Bring your lunch up a notch with this protein-packed turkey salad made with juicy, herb-roasted turkey breast and a rainbow of nutritious veggies!
This salad boasts a full spectrum of colors, from pomegranate and carrots to purple cabbage and green avocados. I like to think that the more colors you have on your plate, the more nutritious your meal is thanks to the mix of healthy ingredients!
The recipe kicks off by roasting the turkey breast inside parchment paper – the steam prevents it from drying out, making it tender and juicy. I used thick-cut onion slices to elevate the turkey instead of using a roasting pan, but you can also use potato slices.
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Start by rubbing the turkey breast with the seasoning and stuffing it gently under the skin. Keeping the skin is just another trick to making the flesh extra soft and making sure all the tasty flavors soak into the meat.
When the turkey finishes roasting, let the bird rest after taking it out of the oven. Cover it loosely with foil, and let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes. This gives the juices time to further soak in and the turkey to firm up.
For the salad, I made a simple and light dressing with olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and a bit of sweet raw honey. The dressing complements the vegetables and turkey without overwhelming them.
This turkey salad will feed a large crowd, so it’s perfect for parties or get togethers with friends.
Tip: If you have a busy schedule, you can make this ahead for an easy, ready-to-go salad for the week (just keep the dressing separate from the veggies and turkey until ready). Arrange the turkey salad ingredients neatly on a serving plate, or just toss them all in a large salad bowl and dig in!
Rainbow Turkey Salad
20 mins
Rainbow Turkey Salad
Dina HassanFor Turkey:
- 3 lb, one split turkey breast
- 2 T extra virgin olive oil
- 1 T grass-fed butter, softened
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 t lemon zest
- 1 t fresh lemon juice
- 1 T finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 T finely chopped fresh sage
- 1 T finely chopped fresh thyme
- 1 t salt
- ½ t freshly ground black pepper
- 1 large onion, cut into 4 thick slices
- 1 lemon, sliced
For Salad:
- 1 cup baby plum tomatoes
- 1 cup pomegranate, seeds only
- 2 ripe avocados, de-stoned and sliced
- 2 cups baby wild rocket
- 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
- 2 medium carrots, sliced
- 1 ½ cups chopped purple cabbage
- ⅓ cup sliced red onions
For Dressing:
- 2 T lemon juice
- 2 ½ T olive oil
- 1 t raw honey
- 1 t minced garlic
- ½ t salt
- ¼ t paprika
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- In a bowl, combine olive oil, butter, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, herbs, salt and pepper.
- Using the handle end of a wooden spoon, carefully separate the skin from the turkey breast (without tearing it). Gently rub the turkey breast with the olive oil-herb mixture, stuffing it under the skin.
- Line a baking pan with 2 ½-foot long x 15-inch wide parchment paper. Lay the onions and lemon slices on top, and place the turkey breast on top of the slices. Fold the sheet over the turkey and pleat the top to seal. Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes.
- Cut the parchment paper open and unwrap the turkey, folding back the paper and exposing the skin-side of the turkey.
- Baste the turkey using a spoon to scoop up the juices from the bottom of the pan, pouring them over the top of the turkey. Increase the oven temperature to 425°F and continue roasting for 20 to 30 minutes, until the breast is browned and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 165°F.
- Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables. Slice avocados lengthwise; dice yellow bell pepper into bite-size pieces; roughly chop red cabbage; and cut the carrots and red onions into thin slices.
- For the dressing, mix lemon juice, olive oil, raw honey, minced garlic, salt and paprika. Set aside.
- When the turkey is done, remove from the oven, cover with foil and let it rest for 15 minutes.
- When the turkey is cool enough to handle, cut into slices. Place the salad ingredients on a large plate, pour the dressing over the salad, and serve.
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