This homemade leftover turkey salad recipe is a must-have after Thanksgiving!
Juicy turkey, crunchy celery, tart cranberries, and nutty pecans are mixed with a creamy Dijon dressing and ready to enjoy!
A Simple Salad
- Great for leftovers: This is a great way to use leftovers.
- Fast: Turkey salad is fast to make and keeps in the fridge for a few days.
- Versatile: Skip the add-ins or add extras if you’d like. Stir in herbs like fresh dill or add your favorite spices like garlic powder or a hint of curry powder.
Turkey Salad Ingredients
Turkey – Use diced leftover turkey in this recipe. Other leftover meat options include diced ham or chicken.
Additions – You can add all of the additions or just a few. Celery adds crunch and freshness, dried cranberries add a little sweetness; pecans add a nutty crunch, and green onions add flavor.
Dressing – The base of the dressing is mayonnaise however, you can replace half of the mayo with plain Greek yogurt if you’d like to lighten it up. Creamy coleslaw dressing is another great option.
Variations – If cranberries aren’t available, use raisins or other dried fruits. Grapes and diced apples are great additions, and the nuts can be replaced with Walnuts, almonds, or pumpkin seeds can be swapped out for pecans.
How to Make Turkey Salad
- In a medium bowl, combine the ingredients in the recipe below.
- Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this recipe as you would serve chicken salad and if you have any, cranberry sauce is a great addition!
- Scoop it over lettuce or serve as a lettuce wrap for a low carb lunch.
- Spoon it over crackers for a snack.
- Serve it sandwich style or in a wrap.
Storing Turkey Salad
Keep leftover turkey salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Avoid freezing mayonnaise-based salads as they tend to become grainy once thawed.
Best Ways to Use Leftover Turkey
If you’ve got leftover Thanksgiving turkey, you’ll want to check out these tried and true favorites.
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Turkey Salad
Simple and creamy salad, a great way to use turkey leftovers!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Chill Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
- 2 cups leftover turkey diced
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ¼ cup chopped pecans optional
- 1 rib celery chopped
- 2 green onions or 1 tablespoon finely diced red onion
- salt and pepper to taste
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In a medium bowl, combine the turkey, mayonnaise, mustard, cranberries, pecans, celery, and green onions in a bowl.
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Stir to combine and season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
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Serve as a sandwich or over salad.
Replace pecans with toasted almonds if desired. Diced apples or chopped seedless can be added.
Store left over salad in the fridge in a covered container for up to 4 days.
Calories: 374 | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 88mg | Sodium: 274mg | Potassium: 210mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 150IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Lunch, Salad
Cuisine American
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About the author
Holly is a wine and cheese lover, recipe creator, shopping enthusiast and self appointed foodie. Her greatest passion is creating in the kitchen and making deliciously comforting recipes for the everyday home cook!
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