Are you looking for a delicious, nutritious, and easy turkey salad recipe? We’ve got you covered. This turkey salad recipe is packed with nutrients and flavor and is easy to prepare. It is a great way to use leftover turkey, but it is so tasty you’ll buy fresh turkey just to make it!

There are many ways to customize the flavor to your liking, and you can also use the salad in a turkey salad sandwich.

What Is Turkey Salad?

A turkey salad is a mixture of turkey and different vegetables and spices. You can also add condiments and sauces to your turkey salad for a more in-depth flavor profile. There are no strict rules to follow to make a turkey salad. You can mix your turkey with any variation of fruits and vegetables you please until you find the ideal blend for you.

Turkey Salad Recipe

A turkey salad is a mixture of turkey and different vegetables and spices. You can also add condiments and sauces to your turkey salad for a more in-depth flavor profile.

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Prep Time 15 mins

Total Time 15 mins

Course Main Course, Salad

Cuisine American

Servings 8

Calories 153 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 4 cups cooked turkey meat
• ½ cups diced celery
• ¼ cups thinly diced red onions or shallots
• ½ cups diced apple
• ½ red bell pepper
• 100 grams plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tsp honey or agave
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp salt

Instructions

 

• Place your diced turkey into a bowl. Add celery, apple, red onion, and pecans and lightly mix.
• Add Greek yogurt, dijon, vinegar, honey, salt, garlic powder, and black pepper in another bowl. Properly mix your creamy dressing.
• Pour your dressing over the turkey and vegetables and stir to combine.
• Serve immediately or chill for later.

Keyword turkey salad

Tips & Tricks for Turkey Salad

You can use both white and dark meat or just one of the two. For a light meal, serve the salad with whole wheat slices, crackers, or croutons. You can also consume the salad on its own. I like to crumble and add my favorite chips just before eating for an extra-crunchy bite.

If you want some filling carbohydrates with your turkey salad, try making it into a turkey salad sandwich with bread, lettuce, and tomato slices. Turkey salad sandwiches are the perfect light but filling meal. You can eat them for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. We know some people struggle with the idea of sandwiches for dinner but trust us, turkey salad sandwiches are perfect.

For a decadent breakfast option, opt for a croissant instead of bread slices when making your turkey salad sandwich. Serve with hot coffee, and enjoy ten to twenty minutes of pure bliss as you take breakfast. You can also use brioche slices if you want to stay full for the next six to eight hours.

I prefer to use shredded turkey for turkey salad sandwiches. The shredded turkey plus the dressing makes the turkey salad hold together better in between bread slices. When eating the turkey salad with croutons, crackers, or crisps, I opt for ½ inch to ¼ inch cubes instead.

If you like mayonnaise, feel free to substitute the Greek yogurt with light, non-fat, or full-fat mayonnaise. I personally do not like mustard and opt not to use it. I instead increase the vinegar or add lemon juice. It tastes heavenly but my whole family loves mustard so I use it in the standard recipe.

Flavor Variations for Turkey Salad

There are so many variations you can make to this turkey salad to customize it to different seasons, tastes, and times of day:

Vegetables

Try adding different bell peppers for a fresher, summer-inspired turkey salad. Steamed and chopped spinach with caramelized onions make a perfectly balanced dinner turkey salad, especially if you struggle with digesting raw vegetables. Other veggie options include cucumber, carrot, lettuce, and cabbage.

Herbs and Spices

If you like your food spicy, add fresh, chopped chilies to this recipe. For those who enjoy more flavor, add fresh basil, chives and/or dill, and roasted garlic. In case you want flavor but don’t want to chop more things, add smoked paprika, garlic powder, chili powder, Italian seasoning, or salad seasoning.

Fruits and Nuts

A turkey salad can be sweet and savory. Try incorporating raisins, sultanas, fresh grapes, dried figs, or cranberries for sweetness. Honey-roasted cashews and roasted pecans will give your salad a satisfying crunch.

Curry Inspiration

If you’re in the mood for Middle Eastern-inspired cuisine, try adding curry powder, cumin, raisins or grapes, and walnuts to your turkey salad! This delicious spin keeps your taste buds happy.

How Long Can You Keep Turkey Salad?

When fully mixed, you can keep this salad fresh in the refrigerator for three to seven days. Do not let it sit at room temperature for more than an hour after preparation. Store it in individual serving sizes in airtight containers.

Do not freeze the turkey salad, as it will get watery when thawed. Instead, you can choose to cut your turkey and freeze it in serving-size portions. When you want to make a fresh batch of turkey salad, defrost the turkey for the perfect portion of turkey salad.

Nutrition Information of Turkey Salad

Turkey salad is a healthy and tasty way to add protein to your diet. Here are the nutritional facts:

• Calories: 153
• Carbohydrates: 5.7g
• Protein: 23.4g
• Fat: 3.6g
• Saturated Fat: 1.2g
• Cholesterol: 54mg
• Sodium: 163mg
• Potassium: 257mg
• Fiber: 0.7g
• Sugar: 3.7g

Please note that these nutrition facts will vary depending on what brand of turkey you choose. Additionally, depending on how the turkey is cooked and whether or not you add the skin in, the nutrition facts will change.

Any substitutions and tweaks to the recipe will result in tweaks to the total calories per serving, serving size and overall nutrition facts.

Conclusion for Turkey Salad

This holiday season, buy an oversized turkey so you get plenty of leftover meat. For the next few days, you can repurpose your turkey into a nutritious, flavorful turkey salad. You get a full meal with a handful of ingredients and minimum effort.