Leftovers from Holiday Meals?

We have some wonderful recipe ideas for using leftovers of ham and turkey from holiday meals. Extend that yumminess of your holiday feasts well beyond Thanksgiving or Christmas with these mouth-watering risotto and pasta ideas.

Using Tastealotta’s Artichoke or Saffron Risotto with leftover ham makes for a very filling and delicious main course meal. Just add vegetables of your choice; we think asparagus, peas or broccoli makes for a great vegetable addition. 

For leftover turkey Tastealotta’s Artichoke Risotto would pair up nicely. Adding peas or asparagus as a vegetable addition and then your choice of sauce would make for a delicious main course.

Just Add Sauce!

To make our risotto main dish worthy with either ham or turkey added, just add sauce! Your choice depending on whether you use Pomodoro and Basil Risotto, Saffron Risotto, or Artichoke Risotto. The Comodoro and Basil Risotto or Artichoke Risotto would pair well with either ham or turkey. Saffron Risotto would be better paired with ham for your main dish entree.

Sauces–just use your imagination. Turkey leftovers lend themselves well to a more cream based sauce, but do well with using a chicken broth based sauce extended with a little leftover gravy, is extremely good tasting. Add a little white wine and spices to your sauce and you have a main dish that will be a hearty main course.

Pasta with Turkey or Ham

Risotto used with leftovers gives you a rice type main course, but pasta pairs well with leftover turkey and ham also. With ham or turkey you have many choices of Tastealotta pasta that would pair well; Capricci Organic Pasta Marella, Farffalle Archobaleno Organic Pasta, Farfalline Zebra Pasta or Foglie Di Ulivoo Pasta.

Pasta Sauce for Ham or Turkey

This is where personal taste, age of guests, and how much time you want to put into your creative leftovers dish comes into play. Many times with ham I use a light cheddar sauce even with pasta, add some baby tomatoes cut in half and you have a kid friendly dish.

For a more elegant ham and pasta entree, start with a chicken broth base, add white wine and a combination of thinly sliced mushrooms, sautéed onions and cook until a reduction sauce consistency. You can add cooked peas, asparagus or broccoli to finish out the dish once the sauce is added to the pasta.

Many cooks like to bake their pasta dishes after combining ingredients so the flavors blend even better, top with a bread crumb topping and pop in the oven for about 20 minutes to set your flavors.

Turkey & Pasta Ideas

Pairing leftover turkey with pasta gives you some wonderful main dish choices. Think Alfredo Sauce with our Farfalline Zebra Pasta or a lighter white wine and cream sauce paired with turkey and your choice of vegetables with Monezza Verdure Organic Pasta.

One of my favorite sauces to pair leftover turkey with pasta is a creamy pasta sauce my Mom used to make for leftover turkey after Thanksgiving or Christmas:

1 teaspoon olive oil 

1/2 cup chopped onion 

12-18 mushroom of your choice, thinly sliced

4 garlic cloves, minced 

2/3 cup chicken broth 

1/2 cup half n half

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 teaspoon French spices or a combination of tarragon and thyme

2-3 cups leftover turkey cut into ½” cubes or ½” strips

In large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat, till not, but not smoking. Add onion and garlic and cook till softened, about 5 minutes. Add broth chicken broth and white wine. Simmer about 3 minutes or until liquid has reduced by half. Add mushrooms. Cook 5 minutes until mushrooms are softened and mixture is thickened. Add half n half and leftover turkey. Simmer mixture 4 to 6 minutes until mixture is thickened and turkey is heated through.  Stir in pasta and toss to combine.

Come by Tastelatta this holiday season and stock up on pasta and risotto that you can make your unique creation by adding your holiday leftovers and your special sauces. Enjoy the magic of the holiday season!