Turn yesterday’s turkey into today’s star-studded feast with this quick and easy recipe for The Best Leftover Turkey Salad loaded with fresh veggies and herbs.
If you’re reading this post, chances are you’re staring down a mountain of leftover turkey (or perhaps even chicken!). And whether it’s the result of your Thanksgiving feast, or just the remnants from an ordinary dinner, the bottom line here is you’ve got leftover turkey and you need to put that poultry to work.
Have I ever got you covered! Grab your knife and get ready for The Best Leftover Turkey Salad to ever cross your lips.
When I was a culinary intern at Food Network, it was my job to prepare the staff meal each day, and one of my favorite ways to make the most of all of the insanely delicious leftover odds and ends from Food Network Kitchens was to make any variety of chicken or turkey salad. So let’s just say that over the course of several months, I got my turkey salad recipe nailed down.
What separates this from all other leftover turkey salad recipes? Two simple tricks and tips:
- The Mayo to Mustard Ratio: I’m a mayo enthusiast, but when it comes to chicken or turkey salad, I like to go light. Too much mayo can yield a very thick and heavy salad, while just the right balance of mayo and Dijon mustard produces a medley of flavors that don’t overpower the refreshing crispness of the veggies and herbs.
- My Not-So-Secret Ingredient: Are you ready for this one? We all know I’m a big fan of secret ingredients in my chocolate chip cookies, smoothies and mashed potatoes, and this time, I’m upping the flavor profile with … sugar! It sounds strange in a savory turkey salad, but one taste and I guarantee you’ll never go without it.
So grab that surplus poultry and get your preferred carb (or crisp lettuce leaf) of choice ready for The Best Leftover Turkey Salad piled high with lettuce and tomato to complete your Turkey-on-Day-2 feast. (And don’t forget to check out the endless other ways of putting those leftover mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce and pie dough scraps to work!)
Craving more? Subscribe to Just a Taste to get new recipes, meal plans and a newsletter delivered straight to your inbox! And stay in touch on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
Ingredients
- 4 cups chopped leftover turkey
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise (See Kelly's Notes)
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/2 cup finely diced celery
- 1/4 cup sliced scallions
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the chopped turkey, mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, sugar, celery, scallions and dill, stirring until well combined.
- Taste and season the turkey salad with salt and pepper. Serve immediately or refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve.
Kelly's Notes:
- I prefer less mayo in my turkey salad, but you can easily add more based on your taste preferences. For an extra-creamy turkey salad, increase the mayo to 2/3 cup.
- I always think turkey salad tastes best after refrigerating, so this leftovers-inspired recipe tastes just as great on day 2 and onward!
- ★ Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to give it a star rating below!
Nutrition
Did you try this recipe?
Leave a comment below with your star rating!
This post may contain affiliate links.
Recipe by Kelly Senyei of Just a Taste. Please do not reprint this recipe without my permission. If you'd like to feature this recipe on your site, please rewrite the method of preparation and link to this post as the original source.
The recipe is incredibly simple and quick. All the ingredients were easy to find of the ones I didn’t already have. I’ve seen recipes and it was challenging to simply find the ingredients. Not here! Aside from the simplicity, it was absolutely delicious. I did add a lil more mayo than what it called for and I used Dijon honey mustard with mine. Perfect!
So glad you enjoyed it, Jay!
So yum!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Kathy!
This recipe is fire. Only change I made is that I used dry dill didn’t have fresh and about a tablespoon more mayo. Serve on a Kaiser roll with romaine lettuce. It’s a banger!
So glad you enjoyed it!
So easy and delicious. To jazz it up a little bit, I added Craisins and some chopped pecans. In place of the very small amount of sugar it calls for I used Stevia. I was going to omit completely, but I wanted to actually get a good taste of your flavor profile. It worked!
Love those additions!
Kelly! I gotta say that is the best turkey salad ever!
I did make one modification, however… I am largely sugar free. So, what I did was I put a small squirt of sugar free pancake syrup in it! A little sweetener put that over the top let me tell you! It was good stuff! Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, David!
I didn’t have Dijon mustard so i omitted the sugar and just substituted the two ingredients with honey mustard that I had.
Great substitution, Mary!
Can you add boiled eggs to turkey salad?
Absolutely, Doris!
Delicious
So glad you enjoyed it, Dannie!
Delicious! Not overbearing. Perfect on a fresh bialy.
So glad you enjoyed it, Elizabeth!
This recipe is amazing!!! Just the right mixture of ingredients!
So glad you enjoyed it, Kristen!
So good! Lots of flavor. I didn’t have fresh dill on hand so used dried and I still like how it turned out. Thank you!
Thrilled you enjoyed it, Shelby!
We blended all ingredients together and used it as a spread over toast or saltine crackers. Excellent .
Great idea, Martha!
My husband loved this wrapped in a large romaine lettuce leaf. Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Faye!
Hi Kelly,
I have already sliced my turkey in thin slices. Will it work in this recipe just to just cut up the slices and proceed with the recipe?
Absolutely, Liz!
Have made this recipe four times now and I love it!
So glad you enjoyed it, Glenna!
My ABSOLUTE FAVORITE turkey salad recipe. I’ll buy a whole turkey anytime there is a good sale just so I can make this turkey salad.
Sometimes I’ll add grapes or dried cranberries.
Try making this! It won’t disappoint.
Love reading this Lee Anne!
This was fantastic! We can’t add sugar to things, but I added half an apple to give some sweetness and 1/4 cup chopped pecans for crunch. This one’s going into rotation for sure!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Alicia!
This is the BEST use for leftover turkey! It is so delicious but quick and easy to make. My daughter had some and asked for the recipe. I can’t wait to make it again!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Maleah!
This recipe is fire!! My mom shipped my favorite smoked turkey to me (Greenburg Smoked Turkey) after the holiday. We are now on the second batch in a week. I never leave comments but trust me, MAKE THIS RECIPE.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Robbie!
Love this recipe! I kick it up a notch by adding diced apples and halved grapes! If I have pecans on hand, I’ll chopped those and toss some in, too!
The apples and grapes give it a crispy touch of sweetness. Pecans add a little extra crunch. Definitely give it a try!
Sounds delish, Khris!