Zesty Turkey Salad with Beans & Walnuts
Let’s face it: Many of us eat turkey just a few times a year, mainly around the holidays. It’s a shame, because the benefits of turkey, including turkey breast, are many: It’s a lean protein packed with vitamins and nutrients. Plus there are so many excellent leftover turkey recipes to use, as it can also make for a nice change of pace from your normal chicken meals.
In my Zesty Turkey Salad with Beans and Walnuts, for instance, the turkey is bursting with fresh flavors. And it’s so easy to make, it’s sure to become a regular dish on your menu.
How to Make Turkey Salad
We’ll start by tossing pulled, cooked turkey into a bowl. This is a terrific way to use up some of those Thanksgiving or Christmas bird leftovers! If you don’t have leftovers, you can also quickly cook up turkey meat in a pan and let it cool.
Now we’re ready to get the party started. To that naked chicken, we’re going to add a whole can of cannellini beans for a fiber boost. Then we’ll add chopped raw, nutrition-rich walnuts for a dose of healthy fats.
Time to give this salad its zest. I love using fresh herbs for maximum flavor: The parsley, oregano and tarragon flavors really shine through here. Then stir in the scallions, lemon juice, zest and extra virgin olive oil. Top it all off with freshly cracked black pepper and a little bit of salt. Give it all a big stir, and you’re done!
This recipe is so simple but so incredibly tasty. And thanks to the turkey, beans and walnuts, this turkey salad is hearty enough to be a complete meal. It tastes even better after about a day, when the flavors have had a chance to meld together.
My favorite trick is to prep the salad on Thanksgiving once everyone’s had his or her fill of turkey and stick the bowl in the fridge. The next day, lunch is ready with no extra work. You can easily substitute chicken, as well. Enjoy!
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Turkey Salad Recipe with Beans & Walnuts
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Have some leftover turkey? This zesty turkey salad with beans and walnuts is bursting with fresh flavors and easy to make.
Ingredients
- 2 cups pulled cooked turkey
- one 15-ounce can cannellini beans
- 3/4 cup chopped raw walnuts
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1/4 cup chopped green scallion tops
- 1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh tarragon
- zest of 1–2 medium lemons
- juice of 1 medium lemon, about 6 tablespoons
- 3–4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, fold all of the ingredients together thoroughly.
- Enjoy immediately or refrigerate for later use (flavors will be even better after a day).
Notes
This recipe tastes even better after about a day, when the flavors have had a chance to meld together.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Category: Salads, Main Dishes
- Method: Chopping
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 385
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 234mg
- Fat: 25.9g
- Saturated Fat: 5.7.g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18.9
- Carbohydrates: 22.2g
- Fiber: 8.8g
- Protein: 17.8g
- Cholesterol: 72mg
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