Turkey Salad With Cranberry And Sage
Turkey Salad With Cranberry And Sage- What recipes can help use up leftover turkey? If you’re reading this while recovering from that post Holiday meal fog, I know you probably have leftover Thanksgiving turkey in your refrigerator that you’re trying to decide how to use. Well I’ve got this recipe right here just for you! This easy sandwich takes all the holiday meal flavors you love and puts them together in a turkey salad, and I’m going to show you how to make it!
Leftover Turkey Salad
It’s always the question, right? What to do with the leftovers. I’m here to the rescue! Whether you made my buttermilk turkey breast or my rosemary citrus roast turkey (or another turkey recipe) and you have some (or a lot) left over, we will be making a sandwich that will help you blow through some of this turkey. As a food service professional, I know how important it is to reduce food waste, and at my day job we are always looking for ways to use leftovers where we can.
I enjoy great homemade meals with fresh ingredients, and if that’s you too then I’m glad you’re here! At The Copper Table, I share recipes that use fresh items from the Farmers Market or local grocery store, and minimize processed ingredients while making things yourself as much as possible.
Why You’ll Love Turkey Salad With Cranberries and Sage
I love this recipe for a few reasons, and after you try it I hope you’ll agree!
Reheated turkey can often dry out, and this turkey salad does not require heating. The mayo helps moisten the meat as well, so no dry leftovers here!
This makes a great meal prep lunch, not that we want to think about going back to work after a holiday weekend but it’s nice to take some of that holiday spirit to work with you in the form of leftovers!
Every year, I make turkey during the holidays and I am forever looking for ways to use it that don’t seem like the same old thing all the time. That’s why I made this recipe! This turkey salad always has its place in my fridge after the big holiday meals are over. You could also make this any time of year if you’re craving it!
Turkey Cranberry Salad Ingredients
Here is a brief overview of some of the ingredients you’ll need for this turkey salad. For the complete list be sure to see the recipe card.
Cooked Turkey- Light or dark meat can be used here, whatever your preference or what you have left. You can even use chicken if you want!
Dried Cranberries- I like the little bit of acidic bite these add along with that subtle touch of sweetness. I also use them in this chicken salad recipe. You can try dried currants too!
Fresh Sage- I really like the fresh sage in this recipe. You could try adding a little fresh rosemary along with it if you want.
How To Make This Turkey Salad With Cranberry And Sage
This is a very easy recipe, but you’ll still want to head to the recipe card for the full instructions.
- Shred or chop the turkey.
- Season the mayonnaise.
- Chop the cranberries, celery, and pecans.
- Assemble the turkey salad.
I like adding the seasonings straight to the mayo, I find that it helps distribute the flavor throughout the meat mixture.
Here is another trick to add a little extra flavor: add a little bit of the greens from the celery stalks to your salad! Chop them up and mix them right in. So good!
How To Serve Leftover Turkey Salad
I love to serve this on a pretzel burger bun (as you see pictured). I think this type of bun really compliments the flavors of the salad. It is great on whole wheat, white, or sourdough too.
This salad is also really great spooned on top of some dark leafy greens!
I like eating this with a salad on the side if I am eating it as a sandwich. If you’re having the turkey salad on greens, some creamy squash soup makes a nice accompaniment. For more ideas for what to eat with a turkey salad sandwich, check out my Fall and Winter recipes, or my produce recipes.
How To Store Turkey Salad
How long does leftover turkey keep in the fridge? This will keep in a glass or plastic container with a lid for up to one week after your turkey was cooked. Since this recipe is made using leftovers, I advise going by the date you cooked the turkey rather than the date you made the salad.
I recommend serving it cold rather than room temperature, so it is best right out of the container you store it in.
I hope you love this turkey salad with cranberry and sage! Be sure to sign up for my email newsletter if you’re not a subscriber if you’d like all the updates and lots of other great things right to your inbox. If you loved this recipe please be sure to leave a rating and a comment. Happy Cooking!
Turkey Salad With Cranberries and Sage
What do you do with turkey leftovers? This Turkey Salad With Cranberry and Sage is a great use of extra turkey. You'll make this easy recipe over and over again.
Ingredients
- 2 cups Chopped or Shredded Cooked Turkey
- 1/2 cup of Mayonnaise
- 1/2 tsp of Salt
- 1/4 tsp of Pepper
- 6 Fresh Sage Leaves
- 1/3 cup of Dried Cranberries
- 1/3 cup of Pecans
- 1/3 cup of chopped Celery
Instructions
- Shred or chop your leftover turkey meat until you have 2 cups.
- Chop the dried cranberries until you have 1/3 of a cup.
- Next, chop your pecans until you have 1/3 of a cup. This can be a rough chop, it doesn't need to be perfect.
- Cut the celery to yield 1/3 cup, and chop a little bit of the greens to add in there if you like!
- Add the 2 cups of chicken and 1/3 cup each of the pecans, cranberries, and celery to a large bowl.
- In another smaller bowl, stir together 1/3 cup of mayonnaise, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper.
- Chop the 6 fresh sage leaves and add them to the mayo mixture and stir.
- Add the mayo mixture to the large bowl with the turkey and stir well, until the mayo is well distributed throughout the salad mixture.
- Serve on sandwiches or add a big heaping scoop to a pile of salad greens!
Notes
You are free to add a bit more salt and pepper to this if you prefer. I always go lighter on that to account for the seasoning from the cooked turkey.
Give the celery tops a try in the salad, they really are quite nice!
Dark meat or breast meat or a mixture of both a great here, whatever you like!
This salad will keep refrigerated for up to one week after you cooked the turkey. When storing this, always go by when the turkey was cooked, not by when the salad was made.
For a change of pace, try dried currants instead of cranberries. A little fresh rosemary is nice in this salad too, but use just a little- rosemary can tend to overpower.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 234Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 54mgSodium: 317mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 1gSugar: 7gProtein: 14g
All information presented and written within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist or registered dietitian and any nutritional information should only be used as a general guideline. Statements within this site have not been evaluated or approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is provided for recipes contained on this site. This information comes from online calculators. Although The Copper Table attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
