Best 5 Make Ahead Turkey Tetrazzini Recipes

TURKEY TETRAZZINI

Steps:

• Cook spaghetti according to package directions; drain. Transfer to a large bowl; add the next 10 ingredients. , Spoon into a greased 2-1/2-qt. casserole; sprinkle with additional cheese if desired. Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 40-45 minutes or until heated through.

MAKE-AHEAD THANKSGIVING TURKEY

Steps:

• The day before serving, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Put the thyme and rosemary on the bottom of a baking sheet. Put the turkey pieces on top, dot with the cubed butter, drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Roast, basting from time to time and checking for doneness every 15 minutes after 1 hour of cooking, until the meat reaches 165 degrees F, about 1 1/2 hours. Let rest, covered in foil, for 45 minutes.
• Carve the breasts and thighs into slices (keep the legs whole), then arrange on a fresh baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate.
• On the day of serving: let the turkey come to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Drizzle the chicken broth over the turkey, cover again with foil and roast until it registers 165 degrees F, about 1 hour.

MAKE-AHEAD TURKEY TETRAZZINI

Steps:

• Cook spaghetti as directed on package. Drain.
• Meanwhile, melt margarine in Dutch oven over medium heat. Add mushrooms; cook 5 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add flour; cook and stir until bubbly. Gradually add broth, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat; stir in half-and-half, sherry, 1/4 cup parsley, salt, nutmeg and pepper.
• Add cooked spaghetti and turkey to mushroom mixture; stir gently to mix. Spoon mixture into ungreased 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish. Cover with foil; refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.
• Heat oven to 350°F. Uncover baking dish; sprinkle Parmesan cheese over top. Cover; bake at 350°F. for 45 to 55 minutes or until thoroughly heated, removing foil during last 10 minutes of baking time. Sprinkle with parsley.

MAKE-AHEAD CHICKEN TETRAZZINI

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the ziti and cook until al dente (if a range is given on the box, choose the shortest time, otherwise, cook it 1 minute less than the suggested time). Drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
• Meanwhile, melt the butter with the canola oil in a large high-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper, then add to the hot skillet and cook, turning once, until golden brown and just cooked through, about 7 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
• Reduce the heat to medium and add the cauliflower, onion and mushrooms to the skillet along with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions have softened and the mushrooms are tender, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Sprinkle the flour over top and cook, stirring, until all of the flour has moistened, about 1 minute. Add the wine and simmer, stirring, until reduced by about half. Add the chicken broth and 1/4 cup water, increase the heat to medium high and cook, stirring constantly, until simmering and slightly thickened. Add the heavy cream, cream cheese and 1/2 cup Parmesan; stir to combine. Pour all of the sauce and vegetables into the pot with the pasta. Add the peas, thyme and green chiles. Chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces and add to the pot. Season with salt and pepper.
• Transfer the mixture to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and sprinkle the top with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan. If not serving right away, let cool. Cover and refrigerate up to overnight.
• When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Bake until hot and bubbling, about 45 minutes.

TURKEY TETRAZZINI

Steps:

• Pasta: Cook pasta just until al dente according to package directions - don't overcook! Strain, rinse with cold water and toss in a drizzle of olive oil to prevent it from clumping.
• Prep: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish. Set aside.
• Onions and Mushrooms: In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter in 2 tablespoon olive oil. Add onions and cook until mostly softened, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and garlic and cook until the mushrooms are softened, about 3 minutes.
• Sauce: Sprinkle flour over the mushrooms and cook an additional 2 minutes (it will be thick, if not using mushrooms, you'll need an extra drizzle of olive oil). Slowly stir in the milk, heavy cream and 1 cup chicken broth. Whisk the cornstarch with the remaining 1 cup broth until smooth then add it to the pot. Add Worcestershire, chicken bouillon and all of the seasonings. Bring to a simmer until thickened (but not overly thick), 5-10 minutes.
• Add cheese: Reduce heat to low and whisk in cheddar until melted, followed by 3/4 cup Monterrey until melted, followed by Parmesan until melted.
• Add turkey: Stir in turkey and peas, followed by cooked spaghetti. Toss until evenly coated (it will seem like a lot of extra sauce which is a good thing). Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if desired (I like about 1/2 teaspoon more pepper).
• Assemble: Transfer the mixture to the prepared dish. Top with 1 cup Monterrey Jack cheese. At this point you can cover with foil and refrigerate until ready to bake or proceed with the recipe (see make ahead instructions in notes).
• Panko topping: In a medium skillet, melt butter in olive oil over medium heat. Add panko and stir to coat. Continue cooking until crumbs become golden brown then immediately remove from heat and sprinkle over the casserole.
• Bake: Cover casserole with foil and bake for 30 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Garnish individual servings with chopped parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste.