Turkey Salad

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Leftover turkey sandwiches are a must! Whip up this easy turkey salad, filled with cranberries and pecans, and serve on your favorite bread or on top of greens.

I know I’m not the only one out there who looks forward to leftover turkey sandwiches possibly more than bird on Thanksgiving itself.

We always make a ton of food for Thanksgiving, which means there’s guaranteed lunch leftovers for the next day. Score!

Instead of just eating a plain turkey sandwich, I love to make a creamy turkey salad, filled with crunchy veggies and pecans, plus tart dried cranberries for that sweet-tart throwback to the holiday feast.

Ingredients for turkey salad

Full list of ingredients including quantities is located in the recipe card.

You probably already have everything on hand already thanks to your holiday prep! You’ll need:

• Cooked chopped turkey – You can use white or dark meat, or a mix. We usually make a smoked turkey, and it’s so good for this recipe!
• Celery
• Green onions (also called scallions)
• Chopped pecans
• Dried cranberries
• Mayonnaise
• Dijon mustard
• Lemon juice
• Parsley
• Celery seed
• Salt and pepper

If you like, you can use plain Greek yogurt in place of the mayonnaise. The flavor will be slightly more tangy but it works just as well!

You can add other seasonings to this turkey salad as well, like curry powder, cayenne pepper, paprika, or Italian seasoning.

In place of the green onions, you can use 1/4 cup chopped red onion for a stronger onion flavor.

For my friends who don’t like celery, you can either leave it out completely, or try swapping in chopped fennel stalk, which will add anise flavor to the salad.

How to make this recipe

In a large bowl, combine the turkey, celery, green onions, pecans, and cranberries.

In another bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, parsley, celery seed, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust the flavors as needed, adding more lemon juice, salt, or pepper as needed.

Pour the dressing over the turkey mixture and use a rubber spatula to stir until evenly coated.

You can serve the turkey salad immediately, or cover and store in the refrigerator to chill until ready to eat. Chilling will also help the flavors meld.

Serve the turkey salad as a classic sandwich on honey oatmeal bread, rolled into a wrap, stuffed into a pita, or scooped on top of a pile of chopped lettuce.

Storage tips

Store in the refrigerator, covered tightly, or in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Turkey salad should not be left out of the refrigerator for longer than 3 hours, so if you’re packing a sandwich for lunch, it’s a good idea to pop an ice pack into your bag if you can’t refrigerate at the office.

This turkey salad recipe doesn’t freeze well due to the mayonnaise, so feel free to halve the recipe to ensure you enjoy every bite!

This recipe is the first one I make with my Thanksgiving leftovers. You’ll love it!