Boxing Day turkey curry
A cosy, saucy curry that revives Boxing Day roast turkey — spiced, creamy and ready in under an hour.
Boxing Day leftovers get a proper send-off with this saucy turkey curry. It turns tired roast meat into a fragrant, comforting curry without needing much fuss.
Spicy but not fiery, it’s tuned for family tables — make it mildly spiced for kids or ramp it up for grown-ups. Serve with plain rice or naan, or tuck into warmed pitta for a speedy supper.
Ingredients
- 600 g Leftover cooked turkey, shredded
- 30 ml Vegetable oil
- 15 g Butter
- 1 Brown onion — about 200 g
- 4 Garlic cloves
- 30 g Fresh root ginger — peeled and grated
- 5 ml Ground cumin
- 5 ml Ground coriander
- 5 ml Turmeric powder
- 10 ml Garam masala
- 5 ml Mild chilli powder — reduce or omit to taste
- 400 ml Tomato passata
- 300 ml Turkey or chicken stock — warm
- 150 g Natural yoghurt — full-fat or Greek
- 100 ml Double cream
- 1 Lemon — juice only
- 15 g Fresh coriander — roughly chopped, to finish
- Salt — to taste
- Black pepper — freshly ground, to taste
Instructions
Peel and finely slice the brown onion. Peel and finely mince the garlic cloves. Peel and grate the fresh root ginger.
Heat the vegetable oil and butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and fry, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden — about 11 minutes.
Add the minced garlic and grated ginger and fry for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
Stir in the ground cumin, ground coriander, turmeric powder, garam masala and mild chilli powder. Cook for 1 minute to bloom the spices, stirring constantly so they don’t burn.
Pour in the tomato passata and warm turkey or chicken stock. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes so the sauce reduces slightly and the flavours marry.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the natural yoghurt until smooth. Return to the heat, add the leftover cooked turkey, shredded, and warm gently for 4–5 minutes until the turkey is heated through and the sauce is glossy.
Stir in the double cream and the juice of the lemon, then simmer very gently for 2 minutes to combine and adjust the consistency.
Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, stir through most of the fresh coriander, then leave the curry to rest for 30 minutes off the heat to let the flavours mellow.
Before serving, reheat gently if needed for 1–2 minutes and check seasoning. Scatter the remaining fresh coriander on top and serve.
Tips
- If your turkey is very lean and dry, add a splash more stock when warming to keep the meat moist.
- To avoid a split sauce, whisk the yoghurt until smooth and temper it with a ladle of hot sauce before stirring into the pan.
- Make ahead: the curry keeps well in the fridge for 3 days and tastes even better after a day — reheat gently.
- Freeze in portions for up to 3 months — leave out the fresh coriander until serving.
- If the sauce is too tangy after resting, a small pinch of caster sugar (5–10 g) will balance it without sweetness.
Substitutions
Leftover cooked turkey, shredded → Leftover roast chicken or shredded rotisserie chicken, same quantity
Stays closeNatural yoghurt → Full-fat coconut yoghurt, same quantity (for dairy-free)
Noticeably differentDouble cream → Extra natural yoghurt (reduce to 100 g) for a lighter finish
Stays closeMild chilli powder → A fresh chopped green chilli, seeds removed for milder heat, 1 small
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 510
- Calories
- 47 g
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 33 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 700 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I use raw turkey instead of leftovers?
Yes, but cook raw turkey pieces (600 g) in the sauce earlier: brown first, then simmer in the sauce for 20–25 minutes until cooked through before adding yoghurt and cream.
How should I reheat leftovers?
Reheat gently in a pan over low heat with a splash of stock or water, stirring so the sauce loosens and the cream doesn’t separate.
Is this freezer-friendly?
Yes — freeze cooled portions in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat gently.
Can I make the curry spicier?
Increase the mild chilli powder to 1 tsp or add a chopped fresh chilli with the garlic and ginger, to taste.
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