Turkey salad is a tasty and versatile dish that can be served as a sandwich filling, scooped on top of greens for a salad, or enjoyed on its own as a snack. With its mix of turkey, vegetables, and a creamy dressing, it makes for a flavorful and protein-packed meal. But should you add eggs to your turkey salad creation? Let’s take an in-depth look at the pros, cons, and best practices for including eggs in turkey salad recipes.
The Role of Eggs in Turkey Salad
Eggs are commonly added to chicken salad, so it’s natural to wonder if they belong in turkey salad too. Here are some of the purposes eggs serve:
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Texture – Chopped hard boiled eggs add creamy chunks and a unique texture.
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Binding – Eggs act as a binder to bring the ingredients together, similar to mayonnaise
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Flavor – Eggs contribute a savory, richness that complements the turkey.
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Protein – Eggs boost the protein content even further
So while not a mandatory ingredient, eggs can positively contribute texture, moisture, flavor, creaminess, and nutrition to turkey salads.
Potential Downsides of Adding Egg
However there are a few potential cons to keep in mind
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Allergies – Those with egg allergies will need an egg-free recipe.
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Flavor – Some find egg overpowers the turkey flavor.
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Dryness – Too much egg could dry out the salad without enough mayo.
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Texture – Some don’t like the soft chunks of egg mixed in.
Thankfully, none of these drawbacks are unavoidable. With care not to over-use eggs, they can be seamlessly incorporated into turkey salad.
Best Practices for Adding Egg
Here are some tips for successfully integrating eggs into turkey salad:
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Use moderation – 1-2 eggs for 3-4 cups of salad provides sufficient richness without overdoing it.
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Mix in mayo – Add mayo to keep the salad moist and evenly blended.
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Chop finely – Finely mincing the egg creates a more uniform texture.
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Season carefully – Complement egg with light seasoning to avoid overwhelming flavors.
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Substitute sparingly – Only use eggs to replace some mayo, not all, for best moisture and texture.
Following these guidelines will allow the egg to enhance the turkey salad without detriment to taste or texture.
Delicious Turkey Salad Recipes with Egg
To get you inspired, here are some top-rated turkey salad recipes that skillfully incorporate egg:
Classic Turkey Salad with Egg
This quintessential recipe uses 2 chopped hard boiled eggs folded into shredded turkey breast, mayonnaise, celery, pickle relish, onion, and seasonings. A perfect starter turkey salad with egg.
Southwest Turkey Salad
With black beans, corn, avocado, cilantro, Mexican spices, and a single hard boiled egg, this turkey salad packs tons of super flavor.
Curry Turkey Salad
Curry powder, raisins, and pecans add unique flair to this salad featuring 2 chopped hard boiled eggs complementing the turkey and mayo.
Greek Turkey Salad
Feta, red onion, cucumber, and olives give this salad a Greek twist, with a single hard boiled egg lending protein.
Cobb Turkey Salad
This clever swap uses turkey instead of chicken in a classic Cobb salad with egg, bacon, cheese, greens, and homemade dressing.
As you can see, the options are limitless for incorporating eggs into creative, delicious turkey salads.
Serving Suggestions for Turkey Salad with Egg
Turkey salad studded with creamy egg bits lends itself to all sorts of handy servings:
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Sandwiches and wraps
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Stuffed into a hollowed out tomato or avocado
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Scooped over leafy greens for salad
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Served over toast points or crackers
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As a protein-packed dip with vegetables
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In lettuce cups for a low-carb option
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As a stuffing for celery stalks or in endive leaves
With so many possibilities, your egg-enhanced turkey salad can shine as snacks, appetizers, sandwiches, salads, and more.
While not required, eggs can add beneficial texture, moisture, flavor, and nutrition when included in turkey salads in moderation. Curating the proper ratio of egg to other ingredients is key to preventing dryness or muted flavors. Whether chopped small or kept in larger chunks, egg offers a versatility that pairs well with diverse seasonings and ingredients. With an array of serving ideas from sandwiches to lettuce wraps, turkey salad chock-full of egg makes for a protein-rich and adaptable meal. Follow these tips to successfully incorporate eggs into your next turkey salad creation.
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- Extra turkey—You’ll need about 3 to 4 cups of chopped up extra turkey.
- Salt & pepper – Seasons the salad. And this simple seasoning is all that’s needed to give the salad its great taste.
- Mayonnaise: Adds moisture to the salad and helps it get a creamy texture. Choose your favorite brand of mayonnaise. — We always use Hellmans brand, and prefer it best.
Southern Turkey SaladTake those leftover turkey sandwiches up a notch – and make them turkey SALAD sandwiches instead! This Southern Turkey Salad recipe is creamy, loaded with flavor, and a perfectly delicious way to enjoy those turkey leftovers.
- 3-4 c. coarsely chopped leftover turkey
- 2 hard boiled eggs
- 1/2 c. sweet pickle cubes (may also be called sweet salad cubes).
- 1/2 to 3/4 tsp. salt (to taste)
- 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
- Approximately 1/3 c. mayonnaise
Delicious Gourmet Turkey Salad Recipe | Mattie’s Kitchen
FAQ
What does Turkish salad contain?
Do you put eggs in stuffing?
What does egg salad contain?
Are hard boiled eggs in Turkey salad?
Hard boiled eggs may sound like a strange ingredient, but the hard boiled eggs bring a really nice element to the turkey salad’s flavor. There’s not a lot of egg in the salad, but just enough to amp up that flavor. Most people won’t even realize the eggs are there, they’ll just know the turkey salad tastes oh sooo good! 2.
Can mayonnaise be used instead of eggs?
Yes, you can replace eggs with mayonnaise in recipes. You can use 3 tablespoons of mayonnaise for each egg. Mayonnaise is a good substitute for adding moisture to your brownies or other baked goods, as it is made of eggs and oil, which make them soft and moist.
How to make egg salad using only egg yolks?
Instructions 1 Boil Eggs -Place eggs in the bottom of a pot and fill with cold water. 2 Chop celery, green onions, and green pepper. 3 Peel the eggs and separate the yolks. 4 In a bowl add yolks, mayo, and mustard and mix well with a spoon. 5 Stir in your chopped whites, green pepper, celery, and green onion. 6 Top with paprika and salt (to taste).
How do you make a Turkey salad?
To make this turkey salad, you’ll need: Mayonnaise: Such as Duke’s; the base of the dressing for a rich, creamy finish. Sour cream: Adds a light and tangy flavor to the dressing as opposed to using straight mayonnaise. Flat-leaf parsley: For a bright, fresh note. Apple cider vinegar: The acidity livens up the salad.
How do you make a Turkey salad with mayonnaise?
In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, thyme leaves, sea salt, and black pepper. Mix together. Stir everything together until combined. Enjoy your turkey salad recipe right away, or refrigerate to allow the flavors to develop more.
What can you eat if you have a Turkey salad?
Nuts – Pecans are a popular choice in recipes for turkey salad. Other nuts, like walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, or pine nuts, are also good. For a nut-free option that still adds crunch, try sunflower seeds. Chop nuts before using. Mayonnaise – Homemade mayo is easy to make, but any store brand works.