High Protein Cottage Cheese Turkey Tetrazzini

This high protein cottage cheese turkey tetrazzini is the best thing to happen to leftover turkey. Shredded turkey, mushrooms and spaghetti bake in a creamy sauce made from blended cottage cheese and Greek yogurt — 38g of protein per serving, a golden breadcrumb top, and no heavy cream in sight. It is the casserole to make the day after Thanksgiving, when the turkey is already cooked and dinner needs to be easy.

The cottage cheese is the trick: blended smooth, it turns into a rich, creamy sauce that holds up in the oven without splitting, and it adds protein instead of just fat. A handful of parmesan and toasted breadcrumbs on top gives you the crunch that makes a tetrazzini a tetrazzini.

Why you’ll love it

• 38g protein per serving, about 520 calories
• Uses up leftover turkey — the day-after-Thanksgiving casserole
• Creamy cottage cheese sauce, no heavy cream needed
• Serves 6, bakes in one dish, reheats beautifully

Ingredients

• 350g (about 12 oz) spaghetti, broken in half
• 500g (about 1.1 lb) cooked turkey, shredded
• 250g (about 1 cup) cottage cheese, full fat
• 240g (1 cup) plain Greek yogurt
• 120g (about 1/2 cup) grated parmesan, divided
• 250g (about 9 oz) mushrooms, sliced
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 240 ml (1 cup) low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg, freshly grated
• 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
• 60g (about 1/2 cup) panko breadcrumbs
• Fresh parsley, chopped, to serve

Equipment used

• A large stock pot, for boiling the spaghetti
• A large ovenproof skillet, for cooking the mushrooms and building the sauce
• A 9×13 inch baking dish, for baking the tetrazzini golden
• A blender or food processor, for blending the cottage cheese sauce smooth

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of salted water until 1 minute short of the packet time. Drain and set aside.
2. Blend the cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, half the parmesan, the chicken broth and the nutmeg until completely smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Heat the olive oil and butter in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and mushrooms and cook for 6–8 minutes, until the mushrooms are browned and the pan is dry.
4. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the shredded turkey and peas, then pour in the blended cottage cheese sauce.
5. Add the drained spaghetti and toss until every strand is coated in sauce. Taste and adjust the salt.
6. Transfer everything to a 9×13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining parmesan and the panko breadcrumbs over the top.
7. Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the top is golden and the sauce is bubbling at the edges. Rest for 5 minutes, scatter with parsley, and serve.

Tips

• Blend the cottage cheese until it is completely smooth — any lumps will show up in the sauce. A high-speed blender or food processor does this in under a minute.
• Undercook the spaghetti by a minute. It finishes cooking in the oven, and pasta that starts fully cooked turns soft in a baked casserole.
• No leftover turkey? Roasted chicken works exactly the same way — use the same weight of shredded chicken.
• The tetrazzini keeps 4 days in the fridge and reheats well with a splash of broth stirred in. It also freezes for up to 2 months.

Estimated nutrition per serving

These are estimated macros based on standard ingredient values, not lab-measured results.

High Protein Cottage Cheese Turkey Tetrazzini

Sophia Martinez

Leftover turkey, mushrooms and spaghetti in a creamy cottage cheese sauce, baked golden. 38g protein — 45 minutes, serves 6.

Print Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Servings 6

Calories 520 kcal

Equipment

• Large stock pot, for boiling the spaghetti
• Large ovenproof skillet, for cooking the mushrooms and building the sauce
• 9×13 inch baking dish, for baking the tetrazzini golden
• Blender or food processor, for blending the cottage cheese sauce smooth

Ingredients

  

• 350 g about 12 oz spaghetti, broken in half
• 500 g about 1.1 lb cooked turkey, shredded
• 250 g about 1 cup cottage cheese, full fat
• 240 g 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 120 g about 1/2 cup grated parmesan, divided
• 250 g about 9 oz mushrooms, sliced
• 1 onion finely diced
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 240 ml 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg freshly grated
• 1 tsp salt plus more to taste
• 1/2 tsp black pepper freshly ground
• 60 g about 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
• Fresh parsley chopped, to serve

Instructions

 

• Heat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of salted water until 1 minute short of the packet time. Drain and set aside.
• Blend the cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, half the parmesan, the chicken broth and the nutmeg until completely smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
• Heat the olive oil and butter in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and mushrooms and cook for 6–8 minutes, until the mushrooms are browned and the pan is dry.
• Add the garlic and thyme and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the shredded turkey and peas, then pour in the blended cottage cheese sauce.
• Add the drained spaghetti and toss until every strand is coated in sauce. Taste and adjust the salt.
• Transfer everything to a 9×13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining parmesan and the panko breadcrumbs over the top.
• Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the top is golden and the sauce is bubbling at the edges. Rest for 5 minutes, scatter with parsley, and serve.

Notes

Blend the cottage cheese until completely smooth. Undercook the spaghetti by 1 minute — it finishes in the oven. Keeps 4 days refrigerated, freezes 2 months.

Keyword cottage cheese, dinner, high protein, thanksgiving leftovers, turkey tetrazzini

More high-protein recipes to try

• High Protein Herb Butter Roasted Turkey Breast for Thanksgiving
• Slow Cooker Thanksgiving Turkey Breast with Greek Yogurt Gravy
• High Protein Healthy Thanksgiving Chicken Pot Pie Soup

FAQ

Can I use chicken instead of turkey? Yes — this high protein cottage cheese turkey tetrazzini works exactly the same with shredded roasted chicken. Use the same weight, about 500g, and the protein stays about the same.

Why cottage cheese in the sauce? Blended cottage cheese turns into a rich, creamy sauce with far more protein than cream, and it holds up in the oven without splitting. The Greek yogurt adds a little tang and more protein on top.

Can I make it ahead? Yes. Assemble the tetrazzini in the baking dish, cover and refrigerate for up to a day, then bake as directed, adding 5–10 minutes since it starts cold. Add the breadcrumbs just before baking so they stay crisp.

Can I freeze tetrazzini? Yes, for up to 2 months. Freeze the baked casserole in portions, then reheat covered in a moderate oven with a splash of broth stirred in to loosen the sauce.

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