Get a napkin and wipe your mouth because you will soon be drooling over this Turkey Salad loaded with pecans and cranberries. The flavors combine for a perfect tangy crunch on the best sandwich you will crave.
Turkey Salad is especially easy to make using leftover turkey, but don't hesitate to substitute chicken for a delicious chicken salad sandwich too. I won't tell.
Myth
Eating Turkey won't make you sleepy any more than other foods. Although Turkey contains the amino acid tryptophan, which does form the chemicals to make people tired. Rest assured that turkey does not specifically cause sleep induced naps.
I love to eat Turkey Salad on bread or even open faced with some lettuce but it's also a perfect snack or appetizer served on crackers too. So think about this next time you host a dinner party and need a little teaser. These little two bite appetizers will be a hit.
One of the more popular holiday traditions is serving a big Thanksgiving Turkey, which of course means one of the best parts of a holiday meal. Leftovers of course!
Leftover Turkey is always a hit in our home and I love to use it to make a variety of recipes. Why not try a Crescent Ring stuffed with Turkey, Stuffing, and Cranberry Sauce or try these quick and easy Turkey Sliders. They are delish!
Do you enjoy traditions like I do? We love to use leftovers in different ways after holiday meals and celebrate again. So start a tradition in your own home and make some priceless memories.
Leftover turkey shouldn’t go to waste, especially when you consider the costs and time that went into cooking that beast. If you’re looking for more delicious recipes to utilize your leftover turkey meat, consider my Turkey Tetrazzini or substitute turkey for chicken in my Chicken Corn Chowder.
You can sub turkey for chicken in a lot of different recipes, so have some fun and be creative. And don't forget to tag me in your photos. I love to see them! @devourdinner on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest!
What's in Turkey Salad?
- Turkey Breast OR 3 Cups diced cooked Turkey
- 1 Tbs Garlic
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Pepper
- 1 ½ teaspoon Thyme
- Orange Sliced in rounds
- 1 Cup Water
- ½ Cup Pecans Chopped
- ½ Cup dried Cranberries or Craisins
- 3-4 Stalks Celery
- 1 Bunch Green Onions
- ½ Cup Mayonnaise
- ½ Cup Miracle Whip
- 1 Tbs Sugar
- Salt and Pepper to Taste
- Crackers or Croissants to serve with * Optional
How to make Turkey Salad?
- Place water and your trivet inside your instant pot and put your turkey breast on the trivet.
- Season it with garlic, salt, pepper, and thyme.
- Place sliced orange rounds on top of the turkey breast.
- Set your pressure cooker to manual high for 20 minutes with a 15-minute natural release
- Remove the turkey breast and discard the orange slices.
- Dice the turkey breast and place it in a bowl and allow to cool
- Add the diced celery and the diced green onion to the bowl and throw in your chopped pecans and craisins.
- Mix everything to combine
- In a separate bowl combine Miracle Whip, Mayonnaise, and Sugar.
- Add Dressing to Turkey mixture and stir to combine. Serve Chilled.
- Serve it over lettuce, on crackers or in a sliced croissant.
How to make Turkey Salad without Mayo?
A perfect substitution for Mayo is plain Greek Yogurt and still get a creamy texture
How long does Turkey Salad Last?
Turkey salad lasts up to 6 days when properly stored within your fridge. This means it’s perfect for making a large batch and enjoying it throughout the week for lunches and snacks!
What to Serve with Turkey Salad?
I picture enjoying turkey salad on a buttery croissant on a pate with crackers, cubed cheddar cheese, and a fresh-sliced apple or some baby carrots. You can serve yours however you want, there is no wrong way to enjoy a good meal.
Can you Freeze Turkey Salad Recipe?
Because this recipe doesn’t include mayo, it can survive being frozen. If you chose to add in some mayonnaise, I recommend that you do not freeze the salad as it will separate and not hold the same quality as freshly made.
How to eat Turkey Salad?
Turkey salad is pretty versatile. If you want to eat it as a sandwich or a dip, the option is there and it’s great either way. You may find that you prefer it one way versus another.
How to cook Turkey Breasts in Instant Pot
It's easy to cook a Turkey Breast in your Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker. This quick and easy recipe will get you started!
- Season Turkey Breast with Garlic, Salt, Pepper, Thyme and Orange Rounds
- Place seasoned Turkey Breast on trivet in Pressure Cooker
- Add 1 cup of water to bottom of Pressure Cooker
- Set Instant Pot / Pressure Cooker to Pressure Cook for 20 minutes and allow a 15 minute Natural Release
- Remove Turkey Breast and discard Orange Rounds
- Dice Turkey and allow to cool
I'm often asked why I like to add Orange slices when I cook. I love Citrus and I love the extra zest and flare that citrus juices gives. Of course you can always omit the orange slices if you wish.
More Delicious Recipes
- Cream Cheese Chicken
- Tuna Pasta Salad
- Swiss Steak Recipe
- Chicken Divan ~ Try Substituting Turkey!
Turkey Salad
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs Turkey Breast OR 3 ½ - 4 Cups diced cooked Turkey
- 1 tablespoon Garlic
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Pepper
- 1 ½ teaspoon Thyme
- 1 Orange sliced in rounds
- 1 cup Water
- ½ cup Pecans - chopped
- ½ cup Dried Cranberries or Crasins
- 3-4 Celery Stalks
- 1 bunch Green Onions
Dressing
- ½ Cup Mayonnaise
- ½ Cup Miracle Whip
- 1 Tbs Sugar
- Salt and Pepper to Taste
- Crackers or Croissants to serve with * Optional
Instructions
- Place water in Instant Pot / Pressure Cooker
- On a Trivet place Turkey Breast
- Season with Garlic, Salt, Pepper, and Thyme
- Place sliced orange slices/rounds on top
- Set Pressure Cook to Manual High for 20 minutes with a 15 minute Natural Release.
- Remove Turkey breast and discard orange slices
- Dice turkey breast and place in a bowl
- Add diced celery and diced Green Onion
- Throw in Chopped Pecans and Craisins
- Mix to combine
- In a separate bowl combine Mayonnaise, Miracle Whip, Sugar
- Mix dressing with turkey mixture
- Serve over lettuce, on crackers, or Croissants
Nutrition Disclaimer
All nutrition values are approximate and calculated by a plugin and are provided as a courtesy. Adding or subtracting ingredients will change the nutritional value.
Mary Disterhoft
This recipe looks really good. I made turkey thighs and was already planning on making turkey salad with it. I dont have the craisins or pecans to make it, at least not yet.