Turkey alfredo is the answer for your post-Thanksgiving leftovers. Roasted turkey, bacon, peas, and penne pasta are coated in a creamy alfredo sauce. It's made in a single pan and ready in 30 minutes!
Heather's recipe summary
Flavor/texture: Tender penne pasta, roasted turkey, bacon, and peas are coated in a creamy homemade alfredo sauce.
Quick and easy: It's made in a single pan with Thanksgiving leftovers and can be ready in less than 30 minutes!
Serves: 4 people
Similar to: Turkey Cranberry Sandwich and Turkey Broccoli Casserole
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Ingredients and substitutions
- Thanksgiving leftovers - This recipe is perfect for using up leftover Thanksgiving turkey, shredded rotisserie chicken. Bacon can be substituted with leftover cubed holiday ham. Peas can be substituted with leftover corn or green beans.
- Pasta - Any medium sized dried pasta like farfalle, shells, or elbow macaroni work great in this recipe. Be sure to follow the pasta's package cooking directions for accurate times.
How to make Turkey Alfredo
- Add chicken broth, heavy cream, pasta, salt, and pepper to garlic and onions cooked in bacon grease.
- Cover and simmer until pasta is cooked to al dente.
- Uncover and add turkey, cooked bacon, peas, and parmesan cheese.
- Stir to combine and cook until cheese is melted. Let sit for sauce to thicken, about 5 minutes.
Tips and tricks
Measure liquid and pasta accurately - This recipe doesn't utilize traditional thickening agents like flour or cornstarch. Instead, we're relying on the starches released from the pasta as it cooks to thicken the remaining liquids in the pan. Make sure your liquids and pasta are measured accurately. This recipe calls for just enough to cook the pasta without leaving excess liquid in the pan.
Sauce look thin? - If your sauce looks thin after cooking, remove from heat and allow it to set for 5 minutes. The sauce will continue to thicken as it stands.
Frequently asked questions
This recipe fits into a 12 inch sauté pan. A sauté pan has tall, vertical sides and differs from a skillet, which has slightly less deep, sloping sides.
Garlic bread or cheese stuffed biscuits are great side dishes for turkey alfredo. For something a little lighter, add a kale cranberry salad on the side.
I don't recommend freezing this recipe because dairy based sauces don't freeze well and cooked pasta tends to get mushy.
Recommended
📖 Recipe
Turkey Alfredo
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon, chopped
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 16 ounces chicken broth
- 4 ounces heavy cream, double for a creamier sauce
- 8 ounces penne pasta, uncooked
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 16 ounces leftover cooked turkey, cubed or shredded
- 1 cup frozen peas
- ⅔ cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Instructions
- In a saute pan over medium heat, add chopped bacon. Once cooked through, remove bacon and drain all but 1 tablespoon of bacon grease from the pan.
- Add diced onion and cook until lightly browned. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
- Add chicken broth, heavy cream, pasta, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer until pasta is cooked to al dente (consult your pasta package's cooking directions for times).
- Uncover and add turkey, bacon, peas, and parmesan cheese. Stir to combine. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until dish is warmed through and cheese is melted.
- Remove from heat and allow to set for 5 minutes. Sauce will thicken as it stands. Serve and enjoy.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Fresh cheese: Use freshly shredded cheese instead of pre-shredded cheese or grated cheese in a green canister. These cheeses contain anti-clumping powders that become grainy when melted.
- Utilize several leftovers: Turkey or chicken work as the main protein. Bacon can be substituted with chopped ham, and peas can be substituted with green beans or corn.
- Storage: Leftovers will keep for 2 to 3 days in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator.
Didn't thicken at all
Hi Marc, did you allow the pan to rest for 5 minutes after cooking? What type of pasta was used and how was it measured? I'd love to help you work through what went wrong with a few more details.
This was really good! Instead of chicken broth I used the turkey stock I made today from the Thanksgiving turkey. Instead of peas I put in frozen broccoli chopped up. ( I didn't have other frozen veggies!) And I tossed in some prosciutto left over from a charcuterie tray! It was delicious!
Made this last night with leftover smoked turkey! It was so good! I didn't have peas, just frozen mixed vegetables so used that instead. I put some panko crumbs on top and broiled for a minute or two to give it some crunch. Will definitely make again and recommend!
Loved this with our leftover turkey! Definitely, as my husband would say, a keeper!
This was a great way to incorporate leftover Thanksgiving turkey! I ended up using less turkey and added a little cornstarch slurry to thicken. Thanks!
I made this with smoked Turkey and it brought this dish up to a whole new level, absolutely delicious! Smoked Turkey and bacon? You can't go wrong! Thank you for a new favorite!
That sounds delicious! Glad you enjoyed the recipe, Mary!
Can this be frozen?
I wouldn't recommend freezing anything with a creamy sauce like this recipe, because it tends to separate when reheating.
It was fantastic..
Thanks Sheri, glad to hear you enjoyed it!
I added some onion and mushrooms... Forgot the peas but it was still delish!
Yum, great ideas! Glad you enjoyed it 🙂
I cooked my chopped bacon first in the pan, removed it and then carried on with the recipe. This was a hardy and quick meal to prepare! LOVED it! Thanks for sharing Ü
That's a great idea Tracy, thanks for sharing and I'm glad you enjoyed it!