Turkey Salad with Pickle Relish and Mayo Recipe

If you’re on the lookout for a quick, satisfying, and downright delicious way to use up leftover turkey, you’re going to want to try my Turkey Salad with Pickle Relish and Mayo Recipe. This isn’t your everyday turkey salad—it’s got that perfect balance of creamy mayo and tangy pickle relish that keeps it exciting bite after bite. Trust me, once you whip this up, you’ll be making it again and again for everything from sandwiches to snack plates.

Ingredients & Why They Work

Each ingredient in this Turkey Salad with Pickle Relish and Mayo Recipe plays a specific role in balancing flavor and texture, making for a creamy yet tangy, hearty but light dish. Here’s what you need, and some tips on why these simple staples are perfect together.

• Cooked turkey (white and dark meat): Using a mix keeps your salad juicy and flavorful, plus it’s an easy way to repurpose leftovers.
• Pickle relish: The sweet and tangy notes add a lively pop that cuts through the richness of the mayo.
• Mayo or Miracle Whip: Mayonnaise brings creaminess, but if you prefer a little tang, Miracle Whip is my family’s favorite substitute.
• Celery salt: Adds subtle earthiness and a bit of savory depth that works beautifully with turkey.
• Black pepper: A simple seasoning that awakens all the other flavors without overpowering them.

Note: Exact ingredients and measurements are listed in the recipe card below.

Make It Your Way

I love how forgiving this turkey salad recipe is—feel free to tweak it to suit your mood or pantry. Sometimes I swap pickle relish for diced dill pickles for chunkier texture, or go heavier on the celery salt if I’m craving something extra savory.

• Variation: One time I added a pinch of smoked paprika, which gave it a smoky kick that my husband totally loved.
• Dietary tweak: If you want to cut mayo fat, try a mix of Greek yogurt and mayo for creaminess with fewer calories.
• Texture twist: For crunch, finely chopped celery or red onion works wonders if you want more bite.

Step-by-Step: How I Make Turkey Salad with Pickle Relish and Mayo Recipe

Step 1: Prep Your Leftover Turkey

I start by gathering about 4 cups of chopped cooked turkey, mixing white and dark meat for the best flavor combo. Whether it’s freshly carved or from your holiday leftovers, the turkey should be roughly chopped so the food processor can handle it easily.

Step 2: Add the Key Flavors

Into the bowl of your food processor goes the turkey along with 1 cup of sweet pickle relish and half a cup of mayo or Miracle Whip—whichever your household prefers. Sprinkle in 1 teaspoon each of celery salt and black pepper. These simple additions really take this salad from plain leftovers to crave-worthy.

Step 3: Process Until Perfectly Mixed

Cover the food processor and pulse in short bursts until the turkey is finely chopped and all ingredients are well combined. I find pulsing prevents it from turning too pasty and keeps some nice texture in the salad. You’re aiming for a creamy mixture that’s not too chunky or mushy.

Step 4: Chill & Serve

Transfer the turkey salad to an airtight container and pop it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving—this helps all those flavors meld together beautifully. It’s fantastic spooned onto fresh sandwich bread, served with crackers, or scooped over leafy greens.

How to Serve Turkey Salad with Pickle Relish and Mayo Recipe

Garnishes

I like topping my turkey salad sandwiches with crisp leaf lettuce and a few thin slices of ripe tomato for freshness and color. Sometimes a sprinkle of chopped fresh parsley or dill elevates the flavor and presentation if I’m serving guests.

Side Dishes

Pair this salad with crunchy pickles (you can never have too much pickle!), kettle-cooked chips, or a simple side of coleslaw for a classic deli experience. For a lighter meal, I love serving it atop a bed of spinach or arugula with a drizzle of olive oil and lemon juice.

Creative Ways to Present

Hosting a party? Serve the turkey salad in little endive leaves or on toasted baguette slices as elegant bite-sized appetizers. I once made turkey salad-stuffed avocados, which was a huge hit and pretty enough for guests to think I’d spent hours prepping!

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

Store your turkey salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. I usually keep it chilled, and it tastes even better the day after since the flavors get to mingle. Just give it a stir before serving to freshen it up.

Freezing

While turkey salad with mayo and relish isn’t the best candidate for freezing because mayo can separate, I’ve frozen the cooked turkey beforehand and just made the salad fresh each time. If you must freeze the salad, try freezing in smaller portions, then thaw slowly in the fridge and stir thoroughly before eating.

Reheating

This salad is meant to be served cold or at room temperature, so reheating isn’t really necessary. If you want to warm leftovers, I recommend stirring the salad into warm toast or mixing it with hot pasta to gently heat it without breaking the mayo’s texture.

FAQs

Final Thoughts

This Turkey Salad with Pickle Relish and Mayo Recipe is one of those recipes that turns simple leftovers into a stellar, crowd-pleasing dish in minutes. I keep coming back to it because it’s easy, flexible, and made with ingredients I almost always have on hand. If you give it a try, I’d love to hear what twists you add or how you like to serve it. Consider this your go-to comfort salad that’s perfect year-round and guaranteed to impress without any fuss.

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