Lower Carb, Lower Calorie Turkey Tetrazzini! Yes Please!

Need more reasons to try using spaghetti squash as a substitute for pasta?? Here goes!

Lower Carbohydrates: Spaghetti squash is much lower in carbohydrates than regular pasta.  

Lower Caloric Content: Spaghetti squash is significantly lower in calories compared to pasta.  Surprisingly, using spaghetti squash makes for a very hearty and filling dish.

Gluten-Free: Spaghetti squash is naturally gluten-free, making it an excellent choice for people with celiac disease or those who follow a gluten-free diet.  We don’t have a need to be gluten free in our household but we have agreed that not having the “pasta pit” in our stomachs after a meal feels great.

More Nutrient-Dense: Spaghetti squash provides vitamins and minerals, including vitamin A, vitamin C, and fiber.  

Unique Texture: When cooked, spaghetti squash naturally separates into thin strands that resemble spaghetti (hence the name 😊). This helps maintain a satisfying “noodle-like” quality without the heaviness of pasta.

Vegetable-Based Dish: Substituting spaghetti squash for pasta can make this dish more vegetable-forward.  Who needs a side salad when you have a great all-in-one meal?

Tastes Light and Fresh: Spaghetti squash has a mildly sweet flavor and a light texture.  We think it is a refreshing twist to the heavier, traditional pasta-based Tetrazzini.

To make this dish, there are several easy steps. Start by gathering all of your ingredients. If you have left over peas from your Thanksgiving meal, go ahead and use those. Carrots and green beans go well with this dish too – I say use them up if you’ve got ’em!

Prepare your spaghetti squash.  For this recipe, I used homegrown squash that I prepared in advance (like 2 years ago) and froze.  I was cleaning out our freezer to make room for our next beef and found 3 bags of this stuff from 2022! 

In case you’re wondering, spaghetti squash freezes beautifully and keeps its “spaghetti-like” texture…apparently for a loooong time too!  I’ll include the spaghetti squash baking instructions just in case you need them.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the mushrooms, onion & garlic.  Cook for about 5 minutes until mushrooms are browning and onion is translucent. Remove from pan and set aside.  You’ll need them for the final assembly.

Melt butter in the same large skillet over medium heat.  Once butter is melted, add the flour and whisk until a smooth paste forms.

Slowly pour in the broth, whisking constantly, smoothing out any lumps.  Whisk in heavy cream, salt & pepper.

Once the mixture is brought to a boil, stir in the turkey, peas, and mushroom/onion/garlic mixture.

Simmer for a few minutes to combine and heat throughout while the sauce thickens.

This reheats wonderfully! I will sometimes cut the recipe in two and put them in 8″ x 8″ dishes. I make one for the freezer and one for eating immediately. When you are pinched for time, simply thaw your frozen dish and top with parmesan and bake!

Variation:

Add spinach, carrots or green beans for added variety.

Try this with some bread crumbs on top for a little crunch.

Add a little parmesan into the turkey mixture to make it a bit more decadent.

Enjoy!