Pasta Carbonara with Leftover Turkey

Name: Pasta Carbonara with Leftover Turkey
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 lb Spaghetti; 6 Slices Bacon (Crumbled); 2 cloves Garlic (Minced); 3 Large Eggs; 1 Egg Yolk; 1 cup Parmesan (Shredded); 1 cup Peas (Thawed from Frozen); 2 cups Leftover Turkey (Diced); Salt and Pepper (To taste)

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After the holidays, we are are all wondering what to do with all that leftover turkey! This pasta carbonara with leftover turkey is easy to make, full of parmesan cheese and bacon, and ready in 15 minutes!

A close up of the pasta carbonara and DaVinci pasta in the background.

My family loves pasta. We just do! It's an easy dinner that can be loaded with veggies and healthy, lean proteins and my family eats it up! some of our favorites are One Pot Chicken Broccoli Pasta , Whole Wheat Pasta Primavera, and Instant Pot Chicken Pesto Pasta.

An overhead shot of a plate of pasta carbonara

What is Pasta Carbonara?

Pasta carbonara originated in Rome and is traditionally made with eggs, parmesan, ham, and lots of freshly cracked pepper. Throughout the years, it has been adapted and changed as our tastes changed. Cured ham was replaced with bacon, and Pecorino Romano cheese was replaced with parmesan. It's a classic in many Italian restaurants, and for good reason!

Why You'll Love Turkey Carbonara

It's a great way to use up leftovers! Isn't it amazing how much turkey is left over after the holidays? No matter how many people you have, there are always leftovers! There's only so many turkey sandwiches one can eat, so change it up a little with this turkey pasta carbonara.
It's a quick family dinner! After the holidays, we don't want to be spending any more time slaving over a hot stove for hours. This recipe is 15 minutes from start to finish, so you can get back to spending quality time with the family!
It's easy to make! No need to make any special trips to the grocery store. You probably already have these ingredients hanging out in your refrigerator and freezer.

Ingredients You'll Need

An overhead view of the ingredients for Turkey Spaghetti Carbonara

Pasta- My go to is DaVinci pasta
Eggs- Three whole eggs and one egg yolk to make the sauce creamy.
Bacon- Six slices of your favorite bacon
Peas- to add color and some veggies to the pasta. Frozen peas are best. Take them out once you start boiling the water. They will thaw as you cook the pasta.
Parmesan- freshly grated is best, but if you have pre-grated, that works perfectly too.
Turkey- chop the turkey into small, bite sized pieces. Dark meat or white meat, skin and bones removed.

Equipment

Pasta Pot
Mixing Bowls
Measuring Cups
Mixing Spoons
Pasta Fork- optional, but it works great when serving the pasta

How To Make Pasta Carbonara with Leftover Turkey

Bring a pot of water to a boil and season the water with 3 tablespoons of salt once it comes to a boil. Add your DaVinci pasta and cook for 6-8 minutes.

The DaVinci pasta is added to a pot of boiling water

While the pasta cooks, add the six strips of bacon to a sauté pan. Cook the bacon until it is crispy. Once it is crispy, place it on a paper towel lined plate and allow it to cool. Leave the bacon grease in the pan.

The bacon is in a sauté pan, being cooked until crispy.

In a small bowl, mix together the three whole eggs and one egg yolk with one cup of parmesan cheese.

The parmesan cheese and eggs are mixed together in a small bowl.

Add the minced garlic and diced turkey to the sauté pan that has the bacon grease in it. Cook on low for 2 minutes to cook the garlic and heat the turkey through.

The turkey and garlic are being added to the sauté pan.

When the pasta is done cooking, reserve 1 cup of pasta water, and drain the rest. Place the drained pasta directly into the sauté pan, with the heat off. Add the peas, parmesan and eggs mixture, and fresh ground pepper to the pan and mix. Add ½ cup of the reserved pasta water and mix well. If the pasta is looking a little dry, add one tablespoon at a time of more pasta water.

The peas are added to the pasta in the sauté pan.

Mix all the ingredients well. Top with the crumbled bacon, more parmesan cheese, and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Tips And Tricks

Don't overcook the eggs. When adding the parmesan and egg mixture to the pan, don't place the pan over the heat. The warmth of the pasta will gently cook the eggs. If you turn the heat on, you run the risk of scrambling the eggs instead of gently cooking them and creating a creamy sauce.

Keep the pasta water! Pasta water is a secret ingredient in many pasta dishes. It is full of starch and salt, which flavors the dish as well as create a creamy sauce without adding any cream.

Pick high quality bacon. The bacon adds the saltiness and a texture to the dish. Thick cut bacon is a great choice. Stay away from flavored bacon (like maple flavored) as that would be too much for this dish.

A pan of turkey Carbonara has a fork and a spoon in the pan

Variations of Pasta Carbonara With Leftover Turkey

This recipe isn't just for leftover holiday turkey. Make this with chopped up rotisserie chicken, or leave out the turkey all together.
Instead of peas, use scallions, edamame, or chopped green beans.
Turkey bacon can be substituted instead of pork bacon. Turkey bacon doesn't have as much fat as pork bacon, so add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan to warm the garlic and turkey.
I used parmesan cheese, but Pecorino Romano, or a grated cheese blend works great too!
If you're like me and love spice, add some crushed red pepper to the cheese and egg mixture.

A side view of the pasta carbonara with a glass of white wine.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long will this pasta carbonara last?

This will last for 4-5 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. To reheat, place the pasta is a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 2-3 minutes. If you are reheating the entire recipe, place a pan on the stove and add the pasta to the pan. Add a little chicken broth to loosen the sauce and gently heat through.

Are the eggs raw?

No, the eggs will gently cook from the heat of the hot pasta and the hot pasta water. If we were to heat the pasta over direct heat, we run the risk of having scrambled eggs in the pasta, which is not what we want!

What pasta shape is best for Pasta Carbonara?

Traditionally, spaghetti or angel hair would be used in carbonara. Tube pasta like rigatoni and penne would be great substitutes as well.

Other Recipes to Try

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