Recipes for Thanksgiving Leftovers Featuring a Fantastic Salad (2024)

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So the “big meal” is over and you’re wondering what to do with leftovers consisting of turkey and little bits of “this and that.” Well make a biggie turkey salad of course! When tummies are still full from the lingering effects of heavier Thanksgiving Day dishes, a lighter main course salad chock-full of this favorite holiday’s comforting flavors will indeed be a welcome sight.

The full recipe is located below

If you are like me, you may be in the need of a cooking break after working so hard on the bunches of Thanksgiving dishes you prepared this week. Well, I am delighted to tell you that all you need to do to create this beautiful “meal in a bowl,” is assemble all your yummy salad ingredients, toss with either my Creamy Honey-Dijon Dressing or your favorite mayo and dinner is done!

The day I decided to create this salad using leftover Maple-Orange Glazed Turkey Breast, I foraged through my fridge and found a delightful assortment of salad “mix-in’s” including dried tart cherries, a few apples and pears, some leftover green beans and even pomegranate seeds and toasted pecans for a hint of crunch.

Digging a little deeper, I discovered a big yellow beet and a couple of sweet potatoes that were looking rather lonely and in need of a home…so out they came as well .

Wanting to make this salad a complete meal, at the last minute I tossed in a cup of a combo of leftover brown rice and quinoa which added a nice bite to every forkful.

Recipes for Thanksgiving Leftovers Featuring a Fantastic Salad (6)

Print Recipe

After Thanksgiving Turkey ‘n Fruit Salad

So the “big meal” is over and you’re wondering what to do with leftovers consisting of “this and that.” Well make a salad of course! When tummies are still full from the lingering effects of heavier Thanksgiving Day dishes, a lighter main course salad chock-full of this holiday’s comforting flavors will be a welcome sight. Don’t have all these ingredients? No worries, just use whatever yummy fruit and veggie leftovers you have in the fridge.

Yield: about 4 servings

Author: Linda Shapiro, © Meal Planning Maven

Ingredients

Salad

  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1 medium Granny Smith apple unpeeled, cored and cut into chunks
  • 1 medium red apple unpeeled, cored and cut into chunks
  • 1 large ripe pear unpeeled, cored and cut into chunks
  • 2 medium raw sweet potatoes peeled, cut into cubes
  • 1/2 cup raw sliced green beans
  • 1 large raw yellow beet peeled, cut into cubes
  • 1 cup grapes halved if desired
  • 4 cups cooked turkey cut into cubes
  • 2 green onions trimmed and sliced
  • 1 cup cooked brown rice quinoa or couscous (or a combination as I used)
  • 1 cup pecan or walnut halves toasted
  • 2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
  • 3 tablespoons dried cherries or cranberries I like apple-juice sweetened by Eden
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup Creamy Honey-Dijon Dressing or a healthier mayo such as Hellmann’s Olive Oil or Spectrum
  • Large lettuce leaves such as romaine, red or green leaf
  • 1 tablespoon freshly snipped dill optional for garnish

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, toss chopped apples and pears with lemon juice. (to prevent browning)

  • Steam or boil sweet potatoes, green beans and beets for about 5 minutes or until tender. Drain well; let cool. (Or use whatever raw vegetables you have leftover. Cooked vegetables are fine as well.)

  • Gently combine apples and pears along with cooked vegetables and remaining ingredients except dressing or mayonnaise.

  • Lightly toss salad with Creamy Honey-Dijon Dressing (or mayonnaise) Cover; chill for about 4 hours.

  • Taste; add additional salt and pepper if desired.

  • Line a serving bowl with lettuce leaves. Spoon salad into bowl. Garnish with dill sprigs. (optional)

Notes

Make Ahead and Storage Tips: salad may be assembled without dressing up to 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Use leftover salad within 1 day. Dressing may be stored up to 3 days; cover and refrigerate. Stir before using.

If you can, choose firmer pears such as Anjou or Bosc which are less likely to brown than Bartlett.

No time to make the Creamy Honey-Dijon Dressing? This salad would also be delicious with a healthier mayonnaise such as Spectrum or Hellmann’s Olive Oil Mayonnaise.

Maple-Orange Glazed Turkey Breast or leftover roasted chicken would be absolutely delicious in the salad!

Don’t have all the ingredients I picked? No worries, just use whatever fruit and veggie leftovers you have in the fridge. And if your turkey has been al gobbled up, (pun intended!) just pick up a cooked rotisserie chicken on your way home.

It just does not get much simpler than this! Enjoy!

More Recipes to Love Using Thanksgiving Leftovers

CLICK HERE for Turkey-Vegetable-Barley Soup Recipe

CLICK HERE for Caramelized Peppers, Onion ‘n Turkey Naan Recipe

CLICK HERE for Turkey Tacos with Mango Salsa Recipe

CLICK HERE for Cocoa Sweetie Pie Squares Recipe

Coming Next Week to the Blog: Edible Holiday Gifts for All to Enjoy!
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Recipes for Thanksgiving Leftovers Featuring a Fantastic Salad (13)

Recipes for Thanksgiving Leftovers Featuring a Fantastic Salad (2024)

FAQs

How long are Thanksgiving leftovers good in the fridge? ›

The answer is simple: leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for three to four days. This means you have until the Monday after Thanksgiving to eat all those delicious leftovers or place them in the freezer to enjoy later. If you store leftovers in the freezer, they will be of best quality within 2-6 months.

