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Thanksgiving Pasta Salad

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Give yourself a break and transform your Thanksgiving leftovers into a comforting turkey pasta salad, tossed with creamy cranberry salad dressing. It’s a no-fuss wholesome meal that’s even better ...
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 10
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 455
Ingredients Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Pasta Salad
  • 12 oz rotini pasta, bowtie works great, too
  • 2 cups leftover Thanksgiving turkey, shredded or chopped
  • 1 cup finely shaved fennel
  • 1 cup finely shaved red pepper
  • 1 cup of finely shaved red onion
  • 1 cup cooked and crumbled bacon, about 1 1/2 pound
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
For the Cranberry Dressing
  • 1 cup cranberry sauce, canned
  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • ¼ cup rice vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp whole grain Dijon mustard
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons celery salt
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • pinch of black pepper

Method
 

  1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water; set aside until cooled.
  2. Using a mandolin thinly slice the fennel, red onion, and red pepper.
  3. Pull or chop the turkey and make sure it’s small, bite-sized pieces.
  4. In a medium bowl, add the canned cranberry sauce, the mayo, sour cream, mustard, rice vinegar, celery salt, sugar, and pepper. Whisk together until combined. Season to taste with more salt and pepper if needed. Store in the fridge until ready to use.
  5. Assemble in a large bowl the cooled pasta, veggies, dried cranberries, turkey and bacon.
  6. Add as much dressing as you want (depending on if you like it really saucy). Toss to combine.
  7. Place the salad in the fridge for an hour before serving to soak up all the flavors. Delish!

Nutrition

Calories: 455kcalCarbohydrates: 52gProtein: 15gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 6gSodium: 640mgFiber: 3gSugar: 22g

Notes

Using a mandolin to finely slice the fennel, red pepper, and red onion not only elevates the presentation of the salad but also ensures that each vegetable blends harmoniously with the pasta. This technique allows for a delicate texture that enhances the overall mouthfeel, ensuring each bite is a balanced explosion of flavors.

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