves of garlic (peeled/crushed)
1/8 of a teaspoon of salt
½ a teaspoon of paprika
1 cup of shredded cheese (Parmesan)
2 tablespoons of unsalted/non-fat butter
1 cup of broccoli (chopped)
1 cup of fresh buttoned mushrooms
1 cup of 1 inch French beans
3 tablespoons of fresh, chopped black olives
½ a cup of chicken stock
How to Get Started
Boil the flat pasta ribbons in 4 cups of water - the pasta should be added only once the water starts to boil. Using a nonstick pan, sauté the shredded turkey, mushrooms, French beans, crushed garlic and broccoli in the butter. Occasionally move the ingredients about using a wooden spoon, taking it off the flame after about 3 minutes. Empty the ingredients of the pan into a deep-dish tray, mixing into this the chicken stock, salt, paprika, olives and half a cup of the shredded Parmesan. Then add to this the pasta ribbons, bringing the two together before topping it off with the rest of the shredded cheese. Place this into the oven that's been preheated to 450°F, and timed for 12 minutes.
These leftover turkey recipes can really come in handy for an altogether brand new dish, where those who eat it can really enjoy yet another feast of turkey. Use your imagination and creativity in the kitchen to whip up something, both scrumptious and healthy using the leftover meat, for family and friends to relish. Hearty eating!
