I first made this salad with all of my Thanksgiving Day leftovers. Craving something healthy, but not wanting to waste food, this anything-but-boring, smoked turkey salad was the perfect solution. But even since the big day, I can’t stop making it. And the beautiful thing about this turkey salad is it’s more than easy to recreate.
What really makes this salad work, is the combination of flavors. The smokey taste of the turkey, combined with fresh tart pomegranate seeds, crisp brussel sprout shreds, and everyone’s favorite meat bacon, meld in perfect harmony creating a mouth watering bite after bite. And no, your turkey does not have to be smoked, a well seasoned turkey breast will do the trick.
And bonus, there’s plenty of healthy stars in this smoked turkey salad. Some of them obvious like pomegranate seeds, and others not so obvious, like shaved brussel sprouts which are sneakily mixed in which is perfect for the pickiest eaters.
I’ve become obsessed with subbing in shaved brussel sprouts whenever possible. You can of course shred your own with your standard cheese grater, but plenty of places like Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods have them washed, bagged and already shredded for you. Try them in your coleslaw and salad recipes next time.
Hearty enough to be a meal all on it’s own, but with flavors that still make it equally light and refreshing I guarantee this smoked turkey salad will quickly become one of your households go-to meals. Truly, MKR
P.S. Something to note, depending on the size of your turkey breast, or if you choose to roast an entire turkey, I suggest using the left over turkey by making a great turkey noodle soup, or turkey chili. Or you can always make round two of this salad!
- 4-6 pieces of bacon, cooked and crumbled or torn
- 1 turkey breast cooked and shredded (or approximately 3-4 cups shredded turkey meat)
- 1 cup pomegranate seeds
- 2 cups shaved brussel sprouts
- 1 small head of lettuce, cut/chopped or 1 large bag of salad greens
- Croutons
- Shaved Parmesan Cheese
- salad dressing of choice (I typically use an Italian or Caeser dressing)
- In a large bowl mix the brussel sprout shreds and lettuce until well mixed.
- On a large platter, layer the lettuce/brussel mix followed by turkey, bacon, pomegranates, croutons, and parmesan cheese.
- Serve with dressing of choice and enjoy
