What goes into Southern turkey salad?

My Southern turkey salad is chopped leftover roast turkey, finely diced hard-boiled eggs, mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish, onion or shallots, and a secret ingredient for extra crunch, then seasoned with salt and black pepper.

Can you make turkey salad ahead of time?

Yes. Make it ahead and keep it covered in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days, then stir before serving.

Should I use white or dark turkey meat?

Either works. I use a mix of white and dark meat, but use whichever you prefer or have left over.

How do you make turkey salad less sweet?

Use 3 tablespoons of sweet pickle relish instead of 1/4 cup, or swap in dill pickle relish for the sweet pickle relish.

How long does turkey salad last in the fridge?

Turkey salad keeps 3 to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge.

Can you freeze turkey salad?

It's not recommended. Mayonnaise-based salads like egg salad and chicken salad don't freeze well, and hard-boiled eggs turn rubbery once frozen. Freeze the leftover turkey instead, then thaw it in the fridge and make a fresh batch.

How many sandwiches does this recipe make?

This recipe makes about 1 1/4 pounds (575g) of turkey salad, enough for 4 stuffed-to-the-gills hearty sandwiches or 5 normal sandwiches.

Turkey Salad Recipe (Easy Leftover Turkey Salad)

Name: Turkey Salad Sandwich Recipe (Using Leftover Turkey)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 15 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 1/4 cups cooked turkey meat, chopped or diced, a mix of white and dark meat or your preference (11 ounces, 315g); 3 large eggs, hard-boiled and finely diced (150g); 2 tablespoons mayonnaise (30g) *add 1 to 2 more tablespoons for a creamier turkey salad; 1/4 cup sweet pickle relish (60g) *for a less sweet turkey salad use 3 tablespoons (45g), or sub dill pickle relish; 1/4 cup finely diced onion or shallots (35g); 2 tablespoons finely diced red bell pepper (18g); 1 teaspoon salt (pink Himalayan or sea salt), or more or less to taste (4.5g); freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Description

This Southern turkey salad recipe is for the week after Thanksgiving, when everyone begrudgingly heads back to work and school and the last of the leftover turkey needs new flavor. It takes just 15 minutes, makes 5 sandwiches or wraps, and makes packed lunches and busy weeknight dinners a breeze.

Ingredients

Units

2 1/4 cups cooked turkey meat, chopped or diced, a mix of white and dark meat or your preference (11 ounces, 315g)
3 large eggs, hard-boiled and finely diced (150g)
2 tablespoons mayonnaise (30g) *add 1 to 2 more tablespoons for a creamier turkey salad
1/4 cup sweet pickle relish (60g) *for a less sweet turkey salad use 3 tablespoons (45g), or sub dill pickle relish
1/4 cup finely diced onion or shallots (35g)
2 tablespoons finely diced red bell pepper (18g)
1 teaspoon salt (pink Himalayan or sea salt), or more or less to taste (4.5g)
freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

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Instructions

Hard-boil the eggs. To a small pot, add the eggs and cover with about 1 inch of water and a little salt and bring the water to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes, then drain the water and run cold tap water over them until they are cool to the touch. Remove the shells, finely dice them, and set them aside.
Prep the turkey and vegetables. While the eggs boil, finely dice the onion or shallots and the red bell pepper. Remove any skin and bones from the turkey, then finely chop or dice it into small, even pieces.
Mix the turkey salad. Add the turkey, eggs, mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish, onion, red bell pepper, salt, and black pepper to a large bowl. Stir until everything is evenly combined.
Taste and adjust. Taste and add more salt, black pepper, relish, or mayonnaise if desired.
Serve or store. Serve right away on bread, buns, or croissants, or cover and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 to 4 days.

Notes

Variations: Find the cranberry, almond, chive, dill pickle, and lighter versions in the post above.
Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. Turkey salad does not freeze well.
Leftover turkey: Use cooked turkey that has been refrigerated no more than 3 to 4 days. Cooked, frozen, then thawed turkey also works great in this recipe.
Freeze leftover turkey within 3 to 4 days of cooking, and thaw it in the fridge before using.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Category: Dinner, Lunch, Sandwiches + Panini + Wraps, Sandwiches + Wraps
Method: No-Cook
Cuisine: American, Southern

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1/2 cup (115g)
Calories: 214
Sugar: 4g
Sodium: 570mg
Fat: 12g
Saturated Fat: 4g
Unsaturated Fat: 8g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 5g
Fiber: 0.3g
Protein: 21g
Cholesterol: 164mg