Leftover Turkey Pasta With Brussel Sprouts And Bacon

Name: Leftover Turkey Pasta With Brussel Sprouts And Bacon
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 16 ounces brussels sprouts (washed, outer leaves peeled, and halved); salt and pepper; 2 egg yolks; 4 tablespoons crème fraiche (or cream or sour cream); 1 lemon (zest only); ¼ cup parmesan cheese (plus extra for sprinkling); 3 slices bacon (or leftover ham, chopped); 2 cloves garlic (chopped); 1 teaspoon dried thyme (or about 3 sprigs fresh); 7 ounces turkey (leftover cooked); 4½ ounces pasta (linguine or similar)

By Helen Schofield

on Dec 22, 2015, Updated Aug 11, 2026

20 Comments

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Whether it’s actually just after Christmas or Thanksgiving, or you just have leftover cooked turkey and uncooked brussel sprouts (well, you might!), keep it simple and tasty with this leftover turkey pasta. I think you’ll love the carbonara-like sauce that’s creamy but made with just a drizzle of cream.

You’ll need around just 30 minutes to get this on the table. Perfect for a lazy evening after the holidays!

A closeup of a black frying pan with turkey linguine in it.

The perfect solution for your turkey leftovers
📌Recipe snapshot
About the ingredients
How to make turkey pasta
Helen’s Top Tips
Recipe FAQs
More ideas for holiday leftovers
Leftover Turkey Pasta With Brussel Sprouts And Bacon Recipe

The perfect solution for your turkey leftovers

Turkey can divide a room, but if you have leftovers in the fridge you might as well re-purpose them into a comforting, tasty and most importantly simple post-holiday dinner.

This turkey pasta is quick and easy to throw together using your Christmas (or Thanksgiving!) leftovers, and very versatile. Throw in however much meat and brussel sprouts you have left, and all the better if there’s a bit of stuffing left over too. I’ve added a pork stuffing before, and we enjoyed the hit of extra flavor.

If you have plenty of turkey left but not many brussel sprouts, that’s fine. Just buy more brussel sprouts, or alternatively replace them with other fresh or frozen vegetables you already have.

You’ll love the mildly sweet and crispy roasted brussel sprouts in this, and who would object to mouthfuls of smoky bacon, too? I also think you’ll love the carbonara-style sauce made of egg yolks, slightly tangy crème fraiche – or cream – fresh and zesty lemon zest and plenty of tangy parmesan.

This is also a great recipe for using up extra tasty holiday cheese! You can use whatever kind of cheese you have hanging out in your fridge.

📌Recipe snapshot

Time: around 30 minutes
Serves: 2 (easy to scale up to feed more)
Key ingredients: brussel sprouts, egg yolks, crème fraiche or cream, lemon zest, parmesan cheese, bacon, garlic, dried thyme, leftover cooked turkey (or chicken, or other meat!)
Why you’ll love this: very easy post-holiday recipe (just leftovers and pantry ingredients), cozy and comforting, very versatile e.g. use ham instead of bacon or use different veggies

About the ingredients

You’ll find a full list of ingredients with amounts in the recipe card below. But here’s a summary of what you need to know.

Brussel sprouts: I suggest washing, trimming, and halving them so that they cook all of the way through. Of course you can use cooked brussel sprouts if you have leftovers, but I think it’s worth buying more fresh ones to enjoy them crisp and caramelized after they’re roasted!
Egg yolks: I use just egg yolks in this recipe for the richest, creamiest result!
Crème fraiche, or cream: I like crème fraîche because it’s lighter than cream and has a subtle tangy flavor. However, I don’t think this is available everywhere so it’s absolutely fine to use cream instead, or even sour cream for a similar tangy result.
Lemon: You’ll add just the zest to the sauce. It works really well with the other ingredients!
Parmesan cheese: I prefer freshly grated authentic parmesan for the best flavor. If you have another sharp cheese left over from Christmas or another occasion, feel free to use that instead.
Bacon: Smoked bacon gives the best flavor. Smoked ham works well, too (great if you have leftovers!).
Garlic cloves: Peel and crush.
Dried thyme: Peppery, earthy thyme goes particularly well with the brussels sprouts and bacon. However, feel free to substitute with another dry herb such as oregano, basil, or mixed Italian herbs.
Leftover cooked turkey: Substitute with chicken or another meat if you prefer.
Pasta: I really like using linguine (like thicker spaghetti or thinner fettuccine!) in this recipe, but you can use any kind of pasta you have in your pantry.

How to make turkey pasta

This is a very fast recipe similar to this authentic carbonara recipe. You can make it in these few easy steps:

Firstly, pre-heat the oven to 390F/200C. Then toss the brussel sprouts with a little oil on a baking tray or roasting dish, then grind over a bit of salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, or until browned and crispy. Don’t skip this step! The brussels will be crisp, caramelized and delicious!

Overhead view of the crispy roasted vegetables just out of the oven.

Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks, crème fraiche (or cream), lemon zest, salt and peper, and parmesan together, and set aside.

Someone holding a jug of egg custard mixture for quiche with a fork in it and on a marble background.

Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions.

Collage of 2 images showing someone breaking spaghetti into a large saucepan and the cooked spaghetti drained in a big red colander.

While the pasta is cooking, fry the bacon in a little oil for seven or eight minutes or until lightly crispy, then add the garlic and thyme to the pan and cook for another minute or so.

Add the turkey/chicken to the pan and toss everything together until the chicken/turkey is heated through.

Drain the pasta, reserving some of the cooking water, then quickly return it to the pan (keep it off the heat).

4 process shots showing how to make a classic pasta carbonara without cream

Immediately add the turkey/chicken, brussels and bacon mixture to the pasta, followed by the egg/cream/parmesan mixture. Quickly toss the pasta around with tongs, adding enough of the reserved pasta water to leave you with a creamy, silky sauce. Serve immediately.

Turkey, bacon and brussels sprouts linguine - perfect for leftovers!

Helen’s Top Tips

When you drain the pasta, save some of the pasta cooking water. Stir a drizzle or two of the water through the dish to loosen it up. This step makes all the difference!
Make sure the pan is off the heat when you add the egg/cream/parmesan sauce. Toss the pasta and sauce around quickly so that the heat from the pasta ‘just’ cooks the sauce rather than turning it into scrambled eggs!
Feel free to substitute in different ingredients. For example, ham instead of bacon (if you have leftovers!), different leftover vegetables, or even chicken or pork instead of turkey.
If you don’t have any eggs but do have butter, flour, milk and cheese, you can easily make a similar version of this recipe but with a cheese sauce instead of the carbonara style one.

Recipe FAQs

Can I use chicken instead of turkey?

Absolutely! You can use chicken or any other leftover meat such as pork or lamb. You can also use ham instead instead of bacon if you happen to have ham leftovers, too.

Can I use whole eggs instead of just egg yolks?

Yes, you can. I just like using the yolks only for the creamiest sauce.

How do I stop the eggs from scrambling?

Make sure the pasta is off the heat before adding the egg mixture. The heat from the pasta is enough to gently cook the eggs and create a creamy sauce. Add a little reserved pasta water while tossing to help create a smooth sauce.

Can I reheat the leftovers?

This dish is best eaten immediately after cooking for two reasons. Firstly, because you’re using cooked meat, so I wouldn’t advise reheating it again. Also, the smooth and creamy egg sauce will scramble if you heat it up again.