Leftover Turkey and Rice Middle Eastern Salad Recipe | Pamela Salzman
Photography by Erica Hampton

Happy Day-After-Thanksgiving! ย I hope you all had a great holiday. ย Mine was just lovely and it was so special to spend the day with my girls who are home from college in the kitchen with me. ย The weather was crazy warm and my husband and I were able to enjoy a beautiful beach walk while the apple pies were in the oven.

Leftover Turkey and Rice Middle Eastern Salad Recipe | Pamela Salzman

Now, what to do with all those leftovers?! ย Some people (like my husband) are perfectly happy eating Thanksgiving leftovers in the same way they were served on Thanksgiving. ย Other people (like me) like the leftovers transformed into something else. ย  ย Turkey is the easiest food to work with since you can basically treat it like chicken. ย  And whatever you won’t eat by Sunday can be frozen for soup next month.

Leftover Turkey and Rice Middle Eastern Salad Recipe | Pamela Salzman

I put together this salad with a few of my favorite ingredients (dates, roasted red peppers, rice) and combined them with cooked turkey for a fabulous and flavorful salad with Middle Eastern flavors — very different from last night’s dinner. ย This will make for a light, but hearty lunch meal or even dinner. ย If you don’t have the fresh herbs, don’t worry about it.

I also start my turkey stock first thing Friday morning, and then turkey and barley soup will be on the menu Saturday. ย Enjoy the rest of the weekend!

Leftover Turkey and Rice Middle Eastern Salad Recipe

By Pamela
Servings: 6

Ingredients 

  • 2 cups leftover turkey meat, sliced or diced
  • For the dressing:
  • 3 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 Tablespoons tahini, I used raw
  • 4 Tablespoons unrefined, cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil
  • ยพ teaspoon sea salt
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • ยผ cup fresh dill fronds
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh mint leaves
  • 1 cup brown rice, cooked according to package directions and cooled (or use less rice, if desired. In this image, I used about 1 cup cooked rice)
  • 6 cups lightly packed baby spinach leaves, about 3 ounces
  • 6 Medjool dates, pitted and chopped
  • ยฝ cup pitted green olives, sliced lengthwise
  • ยผ cup pine nuts, toasted
  • 6 ounces diced fire-roasted red peppers, about 1 cup

Instructions 

  • To make dressing, add all ingredients to a blender and blend until combined.
  • Place all of the ingredients in a large serving bowl and toss with dressing.
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2 Comments

  1. Debbie says:

    This looks so yummy and healthy even though with the cool weather & rain coming in Sacramento Iโ€™m loving your soup ideas too.

    Iโ€™m really trying to turn over a new leaf in our home…cooking a bit more healthfully & lightening things up as my hubby does most the cooking & seems โ€œallergicโ€ to dishes. However he only does quick fast cooking few recipes, so itโ€™ll be up to me unless I can co-opt him into some of your recipes.

    Thanks Pamela – enjoy your recipes & blog headed out to buy your cookbook today!

    1. Pamela says:

      Thanks, Debbie! You’ll love the book! Funny, my husband is “allergic” to some healthy foods that he doesn’t enjoy ;).