Transform Thanksgiving leftovers into delectable Turkey Waldorf Salad! It’s a delightful twist on a classic that’s perfect for a light meal!
Why We Love Waldorf Salad with Turkey
- Turkey Waldorf Salad is so freaking good you guys! Sure, the classic version is good, but I love the addition of dried cranberries for a pop of tart flavor and crunchy pecans for texture.
- I love using leftover Thanksgiving turkey for this recipe. I’m always trying to find ways to use up all the extra meat since some years it’s just the four of us versus a whole turkey.
- This salad is a great make-ahead meal prep lunch for the week. Or have it for dinner with your favorite soup, baked potato, or a grilled cheese sandwich.
Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Waldorf Turkey Salad
TURKEY: You can use turkey breast or a combination of white and dark meat. I like to cube it up so that everything in the salad is about the same size, but you can shred the turkey if you prefer. Just remember to remove the skin first.
PRODUCE: To give this Waldorf salad some oomph, we are adding Granny Smith apple, grapes (I like to use red and green), celery, and green onions. To give this salad a festive seasonal taste, you’ll also need dried cranberries and pecans.
WALDORF SALAD DRESSING: To make the dressing, you will need mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. I highly recommend fresh squeezed lemon juice, but bottled will work too.
How to Make a Turkey Waldorf Salad
Jump to RecipeSTEP 1 Add the mayo, lemon juice, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder to a medium mixing bowl. Whisk everything together until it’s nice and smooth. Adjust the seasoning to taste if needed, and then set the dressing aside for now.
STEP 2 Prep all the salad add-ins and put them in a large mixing bowl along with the turkey. Then pour the dressing over top. Gently stir until everything is coated evenly in the dressing.
STEP 3 Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours. Serve as a sandwich, with crackers, on lettuce leaves, or eat right from the bowl!
Tips & Tricks
- You can serve this salad right away if you wish, it’s just better if it has a chance to sit in the fridge to let the flavors mingle.
- You can substitute shredded or diced cooked chicken instead of turkey for a year-round option. Skip the dried cranberries and you’ll have a traditional Chicken Waldorf Salad.
- Golden or regular raisins can be used in place of the cranberries.
- Store any leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Turkey Waldorf Salad Recipe FAQ
Why is it called Waldorf Salad?
Waldorf salad is named after the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City. The salad was first created for a charity ball for St. Mary’s Hospital for Children that took place in the hotel in March 1896.
The original recipe was a combination of celery, apples, and mayonnaise. Nuts were added to the recipe in later years.
What is the definition of Waldorf salad?
A classic Waldorf Salad is made of fruit and nuts. It usually includes celery, apples, walnuts, and grapes that get coated in a mayonnaise-based dressing. It’s traditionally served on a bed of lettuce and enjoyed as a light meal or appetizer.
Other Recipes You May Like
- Ham & Turkey Club Sliders
- Leftover Turkey Pot Pie with Biscuits
- Cranberry, Brie & Bacon Turkey Sandwich
- How to Cook a Turkey for Thanksgiving
- Walnut & Cranberry Chicken Salad
- Chicken Cobb Salad
Turkey Waldorf Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
Dressing
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
Salad
- 2 cups cooked turkey shredded or small dice
- 1 small Granny Smith apple cored and small diced
- ½ cup celery thinly sliced
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup green grapes cut in half
- ½ cup red grapes cut in half
- ½ cup pecans chopped
- 4 green onions thinly sliced
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder until smooth. Set aside.
- To a large mixing bowl, add the turkey, apple, celery, cranberries, green grapes, red grapes, pecans, and green onions. Add the dressing to the bowl and stir well-coated and combined.
- Cover with plastic wrap, and chill for at least 2 hours before serving. I like to serve this salad over some lettuce leaves, but you can add it to your favorite bread or eat it with crackers.
Notes
- You can serve the salad right away if you wish, it is just better if it has a chance to sit in the fridge and the flavors can mingle.
- You can substitute shredded or diced cooked chicken instead of turkey.
- Golden or regular raisins can be used in place of the cranberries.
- Store any leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.
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