Put that Thanksgiving Turkey to good use with this delicious leftover Turkey Salad recipe!! This version is so delicious with dried cranberries, fresh herbs, pecans, and a perfect texture with crunchy celery and apples. Easy to make and a recipe the whole family can enjoy for days!
Oh hey there friends, another day in November and another way to make fabulous use of your leftover Thanksgiving Turkey!! So you probably don’t know, but my little fam has been eating A LOT of turkey lately. And it’s not even Thanksgiving yet!! I call it #research
I smoked two turkeys to give you all the BEST Smoked Turkey to make on Thanksgiving, and then I’ve been whipping up all kinds of leftover recipes for you all to have after the big Turkey day. Trust me, no one around here is complaining. Loving all of the turkey madness!!
Because I am always trying to come up with good lunch ideas for my kids and my husband (no one eats easy sandwiches around here), I went to work on making a variation of the classic chicken salad. With leftover turkey of course! And the verdict…. family approved!!
How to make Turkey Salad:
So this is actually quite simple.
- We’ll gather about 4 cups of leftover shredded/chopped turkey (both light and dark meat or whatever combo you have left!)
- In a bowl, you will stir together mayonnaise, dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, sage and parsley, and salt and pepper
- Chop up celery, apples, red onion, and pecans.
- Stir altogether, toss in dried cranberries (or raisins) and chill!
- Enjoy in a lettuce wrap, over a bed of greens, wrap, or whatever you choose.
Recipe variations:
- Swap in walnuts, cashews, or almonds in place of pecans. Can you omit altogether if you are nut free? Sure! BUT, I do love the extra texture
- Love a curry salad? This would be perfect with a curry flavor! Simple stir in 2 tsp curry powder, add in 1 tsp coconut sugar or granulated sugar. Use raisins in place of cranberries, and omit sage and parsley and stir in cilantro instead.
- Don’t like mayonnaise? Me either….. I mask it with the tangy taste of dijon mustard. I do however, love Primal Kitchen mayo which is a Paleo version. If you just can’t, stir in greek yogurt in it’s place, but this will most likely require at least 2 tsp honey or sugar to take off the bitterness of yogurt.
- Missing some red grapes? These are a typical staple in traditional chicken salad. You can use this in place of the apple.
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Turkey Salad
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise*
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp freshly chopped sage
- 2 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 4 cups shredded cooked turkey
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 1/2 large honeycrisp apple diced
- 1/4 cup diced red onion
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries**
- 1/4 cup diced pecans
Instructions
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In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, chopped sage, chopped parsley, and kosher salt.
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Now toss in the turkey, celery, apple, red onion, cranberries, and pecans. Stir to coat completely. Season with additional salt (if needed).
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Transfer to the fridge. It can be served immediately, but tastes better if let to sit in the fridge for at least an hour. You can store in the fridge for up to 5 days!
Recipe Notes
*To make Paleo and Whole30 compliant, use a Paleo approved mayonnaise like Primal Kitchen, or make a homemade variation.
**You can also use raisins in place of cranberries if you cannot find Whole30 compliant cranberries
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