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–+ servings
Leftover turkey pasta bake in a white baking dish.
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5 from 5 votes

Easy Leftover Turkey Pasta Bake

An easy cheesy leftover turkey pasta bake recipe with leftover cooked turkey, leftover Brussels sprouts (and other Christmas vegetables), penne pasta, and a creamy cheesy sauce flavoured with garlic and thyme!
Course Main Course, Pasta
Cuisine British
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 775kcal
Author Beth Sachs

Equipment

  • Chopping Board
  • Cheese Grater
  • Knife
  • Whisk
  • 2 Saucepan
  • Large Baking Dish

Ingredients

Metric - US Customary
  • 200 g Pasta
  • 2 Garlic Cloves peeled and chopped
  • 1 teaspoon Thyme Leaves chopped
  • 50 g Butter
  • 50 g Plain Flour
  • 650 ml Milk
  • 250 g Extra Mature Cheddar grated
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
  • 250 g Cooked Turkey chopped into bitesize pieces
  • 200 g Leftover Brussels Sprouts or other leftover vegetables, chopped
  • 3 tablespoon Parmesan grated

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 200°C (180 fan/ 400F/ Gas 6).
  • Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta according to packet instructions. Reserve a cup of pasta cooking water, drain and set aside.
    200 g Pasta
  • Heat the butter in another saucepan and stir in the chopped garlic and thyme leaves. Cook for 1 minute.
    2 Garlic Cloves, 1 teaspoon Thyme Leaves, 50 g Butter
  • Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes.
    50 g Plain Flour
  • Gradually whisk in the milk and keep stirring until the white sauce thickens. Take off the heat and stir in the dijon mustard and grated cheese. Mix together until the cheese has melted.
    650 ml Milk, 250 g Extra Mature Cheddar, 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
  • Mix in the cooked pasta, cooked turkey, and leftover cooked vegetables if using. If the sauce needs loosening a little, add a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta cooking water.
    250 g Cooked Turkey, 200 g Leftover Brussels Sprouts, 200 g Pasta
  • Spoon the mixture into a baking dish, top with the grated Parmesan, and bake in the oven for 20 -25 minutes until golden brown.
    3 tablespoon Parmesan

Notes

Expert Tips:
  • Salt the water you cook the pasta in generously, for extra flavour.
  • Reserve a cup of pasta cooking water to loosen the cheese sauce if needed.
  • Cook the pasta to al dente as it will also be baked in the oven afterwards.
 
Variations:
  • Use different cheeses or a combination of cheeses. Gruyere, blue cheese, mozzarella, and brie (with the rind cut off) would all work well.
  • Add in leftover cooked stuffing and other cooked meats such as chicken.
  • Mix in dried cranberries and chopped pecan nuts for a festive flavour.
 
Storage:
Make Ahead - Assemble the pasta bake up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate before baking.
Store - Cooked turkey can only be reheated once, therefore, storing leftovers of the pasta bake is not advisable as the turkey has already been reheated.
Freezing - Not recommended.
 
Nutrition:
The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
 
Nutrition Facts
Easy Leftover Turkey Pasta Bake
Amount per Serving
Calories
775
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
37
g
57
%
Saturated Fat
 
17
g
106
%
Trans Fat
 
0.03
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
2
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
7
g
Cholesterol
 
169
mg
56
%
Sodium
 
644
mg
28
%
Potassium
 
800
mg
23
%
Carbohydrates
 
63
g
21
%
Fiber
 
4
g
17
%
Sugar
 
10
g
11
%
Protein
 
48
g
96
%
Vitamin A
 
1385
IU
28
%
Vitamin C
 
44
mg
53
%
Calcium
 
760
mg
76
%
Iron
 
4
mg
22
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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