• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Free Email Series!

5 Time and Stress Saving Cooking Secrets

Free email series of my best tips!

Visit my other Site: Pancake Recipes
  • About
  • Contact
  • Free Email Series!

    5 Time and Stress Saving Cooking Secrets

    Free email series of my best tips!

  • Visit my other Site: Pancake Recipes

Rachel Cooks®

Easy Healthy-ish Recipes

  • Recipe Index
  • Popular
    • Instant Pot Pinto Beans
    • Green Beans with Bacon
    • Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes
    • Roasted Sugar Snap Peas
    • Beef Stew Seasoning
    • Chili Seasoning Recipe
    • Thousand Island Dressing
    • Poppy Seed Dressing
    • Copycat Panera Squash Soup
    • Chocolate Chip Blondies
    • Instant Pot Pork Loin Roast
    • Frosé
    • Best Chocolate Cake
    • Dill Vegetable Dip
    • Instant Pot Jasmine Rice
    • Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs
  • Learn to Cook
    • All The Basics
    • Crostini
    • Delicata Squash
    • Butternut Squash
    • Kabocha Squash
    • Spaghetti Squash
    • Guacamole
    • Croutons
    • Snap Peas
    • Baked Potatoes
    • Baked Bacon
    • Homemade Spaghetti Sauce Recipe
    • Simple Syrup
    • Pickled Red Onions Recipe
    • Toasted Pine Nuts
    • Roasted bone-in Chicken Breasts
    • Poached Chicken
    • Roasted Whole Chicken
    • Easy Cheese Sauce

Dinner Made Easy:

Slow Cooker

5 Ingredients

Grilling

Make Ahead

Sheet Pan

Tacos

Pizza

Home Recipes by Type Salads
30 30 Minutes or Less GF Gluten-Free

Turkey Salad

5
/5
10 mins
Leave a comment
Jump to Recipe Video
By: Rachel GurkPosted: 11/21/2022Updated: 11/21/2022

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Sandwich, text overlay reads "the best turkey salad."
Sandwich, text overlay reads "turkey salad, perfect for leftovers."
Sandwich, text overlay reads "turkey salad, perfect for leftovers."
Sandwich, text overlay reads "turkey salad, perfect for leftovers."

Transform your leftover turkey into a flavorful turkey salad reminiscent of your Thanksgiving dinner but with a few fresh twists. Serve it in a wrap, in a sandwich, or on lettuce.

Recipe Overview

Why you’ll love it: The yogurt-based dressing is tangy and lightly sweetened with honey, and is so refreshing after the heavier Thanksgiving fare.

How long it takes: 10 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: mixing bowl
Servings: 4 generous servings

Turkey salad and leaf lettuce on a croissant.
Table of Contents
open
  • 1 Recipe Overview
  • 2 About This Recipe
  • 3 Best Way To Store Leftover Turkey
  • 4 What You’ll Need
  • 5 How To Make This Recipe
  • 6 FAQs
  • 7 Make It Your Own
  • 8 Storage Tips
  • 9 Main Dish Salads
  • 10 Get the Recipe: Turkey Salad (perfect for leftover turkey!)

May I just say that this turkey salad doesn’t taste like leftovers? In fact, you may want to set aside some turkey ahead of time just so you have enough “left over” to make this salad.

I always love leftovers the first day. I think I actually enjoy my turkey dinner more on Friday than I do on Thursday. There’s no pressure. When you’re the cook and hostess, it can be pretty darn busy cooking and entertaining. By the time dinner rolls around, I’m distracted and sometimes even a bit too flustered to enjoy what I’m eating.

On Friday, I can leisurely pick and choose what I liked most, and have a great “Day 2” Thanksgiving dinner with all the fixings. But then there’s Day 3. Another Thanksgiving dinner of leftovers doesn’t sound quite as appealing. That’s when it’s time to rethink that leftover turkey and turn it into this healthy salad.

I don’t know about you but I’m all about the chicken salad wraps that restaurants offer. They’re probably a bazillion calories: mayo, nuts, dried fruit, and chicken, plus a great big wrap. This is my healthier version and I think you’ll love it.

About This Recipe

This turkey salad recipe is based on my popular chicken salad with grapes and walnuts. That one is an old-fashioned chicken salad, somewhat similar to a classic Waldorf salad, with the addition of chicken.

I changed it up just a bit. I think turkey meat is a bit more savory than chicken so I highlighted that savory aspect by adding green onions and Dijon mustard to the dressing. I took out the grapes and walnuts but left in the dried cranberries.

The good part about this salad is that you can easily change it up to “make it your own.” There are plenty of ways to make substitutions and adjustments. Keep reading for inspiration. I have lots of ideas for you later on in the post.

Turkey salad on a large spoon.

I’ll get you started on this easy recipe. For exact measurements and instructions, take a look at the recipe card near the bottom of the post.

Best Way To Store Leftover Turkey

It’s always best to remove the meat from the bones before storing the turkey in shallow covered containers.  Bones retain a lot of heat and tend to keep the meat warm. You want to cool the leftover turkey as quickly as possible, so get it in the fridge as soon as you can. Place it near the back of the refrigerator where there is less temperature fluctuation.

