Balsamic Roasted Turkey Salad — United States

Balsamic Roasted Turkey Salad is a composed salad built around pieces of roasted turkey set over a bed of mixed greens, finished with a balsamic vinaigrette and usually rounded out with dried fruit, a crumbled cheese and toasted nuts for texture. The salad is reported across the United States, often prepared as a way of using leftover roasted turkey, particularly around the autumn holiday season when whole birds are commonly roasted at home. It appears on casual restaurant menus year-round and on family tables as a lighter follow-up to a larger turkey meal. To prepare it, turkey — either freshly roasted or leftover from an earlier meal — is sliced or shredded into bite-sized pieces. Mixed salad greens are washed and torn, and a dressing is whisked together from balsamic vinegar, oil, a little mustard and sometimes honey to balance the acidity. The greens are tossed with the dressing, then topped with the turkey, dried fruit, crumbled cheese and toasted nuts just before serving so the toppings stay distinct rather than wilting into the leaves. Households vary the salad considerably: the greens can be spinach, arugula or a lettuce mix, the dried fruit ranges from cranberries to chopped apple or pear, the cheese used is sometimes feta, sometimes goat cheese or shaved parmesan, and the nuts are commonly pecans, walnuts or almonds, toasted beforehand for extra crunch. Some cooks serve the turkey warm straight from the oven, while others prefer it cold, straight from the refrigerator.