How do you deal with leftovers on Thanksgiving? ›

10 ways to use Thanksgiving leftovers (besides just reheating them)
  1. Roasted turkey and vegetable salads. ...
  2. Turkey tacos. ...
  3. Potato pancakes. ...
  4. Make a turkey pot pie. ...
  5. Turkey pizza. ...
  6. Turkey soup. ...
  7. Turkey grilled cheese. ...
  8. Turn stuffing into muffins.
Nov 23, 2023

What can I do with too much salad? ›

Four ways to use leftover salad
  1. Put an egg on it. When in doubt, put a fried egg on it. ...
  2. Blend it into a soup. I love blending leftover salad, transforming it into a hearty soup. ...
  3. Make a grilled cheese. Serves 1. ...
  4. Go kuku! Turning a salad into a kuku is perhaps my very favorite way of embracing leftovers.
Mar 4, 2022

What is made from Thanksgiving leftovers? ›

Instead, try turning your leftovers into a casserole, like our turkey divan, our chicken stuffing casserole, or our turkey pot pie; a soup, like our turkey noodle soup, our leftover turkey & wild rice soup, or our homemade turkey stock (made from your turkey carcass); or something lighter or more flavorful than before, ...

Can you eat leftover turkey after 5 days? ›

USDA recommends using cooked turkey within 3 to 4 days, kept refrigerated (40°F or less). Refrigeration slows but does not stop bacterial growth. Turkey can be frozen for 3 to 4 months. Although safe indefinitely, frozen leftovers can lose moisture and flavor when stored for longer times in the freezer.

Is 5 days too old for leftovers? ›

Leftovers can be kept for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. After that, the risk of food poisoning goes up. If you don't think you'll be able to eat leftovers within four days, freeze them right away. Frozen leftovers will stay safe for a long time.

What percentage of people prefer Thanksgiving leftovers? ›

Apparently I'm in the minority, as this poll reported that 80 percent of Americans prefer the leftover version.

What are the symptoms of food poisoning on Thanksgiving Day? ›

Symptoms of food poisoning often include diarrhea, vomiting, upset stomach, or nausea. Call your healthcare provider if you have severe symptoms such as: Diarrhea and a fever higher than 102°F. Diarrhea for more than three days that is not improving.

What is the rule for leftovers? ›

How long do leftovers last? According to the FDA Food Code, all perishable foods that are opened or prepared should be thrown out after 7 days, maximum. No leftovers should survive in your fridge for longer than that. Some foods should be even be thrown away before the 7 day mark.

What happens if I eat 1 salad everyday? ›

Your nutrient intake will soar

A 2019 study of almost 10,000 adults found that people who ate salad consumed more Vitamins A, B-6, C, E, K, folate, choline and other essential nutrients.

Why am I so full after eating a salad? ›

Many people experience bloating and/or gut upset when they eat a lot of salad. This commonly occurs if someone is going quickly from a less healthy, low-fibre diet to a healthier, high-fibre diet.

What happens if I eat salad for every meal? ›

"Eating salads on a daily basis as part of an overall healthy lifestyle may support gradual weight loss over time," says Karnatz. "This is because leafy greens are low in calories and high in volume and fiber, which will keep you satisfied for longer," she adds.

What is the day after Thanksgiving usually called? ›

According to Britannica and numerous other outlets, the term 'Black Friday' was first associated with the day after Thanksgiving in the 1960s in Philadelphia. Police used the term to describe the scene as large numbers of suburban tourists came into the city to begin their holiday shopping.

What two food items were not present at the original Thanksgiving? ›

It is also worth noting what was not present at the first Thanksgiving feast. There were no cloudlike heaps of mashed potatoes, since white potatoes had not yet crossed over from South America. There was no gravy either, since the colonists didn't yet have mills to produce flour.

What are three foods that were probably eaten at Thanksgiving? ›

So, to the question “What did the Pilgrims eat for Thanksgiving,” the answer is both surprising and expected. Turkey (probably), venison, seafood, and all of the vegetables that they had planted and harvested that year—onions, carrots, beans, spinach, lettuce, and other greens.

Are leftovers good after 7 days? ›

According to the FDA Food Code, all perishable foods that are opened or prepared should be thrown out after 7 days, maximum. No leftovers should survive in your fridge for longer than that. Some foods should be even be thrown away before the 7 day mark.

How long is turkey stuffing good for in the fridge? ›

Dressing/stuffing: Like turkey, if stored properly, stuffing or dressing will be safe to eat for three to four days after cooking. It will last for about a month if stored properly in the freezer. Cranberry sauce – homemade and store-bought: Homemade cranberry sauce lasts seven to 10 days.

Can I eat Thanksgiving leftovers on Tuesday? ›

According to the USDA, leftovers should be frozen or eaten within four days, which means the Monday after Thanksgiving is your last day to safely eat leftovers. Starting Tuesday, they should be in the freezer or tossed.

Are leftovers OK after 4 days? ›

Discard all perishable foods, such as meat, poultry, eggs, side dishes, or casseroles, left at room temperature longer than two hours; one hour in room temperatures above 90 °F. Once leftovers are stored safely, they will remain safe three to four days.

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