Mediterranean Turkey Salad

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This easy Mediterranean Turkey Salad combines chopped turkey with crunchy celery, red onion, roasted red peppers and two kinds of olives, all tossed in a creamy lemon garlic dressing.

It’s a flavorful twist on traditional turkey salad and one of our favorite ways to use leftover turkey. Serve it as a sandwich, spoon it over lettuce, tuck it inside a wrap or pita or simply grab a fork and eat it straight from the bowl.

And while leftover Thanksgiving turkey is perfect for this recipe, there’s absolutely no reason to wait for Thanksgiving. Cooked turkey from any meal works, and you can even swap the turkey for chicken when that’s what you have in the refrigerator.

The best part might be what happens after this Mediterranean turkey salad spends a few hours chilling. The lemon, garlic, peppers and olives have time to mingle with the creamy dressing and the flavor gets even better.

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Why You’ll Love This Mediterranean Turkey Salad

• Great for leftover turkey: Turn leftover roasted turkey into an entirely different meal instead of eating the same leftovers again.
• Loaded with Mediterranean inspired flavors: Kalamata olives, Spanish Queen olives, roasted red peppers, lemon and garlic give ordinary turkey salad a completely different personality.
• Easy to make: There’s no cooking required if your turkey is already cooked.
• Make ahead friendly: We actually prefer this after it has chilled for several hours.
• More than a sandwich: Serve it on bread, in wraps or pitas, over lettuce or with crackers.
• Easy to customize: Use more of the ingredients you love, leave out what you don’t or swap the turkey for another protein.

Ingredients You’ll Need

You’ll find the complete measurements in the printable recipe card below.

Cooked Turkey

Use shredded or chopped cooked turkey.

This is a fantastic recipe for leftover Thanksgiving turkey, but you can make it throughout the year with any cooked turkey you have available.

We like bite sized pieces so you still get plenty of texture in the finished salad.

Red Onion

Chopped red onion adds color, crunch and a slightly sharp flavor that balances the creamy dressing.

If your red onion is especially strong, you can use a little less.

Celery

Celery gives the turkey salad that familiar crunch we love in traditional chicken and turkey salads.

Roasted Red Pepper

Roasted red peppers bring sweetness, color and another layer of Mediterranean inspired flavor.

Drain them well before chopping so you don’t add too much extra liquid to the salad.

Kalamata Olives

Kalamata olives have a rich, salty, briny flavor and are one of the ingredients that really changes this from ordinary turkey salad.

Spanish Queen Olives

Yes, we’re using two kinds of olives.

Spanish Queen olives have a different flavor and texture than Kalamata olives, and we love the combination of the two.

If you’re an olive lover, you’re probably already completely on board with this decision.

Mild Pepper Rings

We like adding chopped mild pepper rings for a little extra tang and heat.

They’re optional, so leave them out if your family prefers things mild.

Mayonnaise

Mayonnaise creates the creamy base for our lemon garlic dressing.

You don’t need a huge amount. We’re looking for enough dressing to hold everything together without drowning all those vegetables and pieces of turkey.

Fresh Lemon Juice

Lemon juice brightens the entire salad and balances the richness of the mayonnaise.

Fresh lemon juice is my preference here.

Garlic

We love garlic, so naturally there is garlic in the dressing.

The combination of lemon, garlic and mayonnaise creates a simple creamy dressing that works beautifully with the turkey, peppers and olives.

Salt and Black Pepper

Season to taste.

Remember that olives are already salty, so taste the finished salad before adding much additional salt.

How to Make Mediterranean Turkey Salad

Once your turkey is cooked, this recipe is mostly chopping and mixing.

1. Prepare the Turkey

Shred the cooked turkey with your fingers or two forks, or chop it into bite sized pieces.

Place it in a large mixing bowl.

2. Chop the Vegetables and Olives

Chop the red onion, celery, roasted red peppers and mild pepper rings.

Slice the Kalamata and Spanish Queen olives.

Add everything to the bowl with the turkey.

3. Make the Lemon Garlic Dressing

In a separate small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, fresh lemon juice, minced garlic, salt and black pepper.

