20-minute Turkey Curry Recipe - Savory Spin (2024)

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This 20-minute Turkey Curry is a creamy concoction of leftover turkey suspended in a hearty and tasty coconut and tomato sauce. It is a tasty recipe that is a delicious meal when served with some rice or roti.

20-minute Turkey Curry Recipe - Savory Spin (1)

Do you have any leftover turkey still hanging around? Well, if you do, then let’s jazz it up into a delicious and easy, 20-Minute Turkey Curry like this one!

This curry is so flavorful. It is thick and creamy. To me, it is comfort food at it’s finest.

I love this tasty turkey curry because it is not only quick to make, it is so easy too. And, you can find all the ingredients you need for this curry in just about any grocery store.

What are the ingredients needed to make this 20-Minute Turkey Curry?

20-minute Turkey Curry Recipe - Savory Spin (2)

You will need the following 15 main ingredients for this curry, and they are:

  1. Leftover cooked turkey
  2. Fresh garlic cloves
  3. Red onion
  4. Fresh ginger
  5. Celery
  6. Canned diced tomatoes
  7. Full-fat coconut milk
  8. Ground coriander
  9. Ground cumin
  10. Smoked paprika
  11. Ground turmeric
  12. Ground cinnamon
  13. Cayenne
  14. Cardamom
  15. Frozen spinach

You will also need salt and pepper to season this curry with. Some oil or butter to sauté everything in. . And, these next few ingredients are totally optional, but you can use some parsley, cilantro, and pepper flakes to garnish the curry with.

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How do you make this Turkey Curry in 20 minutes?

First off, add some oil, coconut oil or butter to a heavy bottom pan. And place the pan over medium heat.

Then, peel and dice an onion and add it to the pan with the oil and let it sauté for about 3 minutes, stirring it so it doesn’t burn.

While the onion sautés, peel and dice up the cloves of garlic and ginger and add that to the onion in the pan. Sauté for about 4 more minutes.

Chop up the celery and add that to the pan with the onion, ginger, and garlic. Sauté this for another 3 minutes.

Cut up the cooked turkey into bite-sized pieces while the celery, garlic, ginger, and onion sauté.

Then add the canned diced tomatoes, coconut milk, coriander, cumin, smoked paprika, cayenne, cinnamon, turmeric, and cardamom to the pan and stir well.

Next, add in the frozen spinach and cooked turkey and mix well. Turn the heat down to low and let this cook for about 5 more minutes with a lid on it.

Remove the lid and season this 20-minute curry with salt and pepper and enjoy.

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Substitutions

If you do not have any leftover turkey on hand, well, this recipe can also be made with leftover chicken, or any cooked meat you prefer.

The onions, ginger, and garlic are a must for this recipe. But you can leave out the celery if you want to.

While I used canned diced tomatoes, you can also use fire roasted tomatoes or tomato sauté in this recipe. If you go with the latter, you might need to add some water, chicken stock or vegetable stock to thin this curry out a bit.

If full-fat coconut milk is not an option for you, you can use light coconut milk. Almond milk does change the taste of this, so I would use it with caution. If you are not lactose intolerant, you can even use cow milk.

If you do not have or want to get all the spices, you could use a pre-made curry paste instead of the coriander, cumin, Smoked paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, cayenne, and cardamom.

This 20-minute turkey curry is a thick curry. If you like to thin it out, you can add in a 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of water, chicken stock, or vegetable stock.

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How to serve this leftover turkey curry?

This curry can be paired with some white rice or brown rice for a simple and tasty weeknight meal.

Or it can be paired with some yellow rice or turmeric quinoa or roti as well as some mixed vegetable curry, some broccoli croquettes, and some apple cranberry chutney for a more hearty weekend gathering.

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Thanks so much for stopping by. If you make this recipe, please let me know in the comments below what you think of it, or tag your creation on social media with @savoryspin or #savoryspin. For more fusion, spice-filled, recipe ideas, please subscribe and follow me onFacebook,Instagram, and/orPinterest!

20-minute Turkey Curry Recipe - Savory Spin (7)

Yield: 12

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

This 20-minute Turkey Curry is a creamy concoction of leftover turkey suspended in a hearty and tasty coconut and tomato sauce. It is a tasty recipe that is a delicious meal when served with some rice or roti.

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp oil (like coconut or grapeseed)
  • 1 lb cooked leftover turkey
  • 1 3/4 cups canned diced Tomato
  • 1 1/4 cup full-fat coconut milk
  • 6 garlic cloves
  • 1 red onion
  • 1 inch chunk of ginger
  • 3 celery stalks
  • 2 teaspoon coriander
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
  • 1/4 teaspoon cardamom
  • Cup Spinach frozen
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • OPTIONAL: Dry or fresh parsley, dry or fresh cilantro, pepper flakes to garnish.

Instructions

  1. First off, add the oil to a heavy bottom pan. And place the pan over medium heat.
  2. Then, peel and dice the onion and add it to the pan with the oil and let it sauté for about 3 minutes, stirring it so it doesn’t burn.
  3. While the onion sautés, peel and dice up the cloves of garlic and ginger and add that to the onion in the pan. Sauté for about 4 more minutes.
  4. Chop up the celery and add that to the pan with the onion, ginger, and garlic. Sauté this for another 3 minutes.
  5. Cut up the cooked turkey into bite-sized pieces while the celery, garlic, ginger, and onion sauté.
  6. Then add the canned diced tomatoes, coconut milk, coriander, cumin, smoked paprika, cayenne, cinnamon, turmeric, and cardamom to the pan and stir well.
  7. Next, add in the frozen spinach and cooked turkey and mix well.
  8. Turn the heat down to low and let this cook for about 5 more minutes with a lid on it.
  9. Remove the lid and season this 20-minute curry with salt and pepper.
  10. OPTIONAL - Serve garnished with dry cilantro, dry parsley, and pepper flakes.
Nutrition Information

