Turkey Salad Sandwiches
Updated Nov 20, 2023
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It’s the day after Thanksgiving, and it’s time for my turkey salad recipe! Fresh and delicious post-holiday turkey salad sandwiches are my favorite. The filling is sweet, savory, and creamy, loaded with leftover turkey, juicy dried cranberries, and crunchy celery.
Sitting with a fridge full of leftover turkey? Lucky you! Also try my leftover turkey soup, turkey pot pie, or any of these easy Thanksgiving leftovers recipes.
The Best Leftover Turkey Salad Sandwich
Who else is slowly coming out of a food coma? Welcome back. As someone who always overcaters (can’t help it) and then sits with a ton of extra turkey during the holidays, this turkey salad recipe is my household’s post-Thanksgiving tradition.
After DAYS spent cooking up a storm for the holidays, it’s a treat to whip up this turkey-fied version of chicken salad that doesn’t require an oven. The filling is creamy and crunchy, with tender shredded turkey, dried cranberries, celery, and a refreshing dressing. Just mix everything in a bowl, then pile it onto a buttery croissant, leftover Hawaiian rolls, or your choice of bread.
Psst… If you have leftover cranberry sauce, use it in place of the dried cranberries!
What You’ll Need
Gather the ingredients below to make this easy turkey salad recipe. Scroll to the recipe card for the exact amounts, which you can scale depending on how many sandwiches you’re making.
- Cooked Turkey – Diced or shredded. You can use leftover chicken if your family prefers a whole roast chicken at Thanksgiving. 😉
- Dried Cranberries – I love the sweet-tart contrast, and I always have them in the pantry during the holidays. Cranberry sauce works well here, too.
- Celery – For crunch and freshness. You could use sliced green onions or minced yellow onion.
- Mayonnaise – I like to use a combination of mayonnaise and sour cream for a slightly lighter dressing. Feel free to use all of one or the other.
- Sour Cream – This can be substituted with Greek yogurt, if needed.
- Dijon Mustard – You can swap this with yellow mustard or hot brown mustard, though the flavor will be stronger.
- Lemon Juice – Brightens the dressing. Cider vinegar or wine vinegar can also be used.
- Chopped Fresh Parsley – Use any fresh herbs you have in the fridge, including dill, chives, or thyme.
- Sugar – I find adding a pinch of sugar enhances the flavors. Maple syrup or honey are also good options.
How to Make Turkey Salad
Ready to make the most of your holiday leftovers?
- Combine the ingredients. Start by chopping the cooked turkey into cubes or shredding it using two forks. Next, transfer the turkey to a bowl with diced celery and cranberries.
- Add the dressing. Stir in the mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, parsley, sugar, and lemon juice. Adjust the seasoning to taste. If you’d like, mix in more mayonnaise for a creamier turkey salad.
- Serve over buns or rolls. Serve this turkey salad right away, or chill it in the fridge beforehand. Spoon this turkey salad over a flaky croissant, bread slices, or roll it up in lavash bread, and reward your handiwork with a mimosa. Cheers!
Tips and Variations
- For a creamier texture, add more mayonnaise or sour cream. You could also stir in leftover turkey gravy or drizzle it on top for more flavor.
- For a low-carb version, reduce the cranberries and serve over lettuce wraps or a fresh green salad.
- Boost the protein with egg white wraps or cottage cheese flatbread. Or, replace the mayonnaise and/or sour cream with cottage cheese, like in a cottage cheese chicken salad.
- Optional mix-ins. Add diced hard-boiled eggs, halved grapes, chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, almonds, or spiced nuts), or red onions.
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Turkey Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 cups diced cooked turkey
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 2 stalks celery, finely diced
- ⅓ 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
- Mix. Combine all ingredients, except salt and pepper, in a large mixing bowl; mix and stir until completely incorporated.
- Adjust. Taste for salt and pepper, and adjust accordingly.
- Enjoy! 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
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.
Storage
- Store the leftover salad in the fridge for up to 3 days. I don’t recommend refrigerating the prepared sandwiches because the bread will get soggy.
- To freeze, store the prepared turkey salad (not the assembled sandwiches) in an airtight container or a freezer bag. Keep frozen for up to 2 months. The salad does become a bit watery when thawed. Drain the excess liquid, stir, and add more mayo or sour cream as needed to revive the texture.
This is the best way to use up turkey! Saving this to use this up later in the week!
Good way to utilize all the leftover in the kitchen
Such a great recipe for those left overs. We always have a HUGE amount of left overs!