One Pot Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey Cajun Pasta
Do you have leftover turkey from Thanksgiving? Then give it another life with this One Pot Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey Cajun Pasta. Creamy pasta, with a hint of heat, is loaded with turkey, mushrooms and sun dried tomatoes.
Thanksgiving is the best. The turkey is great but I’m all about the sides. I love mashed potatoes but I love garlic mashed potatoes even more. And this recipe is the absolute best because it is made in the crockpot, and can stay in the crockpot, until you are ready to serve.
More thanksgiving sides
Some of my other favorite Thanksgiving side dishes are these Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots and Balsamic Bacon Brussel Sprouts. They are both simple dishes that are packed with flavor. Everyone at your Thanksgiving table will love these side dishes.
One pot leftover thanksgiving turkey cajun pasta
- butter
- garlic
- onion
- mushrooms
- chicken broth
- linguine
- turkey
- sun dried tomatoes
- sour cream
- paprika
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- oregano
- cayenne pepper
- thyme
- salt & pepper
Thanksgiving leftovers
Okay, so you’ve had your Thanksgiving dinner. You’ve eaten until you think you can’t eat anymore. And then you have seconds.
Now, you’re left with tons of leftovers and you don’t exactly want to eat the exact same meal over and over. So what’s a person to do? Well take that turkey and make my One Pot Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey Cajun Pasta.
This pasta tastes delicious – it’s creamy with a hint of heat and packed with shredded turkey, mushrooms and sun dried tomatoes. It’s the perfect way to give that leftover turkey a whole new life (and a new flavor profile).
Why one pot?
Well, one pot always means less dishes. So I’m always up for that! But, making this dish in one pot also makes all the flavors meld together. The starch from the pasta helps to thicken the sauce as the pasta cooks. All of this combined, makes for plenty of reasons to make this delicious pasta dish in one pot!
I especially like to use a Dutch oven. This style of pot offers plenty of room for the noodles to boil and for all the ingredients to cook within the pot. Then, when you are ready to eat leftovers of this dish, you can heat everything up in the Dutch oven to reserve.
tips for involving kids
- Let them help you measure out all the ingredients – this is a perfect opportunity to practice eye-hand coordination, self control, following directions, the list goes on.
- Cooking with your kids can be fun AND educational!
- There is always going to be a mess when you cook with your kids but, like my little guy Will says, “It’s okay Mom, chefs make messes and then they clean it up.” Have fun cooking with your kids!!
One Pot Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey Cajun Pasta
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp butter
- 3 garlic minced
- ¼ onion diced
- 8 oz mushrooms sliced
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 16 oz linguine
- 2 cups shredded turkey cooked
- ¼ cup sun dried tomatoes
- ½ cup sour cream
Cajun Seasoning
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- ½ tsp thyme
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Melt the butter in the Dutch Oven over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion and mushrooms and sauté for 2 minutes.2 tbsp butter, 3 garlic, ¼ onion, 8 oz mushrooms
- Add all of the Cajun Seasoning spices to the vegetable mixture.2 tsp paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp cayenne pepper, ½ tsp thyme, salt & pepper
- Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a simmer (you may need to slightly increase the heat).3 cups chicken broth
- Add the linguine and turkey. Simmer until the noodles are al dente (about 8-10 minutes).16 oz linguine, 2 cups shredded turkey
- Add in the sun dried tomatoes and stir in the sour cream. Serve warm and enjoy!¼ cup sun dried tomatoes