What You’ll Need

  • Leftover Turkey: The recipe calls for 3 cups of leftover turkey meat. This can include both white and dark meat, pretty much whatever you have left. Cut the meat into bite-sized pieces or lightly shred it. Cooked chicken can be substituted if this salad looks good to you and you don’t happen to have leftover turkey.
  • Celery: You may have a few stalks of celery languishing in the fridge, left over from making stuffing. Crunchy bites of crisp green celery add great texture and flavor to the salad.
  • Green Onions (Scallions): A couple of green onions, both green and white parts, add a mild onion flavor without being overpowering. If you prefer, substitute sweet white onion or red onion.
  • Dried Cranberries: Cranberries usually make an appearance on the Thanksgiving table. You’ll love the sweet but tart dried cranberries in this salad. Don’t have dried cranberries? Raisins or sliced grapes are great, too.
  • Greek Yogurt: I often use tangy Greek yogurt for my salad dressings instead of, or in combination with, mayonnaise. It’s lower in fat and high in protein, a double bonus. Make sure you choose plain Greek yogurt (unflavored).
  • Apple Cider Vinegar: This vinegar has a fruity component and isn’t quite as sour as plain white vinegar. I use it often for salad dressings.
  • Honey: A sweetener balances out the tangy yogurt and vinegar.
  • Dijon Mustard: Try a whole grain or coarse ground Dijon mustard for an earthier mustard flavor. Regular Dijon is fine, too, but don’t be tempted to use plain yellow mustard. Save that for your hotdogs or hamburgers.
  • Celery Seed: These tiny brown seeds pack a bunch of celery flavor. They give the salad the Wow! factor.
  • Salt & Pepper: Add as much or as little as you like. In other words, season to taste.
Ingredients needed for recipe including leftover turkey.

How To Make This Recipe

Cut or shred the leftover turkey into bite-sized pieces. The recipe calls for 3 cups but don’t worry if you have a bit more.

Be meticulous about removing any skin or bones. Tiny bones can easily lurk amongst the meat and it’s not very fun to bite down on one, or worse, swallow one.

Put the turkey in a large mixing bowl and add the chopped onions, celery, and dried cranberries.

Unmixed ingredients in a bowl.

Give everything a light stir.

Ingredients without dressing.

Next, measure out the Greek yogurt in a large measuring cup. Add the vinegar, honey, mustard, celery seed, salt and pepper.

Unmixed dressing ingredients.

Whisk it all together until the dressing is smooth.

Dressing being mixed.

Pour the dressing into the mixing bowl.

Dressing added to other ingredients.

Stir well until everything is coated with dressing. Check the seasoning and add more salt and pepper, if desired.

The salad can be served immediately or you can cover the bowl and refrigerate it to serve later.

Creamy turkey salad in a bowl.

Serve your turkey salad on a wrap, if you like. Put a big scoop of the salad on the wrap and add some baby spinach leaves or lettuce. Roll it all up tightly and stick a fancy toothpick in it to hold it together.

The salad can be served on a croissant, bun, or sandwich bread (with tender leaf lettuce (pictured). If you have leftover rolls from your Thanksgiving dinner, they would be perfect with the turkey salad.

If you’re feeling bloated from a carb overload (all that stuffing, rolls, casseroles, and pie!), feel free to serve the turkey salad on a bed of crisp lettuce.

Wondering what to serve with your turkey salad? It can be a light meal all by itself, you can check the refrigerator for any more leftovers, or simply serve the salad with chips.

FAQs

Can you eat cooked turkey after 5 days?

The USDA recommends eating all leftovers, including cooked turkey, within 3 to 4 days, assuming it was refrigerated promptly at 40°F or lower. Refrigeration slows the growth of bacteria but doesn’t stop it.
If you open the container and the contents smell off or look slimy, throw them out. Please don’t take a chance with food poisoning; it isn’t worth the risk.
If you want to keep cooked turkey for a longer period of time, freeze it until you’re ready to use it. It can be frozen for up to 4 months.

How long does turkey salad last in the fridge?

If you are using freshly cooked turkey that you made that day, turkey salad will last for 3 to 4 days in the fridge. However, if you are using leftover cooked turkey, you have to include the time it spent in the fridge before you made the salad.
In other words, if you make the turkey on Thursday and use the leftover meat to make a salad on Saturday, you should probably use it that day.

Make It Your Own

  • Not a fan of turkey? Or maybe there isn’t enough turkey left over. In either case, cooked chicken is a fine substitute.
  • If you prefer regular yogurt instead of Greek yogurt, the dressing will have a thinner consistency. I’ve found that when I sub in regular yogurt, I can use a little less.
  • Feel free to substitute or add any of the following: sliced red or green grapes, toasted nuts of any kind (or sunflower seeds), chopped apples, raisins, chopped green bell pepper, fresh parsley, etc.
  • Looking for something different? Try curried chicken salad or avocado chicken salad.
Turkey salad on a croissant.

