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bowl of turkey orzo salad with lemon dressing
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5 from 1 vote

Leftover Turkey Orzo Salad Recipe

This easy turkey pasta salad recipe is full of colorful vegetables and lean protein for a filling and healthy dinner, and takes just 30 minutes to make.
Course dinner, lunch
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 810kcal
Author Mihaela

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 12 oz (340g) orzo pasta
  • 1 1/2 cups (1 pint) mixed color cherry tomatoes
  • 1 cup (180g) Kalamata olives pitted and halved
  • 1/2 bunch fresh parsley chopped
  • 1 medium red onion diced
  • 1/3 cup (18g) sun-dried tomatoes drained and finely chopped
  • 3/4 cup (75g) Parmesan cheese shaved
  • 2 cups (280g) cooked leftover turkey chopped
  • 1/2 cup (54g) sliced almonds

Dressing:

  • juice of 1 lemon
  • 1/4 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic pressed
  • 1 tbsp (15ml) Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp (15ml) maple syrup

Instructions

  • Bring a medium pot with salted water to the boil then cook the orzo according to package directions.
  • Once the pasta is ready, drain, and set aside to cool.
  • While the pasta cooks, you've got the time to chop all the veggies for the salad and add them to a large bowl.
  • Add in the sun-dried tomatoes, parmesan cheese, cooked orzo, chopped leftover turkey and sliced almonds.
  • To a small jar, add all the ingredients for the dressing. Shake vigorously to emulsify.
  • Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine.

Video

Notes

Before you start cooking, use these hints and tips to make the best Mediterranean orzo salad with sundried tomatoes:
  • You can swap the leftover turkey for rotisserie chicken, deli beef, small chopped salami or sausage. 
  • Use your favorite veggies like celery, cucumbers, mini sweet peppers, etc. Just make sure you chop them small.
  • You can make this salad up to three days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge to enjoy for lunch the next day.
  • Use different types of small dry pasta, like stelline (kids will love these), orecchiette, or ditalini.
  • To make this easy turkey orzo salad recipe even quicker, use store-bought dressing and pre-cut veggies. It will reduce the cooking time to 15 minutes.
  • After cooking the pasta, you can drain and rinse it in cold water to speed up the cooling process.
  • If you cook the pasta ahead, and planning to make the salad later on, then stir in a bit of olive oil to prevent it from sticking.

Nutrition

Calories: 810kcal | Carbohydrates: 83g | Protein: 49g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 20g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 77mg | Sodium: 1139mg | Potassium: 1140mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 1260IU | Vitamin C: 33mg | Calcium: 347mg | Iron: 4mg