Jamie Oliver Leftover Turkey Curry Recipe

This leftover turkey curry is a perfect way to use up Christmas leftovers! It’s rich, creamy, and packed with flavor from roasted squash, a homemade spice paste, and tender turkey. The coconut milk gives it a silky texture, while tamarind adds a nice tangy kick. Serve it with rice, noodles, or bread for a comforting meal.

Ingredients Needed:

Curry:

• 2 large onion squash (1.2kg)
• olive oil
• 150g shelled unsalted peanuts
• 4 fresh bay leaves
• 1 large onion
• 500g baby new potatoes
• 350g higher-welfare leftover Christmas turkey
• 2 x 400g tins of light coconut milk
• 4 tablespoons palm sugar
• 2 tablespoons tamarind paste
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 350g silken tofu
• 400g sugar snap peas

Paste:

• 1 heaped teaspoon each of fennel seeds, coriander seeds, cardamom pods, whole cloves, black peppercorns, dried chili flakes, turmeric, ground cinnamon
• 6 cloves of garlic
• 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger
• 1 red onion
• 2 sticks of lemongrass
• ½ a bunch of fresh coriander (15g)
• 1 lime
• vegetable oil

How To Make Leftover Turkey Curry Recipe?

1. Roast the Squash: Preheat the oven to 180°C. Toss the squash with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread on a tray and roast for 1 hour until soft and golden.
2. Toast the Spices: Heat a dry pan over medium heat. Add fennel seeds, coriander seeds, cardamom pods, cloves, peppercorns, and chili flakes. Toast until fragrant, then crush into a fine powder.
3. Make the Paste: Cook garlic, ginger, onion, and lemongrass in a dry pan for 4 minutes. Blend with the toasted spices, turmeric, cinnamon, coriander stalks, lime zest, and vegetable oil to make a smooth paste.
4. Cook the Peanuts & Paste: In a large pan, toast the peanuts for 5 minutes. Stir in half of the paste, bay leaves, and 1 tbsp vegetable oil.
5. Build the Curry: Add chopped onion, potatoes, and turkey. Pour in coconut milk and 1½ cans of water. Stir in palm sugar, tamarind paste, and fish sauce. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 25-30 minutes until potatoes are soft.
6. Add Tofu & Sugar Snap Peas: Stir in the tofu and sugar snap peas and cook for 2 minutes. Squeeze in lime juice and adjust the seasoning if needed.
7. Serve: Spoon the curry over roasted squash and top with coriander leaves. Enjoy with rice, noodles, or bread!

Recipe Tips:

• Roast the Squash Properly: Make sure the squash is roasted until golden and slightly caramelized. This adds natural sweetness and a rich flavor to the curry. Undercooked squash will taste bland and be too firm.
• Blend the Paste Until Smooth: The spice paste should be well-blended with no large chunks. A smooth paste helps spread the flavors evenly in the curry and prevents gritty textures.
• Toast the Spices Well: Don’t rush the spice toasting step. Toasting the whole spices brings out their oils and deepens the flavor. If they burn, the curry will have a bitter taste.
• Simmer Until Potatoes Are Tender: Check the potatoes by poking them with a fork. If they are too firm, let the curry cook longer. Soft, fully cooked potatoes help thicken the curry naturally.
• Adjust the Balance of Flavors: Before serving, taste the curry. If it needs more salt, add fish sauce. If it’s too sweet, add extra tamarind paste. If it’s too tangy, add a little more coconut milk. Finding the right balance makes all the difference!

How To Store & Reheat Leftovers?

• Refrigerate: First, let the leftover turkey curry cool to room temperature. Then, transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• Freeze: Let the curry cool completely before placing it in a freezer-safe container, leaving some space for expansion. Freeze for up to 3 months.
• Reheat: Pour the curry into a pot and heat over low to medium heat, stirring occasionally. If it’s too thick, add a splash of water or coconut milk to loosen the texture.

Nutrition Facts:

• Calories: 480 kcal
• Total Fat: 24g
• Saturated Fat: 10g
• Cholesterol: 50mg
• Sodium: 700mg
• Potassium: 950mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 42g
• Dietary Fiber: 7g
• Sugars: 12g
• Protein: 30g

Jamie Oliver Leftover Turkey Curry Recipe

Course: DinnerCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

25

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

30

minutes

Calories

480

kcal

This leftover turkey curry is a perfect way to use up Christmas leftovers! It’s rich, creamy, and packed with flavor from roasted squash, a homemade spice paste, and tender turkey. The coconut milk gives it a silky texture, while tamarind adds a nice tangy kick. Serve it with rice, noodles, or bread for a comforting meal.

Ingredients

• Curry:

• 2 large onion squash (1.2kg)

• olive oil

• 150g shelled unsalted peanuts

• 4 fresh bay leaves

• 1 large onion

• 500g baby new potatoes

• 350g higher-welfare leftover Christmas turkey

• 2 x 400g tins of light coconut milk

• 4 tablespoons palm sugar

• 2 tablespoons tamarind paste

• 2 tablespoons fish sauce

• 350g silken tofu

• 400g sugar snap peas

• Paste:

• 1 heaped teaspoon each of fennel seeds, coriander seeds, cardamom pods, whole cloves, black peppercorns, dried chili flakes, turmeric, ground cinnamon

• 6 cloves of garlic

• 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger

• 1 red onion

• 2 sticks of lemongrass

• ½ a bunch of fresh coriander (15g)

• 1 lime

• vegetable oil

Directions

• Roast the Squash: Preheat the oven to 180°C. Toss the squash with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread on a tray and roast for 1 hour until soft and golden.
• Toast the Spices: Heat a dry pan over medium heat. Add fennel seeds, coriander seeds, cardamom pods, cloves, peppercorns, and chili flakes. Toast until fragrant, then crush into a fine powder.
• Make the Paste: Cook garlic, ginger, onion, and lemongrass in a dry pan for 4 minutes. Blend with the toasted spices, turmeric, cinnamon, coriander stalks, lime zest, and vegetable oil to make a smooth paste.
• Cook the Peanuts & Paste: In a large pan, toast the peanuts for 5 minutes. Stir in half of the paste, bay leaves, and 1 tbsp vegetable oil.
• Build the Curry: Add chopped onion, potatoes, and turkey. Pour in coconut milk and 1½ cans of water. Stir in palm sugar, tamarind paste, and fish sauce. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 25-30 minutes until potatoes are soft.
• Add Tofu & Sugar Snap Peas: Stir in the tofu and sugar snap peas and cook for 2 minutes. Squeeze in lime juice and adjust the seasoning if needed.
• Serve: Spoon the curry over roasted squash and top with coriander leaves. Enjoy with rice, noodles, or bread!

Notes

• Roast the Squash Properly: Make sure the squash is roasted until golden and slightly caramelized. This adds natural sweetness and a rich flavor to the curry. Undercooked squash will taste bland and be too firm.
• Blend the Paste Until Smooth: The spice paste should be well-blended with no large chunks. A smooth paste helps spread the flavors evenly in the curry and prevents gritty textures.
• Toast the Spices Well: Don’t rush the spice toasting step. Toasting the whole spices brings out their oils and deepens the flavor. If they burn, the curry will have a bitter taste.
• Simmer Until Potatoes Are Tender: Check the potatoes by poking them with a fork. If they are too firm, let the curry cook longer. Soft, fully cooked potatoes help thicken the curry naturally.
• Adjust the Balance of Flavors: Before serving, taste the curry. If it needs more salt, add fish sauce. If it’s too sweet, add extra tamarind paste. If it’s too tangy, add a little more coconut milk. Finding the right balance makes all the difference!