Are you looking to use those Thanksgiving leftovers? Try this light fall salad filled with pumpkin, toasted walnuts, and Granny Smith apple slices.
The cranberry dressing gives the salad a perky sweet, and sour taste and provides a bit of moisture if the leftover turkey is at all dry.
Use fresh or frozen cranberries; frozen cranberries are just as nutritious and tasty. If sugar is top of mind, the amount of honey can be reduced. Keep in mind that the honey helps cut the bitterness from the cranberries; however, if you like a mouth-puckering dressing, reduce the amount of honey.
This salad can be made ahead of time. Simply keep the dressing apart from the salad, and dress just before serving. This is an excellent lunchtime salad choice or even a light dinner option. Keep scrolling for a video of this recipe in action!
Leftover Turkey Salad Recipe
Serves: 4 Prep: 15 min Cook: 45 min
Ingredients
- 6 cups lettuce leaves of your choice
- 2 cups leftover roasted turkey, shredded
- 2 Granny Smith apples, sliced
- 1 cup toasted walnuts
Roasted pumpkin ingredients
- 3 cups chopped pumpkin
- 2 tsp. curry powder
- 1 tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. pepper
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
Cranberry dressing ingredients
- 1 cup cranberries (thawed, if frozen)
- 2 tsp. red wine vinegar
- 1-2 tsp. honey (to taste)
- 3 tbsp. olive oil
- Salt & pepper to taste
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- In a bowl, combine the pumpkin, curry powder, salt, pepper, and olive oil and mix well.
- Transfer to a baking sheet and place in the oven.
- Allow roasting for 30-45 minutes until the pumpkin is cooked through and starting to caramelize.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
- To make the dressing, combine all the ingredients and blend with either a hand blender, blender, or food processor.
- To assemble the salad, place the lettuce leaves on a large platter, then top it with the shredded turkey, roasted pumpkin, sliced apples, walnuts, and dressing.
- Toss and serve.
Leftover Turkey Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 cups lettuce leaves of your choice
- 2 cups leftover roasted turkey shredded
- 2 Granny Smith apples sliced
- 1 cup toasted walnuts
Roasted pumpkin ingredients
- 3 cups chopped pumpkin
- 2 tsp. curry powder
- 1 tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. pepper
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
Cranberry dressing ingredients
- 1 cup cranberries thawed, if frozen
- 2 tsp. red wine vinegar
- 1-2 tsp. honey to taste
- 3 tbsp. olive oil
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- In a bowl, combine the pumpkin, curry powder, salt, pepper, and olive oil and mix well.3 cups chopped pumpkin, 2 tsp. curry powder, 1 tsp. salt, ½ tsp. pepper, 2 tbsp. olive oil
- Transfer to a baking sheet and place in the oven.
- Allow roasting for 30-45 minutes until the pumpkin is cooked through and starting to caramelize.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
- To make the dressing, combine all the ingredients and blend with either a hand blender, blender, or food processor.1 cup cranberries, 1-2 tsp. honey, 3 tbsp. olive oil, Salt & pepper to taste, 2 tsp. red wine vinegar
- To assemble the salad, place the lettuce leaves on a large platter, then top it with the shredded turkey, roasted pumpkin, sliced apples, walnuts, and dressing.2 cups leftover roasted turkey, 2 Granny Smith apples, 1 cup toasted walnuts, 3 cups chopped pumpkin, 6 cups lettuce leaves of your choice
- Toss and serve.
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