Prep time
10 minutes
Cook time
1 hour 30 minutes
Course
Main
Skill level
Beginner
Season
Summer
Serves
4
This recipe is a riff off one of my favorite salads from Cafe Express. Tender turkey and flavorful pesto pasta make this a fulfilling meal on any given weeknight.
You can use any method you prefer to cook the turkey. Sous vide will give perfect results every time, but for quicker cooking and rich flavor, I love pan-roasting.
Ingredients
- 1 or 2 turkey breasts
- Salt and Pepper
- ¼ cup pesto
- 2 cups bowtie or shell pasta, cooked
- 1 cup of grape tomatoes
- Mixed lettuce (butter, frisee, romaine, spinach, etc.)
Red Wine Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- ½ cup olive oil
- 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp. honey
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
Also works with
Special equipment
Preparation
- For even cooking, trim the lower portion of the turkey breast that is thin and save for another application, such as cutlets. Use the thick, upper portion for this recipe and season with salt and pepper.
- If using a sous vide device, set the temperature to 145°F and cook in a resealable bag for about 1 ½ hours, or at least 30 minutes per half inch of thickness. After cooking, remove from the bag and sear in a hot pan for 1 minute on each side to brown the meat. While the turkey rests, prepare the rest of the salad ingredients.
- If pan-roasting, preheat the oven to 325°F. Heat a large, oven-proof saute pan over medium heat. Add a tablespoon of oil and lay the turkey breast skin down (if you kept the skin on).
- Allow the turkey to brown for 4-5 minutes, and flip after the crust has formed. Immediately transfer the entire saute pan into the oven to roast and finish cooking. Remove the turkey once the internal temp. reaches 145°F, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Red Wine Vinaigrette
- Combine all of the ingredients in a small jar.
- Seal the lid tightly and shake vigorously to emulsify. Use what you need to dress the salad and store the leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Assemble the Salad
- Mix the pesto and pasta together until combined, you may or may not need all of the pesto.
- Toss the lettuce with the vinaigrette and serve with pesto pasta, sliced turkey, and tomatoes.
Turkey and Pesto Pasta Salad
Prep time
10 minutes
Cook time
1 hour 30 minutes
Course
Main
Skill level
Beginner
Season
Summer
Serves
4
This recipe is a riff off one of my favorite salads from Cafe Express. Tender turkey and flavorful pesto pasta make this a fulfilling meal on any given weeknight.
You can use any method you prefer to cook the turkey. Sous vide will give perfect results every time, but for quicker cooking and rich flavor, I love pan-roasting.
Ingredients
- 1 or 2 turkey breasts
- Salt and Pepper
- ¼ cup pesto
- 2 cups bowtie or shell pasta, cooked
- 1 cup of grape tomatoes
- Mixed lettuce (butter, frisee, romaine, spinach, etc.)
Red Wine Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- ½ cup olive oil
- 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp. honey
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
Also works with
Special equipment
Preparation
- For even cooking, trim the lower portion of the turkey breast that is thin and save for another application, such as cutlets. Use the thick, upper portion for this recipe and season with salt and pepper.
- If using a sous vide device, set the temperature to 145°F and cook in a resealable bag for about 1 ½ hours, or at least 30 minutes per half inch of thickness. After cooking, remove from the bag and sear in a hot pan for 1 minute on each side to brown the meat. While the turkey rests, prepare the rest of the salad ingredients.
- If pan-roasting, preheat the oven to 325°F. Heat a large, oven-proof saute pan over medium heat. Add a tablespoon of oil and lay the turkey breast skin down (if you kept the skin on).
- Allow the turkey to brown for 4-5 minutes, and flip after the crust has formed. Immediately transfer the entire saute pan into the oven to roast and finish cooking. Remove the turkey once the internal temp. reaches 145°F, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Red Wine Vinaigrette
- Combine all of the ingredients in a small jar.
- Seal the lid tightly and shake vigorously to emulsify. Use what you need to dress the salad and store the leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Assemble the Salad
- Mix the pesto and pasta together until combined, you may or may not need all of the pesto.
- Toss the lettuce with the vinaigrette and serve with pesto pasta, sliced turkey, and tomatoes.