This Turkey salad is made with shredded turkey breast, cranberries, sliced almonds, and creamy avocado. This wholesome, nutritious dish is a delicious way to repurpose leftover turkey from holiday dinners. Whip this up in minutes and enjoy it as a hearty salad or turkey avocado sandwich. (This recipe is dairy-free and gluten-free too!)
If you want to make this using rotisserie chicken instead, then try our Avocado Chicken Salad next! Or, if you are looking for more ways to use your leftover turkey, try our Creamy Turkey Soup!
Turkey avocado salad is a convenient, wholesome meal that has amazing fresh flavor and texture in each bite. Chopped pecans and sliced almonds provide a nice crunch and dried cranberries add a pleasant touch of sweetness.
Comparable salads include mayonnaise but this no-mayo turkey salad is perfectly creamy without it! The secret ingredient is mashed avocados. You get the luscious texture you expect with less fat and no dairy. Grab a fork and let’s dig into the best turkey salad recipe!
Reasons This Avocado Turkey Salad Recipe Works
- Perfect Way to Use Leftover Turkey! Put that leftover Thanksgiving turkey to use! When it comes to leftover turkey recipes, this is one of the best. After a holiday feast or big dinner, you’re bound to have leftover poultry so use it to make turkey salad!
- Diet Friendly! Enjoy this dairy-free turkey salad. It’s layered with tasty ingredients so you won’t miss the mayonnaise. Also, ripe avocado is an excellent replacement for mayo.
- Quick and Easy. Avocado turkey salad comes together in just minutes. Simply chop your veggies and assemble your salad.
- Versatile. Make this salad your way with delicious add-ins. You can also use your favorite bread to make a turkey salad sandwich for lunch.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Cooked turkey breast: It should be shredded into 2-inch pieces.
- Red onion: Dice it.
- Cilantro: It should be roughly chopped.
- Avocados: Use large, ripe avocados with the pits removed.
- Jalapenos: Chop them. Feel free to omit them if you prefer.
- Limes: You’ll use the juice to add a citrusy zest to the salad.
- Celery: Dice the stalks.
- Almonds: They should be sliced.
- Dried cranberries: For some added sweetness.
- Red crushed pepper: This is optional for a hint of spiciness.
- Sea salt: Add to taste.
- Black pepper: Add to taste.
How to Make Turkey Avocado Salad
- Prepare the vegetables: Chop the onion, jalapeno, and cilantro.
- Then shred the turkey and place it in a large bowl. Add the remaining ingredients to a large bowl. Mix together, using the forks to mash the avocado.
- Top the salad with more lime. Taste and adjust the flavor to your liking: adding more lime to make the turkey salad zestier, and more avocado to make it creamier.
Tips To Nail the Recipe
- Chop the onions, jalapenos, and cilantro in advance to save even more time.
- This turkey salad recipe has just a few simple ingredients so use the freshest, best-quality produce. This is especially important for avocados. If they aren’t perfectly ripe, then they won’t be creamy enough.
Recipe Variations
- Bacon: This would add a salty, savory flavor to this recipe. Roast your bacon until it is crispy and chop it into pieces. You can mix it in while making the turkey salad, or fold it in after making the turkey salad.
- Egg: Chop up a boiled egg for added protein.
- Cheese: If you don’t mind dairy, add shredded cheddar or swiss cheese.
- Turkey: You can use ground turkey or deli turkey instead of roasted turkey breast.
Storage
Store leftover turkey salad with avocado in an airtight container in the fridge. It should be good for up to 4 days.
How to Serve Turkey Avocado Salad
You can always just grab a fork and devour turkey avocado salad as is. But here are some other ways to enjoy it:
- Sandwich: Make a healthy turkey avocado sandwich with gluten-free slices of bread.
- Lettuce Wrap: Scoop turkey salad onto large romaine lettuce leaves.
- Crackers: Make this a snack or appetizer and serve it with your favorite crackers.
- Wraps: A turkey avocado salad wrap would be great for lunch. Use gluten-free tortilla wraps, or whatever you prefer.
- Salad: Use turkey salad as a protein in your favorite salad. It would taste fantastic over a bed of peppery arugula.
Common Questions
Can turkey salad be frozen?
This turkey salad without mayo can definitely be frozen. Store it in an airtight container and freeze it for up to 1 month. The day before you plan to eat it, place it in the refrigerator to thaw out overnight. Mix it up before eating.
How can I tell if an avocado is ripe?
There are a few ways to determine if an avocado is ripe. Ripe avocados are dark green to nearly black. The texture will be slightly bumpy. When you hold it in your hand and gently squeeze it, it should yield but bounce back. If it leaves an indentation or feels mushy, then the avocado is past its prime.
Is the salad best with sliced turkey breast or deli-cut turkey?
Whether you use sliced, ground, or chopped turkey, this recipe is all about convenience so use what you have or prefer. Either way, it will be delicious!
I Hope You Enjoy This Turkey Avocado Salad Recipe!
If you try the recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know what you think in the comments. Leave a quick review & star rating ★ below! Take pictures, tag #goodfoodbaddie, and share them with me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest! I love seeing my recipes come to life in your kitchen.
More Turkey Recipes To Try!
- Baked Turkey Wings
- Turkey Chili Recipe
- Air Fryer Turkey Burgers
- Air Fryer Turkey Legs
- Maple Glazed Turkey
- How to Dry Brine Turkey
Avocado Turkey Salad
Ingredients
- 4 cups Cooked turkey breast shredded 2-inch pieces
- ½ cup Red onion diced
- ½ cup Cilantro roughly chopped
- 2 1/2 Large ripe avocados, pits removed plus more as needed
- 2 Jalapenos chopped
- 2 Limes, juiced plus more to taste
- 2 Celery stalks diced
- 1/4 cup Chopped pecans
- ¼ cup Sliced almonds
- ¼ cup Dried cranberries
- ½ tsp Sea salt plus more to taste
- ¼ tsp Black Pepper plus more to taste
- ¼ tsp Red crushed pepper optional
Instructions
- Prepare the vegetables: Chop the onion, jalapeno, and cilantro.
- Shred the turkey and place in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients into a large bowl. Mix the remaining ingredients together, using the forks to mash the avocado.
- Top the salad with more lime. Taste and adjust the flavor to your liking: adding more lime to make the turkey salad zestier, and more avocado to make it creamier.
Notes
Recipe Variations
- Bacon: This would add a salty, savory flavor to this recipe. Roast your bacon until it is crispy and chop it into pieces. You can mix it in while making the turkey salad, or fold it in after making the turkey salad.
- Egg: Chop up a boiled egg for added protein.
- Cheese: If you don’t mind dairy, add shredded cheddar or swiss cheese.
- Turkey: You can use ground turkey or deli turkey instead of roasted turkey breast.
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