Yield 12Serving Size 1
Amount Per ServingCalories 167Total Fat 12gSaturated Fat 6gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 5gCholesterol 41mgSodium 88mgCarbohydrates 4gFiber 1gSugar 1gProtein 12g

Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and should be considered an approximation only. Savory Spin makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information. Please do consult a professional nutritionist for more accurate information.Please do keep in mind that prep times, cooking times, etc, are provided as guidelines as there are so many variables at play.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram &/or Pinterest tagging @SavorySpin #SavorySpin

20-minute Turkey Curry Recipe - Savory Spin (2024)

FAQs

Can you put milk in a curry? ›

Coconut milk is a vegan option for all curries. You can also try adding a splash of milk, if that's all you have to hand. Milk contains a protein called casein which actually breaks down capsaicin and makes it less spicy – both full-fat and skimmed do the trick nicely.

Can you freeze leftover turkey curry? ›

You can make your leftovers into new meals and then freeze them. If you make a new meal such as curry or casserole from the leftovers, then you can also freeze this, even if you are using turkey that was originally frozen.

What kind of yoghurt to use in curry? ›

Yogurt should be thick Greek yogurt which is not very sour. If you are not sure about yogurt use or afraid it will curdle.. Use half yogurt and half cream and mix it in last step after the curry is ready.

How do you sweeten a curry? ›

A curry can be sweetened by adding honey, syrup, or sugar. These ingredients add flavour and balance to a sour or bitter curry. Add around one tablespoon of either ingredient to your curry while cooking and taste. Continue to slowly add syrup, honey, or sugar to the dish until a sweet flavour is achieved.

Can I use regular milk instead of coconut milk for curry? ›

If you prefer to go the coconut-free route (or if you don't have coconut shreds, cream, oil, water, or butter on hand), you can use plain old milk — whichever kind you prefer. Whatever you're making won't have the same flavor as it would with coconut, which may make things like curries taste a little flat.

Does curry use coconut cream or milk? ›

Coconut milk and cream are mostly interchangeable in recipes such as curries and soups. If you prefer a richer flavour and texture, try coconut cream or vice versa. However, be careful when substituting coconut milk and cream in baked goods.

How long will turkey curry last in the fridge? ›

You should eat this Turkey Curry straight away, and within 48 hours of the turkey being cooked and cooled. If you allow any leftovers to cool, make sure to refrigerate in a container with a lid and chill. You can keep leftovers of Turkey Curry in the fridge for approximately 3 days or so.

How long does turkey curry last? ›

The UK's Food Standards Agency (FSA) advises that cooked turkey should be eaten or frozen within two days of cooking. Celebrity chef Vivek Singh says it can last a little longer. He says cooked turkey is good for up to five days – the day of cooking plus four more – if stored in the fridge.

Can I reheat turkey curry twice? ›

In the fridge Technically, you shouldn't reheat food more than once, according to the Food Standards Agency. So if your turkey was roasted on Christmas Day and then reheated to make this curry, really you should be eating it straight away.

Why do Indians use so much yogurt? ›

It's common practice in India to add yogurt to Indian cooking. People add it to curry to balance the spices and lighten the dish. It can also make thick curry, a thin. Hence, it can really elevate the flavors of the dish.

Can you use vanilla yogurt in curry? ›

VERY tasty curry indeed, TRUE! Used vanilla low fat yogurt too! GREAT for entertaining, worked for me! As I LOVE it HOT, I added diced chilli!

Can I use sour cream instead of yogurt in curry? ›

Yes, sour cream can be used as a substitute for yogurt in some Indian recipes, but there are a few considerations to keep in mind: Consistency: Sour cream has a thicker and creamier texture compared to yogurt.

What are the secret ingredients to a good curry? ›

However, here are some general suggestions to make your curry taste better:
  • Aromatics: Start with a flavorful base of aromatics such as onions, garlic, and ginger. Sautéing these ingredients well can add depth to the overall flavor of your curry.
  • Spices: The right combination of spices is crucial for a delicious curry.
Dec 30, 2018

How do restaurants make curry so creamy? ›

The actual sweetness and creaminess of such curries meanwhile, usually comes from fried onions and either cashews and/or dairy products. Instead of (or in addition to) onion, ground coconut may be used. White poppy seeds and/or watermelon seeds are also used in some creamy sauces.

What makes curry taste better? ›

The easiest way to fix a bland and tasteless curry is by adding spices like red chili powder, cumin, coriander, garam masala, curry leaves and turmeric. Just make a quick tempering and pour over the curry to give it a nice punch of spices and herbs.

Can you cook curry with regular milk? ›

Yes, but it depends on the dish. In case of Indian curry dishes: Most North indian curry dishes do not use coconut milk; but cow/buffalo milk, or even better, Yogurt or Curd.

Should I add water or milk to curry? ›

Coconut milk as a curry sauce base makes the dish creamy, sweet and give it a thicker consistency. The sweetness of the milk reduces the sharpness of spices and heat making the dish a little mild. Water on the other hand dilutes the dish and makes it a bit runny.

Does milk make curry thicker? ›

Add dairy.

Many curry sauces have a creamy texture, so try adding more dairy—like Greek yogurt, heavy cream, or a thick non-dairy ingredient like coconut cream—to thicken a watery curry sauce.

Can milk thicken a curry? ›

For a rich and creamy curry, coconut milk or cream can be a fantastic thickening agent. They not only add creaminess but also a delightful tropical flavour. Simply pour in some coconut milk or cream and let it simmer until your sauce reaches the desired consistency.

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