These crispy and golden leftover turkey patties are so delicious and ready in just 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 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 some of 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).
- Sour cream: You can also use plain whole-milk Greek yogurt, but sour cream is better.
- Aromatics and herbs: Minced garlic, chopped onions, and chopped parsley.
Variations
- You can use cooked shredded chicken (baked chicken breast, grilled chicken breast, or broiled chicken) instead of turkey.
- You can use chopped scallions instead of yellow onions. The patties shown in the photo below were made with chopped scallions, added to the mixture after blending in the food processor.
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 and 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.
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
The mixture's moisture level will largely depend on the moisture content of the turkey meat. If the mixture is very dry, add an extra egg. If it's very liquid, add extra almond flour, starting with 1-2 tablespoons.
Your goal is to achieve a smooth mixture that is easy to work with, neither dry and crumbly nor too liquid. Results will vary in different kitchens with slightly different ingredients and climates, so there's no escaping the need to adjust. But when you follow these guidelines, the patties should not fall apart.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. To make this recipe dairy-free, substitute mayonnaise for the sour cream.
Yellow mustard will work in this recipe, but I prefer Dijon. It's creamier, thicker, and less vinegary than yellow mustard.
Sure! The photo below shows me cooking them in a large 12-inch skillet. I was able to fit five of them in the skillet, so I cooked them in two batches. 
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, but start counting from the day you cooked the turkey. To freeze these patties, arrange them on a large parchment-lined tray, not touching, and freeze. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer bag. If layering them in the bag, separate the layers with wax paper.
The image below shows the leftovers served with pickled red onions and quick homemade pickles. 
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!
The photo below shows the patties served with pickled red onions and homemade coleslaw and topped with grainy Dijon mustard, Greek yogurt dip, and sriracha mayo.
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 sour cream - or plain, whole milk Greek yogurt
- 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
- 4 tablespoons olive oil - for frying
Instructions
- Add the turkey, almond flour, sour cream, mustard, egg, salt, black pepper, garlic, and onion to your food processor bowl.2 cups turkey meat, ½ cup superfine almond flour, ¼ cup sour cream, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 1 tablespoon fresh garlic, ½ onion
- Process until finely chopped and incorporated, stopping once to scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula. If the batter seems very dry, add an extra egg and process to combine.
- 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.)½ cup parsley
- Heat the olive oil in a double-burner griddle over medium heat (or use a 12-inch skillet and cook in 2 batches). 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.4 tablespoons olive oil
- Cook the patties for about 3 minutes on each side until well browned. Serve immediately.
Notes
- The recipe makes 10 patties. A serving is two patties.
- 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 mixture's moisture level will largely depend on the moisture content of the turkey meat. If the mixture is very dry, add an extra egg, as mentioned above. If it's very liquid, add extra almond flour, starting with 1-2 tablespoons. Your goal is to achieve a smooth mixture that is easy to work with, neither dry and crumbly nor too liquid. Results will vary in different kitchens with slightly different ingredients and climates, so there's no escaping the need to adjust. But when you follow these guidelines, the patties should not fall apart.
- Seasonings, especially salt, are guidelines. Adjust to taste. The patties' flavor is fairly mild. Add more spices if you like bold flavors, or serve them with a dipping sauce such as spicy mayo.
- The nutrition info assumes that almond flour was used and that the patties absorbed half the oil.
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days (but start counting from the day you cooked the turkey). To freeze these patties, arrange them on a large parchment-lined tray, not touching, 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 products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate - please verify it. 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 sour cream, 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
Vered DeLeeuw says
I’m really sorry this didn’t work out for you. Everyone's leftovers behave a little differently - especially turkey, which can vary a lot in moisture and flavor - so results can definitely vary. I appreciate you giving the recipe a try, though. If you want to share what didn't work for you, I'm always happy to help troubleshoot so the next round turns out better.
Jo says
Delicoious!
Vered DeLeeuw says
Yay! Glad you liked them, Jo!
Matt says
Mine did not hold together. 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 dry and crumbly, definitely add an extra egg.
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!