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    Home » Recipes » Salads

    Cold Turkey Pasta Salad with Honey-Citrus Dressing

    July 7, 2021 • Updated: March 8, 2023 • by Renée B. • This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe   Print Recipe
    Honey-Citrus Pasta Salad with Turkey, Grapes & Walnuts

    This sweet and savory main dish pasta salad is loaded with turkey, grapes, and toasted walnuts, and tossed in a deliciously refreshing honey-citrus dressing.

    Large glass serving bowl filled with a mix of spiral pasta, cubed turkey, grapes, celery, and other ingredients.

    Cold Turkey Pasta Salad on a hot day makes a refreshing, satisfying meal. Loaded with savory turkey, nuts, and grapes and tossed in a tempting honey-citrus dressing, it’s perfect for packing in picnics, and a proven potluck crowd-pleaser!

    This easy to make turkey pasta salad recipe offers lots of ingredient options, and can be prepared well in advance.

    Jump to:
    • Turkey Pasta Salad Ingredients
    • How to Make this Main Dish Pasta Salad
    • Substitutions
    • Storage
    • Top Tip: Make it Ahead
    • More Savory Citrus Recipes
    • What to Serve with Pasta Salad as a Main Dish
    • Turkey Pasta Salad (Honey-Citrus Dressing)

    Turkey Pasta Salad Ingredients

    Pasta salad ingredients prepped and ready to use: spiral pasta, cubed turkey, cubed mozzarella, grapes, celery, nuts.
    • Pasta: We like to make this salad with tri-colored rotini because it gives the salad a little extra color, but any spiral pasta will work (e.g., Fusilli, Rotini, Gemelli).
    • Turkey: Use light or dark meat turkey. We prefer using breast meat. (This pasta salad is an excellent way to use up your leftover holiday turkey.)
    • Walnuts: We think walnuts are the best nut for this combo, but you can use chopped almonds or filberts, whole pine nuts, or whatever you like.
    • Grapes: Use any color grapes. (We like to mix things up.) Our biggest tip here is to be sure and taste your grapes before you throw them into your salad. 
    • Mozzarella: Use aged mozzarella for this recipe. Fresh mozzarella may break down too quickly.
    • Oranges: This is one time when you really want to use fresh oranges. You can use frozen or bottled OJ, but it lacks the sweet subtlety of freshly squeezed. Also, you must use fresh zest, so you might as well get a couple of fresh oranges and go for it. 
    • Honey: Maple syrup will also work. It creates a slightly different, albeit pleasant, flavor profile for the dressing.
    • Vegetable Oil: Use a neutral vegetable oil, like a Canola oil. DO NOT use olive oil unless you use a very light-tasting variety. 

    Tip: Have you ever used red walnuts? If you can find them, they are prefect for this salad, especially if you are taking it to a potluck and want to bring a little extra something to the party.

    How to Make this Main Dish Pasta Salad

    Prep Ingredients

    Pasta: Cook pasta according to package directions for one minute more than indicated for al dente. (i.e., if the box says that the rotini will be al dente after boiling 7 minutes, cook it for 8 minutes.) Do not overcook the pasta! 

    Turkey: Cut turkey into ½-inch or ¼-inch cubes, depending upon your preference. 

    Walnuts: Coarsely chop the walnuts by hand. This will give you some variety in chop-size, which is a good thing. 

    Toast Walnuts: (optional) Heat a small, dry skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped nuts and stir or toss the nuts almost constantly until the color changes slightly and they begin to smell toasty. Remove from heat immediately. 

    Mozzarella: Cut cheese into ½-inch or ¼-inch cubes, depending upon your preference. 

    Celery: Cut celery into ¼-inch cubes. 

    Mix the Salad

    Once all the salad ingredients are prepped, combine them in a large bowl. 

    Pasta salad ingredients in glass salad bowl; celery, grapes, nuts, turkey, spiral pasta.

    Toss together the pasta salad ingredients - cooled pasta, turkey, grapes, toasted nuts, mozzarella, and chopped celery - and set aside. 

    Overhead of pasta salad ingredients mixed in a bowl.

    Make Honey-Citrus Dressing

    To make the honey-citrus dressing, combine honey, orange zest, orange juice, kosher salt, and vegetable oil in a blender cup and blitz until thoroughly blended. 

    2-panel collage: Citrus dressing ingredients in blender cup, unblended and blended.

    Dress the Salad

    Pour the dressing over the pasta salad ingredients in the bowl and toss to combine. 

    Pouring citrus dressing over the pasta mixed salad ingredients.

    Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

    Substitutions

    • Turkey: Chicken breast meat also works very well in this pasta salad. 
    • Walnuts: Other nut options include chopped almonds, macadamia nuts, or filberts, or whole pine nuts.
    • Mozzarella: Use any solid, white, semi-soft cow's milk cheese. Mexican Oaxaca cheese (pronounced wah-ha-kah) works extremely well. Like mozzarella, it has a mellow, buttery flavor, creamy texture, and slight saltiness. You can also use unaged Monterey Jack. 
    • Honey: Maple syrup will also work. It creates a slightly different, albeit pleasant, flavor profile for the dressing.

    Storage

    Store cold turkey pasta salad in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. The salad will last 2-4 days.

    Top Tip: Make it Ahead

    Honey-Citrus Pasta Salad is best when it can marinate in the fridge for at least a few hours so that the flavors can mingle, meld, and marry. It's even better if it can sit overnight!

