Leftover Turkey Salad Sandwiches - An Easy Leftover Turkey Recipe! (2024)

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Katerina

5 from 10 votes

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These fresh and delicious Turkey Salad Sandwiches are a post-Thanksgiving classic! Made with leftover turkey, dried cranberries, and celery, they’re the perfect combination of savory and sweet!

Leftover Turkey Salad Sandwiches - An Easy Leftover Turkey Recipe! (2)

Creamy and crunchy Turkey Salad makes for amazing sandwiches to go with your favorite sliced bread, croissants, or buns! The crunch of celery pairs wonderfully with the tender turkey, while the dried cranberries add a delightful burst of tartness. These sandwiches are not only a great way to use up Thanksgiving leftovers, but they also make for a quick and satisfying meal any day of the week. Add a cup of soup to the mix, and you can look forward to an awesome lunch or light dinner.

    Why We Love These Leftover Turkey Sandwiches

    • Delicious Use of Leftovers: These sandwiches are a fantastic way to transform Thanksgiving turkey into a new and exciting meal.
    • Flavorful: Combining creamy turkey salad with the crunch of celery and tart cranberries creates an awesome balance of flavors and textures.
    • Convenient: These sandwiches are easy and quick to prepare, making them ideal for busy post-holiday days like Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
    Leftover Turkey Salad Sandwiches - An Easy Leftover Turkey Recipe! (3)

    Ingredients For Leftover Turkey Sandwiches

    • Diced Cooked Turkey: You can also use diced cooked chicken.
    • Dried Cranberries: Add a touch of sweetness and tartness.
    • Celery: Provides a crunchy texture and fresh flavor.
    • Mayonnaise: Gives the salad a creamy consistency and rich taste.
    • Sour Cream: Adds a tangy flavor and creamy texture to the salad.
    • Dijon Mustard: For flavor.
    • Lemon Juice
    • Chopped Fresh Parsley
    • Sugar: Just a hint to enhance the overall flavor profile.
    • Salt & Pepper

    HOW TO MAKE TURKEY SALAD

    Turning basic turkey meat into a sandwich is making the most of your Thanksgiving leftovers, making them easy, quick, and enjoyable.

    Leftover Turkey Salad Sandwiches - An Easy Leftover Turkey Recipe! (4)
    Leftover Turkey Salad Sandwiches - An Easy Leftover Turkey Recipe! (5)
    1. Start with cutting the cooked turkey meat into cubes, or you can shred it.
    2. Dice couple stalks of celery and transfer them to a mixing bowl together with the chopped turkey.
    3. Add cranberries to the bowl and stir in mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, parsley, sugar, and lemon juice; stir until everything is completely incorporated.
    4. Taste and adjust accordingly. Depending on individual taste, you might want to add more mayonnaise to make it creamier.
    5. Serve over buns or rolls. As a low carb option, leave out the bread and serve this turkey salad on lettuce leaves or over some fresh spring greens.

    Recipe Tips And Variations

    • For a creamier texture, feel free to add more mayonnaise or sour cream.
    • For a low-carb version, reduce the cranberries and serve over lettuce wraps or a green salad.
    • Optional mix-ins include diced hard-boiled eggs, grapes, nuts, or red onions for added flavor and texture.
    Leftover Turkey Salad Sandwiches - An Easy Leftover Turkey Recipe! (6)

    Storage

    • Store the leftover salad in the fridge for up to 3 days. I don’t recommend refrigerating the prepared sandwiches because they will get soggy.
    • To freeze, store the prepared turkey salad in an airtight container or a freezer bag. Keep frozen for up to 2 months. Keep in mind that the texture will change, and once thawed, the salad will be a bit watery. Drain that excess liquid, stir, and see if you might need to add more mayo or sour cream.

    More Salad Recipes

    • Creamy Dill Chicken Salad
    • Avocado Chicken Egg Salad
    • Classic Chicken Salad

    Leftovers Recipes

    • Thanksgiving Leftovers Recipes
    • Turkey Wild Rice Casserole
    • Baked Turkey Tetrazzini
    • Leftover Turkey Soup Recipe
    • Turkey Corn Chowder

    Leftover Turkey Salad Sandwiches - An Easy Leftover Turkey Recipe! (7)

    Turkey Salad Sandwiches

    Katerina | Diethood

    Make these crunchy and delicious turkey salad sandwiches with leftover Thanksgiving turkey, dried cranberries, and celery.

    5 from 10 votes

    Rate this Recipe!

    Servings : 6

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    Prep Time 15 minutes mins

    Total Time 15 minutes mins

    Ingredients

    • 4 cups diced cooked turkey
    • 1 cup dried cranberries
    • 2 stalks celery, finely diced
    • cup mayonnaise
    • ¼ cup sour cream
    • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
    • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
    • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
    • 2 teaspoons sugar
    • salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

    Instructions

    • Combine all ingredients, except salt and pepper, in a large mixing bowl; mix and stir until completely incorporated.

    • Taste for salt and pepper, and adjust accordingly.

    • Serve the salad over burger buns, croissants, or lettuce wraps.

    Notes

    • To store, refrigerate the salad, sans bread, in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for a couple of months.
    • If you like a creamier consistency, add more mayonnaise or sour cream.
    • For a lighter, low-carb option, use fewer cranberries and serve the salad over lettuce wraps or a green salad.
    • Optionally, add diced hard-boiled eggs, grapes, nuts, and red onions.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 290 kcal | Carbohydrates: 19 g | Protein: 25 g | Fat: 13 g | Saturated Fat: 3 g | Cholesterol: 71 mg | Sodium: 360 mg | Potassium: 331 mg | Fiber: 1 g | Sugar: 15 g | Vitamin A: 198 IU | Vitamin C: 2 mg | Calcium: 34 mg | Iron: 1 mg

    Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.

