Disclosure: This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® & La Moderna but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #MyExceptionalPasta #GoldenHarvest http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV
Thanksgiving is right around the corner and it will be a day filled of fun and of course amazing eats! Transform some of those Thanksgiving leftovers into a hearty pasta recipe with a little creole flare and make Cajun Turkey Tetrazzini!
I don’t think I could ever declare one holiday as my absolute favorite. Being someone that LOVES traditions and colorful holiday décor, I get very excited for all holidays. However, IF I were being forced to choose my all-time favorite holiday, Thanksgiving and Christmas almost always tie for first, with one or the other coming in at a solid first depending on the day you asked me.
One thing that I have always loved about Thanksgiving is that it was always spent with my entire family- aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins and even family friends- whereas Christmas was just our immediate family.
I also always loved that since we spent most Thanksgivings with my family from Louisiana, my grandmother always made classic Cajun and southern dishes for our Thanksgiving spread. From smoked turkey to ultra-cheesy grits (instead of mashed potatoes) to cornbread dressing (a top-secret family recipe that is, hands down, the best dressing this side of the Mississippi), to of course my Mom’s loaded pecan pie (made only with hand shelled Texas and Louisiana pecans), our Thanksgiving was, like for many, a feast!
In addition to a heavily southern and Cajun inspired Thanksgiving dinner spread, our Thanksgiving leftovers were one of a kind too! Nope, no turkey sandwiches or Turkey Pot Pie, we had gumbo and jambalaya for the remaining Thanksgiving weekend, and it was simply the best!
Today our Thanksgiving dinners look pretty much the same, only larger with a number of new family members added over the years! 🙂 I truly treasure these moments together and am so grateful that we get to continue making these memories year after year!
Because of my rich family traditions, I did not grow up eating many popular Thanksgiving foods. In fact, I had never even heard of one popular Thanksgiving leftover recipe. Turkey Tetrazzini, until I was an adult and a friend made it, only using chicken, one time for a potluck. Of course, since I love pasta recipes, I thought that Chicken Tetrazzini was pretty amazing and I immediately started making it myself.
Since this time of year makes my heart swell with delight and with pride as I help make decade old family recipes, I decided to take this popular Thanksgiving leftover recipe and put a bit of a creole twist on it by making Cajun Turkey Tetrazzini! My Cajun Turkey Tetrazzini, is made with Cajun ingredients and flavors including spicy Cajun seasoning, andouille sausage and bell peppers, but of course has all the classic Tetrazzini ingredients as well, like peas, leftover turkey and La Moderna Spaghetti (the type of pasta needed for this pasta recipe). Since I love pasta recipes so much, I always keep a variety of La Moderna high protein pastas, which I stock up on while grocery shopping at Walmart, on hand for making everything from quick and easy weeknight dinners to hearty Sunday suppers or day after Thanksgiving dinners!
In addition to the special Cajun love that I add to this recipe, I adore how this Cajun Turkey Tetrazzini completely transforms Thanksgiving leftovers into a completely different dish; you know, just in case you are tired of regular Thanksgiving leftovers!
What is your favorite way to use up Thanksgiving leftovers? Please share in the comments below!
- 1 (16-ounce) package La Moderna Spaghetti
- 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
- 1 (12-ounce) package andouille sausage
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 1 large green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and diced
- 1 (8-ounce) package white button mushrooms, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 3 cups turkey or chicken broth
- 1 ½ cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream or half and half
- 1 ½ tablespoons Cajun seasoning
- 1 ½ cup Parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon each kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 ½ cups frozen petite peas, thawed
- 2 cups shredded turkey
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente. Drain, reserving ½ cup pasta water. Toss cooked pasta with 1 tablespoon olive oil and set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat remaining ½ tablespoon oil in a large sauce pan over medium high heat. Add andouille sausage and cook until crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to a paper towel lined plate and set aside.
- Add butter to the remaining oil in saucepan. Once butter is melted, add onions and cook for 5-7 minutes or until translucent. Add bell peppers and cook for 3-4 minutes or until soften. Add mushrooms and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Stir in flour. Cook stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes. Stir in turkey broth. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture comes to a boil.
- Reduce heat to medium low and stir in milk, cream, 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning, 1 cup Parmesan cheese, reserved pasta water, salt and black pepper.
- Continue stirring until sauce has thickened slightly. Once sauce has thickened, stir in peas, shredded turkey and pasta. Toss to combine. Pour pasta mixture into prepared baking dish.
- In a small bowl, stir together remaining Parmesan cheese and Panko bread crumbs, Sprinkle bread crumbs over pasta in baking dish. Top bread crumbs with remaining Cajun seasoning.
- Bake pasta in preheated 350 degrees F oven for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly and heated through.
Whether you’re making classic pasta recipes or putting a new spin on an old favorite, La Moderna pastas come in a variety of traditional pasta shapes and is made using quality ingredients. Stock up on La Moderna at your local Walmart (click here for a store locator); and for more delicious pasta recipes, visit La Moderna online and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest!
