What Does Turkey Tetrazzini Mean And Where Did It Come From?

If you've cooked a turkey, it's probable that you have leftovers. There are many ways to give your last bits of bird a makeover, from spiced turkey curry to creamy turkey salad, and even crispy turkey and cheese croquettes. One of the most famous and enduring recipes for leftovers, however, is the turkey tetrazzini. Well-beloved for both its fun alliterative name and familiar comfort, tetrazzini is a noodle-based casserole typically made with layers of leftover turkey, mushrooms, peas, and a cheesy cream sauce. Named after legendary Italian opera singer Luisa Tetrazzini, the early 20th-century origins of the delicious dish have been the subject of debate for many years.

According to some sources, the original tetrazzini can be traced back to March 6th, 1905, when the diva Tetrazzini gave an acclaimed performance at San Francisco's illustrious Palace Hotel. It is said that head chef Ernest Arterrbogast invented the creamy dish to serve at a banquet that the hotel held in Tetrazzini's honor. However, the first printed mention of turkey tetrazzini was found in a late 1908 edition of Good Housekeeping, stating that a dish honoring the celebrated soprano was being served at a restaurant on 42nd Street in New York City (possibly referring to the famed Knickerbocker Hotel).

Regardless of who made it first, the decadence of the poultry, mushroom, and cream-laden dish made it an instant hit with haute cuisine crowds across the country, becoming a sought-after menu staple at restaurants like New York's Sardi's by the 1930s. These days, turkey tetrazzini is more often associated with family dinner than fine dining, but that doesn't make the classic casserole any less spectacular.

Thanks to years of adaptation and innovation, no two tetrazzini are made exactly the same. For starters, not everyone makes their dish with turkey –– many versions of the dish are made with chicken, and some folks are even partial to using shrimp to create a rich seafood tetrazzini. You can also choose your own adventure when it comes to selecting the noodle base for your tetrazzini, opting for spaghetti or angel hair pasta, linguine, or even egg noodles for a thicker, chewier texture.

There are also many ways to approach making the cream sauce for a tetrazzini: Fancier recipes call for caramelizing the mushrooms in butter, deglazing the pan with a bit of sherry, and then adding flour to create a roux that, with a splash of cream, becomes a rich bechamel sauce. Other recipes call for parmesan, sour cream, or cream cheese to make the sauce more luscious — while some pantry-friendly recipes will simply call for a can or two of cream of mushroom soup.

While mushrooms are a must-have ingredient for your casserole to count as a true tetrazzini, green peas (whether fresh or frozen) have become a popular addition to the dish over the years. If you don't have peas on hand, or simply aren't a fan, feel free to use other vegetables like broccoli, green beans, or artichoke hearts instead. No matter which method you choose, there's really no way to go wrong with this classic, historic dish.