creamy cajun turkey pasta
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nothing beats pasta when it comes to fast and easy weeknight meals, and this creamy cajun turkey pasta is the perfect combination of creamy and spicy
it’s that time of year when to-do lists are long and time is short. fast and easy dinners are an absolute must. if you search the internet for fast and easy meals you will find more than 9 million choices, most of them pastas or a casserole of some sort. pasta has got to be one of the fastest and easiest ways to get dinner on the table in a hurry. everyone loves it. well, everyone but charlie; he is not a fan.
baked pasta dishes can be put together ahead of time and then baked when needed. leftovers make terrific lunches the next day, and the possible sauce/topping options are almost endless, although in this house butter and cheese reign supreme.
ian would be happy to eat pasta 5 nights a week, especially this creamy cajun turkey pasta. if ian finds creamy cajun pasta on a menu at a restaurant, no doubt he will order it. it’s one of his all time favorite meals, so when i found this cajun style bone-in turkey breast from jennie-o, i knew immediately what i wanted to make with it.
the turkey goes right from the freezer to the oven, comes perfectly pre-seasoned, makes a great sandwich, and is the perfect addition to creamy cajun pasta.
creamy cajun turkey pasta
Ingredients:
- 1 lb cooked and thinly sliced cajun turkey breast
- 1 lb fettuccine cooked according to the package (reserve 1 cup of the pasta word)
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 cup of half and half
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese (plus more for serving)
- 1 Tbsp + 1-3 tsp cajun seasoning
- 1/2 tsp salt
Directions:
- while the pasta cooks melt the butter in a small saucepan, once melted add garlic and cook until fragrant - 1-2 minutes)
- add the half and half, simmer 5 minutes until slightly thickened and heated through, then stir in the cajun seasoning and Parmesan, remove from the heat and set aside
- heat oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet
- once hot add the onion and bell pepper, 1/2 tsp salt and 1 - 3 tsp of cajun seasoning, saute util soft and slightly browned (6-7 minutes)
- add the turkey and saute until warmed through (another 1 - 2 minutes)
- combine the pasta with cream sauce (adding pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce a bit) then toss with the peppers, onions, and turkey
- serve with some fresh chopped parsely and extra cheese
with basketball practice 6 nights a week right at dinner time, i need to have things prepped ahead of time, so i baked the turkey early in the day(from frozen the turkey takes 2 hours and 45 minutes to bake). once cool, i sliced some for sandwiches, wraps, and quesadillas, and set the rest aside for the pasta.
once the turkey is ready and the veggies are sliced, the rest of the meal takes almost no time at all, making it perfect for all those busy holiday weeknights.
enjoy!
This going to be added to my menu! Looks and sounds delicious! My husband would approve of it too!
thanks so much! i hope your family enjoys it as much as mine did
That looks delicious! I love Cajun dishes, so I’m definitely putting this on an upcoming menu plan.
Yum! This looks great. I have become obsessed with cajun food after our visit to NOLA this year. This looks simple. I buy that Jennie-O brand all the time.
we LOVE out jennie-o too 🙂 and YES to all the cajun
This looks like a delicious weeknight meal that comes together quickly 🙂
thanks so much, it really is so easy
This pasta is pure spicy deliciousness!!
thanks so much
This sounds like perfect for dinner!
thanks! we really loved it