This turkey cranberry apple salad is a creamy leftover turkey salad with diced Fuji apple, dried cranberries, celery, and toasted almonds in a honey Dijon dressing. It comes together in about 25 minutes and can be served on its own or used as a sandwich filling.
Recipe at a glance
- Main ingredients: Cooked turkey, dried cranberries, apple, celery, and toasted almonds
- Time: About 25 minutes (20 minutes prep, 5 minutes cook); chilling optional
- Method: Skillet to toast almonds, then no-cook mix
- Best for: Thanksgiving leftovers, lunch, and light dinners
- Servings: About 4
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What's great about this recipe
- Leftover friendly - Cold cooked turkey breast turns into a quick salad with pantry staples.
- Sweet and crunchy - Dried cranberries, Fuji apple, celery, and toasted almonds add texture in every bite.
- Flexible servings - Serve it on its own, in a wrap, on a green salad, or pile it on bread with lettuce and tomato.
Budget check
- The full recipe is about $8.00 to $9.50
- Per serving (4 servings): about $2.00 to $2.40
Uses conventional ingredients. Based on recent U.S. averages. Actual prices will vary by store and region. Garnishes not included.
Ingredients you'll need
- Cooked Turkey Breast - Leftover roasted turkey breast works well, or use deli-style roast turkey cut into chunks.
- Produce - Celery and apple for a little crunch.
- Pantry - Toasted sliced almonds and dried sweetened cranberries for texture and a little sweetness.
- Dressing - Mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, honey, salt, and black pepper.
- Serving and garnish - Extra celery slices, toasted almonds, and dried cranberries for garnish, optional (about 1 to 2 teaspoons each).
📖 See the recipe card for quantities and full instructions.
How to make turkey cranberry apple salad
Toast the almonds in a dry skillet over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes until lightly golden and fragrant. Stir frequently or shake the skillet and watch them closely so they don't burn. Transfer to a plate and let them cool. If you already have toasted almonds on hand, skip this step.
- Add the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, honey, salt, and black pepper to a small jar or bowl.
- Stir until smooth and well combined. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Add the cold or cooled chopped turkey, celery, apple, dried cranberries, and toasted almonds to a large bowl.
- Add the dressing and gently toss with a rubber spatula until the turkey and other ingredients are evenly coated. If it seems dry, stir in 1 to 2 more tablespoons of mayonnaise. Taste and add salt if needed. As a reference, we added a pinch to ours.
- Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for about 30 minutes if you prefer it colder. Garnish with about 1 to 2 teaspoons each of extra celery, toasted almonds, and dried cranberries, if desired.
Recipe tips and notes
- Keep the turkey cold or cooled before mixing so the salad stays creamy and the apple stays crisp.
- Start light on salt. Leftover and deli turkey can already be seasoned.
- Dice the apple just before mixing it into the salad to help keep it from browning.
Serving suggestions
Serve the turkey salad on its own, or make sandwiches: add a generous amount to a slice of bread, top with lettuce and tomatoes if desired, then cover with another slice of bread. It is also delicious on split croissants or wraps.
For a soup and salad lunch, pair it with our Easy Tomato Soup or Cream of Celery Soup.
Storing
Refrigerator: Keep the turkey salad covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. That window starts when the turkey was cooked, so if your turkey is already a few days old, eat the salad sooner.
Freezer: Freezing is not recommended. Mayonnaise can separate after freezing and thawing, and the apple and celery can turn watery.
Food safety: Do not leave the salad at room temperature for more than 2 hours, or more than 1 hour if it is above 90°F.
FAQs
Yes. Leftover roasted turkey breast works well, or use deli-style roast turkey cut into chunks. Dark meat can replace some or all of the breast; the salad will be a little richer. Use cold or cooled turkey either way.
We like Fuji because it's firm, crunchy, and sweet. Gala, Honeycrisp, and Pink Lady are also good choices. For a tarter flavor, try Granny Smith.
More recipes to try
If you enjoyed this turkey cranberry apple salad, try our turkey tetrazzini, turkey pot pie soup, or turkey and rice casserole, all made with leftover turkey. For more ideas, see our leftover turkey recipes for easy dinners.
For another salad with fruit, try our chicken salad sandwich, made with grapes for a touch of sweetness.
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📖 Recipe
Turkey Cranberry Apple Salad
Ingredients
- 12-14 ounces Cooked Turkey Breast cold or cooled, diced or chopped, about 2¾-3 cups
- ¼ cup Celery finely sliced or diced, about 1 small rib, plus 1-2 teaspoons for garnish, optional
- ¼ cup Sliced Almonds toasted, plus 1-2 teaspoons for garnish, optional
- ⅓ cup Dried Sweetened Cranberries roughly chopped if large, plus 1-2 teaspoons for garnish, optional
- ½ cup Apple peeled, cored, and diced, about 1 small apple, we used Fuji
- ½ cup Mayonnaise plus 1 to 2 tablespoons more if needed
- 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
- 1 teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Honey
- ¼ teaspoon Salt plus more if needed
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
Instructions
- Toast the almonds in a dry skillet over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes until lightly golden and fragrant. Stir frequently or shake the skillet and watch them closely so they don't burn. Transfer the almonds to a plate and let them cool. If you already have toasted almonds, skip this step.
- Add the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, honey, salt, and black pepper to a small jar or bowl. Stir until smooth and well combined. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Add the cold or cooled chopped turkey, celery, apple, dried cranberries, and toasted almonds to a large bowl.
- Add the dressing and gently toss with a rubber spatula until the turkey and other ingredients are evenly coated. If it seems dry, stir in 1 to 2 more tablespoons of mayonnaise. Taste and add salt if needed. As a reference, we added a pinch to ours.
- Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for about 30 minutes if you prefer it colder. Garnish with extra celery slices, toasted almonds, and dried cranberries, if desired.
Notes
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Nutrition
The nutritional information above is computer generated and is only an estimate. There is no guarantee that it is accurate. This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.
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