20-Minute Coconut Turkey Curry

Recipe at a glance

20-Minute Coconut Turkey Curry gives holiday food a distinct second meal instead of simply reheating the original plate. Food Network’s collection of post-Thanksgiving ideas shows how turkey, stuffing, potatoes, vegetables and cranberry sauce can move into casseroles, sandwiches, soups, snacks and other formats; this version is an original formulation built around 3 cups turkey and 2 cups roasted vegetables. ^[1]

Yield: 4 servings. Preparation time: 10 minutes. Cooking time: 20 minutes. Use leftovers that were refrigerated promptly. FoodSafety.gov lists cooked meat and poultry leftovers at three to four days in a refrigerator kept at 40°F or below. ^[2]

Ingredients

1. 1 tablespoon neutral oil 2. 1 small onion, sliced 3. 2 tablespoons red or yellow curry paste 4. 1 teaspoon grated ginger 5. 1 can coconut milk 6. 1/2 cup stock 7. 3 cups chopped turkey 8. 2 cups roasted vegetables 9. 1 tablespoon lime juice 10. 1 teaspoon brown sugar 11. cilantro and cooked rice for serving ^[1]

How to make 20-minute coconut turkey curry

1. Heat oil in a wide saucepan and cook onion until softened. 2. Stir in curry paste and ginger for 1 minute to release their aromas. 3. Add coconut milk and stock, whisking until smooth, and simmer for 5 minutes. ^[1]

4. Fold in turkey and vegetables; simmer until everything is hot and the turkey reaches 165°F. 5. Balance with lime juice and brown sugar, then serve over rice with cilantro. ^{[1] [2]}

Make-ahead, storage and useful substitutions

Different curry pastes vary sharply in salt and heat, so start with less and adjust after the coconut milk is incorporated. Use chickpeas instead of turkey, or add leftover sweet potatoes for body and sweetness. ^[1]

Refrigerate 20-minute coconut turkey curry within two hours in shallow covered containers. Count storage time from when the original Thanksgiving food was first refrigerated, not from when it was transformed into this recipe. Eat refrigerated cooked turkey and other perishable leftovers within three to four days, or freeze sooner. Reheat hot portions to 165°F and discard food that has spent too long at room temperature. ^[2]