Name: Turkey Salad Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 1/3 cup mayonnaise; 1/3 cup sour cream; 1 tablespoon stone-ground mustard; 1 lemon (juiced, about 3 tablespoons); 1 tablespoon honey; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon coarse ground pepper; 3 cups leftover cooked turkey (chopped ); 1 red apple (peeled and chopped); 1/2 cup diced celery; 1/2 cup dried cranberries; 2 green onions (chopped, reserving a few slices for garnish); 3 tablespoons chopped pecans; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (plus more for garnish)

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This turkey salad recipe is a fresh, flavorful way to repurpose holiday leftovers into a quick, satisfying meal. It’s perfect for sandwiches, tortilla wraps, or lettuce wraps. Ready in about 10 minutes, it’s just the thing for lunches or easy meal prep after a big feast.

After a big Thanksgiving dinner with dishes like this orange-glazed turkey, there are usually plenty of leftovers, and this turkey salad is one of the best ways to enjoy something new while using up that extra turkey.

Pair it with a scoop of green bean casserole for a classic comfort meal, enjoy it with refrigerator pickles for a little crunch, or some cranberry sauce for something sweet.

I think turkey salad would go great on some homemade oatmeal dinner rolls or easy yeast rolls.

Whether you decide to make delicious turkey salad sandwiches or use the leftovers for turkey pot pie with biscuits, you’ll have a comforting meal that’s easy to enjoy for lunch or dinner!

Why You’ll Love This Turkey Salad Recipe

Uses Up Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey: This recipe is a delicious and easy way to use up leftover meat after Thanksgiving dinner. By changing it up, you’ll look forward to enjoying the extra turkey in a new and flavorful way.
Quick and Easy: Simple ingredients help this homemade turkey salad come together in minutes, making this just right for a light lunch the next day or an easy weeknight meal.
Perfect for Lunches: This flavorful turkey salad can be enjoyed several ways, whether you serve it on sourdough crackers, easy sourdough sandwich bread, or even packed into homemade sourdough tortillas or lettuce wrap.

Ingredients

Find the full list of ingredients, amounts, and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Mayonnaise & Sour Cream: The perfect base for this easy turkey salad recipe. Swap Greek yogurt in place of sour cream for a higher protein salad option.
Mustard: Stone-ground mustard adds a delicious tanginess that balances with the creamy salad.
Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice is a delicious way to brighten the salad.
Leftover Turkey: This recipe uses a generous three cups of leftover turkey, turning Thanksgiving leftovers into a flavorful salad to enjoy the next day. You can also swap easy roasted chicken instead of turkey.
Crisp Celery: Adds a delicious crunch and texture to the creamy salad.
Red Apple: A sweet addition that goes wonderfully with the turkey pieces. You can use grapes or even add both apple and grapes for extra flavor.
Dried Cranberries: You can’t skip this festive ingredient that adds both a sweet and chewy bite.
Green Onions: Mild onion flavor that keeps the batch of turkey salad fresh and savory.
Chopped Pecans: Adds crunch and a heartiness that pairs well with the turkey. You can also use slivered almonds or chopped walnuts if you prefer.

How to Make This Turkey Salad Recipe

Here are the step-by-step instructions for making the best leftover turkey salad.

Clear bowl with first few ingredients for turkey salad.

Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all the sauce ingredients until fully combined.

Mixing bowl with mayonnaise and other dressing ingredients for turkey salad fully mixed together.

Step 2: Chop the turkey into small cubes or bite-sized pieces, and chop all the vegetables.

Turkey, vegetables, and fruit chopped and added to a mixing bowl to make a turkey salad recipe.

Add all the salad ingredients to the bowl and toss with a large spoon until combined.

Mixing bowl with turkey salad ingredients mixed with the sauce.

Step 3: For best results, cover and refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours before serving, allowing the flavors to meld together and the mixture to chill until extra cold.

Serve with crackers, on a slice of sourdough artisan bread, or homemade French bread for a delicious sandwich.

How to Store

Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. This does not freeze well.

Tips

Serve on crackers, bread of choice, or croissants. You can also wrap it in lettuce for a lettuce wrap or serve on a tortilla.
You can use chopped walnuts or slivered almonds instead of pecans.
Swap Greek yogurt in place of sour cream for a higher protein salad.
You can substitute chicken in place of turkey.
Add sliced grapes in place of apples or dried cranberries, or in addition to those.
Use apple cider vinegar instead of lemon for a slightly different taste.