Storage Tips

Refrigerate the salad promptly in a tightly covered container. It doesn’t freeze well. See the FAQ above for more about storage.

Main Dish Salads

Taco Salad Recipe – with optional homemade dressing

Steak Salad with Orange-Honey Dressing

Southwestern BBQ Chicken Salad (best chopped salad!)

Shrimp Salad with Mango and Avocado

Browse all salads

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Turkey salad on a croissant.
Recipe

Get the Recipe: Turkey Salad (perfect for leftover turkey!)

5 from 3 votes
Prep Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 10 mins
4 servings
Print Rate Recipe
Prevent your screen from going dark
Transform leftover turkey into a flavorful turkey salad. Serve it in a wrap, in a sandwich, or on lettuce.

Ingredients

  • 3 cups diced cooked turkey, chilled (see note)
  • 1 cup diced celery (about 3 stalks)
  • ¼ cup chopped green onions (about 2 green onions)
  • ½ cup dried cranberries

Dressing:

  • 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • ½ teaspoon celery seed (not celery salt)
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

Instructions

  • In a large mixing bowl, combine turkey, celery, chopped green onions, and cranberries..
  • In a small bowl or 2 cup measuring cup, whisk together yogurt, vinegar, honey, mustard, celery seed, salt and pepper. Pour over turkey mixture and stir until all ingredients are combined. Taste to check seasoning; add more salt and pepper if needed.
  • Serve on a wrap, sandwich, or on top of lettuce.

Notes

  • Store covered in refrigerator for 2 to 3 days, stirring to recombine before serving (see note). If you’re using leftover turkey, consider the time it’s been in the refrigerator before you make the salad. Leftovers will keep for three to four days if refrigerated promptly. If the turkey has been in the refrigerator for a couple of days before you make the salad, the salad should probably be eaten the same day as it’s made.
  • Cooked chicken can be substituted for turkey, if preferred.
  • Possible add-ins or substitutions: chopped green pepper, chopped sweet onion, sliced grapes (red or green), chopped toasted nuts, chopped apple, etc.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1cup, Calories: 221kcal, Carbohydrates: 20g, Protein: 29g, Fat: 3g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Cholesterol: 73mg, Sodium: 497mg, Potassium: 426mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 18g, Vitamin A: 213IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 92mg, Iron: 1mg

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

© Author: Rachel Gurk
Did You Make This?Be sure to upload a photo & tag me at @RachelCooksBlog. I love seeing what you made!
Share A Photo! Tag on Insta Rate It
Holiday Quick-Start Guide

Get my Holiday

Quick-Start Guide!

Free email series of my best tips!

FREE BONUS!

You May Also Like...

  • Dill chicken salad on a croissant.
    Dill Chicken Salad - Healthy and Easy!
  • Image of healthy curried chicken salad on a croissant with fresh greens.
    Healthy Curried Chicken Salad - so easy to make!
  • Avocado chicken salad between two slices of multigrain bread.
    Avocado Chicken Salad - creamy and healthy!
  • Closeup of salad in tortilla boat on black background.
    Southwest Chicken Salad Recipe - with video
Creamy white parsnip puree garnished with rosemary.
Previous Post
Parsnip Purée
Orange glazed salmon in a frying pan.
Next Post
Orange Glazed Salmon

Reader Interactions

Leave a Review Cancel reply

Recipe Rating




The maximum upload file size: 1 MB. You can upload: image. Drop files here

Primary Sidebar

Welcome!

Hi, I'm Rachel! Life can be complicated, cooking shouldn't be! I believe that you can put a delicious meal on the table without stressing. It's possible, and I'm here to help. Have a seat at my table...let's chat, eat, and have fun! Read more...

Air Fryer Instant Pot 30 Minutes One Pan Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Slow Cooker Vegetarian 5 Ingredients

Trending

Cooked salmon fillet on a grey-toned plate with cooked asparagus spears. The salmon is being flaked with a fork.

Air Fryer Salmon – easy and delicious!

Pizza pasta being scooped from a pan with a wooden spoon.

Pizza Pasta – 1 pan, 20 minutes

Image of a giant bowl of spaghetti with turkey meatballs.

Baked Turkey Meatballs

Asparagus Panzanella Salad

Seasonal

Beef and vegetable stir fry in a black wok.

Beef Stir Fry With Vegetables

Hot honey chicken sheet pan dinner with honey being drizzled on.

Hot Honey Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner

Sweet and sour shrimp lettuce wrap garnished with green onion.

Sweet and Sour Shrimp Lettuce Wraps

BBQ Chicken burrito bowl with avocado and sour cream.

BBQ Chicken Bowl

Opens in a new window Opens an external site Opens an external site in a new window
Free Bonus!

5 Cooking Secrets to Save Time & Stress

Free email series of my best tips and recipes!

Featured On:

Back to Top
  • About
  • Contact
  • Press
  • Work with Me
  • Privacy
  • Accessibility
© 2023 Rachel Cooks®
Site Credits Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled