This Cranberry Pasta Recipe will rock your world over the Thanksgiving weekend. It is the perfect meal after Thanksgiving. You can also use leftover turkey, or not! That makes it super flexible and easy, and stretches those meal ideas. This is a go to for us on the Friday or Saturday after Thanksgiving. Find out why this Cranberry Pasta Recipe is a meal game-changer!
Since it is November and Thanksgiving is right around the corner, I want to share a recipe idea that will rock your Thanksgiving weekend!
Why?
Because it is different than any traditional Thanksgiving food after feasting on a huge meal.
Because it is super, super easy to whip up for a small group and even a large group.
Because it is super frugal after you may have spent a pretty penny on the BIG feast.
We are hosting Thanksgiving this year (I LOVE hosting and can’t wait for the years that it is my turn!) and we will have family for a few days for the weekend. I try to find the non-Thanksgiving dinner foods that will be super easy and super filling for everyone after the time, expense and effort put into the Thanksgiving dinner.
Well, my frugal friends – this is your answer!
This Cranberry pasta recipe!
It’s enough of a change that you don’t get “overly Thanksgiving-fooded out” and still has a fall/Thanksgiving taste flair – the cranberries. Plus, it is a meal that you can add any leftover turkey too – or just leave without turkey. It doesn’t matter. It essentially becomes your “go-to” Thanksgiving weekend emergency meal that is still festive! It also couples well with many thanksgiving leftovers if you have any still floating around!
So, store this one in your “for Friday” or any other meal for the weekend. But, it’s so fantastic, that it is an easy, frugal, amazing meal solution ANY time of year!
Since we are talking about Thanksgiving in this post – be sure to stop by our Thanksgiving page HERE for many more food, meal, decor, planning and frugal ideas.
Enough raving about my frugal post-Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving weekend meal option: let’s get to the making of it!
How To Make This Cranberry Pasta Recipe
Ingredients needed for Cranberry Pasta Recipe
- 3 Cups pasta (any type works, but we like to make this with bowtie or penne with Ancient Grains or Wheat Pasta)
- ½ Cup dried cranberries
- 2 Radishes, sliced
- ½ Carrot, grated
- 1/4 Cup green onions, chopped
- 3 Tbsps parsley, chopped
- 1 Tbsp chives, chopped
- 1 Bay leaf
- Olive oil to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 Orange
- Leftover Turkey (or chicken)
Directions for Cranberry Pasta Recipe
- In a pot, bring water to a boil.
- Add a pinch of salt, the bay leaf and the pasta.
- Cook until al dente following the packaging instructions.
- Drain the water and discard the bay leaf.
- Transfer to a big bowl and mix with the remaining ingredients.
- Transfer to a serving dish.
- Garnish with orange slices and squeeze some orange juice on top if desired.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve and enjoy.
Tip for cooking healthier pasta!
- You can also follow the tips shared in this post on how to make pasta “healthier” during your cooking!
- In addition, you can make your own dried cranberries – a.k.a. craisins! DIY Craisin instructions HERE.
| Cranberry Pasta | Print |
- 3 Cups pasta (any type works, but we like to make this with bowtie or penne with Ancient Grains or Wheat Pasta)
- ½ Cup dried cranberries
- 2 Radishes, sliced
- ½ Carrot, grated
- ¼ Cup green onions, chopped
- 3 Tbsps parsley, chopped
- 1 Tbsp chives, chopped
- 1 Bay leaf
- Olive oil to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 Orange
- Leftover Turkey (or chicken)
- In a pot, bring water to a boil.
- Add a pinch of salt, the bay leaf and the pasta.
- Cook until al dente following the packaging instructions.
- Drain the water and discard the bay leaf.
- Transfer to a big bowl and mix with the remaining ingredients.
- Transfer to a serving dish.
- Garnish with orange slices and squeeze some orange juice on top if desired.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve and enjoy.
See more Recipes in our Recipe Art Gallery
See our Thanksgiving Page for many more Thanksgiving Ideas
Now I love cranberries, craisins and a whole myriad of treats, recipes and ideas with craisins and cranberries. I have posted a lot of cranberry ideas in the past, so just click on the image below to be taken to that cranberry recipe!
And since there are radishes in the post….what not share another recipe with radishes – this is a great Thanksgiving side dish too!
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