Stir until smooth.

4. Combine

Pour the lemon garlic mayonnaise dressing over the turkey and vegetables.

Gently fold everything together until the ingredients are evenly coated.

5. Chill

Cover the Mediterranean turkey salad and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

If you have time, we think it’s even better after chilling overnight because all those flavors have more time to come together.

6. Serve

Give the turkey salad a good stir before serving.

Serve it on sandwich rolls or artisan bread, tuck it into tortillas or pita bread or spoon it over a bed of lettuce with sliced tomatoes.

Don’t Skip the Chill Time

Four hours might seem like a long chill time for a salad that only takes about 15 minutes to make, but there’s a reason we recommend it.

You can certainly taste it immediately, but this is one of those recipes where a little patience pays off.

While the salad rests in the refrigerator, the turkey absorbs flavor from the lemon garlic dressing, olives, peppers and onion.

If you can make it the night before you plan to serve it, even better.

That also makes Mediterranean turkey salad an easy option when you need lunch ready to grab the next day.

What Makes This Turkey Salad Mediterranean Inspired?

Traditional American turkey salad usually starts with cooked turkey, mayonnaise and crunchy additions such as celery and onion.

We’re keeping that creamy turkey salad base but adding ingredients commonly associated with Mediterranean cooking.

Kalamata olives bring a rich briny flavor while Spanish Queen olives add another layer of salty, savory flavor. Roasted red peppers provide sweetness and color, and lemon and garlic brighten the creamy mayonnaise dressing.

The result still has everything you expect from a creamy turkey salad, but the flavor is completely different from the classic version.

Ways to Serve Mediterranean Turkey Salad

One reason I love recipes like this is that the leftovers don’t have to feel exactly the same every time you eat them.

Make a Mediterranean Turkey Salad Sandwich

Pile the chilled turkey salad onto your favorite artisan roll, sandwich bun or sliced bread.

Add lettuce and tomato if you’d like.

Serve It Over Lettuce

Skip the bread and spoon the turkey mixture over a bed of lettuce or mixed greens.

Add sliced tomatoes, cucumber or any other fresh vegetables you have on hand.

Make a Wrap

Spoon the turkey salad into a flour tortilla, add lettuce or spinach and roll it up.

This is an easy option for packed lunches.

Stuff It Into a Pita

A pita pocket is practically made for creamy salads like this.

Add the Mediterranean turkey salad and some lettuce, cucumber or tomato for an easy lunch.

Serve It With Crackers

Turn it into a snack or light lunch by serving the turkey salad with crackers.

It’s also an easy way to put leftover turkey salad on an appetizer tray.

Can I Make This with Chicken Instead?

Absolutely.

We’ve always considered this one of those flexible recipes that works with whatever cooked protein you have available.

Chicken is the easiest substitution for turkey and makes a delicious Mediterranean chicken salad using the exact same ingredients and dressing.

We’ve also made this style of salad with tuna or salmon.

Each version tastes a little different, but the lemon, garlic, olives and roasted red peppers work with all of them.

If you landed here because you have leftover turkey, start there. But definitely keep this recipe around for the rest of the year when leftover chicken is what needs to be used.

Mediterranean Turkey Salad Add Ins and Variations

This recipe already has plenty happening, so you certainly don’t need additional ingredients.

But creamy turkey salad is incredibly easy to customize.

Add Feta

Crumbled feta would be a natural addition if you want even more salty, tangy flavor.

Add Cucumber

Chopped cucumber adds fresh crunch.

If you’re planning to store the salad for several days, I prefer adding cucumber when serving rather than mixing a large amount into the entire batch.

Add Sun Dried Tomatoes

Chopped sun dried tomatoes add a concentrated sweet and tangy tomato flavor.

Add Fresh Herbs

Fresh parsley or dill would both work beautifully with the lemon garlic dressing.

Add Capers

If you love briny flavors, a small amount of drained capers fits right in with the olives and roasted peppers.

Make It Spicier

Use hotter pepper rings or add a pinch of red pepper flakes if you’d like more heat.

