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Turkey meat pasta made in one-pot with simple ingredients from the pantry. This creamy turkey pasta has a rich, savory creamy sauce that tastes amazing! An easy pasta recipe to use leftover turkey meat.

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Turkey Pasta

Leftover turkey pasta dishes are so handy, a great way to use up any left over meat after parties or holidays. We love this quick and easy healthy whole wheat pasta recipe for busy weeknights.

You can make it less calorie-dense by switching the heavy whipping cream with whole milk, 1 % milk, or even plant-based milk like coconut milk. You can also give this whole-wheat penne pasta recipe a veggie boost by adding diced red bell pepper, baby spinach, and corn. The possibilities are endless.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Find the Ingredients with actual measurements at the bottom of the post. The list below is just a reference.

Pasta: Whole wheat pasta. We used whole wheat penne pasta. You can also use regular pasta (penne, fusilli pasta, rotini pasta).
Turkey: We used leftover turkey meat diced into small cubes. If you do not have left over turkey meat. You can poach turkey breasts and than dice them into small cubes.
Aromatics: Yellow onion and minced garlic. This makes the whole wheat pasta recipe so flavorful.
Dairy: Heavy whipping cream and grated parmesan cheese. You can sub the cream with whole milk, half and half, 1% milk or plant based milk like coconut milk.
White wine: Adds umami to the dish. You can skip if you do not have it handy. You can use Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Unoaked Chardonnay, dry Vermouth and Riesling. Avoid sweet wines.
Seasonings: Red pepper flakes, ground black pepper, salt to taste.
Liquid: Water. You can use chicken stock if you want to.

Tips & Tricks

Pasta: Whole wheat pasta is the best healthy option. You can also use brown rice, quinoa, and chickpea pasta. Penne, fusilli, rotini are great options. Cook the pasta al dente.
Left-over turkey: Cube the leftover turkey into small bite-sized cubes. You can also use shredded poached turkey breasts.
Sauté aromatics: Sauté garlic, onions in olive oil before building your sauce for rich flavor.
More flavor: Do not skip the wine if you want to add a flavor boost. You can finish off the dish with fresh lemon zest for a brighter flavor.
Veggie boost: You can add veggies like green peas, mushrooms, red bell pepper, baby spinach to make this meal more nutritious. Add the roughly chopped bell pepper and diced mushrooms along with the aromatics. Add the green peas and baby spinach after adding the dairy. The residual heat will help cook down the greens.
Seasonings: Adjust the seasonings according to your liking. We love a milder flavor so that the creamy sauce can shine. But you can go heavy with the seasonings and add extras like thyme, rosemary, sage, a pinch or two of ground nutmeg for great depth of flavor.
Thicken sauce: You don't need any thickeners to thicken the creamy sauce. The grated parmesan cheese will naturally thicken the sauce.
Prevent curdled dairy: Heat up the fridge cold heavy whipping cream in the microwave oven until warm and then add it to the pasta. This will prevent the cream from curdling. Add the cheese bit by bit and mix well until the cheese fully incorporates into the pasta sauce. This will help prevent the cheese from curdling.

Method

Find the detailed step by step recipe along with measurements + Video at the bottom of the post.

Step #1 Sauté & deglaze pot

Sauté aromatics: Add oil in the Instant Pot on high heat on sauté mode. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 2 minutes.
Deglaze pot: Cancel the sauté mode. Add white wine and deglaze the pot. Add water then deglaze the pot very well by scraping the sides and the bottom of the pot with the help of a spatula. This will prevent the burn errors.
Add pasta: Add pasta and the seasonings. Give everything a quick stir. Add the cubed turkey on top of the pasta. Do not stir or mix.

Step #2 Pressure cook, add dairy

pressure cooking pasta and preparing the creamy sauce

Pressure cook: Pressure cook the pasta on high pressure for 5 minutes followed by a quick pressure release.
Add dairy: Turn on Sauté mode and keep it in normal mode. Add the warm heavy cream, mix well, and simmer for 2 minutes. Cancel the sauté mode. Add the grated parmesan cheese in batches and mix well until the cheese fully incorporates into the sauce. Serve the turkey meat pasta topped with red pepper flakes and grated cheese. Enjoy!

Serving Ideas

Turn your creamy penne pasta dish into a complete nutritious meal by adding these sides:

Green Salad: Make a salad with crisp mixed greens, lemon vinaigrette and balsamic dressing.
Crisp Caesar salad: This is a classic salad dish that pairs very well creamy pasta.
Roasted veggies: smashed brussel sprouts, acorn squash, beets, carrots and potatoes, brussel sprouts and sweet potatoes, broccoli and cauliflower.
Bread: Garlic Bread, parmesan breadsticks, toasted baguette slices.
Grilled veggies: Grilled eggplant, butternut squash or zucchini.
Sauté: Sauteed mushrooms and spinach, sauteed mushrooms, onion and bell pepper.

How to store Leftovers

Refrigerate: Store the leftover creamy turkey pasta in an air-tight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Freeze: Freeze any excess leftover pasta in freezer-safe bags for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating the pasta.

How to reheat

Stovetop: Reheat the turkey pasta over low-medium heat with a splash of broth, milk, or water to loosen the sauce.
Microwave: Heat in 30-second bursts, stirring in between, and add a little liquid if it seems dry.

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Turkey Meat Pasta