    Course: Salad, Sandwiches, Side Dish

    Cuisine: American

    Keyword: leftover turkey, sandwich recipe, thanksgiving leftovers, turkey salad, turkey sandwiches

    Did you make this recipe?Leave a Rating!

    Categories:

    • Appetizers
    • Dinner Recipes
    • Freezer Friendly Meals
    • Holidays
    • Lunch
    • Quick Dinner Ideas
    • Recipes
    • Salads
    • Thanksgiving
    Leftover Turkey Salad Sandwiches - An Easy Leftover Turkey Recipe! (2024)

    FAQs

    How long is leftover turkey good for in the refrigerator? ›

    USDA recommends using cooked turkey within 3 to 4 days, kept refrigerated (40°F or less). Refrigeration slows but does not stop bacterial growth. Turkey can be frozen for 3 to 4 months. Although safe indefinitely, frozen leftovers can lose moisture and flavor when stored for longer times in the freezer.

    What is turkey salad made of? ›

    Place cooked turkey meat, celery, green onions, and red bell pepper in a blender or food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. Transfer turkey mixture to a medium bowl. Mix in mayonnaise, prepared Dijon-style mustard, cider vinegar, white sugar, and salt until well combined.

    How long is turkey salad good for in the fridge? ›

    How Long Is Turkey Salad Good In The Fridge. You can keep turkey salad in the fridge for up to 3-5 days. This is from the time that you cooked the turkey so it's perfect for the few days after Thanksgiving!

    How to reheat leftover turkey without drying it out? ›

    Simply heat your oven to 300 degrees, put the carved meat in a baking dish, and add some chicken broth or turkey stock to the pan. The meat will absorb some of the liquid as it heats, making it nice and juicy. Cover the pan tightly with foil and place it in the oven until the meat is hot, 20 to 30 minutes.

    Is it safe to eat cooked turkey after 5 days? ›

    Cooked turkey and other leftovers can be kept in the fridge safely for about three to four days, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and FoodSafety.gov say. But after that time, "the risk of food poisoning goes up," the Mayo Clinic notes, pointing to the growth of bacteria in refrigerated leftovers.

    Is a 3 year old frozen turkey still good? ›

    A whole turkey can be stored in the freezer for up to 12 months. Turkey pieces are best consumed within nine months.

    Why put celery in turkey? ›

    Classic Aromatics. Add halved onions, carrot chunks, celery and fresh herbs to the cavity of your turkey, inserting them loosely. These flavor builders are the base of stock and most soups. As your turkey cooks, they'll steam and infuse your bird with moisture and flavor.

    Why put mayo on turkey? ›

    Second, using mayo makes the skin super crispy while keeping the inside of the turkey incredibly juicy, tender and flavorful. Third, this recipe couldn't be easier. Mayo adds moisture throughout the cooking process, keeping the meat moist so there's no need to brine it beforehand.

    Why do people put celery in turkey? ›

    Onion, celery and carrot: These chopped vegetables are placed inside the cavity. These help to add flavor and also keep the turkey moist as they steam.

    How long will a turkey sandwich with mayo last in the fridge? ›

    Sandwiches with perishable ingredients like meat, cheese, and mayonnaise should generally be consumed within 2 to 3 days of refrigeration. However, those with drier and less perishable items like hard cheeses and tough greens can last up to 3-5 days in the fridge.

    Can I eat leftover turkey after a week? ›

    How long do the turkey and trimmings stay safe in the refrigerator or freezer? The answer is simple: leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for three to four days. This means you have until the Monday after Thanksgiving to eat all those delicious leftovers or place them in the freezer to enjoy later.

    What if my turkey has been in the fridge for 3 days? ›

    How long does cooked turkey last in the fridge? If you have leftovers that include cooked turkey, you can expect those to last in the refrigerator for 3–4 days.

    How do chefs reheat turkey? ›

    How to reheat turkey
    1. Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
    2. Carve the turkey breast meat into thin slices and carve the leg meat off the bone. Lay in a roasting tin or gratin dish. ...
    3. Cover the dish tightly with foil and roast for 30 mins until the turkey is very hot – at least 75C on a cooking thermometer.

    How do you moisten leftover turkey? ›

    Step 2: Add moisture

    Place your leftover portions in aluminum foil and add a few spoonfuls of gravy or chicken stock over the meat. Add a pat of butter and close the foil tightly. Alternatively, you can use a casserole dish, but make sure to cover it tightly with aluminum foil to prevent the steam from escaping.

    Is leftover turkey good after 7 days? ›

    Before refrigerating, make sure to divide leftovers into smaller portions and put them into shallow containers so they cool quickly, which should prevent bacterial growth. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for three to four days, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service.

    Is it OK if turkey was left in fridge for a week? ›

    Storing Leftover Turkey

    Use refrigerated turkey and stuffing within 3 to 4 days. Use gravy within 1 to 2 days. If freezing, use leftovers within 2 to 6 months for best quality.

    Are leftovers good after 7 days? ›

    Leftovers can be kept for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. After that, the risk of food poisoning goes up. If you don't think you'll be able to eat leftovers within four days, freeze them right away. Frozen leftovers will stay safe for a long time.

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