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.
Turkey Roll Ups
Easy Turkey Soup
Turkey Tetrazzini
Did you make this Turkey Salad recipe? Leave us a rating and a comment below!
Turkey Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
- 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
Instructions
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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.
Notes
Nutrition Information
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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This recipe is so good. Thanks for the recipe.
Made as stated. Was just ok. Didn’t care for the flavor of mustard, and overall it was too dry. I did add pecans and white grapes.
I’d leave the mustard out and add more mayo next time.
Thanks for sharing.
Those sound like delicious adjustments, hope you enjoy it!
I make mine hot with shredded cheddar; top with crushed potato chips and heat at 400F until cheese melts! (AND I DON’T EVEN LIKE TURKEY!) This is delicious!
Yummy idea, I need to try this!