Turkey Tetrazzini with Poultry Herb Pesto

Turkey Tetrazzini with Poultry Herb Pesto is a total leftover-dump recipe — and I mean that in the best possible way.

My husband makes the best smoked turkey on his enormous, 500-lb, wood-guzzling smoker, and because he loves the process so much, he tends to make… a lot of it. I can only make so many fabulous turkey sandwiches before I start looking for other ways to use up his latest smoked bird.

Tetrazzini is already a natural home for leftovers, and when I realized I also had leftover Poultry Herb Pesto in the fridge, it clicked. Creamy, cheesy pasta + herby pesto + smoked turkey felt like an obvious win — and this recipe was born.

Here’s how I made it:

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked turkey, cubed or shredded
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 stalks celery, diced
• 8 oz baby bella mushrooms, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ½ cup pesto (like my Poultry Herb Pesto)
• 1 lb fettuccine
• ¾ cup frozen peas
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella
• ¾ cup seasoned panko
• ¾ cup shredded parmesan

Directions

1. Directions
2. Preheat the oven to 375°F and grease a large casserole dish.
3. Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and celery and sauté for 3–4 minutes, until softened.
4. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and sauté for another 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
5. Pour in the chicken broth, milk, and heavy cream. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and let the sauce simmer. Stir in the pesto, turkey, and frozen peas and keep warm over low heat.
6. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the fettuccine 2 minutes less than the package directions. Drain well. (I use a pasta pot with a built-in strainer for extra ease — it’s one of my most-used kitchen tools.)
7. Spread the cooked fettuccine evenly in the prepared casserole dish. Pour the sauce with turkey and vegetables over the pasta and gently mix to coat every noodle.
8. Top with mozzarella, then sprinkle evenly with panko and parmesan.
9. Bake for 40 minutes, until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and the casserole is warmed through.

And that’s it — a comforting, crowd-friendly casserole that reheats beautifully for leftovers later in the week. The pesto adds an herby depth that cuts through the creaminess and pairs perfectly with the turkey.

If you don’t have turkey, this works just as well with chicken, and any pesto you have on hand will do the job. This one’s flexible, forgiving, and very much meant to be made from what’s already in your fridge.

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