Easy Leftover Turkey Curry Recipe

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. 

Left over 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! 

Effortless Use of Turkey Leftovers!

I get it – cooking a huge turkey roast with all the trimmings for a crowd of extended family and friends is hard work and takes time.

The last thing that you want to do is to be back in the kitchen the next day cooking again!

This turkey curry is so easy to make, with barely any hands on time.  It is so easy to double, (or treble) the recipe and freeze for truly effortless meals. 

How to deal with the leftover turkey 

After Christmas or Thanksgiving lunch or dinner I pop the remains of the turkey onto a clean plate, cover with foil or clingfilm and once cool pop into the fridge.  If there isn’t space to squeeze it in I leave it overnight in a cool place.   

Leftover sides, trimmings and gravy all get covered, or packed into tubs and stashed in the fridge. 

Once cold, carve as much of the turkey as you can into slices, and then pick he rest of the meat off the carcass.  You do not need to get every last bit as we will make stock from the carcass.   

Pack what you will eat in the next few days into a tub and store in the fridge.  

I layer the slices into flat Tupperware boxes, with some sheets of greaseproof paper between them to make portioning easy, then freeze.  Pack the smaller pieces into sealed tubs and freeze. 

You can either make stock or broth from the carcass immediately, or pull it apart, pop into a plastic bag and freeze for later.   Make turkey stock in exactly the same way that I make chicken stock. 

Why you will love this turkey curry recipe

• 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. 

Ingredients for Left Over Turkey Curry Recipe 

• Leftover Turkey – You don’t need to use slices here, just the chunks you pull off the carcass.  A mix of white and brown meat is good. 
• Curry Powder – This is an everyday generic curry – use your favourite curry powder or paste
• Flour – This is used to thicken the curry sauce. Any white flour will do  – all purpose, plain, self raising, strong bread flour or gluten free.  It doesn’t matter which.  You can also use cornflour to thicken the sauce – see the recipe notes for how to do this. 
• Cranberry Sauce – Adds some extra Christmas flavour to the curry and helps use up the leftovers! I like homemade cranberry sauce.  You can also use mango chutney or other fruit chutney. 
• Dried Fruit – this will add some extra texture, flavours and some sweetness.  I’ve used dates but apricots, or any vine fruit would work. 
• Tomato Puree – Adds body, depth and colour.    Leftover tomato puree can be frozen and used from frozen. 
• Turkey Stock / Broth – Either make from scratch, or use chicken stock.  You can add any leftover gravy along with the stock.  
• Garlic & Onion – from your pantry. 

Optional 

• Leftover roast vegetables – Cut these up and add in along with the leftover 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 Left Over Turkey Curry?

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 Leftover Turkey Recipes 

Here are some more ideas for using that leftover turkey – remember that you can also substitute turkey in any recipe that uses leftover chicken!  

• Leftover turkey pasta bake 
• Leftover turkey biryani 
• Leftover turkey stuffed baked potatoes
• Leftover turkey soup 
• Leftover turkey pies
• Leftover turkey frittata
• Leftover turkey croquettes
• Leftover turkey slaw

Easy Turkey Curry Hints, Tips 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.  

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5 from 23 votes

Easy Leftover Turkey Curry Recipe

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
• 2 tbs cranberry sauce (or mango chutney)

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 Recipe

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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