Tips for the Best Mediterranean Turkey Salad

Drain your ingredients well. Olives, roasted peppers and pepper rings can all bring extra liquid into the salad. Drain them before chopping and mixing.

Don’t chop everything too finely. Part of what makes this salad so good is the combination of textures.

Taste before adding salt. With two kinds of olives in the bowl, you may need less salt than you think.

Give it time to chill. Four hours is good. Overnight is even better.

Adjust it to your family. Love olives? Add a little more. Don’t want much onion? Use less. This recipe is very forgiving.

Keep the dressing simple. The olives, peppers and vegetables already provide plenty of flavor, so the lemon garlic mayonnaise doesn’t need to compete with them.

What to Serve with Mediterranean Turkey Salad

If you’re making sandwiches or wraps, you really don’t need an elaborate side dish.

Potato chips, fresh fruit or raw vegetables make an easy lunch.

For something a little more substantial, serve your Mediterranean turkey salad with:

• Greek salad
• Orzo or pasta salad
• Fresh fruit salad
• Cucumber salad
• Roasted vegetables
• Tomato soup
• Lentil soup
• Pita chips and hummus

You can also simply spoon it over greens and make the turkey salad the centerpiece of lunch.

How to Store Mediterranean Turkey Salad

Transfer the turkey salad to an airtight container and keep it refrigerated.

For the best quality, enjoy it within 2 to 3 days.

There is one important thing to remember when you’re making this with leftovers: the clock doesn’t restart when you turn leftover turkey into turkey salad.

If your cooked turkey has already spent several days in the refrigerator, take that into consideration when deciding how long to keep the finished salad.

Can You Freeze Turkey Salad?

I don’t recommend freezing this Mediterranean turkey salad.

Mayonnaise based dressings can separate after freezing and thawing, and crunchy vegetables such as celery and onion lose some of their texture.

This recipe is much better made fresh and stored in the refrigerator.

Mediterranean Turkey Salad FAQs

Can I use leftover Thanksgiving turkey?

Yes! This is one of our favorite ways to turn leftover Thanksgiving turkey into a completely different meal.

Both white and dark meat work, so use whichever you have.

Can I use chicken instead of turkey?

Absolutely.

Substitute an equal amount of cooked shredded or chopped chicken and make Mediterranean chicken salad instead.

Do I have to chill turkey salad for 4 hours?

You can eat it sooner, but we recommend giving it several hours in the refrigerator.

The flavor improves as the turkey, vegetables and dressing have time to sit together.

Can I make Mediterranean turkey salad the night before?

Yes, and that’s actually one of our favorite ways to make it.

Prepare the salad the night before, cover and refrigerate it. Give it a stir before serving the next day.

Can I use only one kind of olive?

Of course.

We love the combination of Kalamata and Spanish Queen olives, but you can use only one if that’s what you have or prefer.

Can I make this Mediterranean turkey salad without mayonnaise?

The creamy lemon garlic mayonnaise dressing is part of this particular recipe, so replacing it will change both the flavor and texture.

If you want to experiment, Greek yogurt would be the first alternative I’d try. You may need to adjust the lemon, garlic and seasoning to taste.

Is this a lettuce salad?

Not exactly.

This is a creamy chopped turkey salad, similar in style to traditional chicken or turkey salad, with Mediterranean inspired ingredients.

You can absolutely serve it over lettuce and turn it into a green salad, but lettuce isn’t part of the turkey mixture itself.

More Easy Sandwiches and Wraps

If you love easy lunches that can be made ahead, there are plenty of ways to change up the usual sandwich routine.

Our Lunchbox California Wraps are loaded with turkey, bacon, avocado and fresh vegetables, while Buffalo Chicken Sandwich Wraps bring a little more heat.

And our Southwestern Chicken Wraps are another flavorful way to turn chicken into an easy lunch.

Whether you’re staring at a refrigerator full of Thanksgiving leftovers or simply looking for something different to make for lunch, this Mediterranean Turkey Salad is an easy way to turn cooked turkey into something completely new.

Creamy lemon garlic dressing, crunchy vegetables, roasted peppers and plenty of olives make sure nobody feels like they’re eating boring leftovers.

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