These crispy and golden leftover turkey patties are so delicious and ready in 30 minutes. They're perfect for using up turkey meat after Thanksgiving!
One must be creative when faced with piles of turkey meat after Thanksgiving. I regularly make several leftover turkey recipes, including turkey salad, turkey soup, and turkey chili. These turkey patties are another great option. They are crispy, golden, and flavorful. The kids love them. Just as important, the grown-ups like them, too! They are easy to make and versatile, delicious on their own or in a sandwich.
Ingredients
See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on the ingredients.
- Cooked turkey meat: You'll need 2 cups. White or dark meat - it doesn't matter. Make sure to remove the skin.
- Almond flour: I use superfine almond flour. If you don't mind the extra carbs, you can use plain breadcrumbs instead (gluten-free if needed).
- Yogurt: I use plain whole-milk Greek yogurt.
- Mustard: I use Dijon mustard.
- Aromatics and herbs: Minced garlic, chopped onions, and chopped parsley.
- Olive oil: If you prefer an oil with a higher smoke point, use avocado oil. You can also cook the patties in butter.
Variations
- You can use cooked shredded chicken (baked chicken breast, grilled chicken breast, or broiled chicken) instead of turkey.
- Sometimes, I use cilantro instead of parsley. I enjoy its peppery flavor.
- Sour cream is an excellent substitute for yogurt in this recipe. As you can see in the ingredient shot above, I often use it.
- You can use chopped scallions instead of yellow onions.
Instructions
The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.
Add all the ingredients (except the parsley and oil) to your food processor bowl. Process until finely chopped. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Fold in the parsley.
Cook the patties in olive oil, measuring about ¼ cup per patty, for about 3 minutes on each side, until well browned.
Briefly place the patties on paper towels to drain. Serve immediately.
They turned out wonderful!!! Had to be very careful when flipping them so they wouldn't break, but we all loved them. I made 2 batches and seasoned the first just like the recipe, and the other I omitted the mustard and used sage and rosemary instead. This was a perfect way to use the dry and tough but tasty breast meat from my expensive organic turkey, which I am to blame for overcooking.
Ruth
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Recipe Tip
Be mindful of the texture you get in your own kitchen. If the patties are very dry, add 1-2 more tablespoons of yogurt. If they seem very wet, add 1-2 more tablespoons of almond flour. Results vary in different kitchens with slightly different ingredients and climates, so there's no escaping the need to adjust.
The mixture should be smooth and easy to work with. If it's very dry and crumbly, add a little more yogurt. If it's very wet, add a little more almond flour. When you follow these guidelines, the patties should not fall apart.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. To make this recipe dairy-free, substitute mayonnaise for the yogurt.
Yellow mustard will work in this recipe, but I prefer Dijon. It's creamier, thicker, and less vinegary than yellow mustard.
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, but start counting those days from the day you got the turkey.
Yes. Arrange them on a large parchment-lined tray, not touching each other, and freeze. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer bag. If layering them in the bag, separate the layers with wax paper.
Serving Suggestions
My youngest, The Picky Eater, likes to dip her patties in ketchup. Her sister enjoys them in a sandwich with sriracha mayo or in a pita pocket with tahini sauce.
We, the grown-ups, like them too. I top mine with a thick layer of Dijon mustard and have it with a side of cut-up veggies and quick pickles. They're also good in a sandwich made of toasted 90-second bread with mayonnaise.
Sometimes, when I'm hungry and impatient, I grab a patty straight from the fridge and eat it cold. It's delicious!
Recipe Card
Leftover Turkey Patties
Video
Ingredients
- 2 cups turkey meat - cooked, shredded; 10 ounces
- ½ cup superfine almond flour - can substitute plain breadcrumbs, gluten-free if needed
- ¼ cup Greek yogurt - plain, whole milk; or sour cream
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or ½ teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh garlic - minced
- ½ onion - chopped
- ½ cup parsley - finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil - for frying
Instructions
- Add the turkey, almond flour, yogurt, mustard, egg, salt, black pepper, garlic, and onion to your food processor's bowl.
- Process until finely chopped and incorporated, stopping once to scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula.
- Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Fold in the parsley. (If you add the parsley to the food processor, the patties will be tinted green - still delicious, but not pretty to look at. Speaking from experience.)
- Heat a double-burner griddle over medium heat for about 4 minutes. Brush it with olive oil. Use a ¼ cup ice cream scoop or measuring cup to measure the patties, placing them on the griddle and flattening them with a spatula.
- Cook the patties for about 3 minutes on each side until well browned. Briefly place them on paper towels to drain. Serve immediately.
Notes
- The mixture should be smooth and easy to work with. If it's very dry and crumbly, add 1-2 tablespoons of yogurt. If it's very wet, add 1-2 tablespoons of almond flour.
- You can use white meat, dark meat, or a mix of both. But remove the skin. Its texture won't work in this recipe.
- The nutrition info assumes that almond flour was used.
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days (but start counting those days from the day you got the turkey). To freeze these patties, arrange them on a large parchment-lined tray, not touching each other, and freeze. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer bag. If layering them in the bag, separate the layers with wax paper.
Nutrition per Serving
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Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate. Please verify it independently. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
Carol says
Clear, easy and healthy recipe for turkey leftovers. I’m surprised the ground almond worked so well. Very tasty patties. Thank you!
Vered DeLeeuw says
You're very welcome, Carol! 🙂
Margie says
these were a hit, will definitely make again. used bread crumbs instead of almond flour, forgot to add the yogurt and cooked in butter rather than oil.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Glad you liked them, Margie! Thanks for sharing your tweaks.
Barb says
Another winner! Love all your recipes. These work well with leftover chicken. I top them with your sriracha mayo!
Vered DeLeeuw says
Glad you like these patties, Barb! Thanks for sharing your experience with this recipe.
Julian says
These were so good! Cooked them in butter. Yum.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Yay! Glad you enjoyed these patties, Julian. Thanks for the comment.
BDC says
This was a waste of leftover turkey and one of the worst, tasteless recipes I have ever made. I highly don't recommend
Jo says
Delicoious!
Vered DeLeeuw says
Yay! Glad you liked them, Jo!
Matt says
Mine did not hold together at all :/ Maybe I needed more egg?
Vered DeLeeuw says
Oh no! Sorry about that, Matt. The mixture should be smooth and easy to work with. If it's very dry and crumbly, add 1-2 tablespoons of yogurt. An extra egg can also work, or perhaps just an extra egg yolk.
Ruth says
They turned out wonderful!!! Had to be very careful when flipping them so they wouldn't break, but we all loved them. I made 2 batches and seasoned the first just like the recipe, and the other I omitted the mustard and used sage and rosemary instead. This was a perfect way to use the dry and tough but tasty breast meat from my expensive organic turkey which I am to blame for overcooking.
Vered DeLeeuw says
How wonderful, Ruth! I'm so glad this was a success.
Yo says
Great recipe, hubby loved them. I substituted bread crumbs for the flour and pressed a bit of panko in the patties for extra crunch.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Wonderful! Thank you for sharing your tweaks.
Melanie says
These patties are so good, I make them almost every week. I use cooked chicken breast and they come out perfect. I don't need to be gluten free so I use breadcrumbs, and I enjoy the flavor of Italian breadcrumbs.
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm glad you like these patties, Melanie! Thanks for the review and for sharing your tweaks.
Pat Nugent says
Really liked the idea of the Italian breadcrumbs. I also added a dash of dried sage for additional flavor.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Glad you enjoyed these patties, Pat!