Easy Leftover Turkey Curry

This easy leftover turkey curry recipe is simple, delicious and the perfect way to use up leftover turkey. This fuss free British curry uses no special ingredients and can be on the table in less than half an hour.  Adaptable and easy to pack with vegetables for a healthy boost. 

Leftover Turkey Curry

A huge roast turkey is the classic Christmas or Thanksgiving dish, and regardless of however many you are cooking for you will always end up with leftovers.  

A leftover turkey curry is one of the classic solutions, especially when you have had your fill and can’t face another turkey sandwich! 

This recipe is easy to scale up or down, and you can make a big batch and freeze for another day.  

Why you will love this turkey curry 

• It is fuss-free and easy, will be ready in less than 30 minutes (we can make it in 15 minutes) and uses everyday ingredients. 
•  It is adaptable, vary the flavours to suit your taste. 
•  It uses up all your Christmas leftovers.   As well as the turkey you can add leftover gravy, leftover vegetables and leftover cranberry sauce.  
•  Under 300 calories for a big bowl. 
•  It is really easy to add extra vegetables for your extra veg!
•  Use leftover or fresh turkey. 

How To Make Leftover Roast Turkey Curry

Step one – Check you have all your ingredients and find everything you need.  This is a very free and easy recipe so don’t worry about exact quantities.  

Step two – Heat a little oil in a casserole dish on the stove top, on a medium-low heat. Chop and fry the onion with a pinch of salt until it is translucent.

Then chop and add the garlic. Fry gently for about two minutes.

Then add the spices and flour. Add the roast turkey and stir so that it is well coated.

Step three – Cook for another 2 minutes, which will get rid of the flavour of the flour and bring out the scent of the spices.

Step four – Add a spoonful of stock, and stir to make a smooth paste. Then add the rest of the stock slowly, stirring as you go. This is important, because it helps to avoid lumps in the sauce.

Step five – Next, add the tomato puree, cranberry sauce (or a spoon of mango chutney), and dates (if using), and stir well to dissolve.

Step six – Reduce the heat. Cover and simmer over a low heat for about a quarter of an hour.

Serve leftover turkey curry with my easy pilau rice or easy Instant Pot pilau rice and cranberry sauce.

Can I Make a Gluten Free Version of This Dish?

Yes, absolutely! To make this dish gluten free, leave out the regular flour. Put a teaspoon of cornflour or cornstarch in a small bowl and stir in a tablespoon of stock to make a smooth paste. Then add this paste along with the rest of the stock. Don’t worry about paste turning milky white – this is quite normal. It will clear as it cooks so it won’t change the appearance of the turkey curry.

You don’t need to add the stock more slowly when using cornflour; just fry the spices as normal. Once the spices have cooked, simply make the paste and then add it together with the stock, all at once. I find that using cornstarch produces an authentic take-away consistency.

Easy Turkey Curry Hints and Variations

•  If you don’t have leftover turkey use chopped up fresh, add and fry for a few minutes before you add the spices. 
• This curry is thickened with flour by making a roux. It is important to fry the flour for a couple of minutes, then slowly add the stock, stirring all the time so you don’t get any lumps. 
• Throw in leftover gravy in place of the stock. 
• You can vary the flavours by adding some chopped tomatoes with the stock. (Fresh and tinned both work well.)
•  For a fruity curry add a dollop of cranberry sauce, or mango chutney. 
• To make a richer sauce, add some cream or coconut cream.
•  Add leftover vegetables from your roast dinner, or add in mushrooms or peppers when you add the turkey, throw in bite sized pieces of broccoli or cauliflower once you have made the sauce, or stir through a couple of handfuls of spinach just before serving.  

For another easy poultry recipe, make my one-pot Moroccan chicken.

Cranberries & Medication

If making this please be aware that cranberries can increase the effect of warfarin and other similar blood thinning medications.  For clarification please seek the advice of an appropriately qualified medical professional.   (NHS  – Considerations – anticoagulant medications)

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5 from 23 votes

Easy Leftover Turkey Curry

This easy leftover turkey curry recipe is simple, delicious and the perfect way to use up leftover turkey. This fuss free British curry uses no special ingredients and can be on the table in less than half an hour.  Adaptable and easy to pack with vegetables for a healthy boost.

Servings: 2

Author: Helen Best-Shaw

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time30 mins

Ingredients

• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• ½ onion
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tsp plain flour
• 150 g leftover roast turkey (diced into 1 cm cubes)
• 240 ml chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• salt and pepper

Instructions

• Chop and fry the onion gently, until it is transparent. Crush and add the garlic, and cook for a couple of minutes.
• Add the spices and flour along with the roast turkey. Then turn the meat until it is coated. Fry for about two minutes, until the spices lose their 'rawness' and the taste of flour is cooked out.
• Add a spoonful of stock, and stir to make a smooth paste. Then add the remainder of the stock slowly, stirring to keep it smooth. Then stir in the tomato puree until it is dissolved in the sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
• Reduce the heat. Cover and simmer over a low heat for about a quarter of an hour. Serve the curry with basmati or patna rice (you can add fine-diced leftover vegetables to the rice) and leftover cranberry or redcurrant sauce on the side.

Notes

• If you don't have leftover turkey use chopped up fresh, add and fry for a few minutes before you add the spices. 
• This curry is thickened with flour by making a roux. It is important to fry the flour for a couple of minutes, then slowly add the stock, stirring all the time so you don't get any lumps. 
• Throw in leftover gravy in place of the stock. 
• You can vary the flavours by adding some chopped tomatoes with the stock. (Fresh and tinned both work well.)
•  For a fruity curry add a dollop of cranberry sauce, or mango chutney. 
• To make a richer sauce, add some cream or coconut cream.
•  Add leftover vegetables from your roast dinner, or add in mushrooms or peppers when you add the turkey, throw in bite sized pieces of broccoli or cauliflower once you have made the sauce, or stir through a couple of handfuls of spinach just before serving.  
• Please be aware that cranberries can increase the effect of warfarin and other similar blood thinning medications.  For clarification please seek the advice of an appropriately qualified medical professional. 

Nutritional Information

• This recipe is 10 Weight Watchers Smart Points

• Please note that the nutrition information provided below is approximate and meant as a guideline only.

• Unless stated otherwise cup conversions have been made with an online tool. For accuracy please check with your favoured conversion tool. We recommend buying inexpensive digital kitchen scales.

Nutrition Facts

Easy Leftover Turkey Curry

Amount Per Serving

Calories 157 Calories from Fat 36

% Daily Value*

Fat 4g6%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Cholesterol 28mg9%

Sodium 1071mg47%

Potassium 414mg12%

Carbohydrates 15g5%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 5g6%

Protein 15g30%

Vitamin A 41IU1%

Vitamin C 3mg4%

Calcium 24mg2%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Course: Main

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: Leftover roast turkey curry

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