Turkey Cranberry Pasta Salad
User Reviews
5
Turkey Cranberry Pasta Salad
Description
The Turkey Cranberry Pasta Salad combines cooked bow tie pasta and chopped turkey with diced celery, dried cranberries, and toasted pecans to provide a variety of textures—from tender pasta and meat to crunchy nuts and celery and chewy berries. The green onions add a mild sharpness. It is dressed with a creamy mixture of store-bought or homemade poppy seed dressing, mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, and optional sugar, creating a dressing that is tangy, slightly sweet, and smooth.
After tossing all ingredients together, chilling the salad for at least an hour allows the flavors to meld while keeping the pasta firm. The salad balances sweet, savory, and acidic notes, making it suitable as a side for picnics or potlucks or a light lunch.
This salad offers a practical way to use leftover turkey, and the ingredients are easy to adjust; celery and nuts supply crunch contrasting with the soft pasta and turkey.
The notes suggest replacing turkey with chicken or ham and that a creamy coleslaw dressing can be used as an alternative to the poppy seed dressing, which can adjust the flavor to preference.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces bow tie pasta or other short pasta
- 2 cups turkey cooked, chopped
- ½ cup celery diced
- ⅔ cup dried cranberries
- ⅓ cup pecan or almonds, chopped, toasted
- ¼ cup green onions sliced
- ⅔ cup poppy seed dressing store bought or homemade
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar optional
Instructions
- Place almonds in a small non-stick pan and cook over medium heat until lightly browned.
- Cook pasta al dente according to package directions.
- Combine poppy seed dressing, mayonnaise and cider vinegar (and sugar if using) in a small bowl and mix well.
- Toss all ingredients in a larger bowl and chill at least 1 hour before serving.
Notes
- You can substitute leftover turkey with cooked chicken or ham to suit your preferences or what you have on hand.
- Using creamy coleslaw dressing instead of poppy seed dressing offers a different creamy flavor option.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 482 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 482 | 24% |
| Carbohydrates | 59g | 20% |
| Protein | 18g | 36% |
| Fat | 19g | 29% |
| Saturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Cholesterol | 29mg | 10% |
| Sodium | 130mg | 5% |
| Potassium | 356mg | 8% |
| Fiber | 5g | 20% |
| Sugar | 12g | 24% |
| Vitamin A | 100IU | 2% |
| Vitamin C | 1.1mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 198mg | 20% |
| Iron | 2.5mg | 14% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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