Turkey – Pea Alfredo with Linguine

Why on earth do people complain about turkey leftovers? I’ve never understood this. I love leftovers! When I was growing up, we always had Thanksgiving dinner mid-day, then had turkey sandwiches in the evening. I think I enjoyed that meal almost as much as the main one. Now that I cook my own turkeys, I always buy a turkey at least half again as big as I need, just so we can have leftovers. One year, I ended up with even more than I had intended, so I came up with this recipe to mix it up a bit. It was a big hit and has become one of my favorite parts of Thanksgiving. So get yourself an extra-big turkey this year, add a few things to your shopping list, and discover how wonderful leftovers can be! You don’t have to wait for leftovers, though, as many grocery stores now sell turkey breast all year long.

I could have named it Turkey Alfredo with Peas & Linguine, of course. This name is much more fun. It reminds me of my Uncle Bob. Whenever carrots & peas were served at the same meal, he liked to tell everyone, “Eat every carrot and pea on your plate!”

You’ll find a printer-friendly version of the recipe at the bottom of this page.

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp butter

2 cups half-and-half

6 oz (~ 1½ cups) shredded parmesan

1 cup frozen baby peas

3 cups chunked cooked turkey or 1½ – 1¾ pounds raw turkey breast

½ tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

1 lb. package linguine fini (smaller linguine)

Preparation:

1.) If using fresh turkey instead of leftovers, preheat oven to 400 ℉. Wrap the turkey tightly in foil. Bake about 45 minutes or until done, then cut into chunks.

2.) Remove the peas from the freezer and set aside to thaw. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the salt, pepper, and half-and-half. Heat gently, whisking frequently, over medium-low heat until you just start to see a faint wisp of steam when you stir.

3.) Whisking constantly, add the Parmesan in several small batches, waiting until each batch has melted and been incorporated before adding the next.

4.) Cook gently, whisking frequently, over low heat until the sauce thickens, about 15 minutes. While the sauce cooks, heat a large pot of water to boiling. Add the linguine and cook according to manufacturer’s directions for “al dente.”

5.) Drain the linguine and transfer to a four-quart bowl or pot. Pour the sauce into the bowl and stir gently.

6.) Add the turkey and peas to the bowl and stir gently to coat. The residual heat from the other ingredients will warm the peas. If you’re using refrigerated turkey leftovers, cook just until the turkey is heated through.

Turkey - Pea Alfredo with Linguine

Servings: 6
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Ingredients

2 Tbsp butter
2 cups half-and-half
6 oz (~ 1½ cups) shredded parmesan
1 cup frozen baby peas
3 cups chunked cooked turkey or 1½ – 1¾ pounds raw turkey breast
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1 lb. package linguine fini (smaller linguine)

Directions

1.) If using fresh turkey instead of leftovers, preheat oven to 400 ℉. Wrap the turkey tightly in foil. Bake about 45 minutes or until done, then cut into chunks.
2.) Remove the peas from the freezer and set aside to thaw. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the salt, pepper, and half-and-half. Heat gently, whisking frequently, over medium-low heat until you just start to see a faint wisp of steam when you stir.
3.) Whisking constantly, add the Parmesan in several small batches, waiting until each batch has melted and been incorporated before adding the next.
4.) Cook gently, whisking frequently, over low heat until the sauce thickens, about 15 minutes. While the sauce cooks, heat a large pot of water to boiling. Add the linguine and cook according to manufacturer’s directions for “al dente.”
5.) Drain the linguine and transfer to a four-quart bowl or pot. Pour the sauce into the bowl and stir gently.
6.) Add the turkey and peas to the bowl and stir gently to coat. The residual heat from the other ingredients will warm the peas. If you’re using refrigerated turkey leftovers, cook just until the turkey is heated through.