Leftover Turkey Tacos with Cranberry Salsa

Use leftovers from a big celebration to make this easy and delightful meal.

By
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.
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Updated November 13, 2023
Elise Bauer
Turkey Tacos with Cranberry Salsa
Elise Bauer

One of my favorite things to make with leftover turkey is turkey tacos!

Usually I have some leftover cranberry relish (I always make too much) to go with the tacos in lieu of salsa, but this time I thought I would make some fresh cranberry salsa from scratch, which turned out surprisingly good.

Cranberries just pair so well with turkey, even regular cranberry sauce is going to taste as satisfying with a turkey taco as tomato salsa. Just add a little chopped fresh jalapeño.

Two Turkey Tacos on a plate with Cranberry Salsa
Elise Bauer

More Ways to Use Thanksgiving Leftovers

Leftover Turkey Tacos with Cranberry Salsa

Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 10 mins
Total Time 25 mins
Servings 4 servings

If you want a super quick way of making the tacos, you can do them in the microwave. Just soften the tortillas first by cooking two tortillas at a time in a single layer on a paper towel, on high heat for 20 seconds per tortilla. Add the shredded cheese and turkey, fold over the tortillas, and heat them again on high for another 15 seconds each, or until the cheese melts.

Ingredients

Turkey tacos:

  • 8 to 12 corn or flour tortillas

  • Extra virgin olive oil

  • 2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, or mild cheddar, grated

  • Cooked turkey meat, cut into bite-sized pieces

  • Lettuce, thinly sliced

  • Fresh cilantro, for garnish

Cranberry salsa:

  • 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries

  • 1/2 apple, peeled and cored

  • Chopped serrano or jalapeno chili, to taste (about a half a chili but taste for desired heat)

  • 4 tablespoons sugar

  • 2 tablespoons ginger, peeled and chopped

  • 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

  • 1 tablespoon lime or lemon juice

  • Dash salt

Special Equipment

  • Food processor

Method

  1. Prepare cranberry salsa:

    Put the cranberries, apple, chile, sugar, ginger, cilantro, and lime or lemon juice in a food processor and pulse until coarsely shredded, about 10 short pulses.

    Let sit 15 minutes for the cranberries to macerate. You can also use cranberry relish, just add chopped chiles and cilantro.

  2. Heat the tortillas:

    Heat a large frying pan on medium high heat. Unless you are using freshly made homemade tortillas, you will need to soften them first.

    Place a small amount (1/2 a teaspoon) of oil in the pan and spread to coat the bottom of the pan.

    Place a tortilla in the pan and let it heat up until bubbles start to form. Then flip it over.

  3. Add cheese and turkey to tortillas:

    Sprinkle grated cheese on half of the tortilla, and top with chopped cooked turkey. Fold the empty half of the tortilla over the side with cheese and turkey (like an omelette).

    Cook until the cheese begins to melt, then flip the taco over so that the tortilla browns on the other side as well. Continue to cook the tacos in this manner.

    To serve, open up the tacos and put some chopped lettuce and plenty of cranberry salsa over the cheese and turkey. Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves.

    Did you love the recipe? Leave us some stars and a comment below!

Turkey Tacos with Cranberry Salsa
Elise Bauer
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
491 Calories
26g Fat
50g Carbs
19g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 491
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 26g 33%
Saturated Fat 12g 62%
Cholesterol 63mg 21%
Sodium 471mg 20%
Total Carbohydrate 50g 18%
Dietary Fiber 6g 23%
Total Sugars 18g
Protein 19g
Vitamin C 10mg 49%
Calcium 498mg 38%
Iron 1mg 7%
Potassium 308mg 7%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.