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Turkey Salad Recipe with Cranberries and Pecans

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This Turkey Salad Recipe with Cranberries and Pecans is the perfect way to use up leftover turkey. Plus, the taste and flavor of this salad are so yummy, you’ll want to make it again and again!

Turkey Salad Recipe

Turkey Salad with Cranberry and Pecans

Of all the Turkey Salad recipes, this one is my very favorite recipe to use up leftover turkey. 

I’m not the best judge when it comes to knowing what size turkey to get during the holidays. (who is?!) My game plan when picking out a turkey is always to find the biggest one I can find and hope for lots of leftovers!

There are tons of great ways to use leftover turkey other than in just regular turkey sandwiches. (I even have a few on my site – Jambalaya, a lightened up Turkey Tetrazzini, and Cobb salad to name a few.)

Every time I make this turkey salad with cranberries and pecans, I remember how much we all love it!

I think what I like most about this recipe is how the sweetness of the cranberries and the crunch of the pecans go so well with the turkey and it always leaves me wanting another bite…or two.

My family might complain when I serve leftovers, but NO ONE complains when I make up this delicious leftover turkey salad recipe. No one. And in my book, that’s a bonafide cooking win. 

turkey salad recipe

Turkey Salad Recipe Variations

This recipe is great because of is how flexible it is.  

-Yes, you can use chicken instead of turkey.  

-Don’t have cranberries on hand? Yes, use grapes instead!

-Hate pecans? Yes, use walnuts or leave the nuts out altogether!

-Low carb? Serve it in a lettuce cup or over an avocado.

Should I use Miracle Whip or Mayo in this Turkey Salad?

Miracle Whip vs Mayo…  The age-old debate.

So this is truly up to you. If you want to make the recipe taste as it is intended to taste, use Miracle Whip since this turkey salad with cranberries is intended to be on the slightly sweet side.

Now, of course, there are people out there who are all mayo all the time.  

That’s fine too, use mayo. (Especially if you are trying to stay low carb/keto. If you’re sugar-free and want the sweet flavor of Miracle Whip, just add a package of your favorite sweetener when putting the salad together.)

Turkey Salad with Cranberries and pecans

Is Turkey Salad Keto Friendly?

The short answer? This particular recipe made with Miracle Whip and dried cranberries is not the keto friendliest recipe.

But to make this turkey salad recipe keto-friendly, switch the Miracle Whip with mayo and replace the cranberries with just a few quartered grapes and your Turkey Salad just became Keto friendly! 

What Ingredients are in this Turkey Salad Recipe?

Think you might want to try this recipe? Add the following ingredients to your grocery list:

  • Turkey (I recommend mostly using white meat)
  • Dried cranberries or Craisins
  • Miracle Whip (or mayo)
  • celery
  • poppy seeds
  • pecans

How to Make Turkey Salad

This turkey salad is so easy to make, you’ll love it! I have given specific ingredient amounts in the recipe card below, but you should know, I don’t ever actually measure them when I make it for myself – this is one of those recipes I just add stuff in by the handful, tasting as I go.  

So if you are someone who likes lots of nuts or celery or not very much Miracle Whip, feel free to go by taste as well. (All though I did make a special version today and carefully measured every ingredient just for the recipe card.)

Turkey leftover recipes

  1. To put the turkey salad together, first, dice your leftover turkey into pieces and add to a mixing bowl.
  2. Add in the Miracle Whip and combine till the turkey is fully coated.
  3. Then add in the celery, pecans, cranberries. Sprinkle in some poppy seeds and add salt and pepper to taste.
  4. You can serve right away on sandwich rolls or lettuce cups.  For best flavor though, I do recommend letting the turkey salad chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.  This will help all the flavors meld together.

turkey salad with cranberries

How Long will Turkey Salad last in the Fridge? 

Properly stored, this turkey salad recipe will last for 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator. 

Leftover Turkey salad

So grab that container of leftover turkey and your favorite sandwich topping and get to work on this oh-so-yummy Leftover Turkey Salad with Cranberries and Pecans! 

Have more Holiday Leftovers? Check out these recipes:

Pin this recipe here:

leftover turkey salad recipe

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turkey salad recipe

Turkey Salad with Cranberry and Pecans

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 5 reviews
  • Author: Jamie Sanders
  • Prep Time: 5 min
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 4 - 5 servings 1x
  • Category: main dish
  • Cuisine: american

Description

This Turkey Salad Recipe with Cranberries and Pecans is the perfect way to use up that leftover turkey. Plus, the taste and flavor are out of this world!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 21/2 cups cooked chopped turkey (white meat is best)
  • 1 stalk celery diced
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries or craisins
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans
  • 1 1/2 cup Miracle Whip or mayo (more if you like your salad extra creamy)
  • 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • optional: 1/3 cup finely diced red onion

Instructions

  1. Combine all the turkey salad ingredients in large bowl and toss until everything is thoroughly mixed and coated with the Mayo/miracle whip.
  2. Serve on your favorite roll or toasted bread favorite salad extras (like lettuce and tomatoes)


Nutrition

  • Calories: 388
  • Fat: 25
  • Carbohydrates: 39
  • Protein: 26

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7 Comments

  1. I made this today and it turned out awesome!!!






  2. This salad sounds very good. I will make it after I fix my turkey (we don’t serve turkey on Thanksgiving because I’m not in charge of the menu!). I made your Pecan Pie bars and they were delicious and were a hit with all.

  3. This was excellent. I used leftover turkey tenderloin that I had frozen.






  4. I tried it! It came out great, very good. Will make again!!






  5. I just made this salad and it’s awesome! 😋 Thanks for the great recipe!