Got leftover turkey? Transform it into something extraordinary with our turkey salad featuring sweet cranberries, toasted pecans, and a luxurious rosemary aioli.

This isn’t your basic turkey salad. We’ve perfected this recipe through years of post-holiday experimenting, striking the perfect balance between creamy and crunchy, sweet and savory. The addition of toasted pecans and tart cranberries brings autumn flavors to every bite, while our homemade rosemary aioli takes it from a basic sandwich to gourmet lunch staple. Ready in minutes, this recipe proves leftovers can be the best part of your holiday feast (but you already knew that).

A stacked turkey salad sandwich with wheat bread, greens, and a salad mix on a wooden board with fall-themed decorations in the background.

Table of Contents

This is how to use up leftover Turkey
Ingredients for Leftover Turkey Salad with Rosemary Aioli

Substitutions

How to Make Leftover Turkey Salad
Leftover turkey salad Recipe Tips
How to Serve Leftover Turkey Salad
How to Store Leftover Turkey Salad
More Leftover Turkey Recipes
Leftover Turkey Salad with Rosemary Aioli Recipe

This is how to use up leftover Turkey

This leftover turkey salad recipe is a delicious way to repurpose Thanksgiving leftovers while keeping meals light and flavorful. The rosemary aioli, enriched with roasted garlic and cranberries, provides a creamy texture and a depth of flavor that complements the savory turkey beautifully. This dish is quick to assemble, making it ideal for busy post-holiday days.

Ingredients on a black tile surface: diced turkey, pecans, cranberries, celery, mayonnaise, an onion, and small bowls of salt and pepper.

Ingredients for Leftover Turkey Salad with Rosemary Aioli

For the Rosemary Aioli:

Roasted garlic aioli – start with my base aioli recipe for this jazzed up version.
Dried cranberries, softened and strained
Fresh rosemary, finely chopped

For the Turkey Salad:

Leftover turkey meat – we use a blend of white and dark meat.
Pecans, toasted and chopped
Celery, diced
Onion, diced
Dried cranberries
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Substitutions

Aioli: If you don’t have garlic aioli, use mayonnaise mixed with minced garlic as a base.
Nuts: Walnuts or almonds can be used instead of pecans for a different texture and flavor.
Cranberries: Substitute with raisins or chopped dried apricots for a variation in sweetness.

How to Make Leftover Turkey Salad

Prepare the Aioli: Blend the roasted garlic aioli with softened cranberries and rosemary in a food processor until smooth.
Combine Salad Ingredients: In a large bowl, mix turkey, pecans, celery, onion, and cranberries.
Dress the Salad: Add the rosemary aioli to the turkey mixture and fold gently until well combined.

A bowl with leftover turkey meat, chopped celery, onions, nuts, cranberries, and a dollop of mustard, set on a dark tiled surface.

A speckled red and white bowl filled with a leftover turkey salad on a dark tile surface.

Leftover turkey salad Recipe Tips

Softening Cranberries: Soak the dried cranberries in hot water for about 10 minutes to plump them up, which enhances their texture and flavor in the aioli.
Toasting Pecans: Toasting the pecans in a dry skillet or in the oven enhances their flavor and adds a delightful crunch to the salad.

Open-faced sandwich with turkey salad, greens, and a slice of whole grain bread on parchment paper over a black hexagonal tile surface.

How to Serve Leftover Turkey Salad

This versatile turkey salad can be served in several delicious ways:

Lettuce Wraps: Spoon the salad into crisp lettuce leaves for a low-carb option.
Turkey Salad Sandwiches: Spread on whole-grain bread for a hearty sandwich.
Salad Topper: Serve over a bed of mixed greens with a drizzle of extra aioli.

Two sandwiches with wheat bread, filled with turkey salad and arugula, are stacked on parchment paper.

How to Store Leftover Turkey Salad

Store any leftover turkey salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. It’s best enjoyed cold or at room temperature. We don’t recommend freezing, as it affects the texture of the aioli and the freshness of the salad.

This turkey salad with rosemary aioli is not just a creative way to use up leftovers but also a delightful dish that brings freshness and flavor to your table without much effort.

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Leftover Turkey Salad with Rosemary Aioli

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Prep: 10

Total: 10

Servings: 8 servings

Leftover turkey salad sandwich with arugula and cranberries on whole grain bread, served on a wooden board with a rustic background.

Give your leftover turkey a fresh twist with this vibrant turkey salad. Dotted with sweet cranberries and toasted pecans, then mixed with aromatic rosemary aioli for next level leftovers. Perfect for sandwiches, wraps, or atop fresh greens, this versatile salad makes you look forward to turkey leftovers.

Ingredients

For the rosemary aioli

▢ ½ cup roasted garlic aioli recipe
▢ 2 tbsp dried cranberries softened in boiling water, strained and patted dry
▢ 1 tbsp fresh Rosemary chopped

For the turkey salad

Instructions

Make the rosemary aioli

In a food processor pulse the garlic aioli with the softened dried cranberries and fresh rosemary to combine.
Season with salt and pepper to taste, if needed.

Make the Turkey Salad

In a large bowl, combine the turkey, chopped pecans, diced celery, onion and cranberries.
Add the aioli and fold, mixing the ingredients until everything is well combined.