An easy leftover turkey curry recipe, packed full of vegetables and ready in just 40 minutes. This is my go-to turkey curry for Boxing Day!
It's mild, fragrant, and creamy, and just perfect for the whole family!
This easy, creamy curry is the perfect recipe for using up leftover turkey at Christmas.
It's also delicious with other leftover roast meat such as chicken, lamb, or beef.
👩🍳 Love turkey? Try my turkey bolognese recipe too, which can also be made with leftover roast turkey!
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✔️ Why you'll love this recipe!
Here's why this is the best leftover turkey curry recipe!
- Uses up leftover turkey from Christmas or Thanksgiving
- Made with pantry staples
- Mild and creamy so suitable for the whole family
- Easily customisable with different vegetables.
- Freezer-friendly
🛒 Ingredients
- Turkey - 300g of leftover cooked turkey which has been cubed. You can also use fresh turkey pieces (instructions given for using fresh turkey below).
- Onion - chopped finely.
- Garlic - 3 cloves, peeled and finely chopped.
- Ginger - 1 teaspoon of fresh grated ginger.
- Coriander stalks - chopped finely.
- Curry Paste - I use a mild paste such as korma. If you prefer your curry spicy, use madras.
- Turmeric - for colour and a delicate flavour.
- Mushrooms - chestnut or closed cup mushrooms, sliced.
- Courgette - halved and chopped. You could substitute with a red pepper.
- Ground Almonds - helps thicken the sauce.
- Chicken Stock - made from a cube or stock pot, or you could use fresh turkey stock.
- Mango Chutney - gives the curry a lovely fruity flavour.
- Double Cream - makes the curry creamy and indulgent.
- Baby Spinach - wilts into the sauce.
- Salt and Pepper
- Coriander - finely chopped to garnish
🔪 How to make leftover turkey curry
The recipe card with ingredient quantities and detailed instructions can be found at the bottom of the post
Step 1: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan or shallow casserole and gently cook the chopped onions, garlic, ginger, and coriander stalks for 5 minutes.
Step 2: Stir in the curry paste and turmeric.
Step 3: Add the mushrooms and courgettes and fry for 5 minutes.
Step 4: Stir in the ground almonds, chicken stock, mango chutney, and season. Simmer on a low to medium heat for 15-20 minutes.
Step 5: Add in the cooked turkey pieces, spinach, and double cream. Warm through for 5 minutes to allow the spinach to wilt.
Step 6: Serve with chopped coriander and rice.
💭 Top tips
- Use leftover turkey gravy instead of stock if you have any left over from Christmas lunch.
- If you don't have any double cream, use coconut cream instead.
🍴 Serving suggestions
Serve the turkey curry with pilau rice, naan bread, or flatbreads, raita, and mango chutney! I often make a vegetarian curry to serve alongside it too. My vegan chickpea and spinach curry is a favourite here!
📖 Variations
Here are some ways to customise this easy turkey curry recipe!
- Use leftover roast vegetables instead of fresh veg in the curry. Cooked cauliflower, roasted brussels sprouts and peas would all work well.
- Like your food hot and spicy? Use madras curry paste instead of korma and half the amount of double cream.
- Use fresh turkey pieces instead of leftover cooked turkey. Just add them after the onions.
- Lower the fat and skip the double cream.
- Use different leftover meat such as cooked chicken, lamb or beef.
🥡 Storage
- To Store. Place the leftover turkey curry into an air-tight container and store in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- To Reheat. Reheat the curry until piping hot in the microwave.
- To Freeze. Place the turkey curry in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge before reheating in the microwave.
❓ FAQs
Here are a few ideas for what to do with turkey leftovers!
Turkey curry, turkey bolognese, turkey soup, turkey nachos, turkey pasta bake, and turkey pie.
This turkey curry can easily be made in a slow cooker. Place all of the ingredients (except for the cooked turkey, double cream, and spinach) in your slow cooker basin, and cook on low for 6 hours. Stir in the turkey, double cream, and spinach for the last 20 minutes of cooking. If the curry sauce is too thin, sprinkle in some thickening granules or use a cornflour slurry.
😋 More curry recipes to try
Tried this recipe? Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ star rating in the comments!
Recipe
Easy Leftover Turkey Curry
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Onion finely chopped
- 3 Garlic Cloves finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon Fresh Ginger peeled and grated
- 1 teaspoon Coriander Stalks chopped
- 4 tablespoon Mild Curry Paste
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric
- 250 g Chestnut Mushrooms sliced
- 1 Courgette halved and chopped
- 50 g Ground Almonds
- 400 ml Chicken Stock
- 2 tablespoon Mango Chutney
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Pepper
- 60 ml Double Cream
- 300 g Leftover Turkey chopped
- 75 g Baby Spinach
- 2 tablespoon Coriander chopped
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan or shallow casserole and gently cook the chopped onions, garlic, ginger, and coriander stalks for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the curry paste and turmeric.
- Add the mushrooms and courgettes and fry for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the ground almonds, chicken stock, mango chutney, and season. Simmer on a low to medium heat for 15-20 minutes.
- Add in the cooked turkey pieces, spinach, and double cream. Warm through for 5 minutes to allow the spinach to wilt.
- Serve with chopped coriander and rice.
Notes
- Use leftover turkey gravy instead of stock if you have any left over from Christmas lunch.
- If you don't have any double cream, use coconut cream instead.
- Use leftover roast vegetables instead of fresh veg in the curry. Cooked cauliflower, roasted brussels sprouts and peas would all work well.
- Like your food hot and spicy? Use madras curry paste instead of korma and half the amount of double cream.
- Use fresh turkey pieces instead of leftover cooked turkey. Just add them after the onions.
- Lower the fat and skip the double cream.
- Use different leftover meat such as cooked chicken, lamb or beef.
- To Store. Place the leftover turkey curry into an air-tight container and store in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- To Reheat. Reheat the curry until piping hot in the microwave.
- To Freeze. Place the turkey curry in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge before reheating in the microwave.
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Lauren Michael Harris
I have had every kind of curry under the sun. but never turkey! What a great way to use up some leftover turkey after Thanksgiving!!
Savita
This looks amazing, perfect for family dinners.
Eliza
What a great recipe! And perfect timing with Thanksgiving next week! I'm so excited to have a delicious way to use our leftover turkey, and thanks for the detailed instructions and tips. Another winning recipe from Effortless Foodie!
Dannii
Turkey curry is a must for us on boxing day. it's the best way to use up leftover turkey. and mango chutney is always my "secret" ingredient in every curry. It adds so much flavour.
Pam
I'm always looking for ways to use leftover turkey and this recipe is something more unique than your typical soup. Thanks for sharing.