    Honey-citrus pasta salad, plated. Large glass bowl of pasta salad in foreground.

    More Savory Citrus Recipes

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    • Plate of couscous garnished with orange slices and fresh mint.
      Cranberry Orange Pearl Couscous
    • Honey Ginger Glazed Salmon
    • Carrot Ginger Dressing (Japanese Restaurant-style Salad Dressing) recipe
      Carrot Ginger Dressing (Japanese Restaurant-style Salad Dressing)

    What to Serve with Pasta Salad as a Main Dish

    This pasta salad is relatively high in protein, and makes a great stand-alone main dish; however, our favorite time to make it is for a potluck. It goes with nearly everything, is hearty and satisfying, and is always a welcome change from mayonnaisy salads. Here are a few more of our favorite potluck recipes:

    • Close-up of pudding shots in small plastic shot cups; some garnished with toasted coconut.
    • Individual 7-layer dips, made in 7 NFL team colors, including the Cowboys, 49ers, Vikings, Packers, Bears, Seahawks, and Saints.
    • Cheese fondue dipped rye bread cube on the end of a metal skewer.
    • Bright blue plate with 9 mini tarts and two lemon slices on it. The tart int he front has a bite taken out of it, so the lemon curd is showing.
    Large glass serving bowl filled with a mix of spiral pasta, cubed turkey, grapes, celery, and other ingredients.
    5 from 1 vote

    Turkey Pasta Salad (Honey-Citrus Dressing)

    This sweet and savory main dish pasta salad is loaded with turkey, grapes, and toasted walnuts, and tossed in a deliciously refreshing honey-citrus dressing.
    Print Pin Add to Shopping List Go to Shopping List
    Course: Main, Salad
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time:30 minutes
    Total Time:30 minutes
    Servings: 16 servings
    Calories: 250kcal
    Author: Renee
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • 1 Blender or immersion blender
    • 1 large serving bowl

    Ingredients

    US Customary - Metric
    Salad
    • 12 ounces rotini cooked to al dente + 1 minute, according to package directions
    • 1 pounds roasted turkey ¼- to ½-inch cubes
    • 6 ounces mozzarella cheese ¼- to ½-inch cubes
    • 1 pounds grapes
    • ½ cup chopped walnuts toasted
    • 2 stalks celery ¼-inch cubes
    • sprigs fresh mint optional; garnish
    Citrus Dressing
    • ⅔ cup fresh orange juice juice from ~2 large oranges
    • 1 teaspoon orange zest zest from 1 large orange
    • ⅓ cup honey
    • ⅓ cup vegetable oil
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt

    Instructions

    Prep Ingredients

    • Pasta: Cook pasta according to package directions for one minute more than indicated for al dente. (i.e., if the box says that the rotini will be al dente after boiling 7 minutes, cook it for 8 minutes.) Do not overcook the pasta!
      Turkey: Cut turkey into ¼- to ½-inch cubes, depending upon your preference. 
      Walnuts: Chop the walnuts by hand. This will give you some variety in chop-size, which is a good thing. 
      [Optional] Heat a small, dry skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped nuts and stir or toss the nuts almost constantly until the color changes slightly and they begin to smell toasty. Remove from heat immediately. 
      Mozzarella: Cut cheese into ¼- to ½-inch cubes, depending upon your preference. 
      Celery: Cut celery into ¼-inch cubes. 

    Honey-Citrus Dressing

    • To make the honey-citrus dressing, combine honey, orange zest, orange juice, kosher salt, and vegetable oil in a blender cup.
      Blitz until thoroughly blended. 

    Pasta Salad

    • Toss together the cooled, cooked pasta with cubed turkey, cubed cheese, grapes, toasted nuts, and cubed celery in a large bowl.
      Set aside.
    • Pour Citrus Dressing over pasta mixture and toss to coat everything.
      Refrigerate for at least one hour; preferably overnight.
    • Toss pasta salad again just before serving.
      Garnish with orange peel and sprigs of fresh mint.

    Notes

    Honey-Citrus Pasta Salad is best when it can marinate in the fridge for at least a few hours so that the flavors can mingle, meld, and marry. (It’s even better if it can sit overnight!) 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 250kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 204mg | Potassium: 232mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 141IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 1mg
    This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
    Have you tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

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    Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details.

    Originally published June 15, 2015. Content, images, and directions have been updated to improve reader experience. 

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    About Renée B.

    Renée is writer, music maker, artist, and storyteller. In her spare time, you can find her writing love songs about cowboys, exploring the moss-covered nooks and crannies of the Pacific Northwest, and making music with her talented singer-husband.

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    1. Marlynn @UrbanBlissLife says

      June 26, 2015 at 8:17 pm

      5 stars
      I don't think I've ever had red walnuts before. I love walnuts, and pasta salad, and the flavor combinations you have happening here sound so delicious! I'll have to try this for a summer picnic this year!

      Reply
    2. Catherine says

      June 25, 2015 at 2:44 pm

      I love dressings made with citrus. This looks delish!

      Reply
    3. Meredith {MarthaChartreuse} says

      June 25, 2015 at 1:56 pm

      What a yummy combination of flavors!

      Reply
    4. Erin @ Platings and Pairings says

      June 25, 2015 at 12:01 pm

      This looks really yummy and refreshing - I've never had a pasta salad with grapes!

      Reply
    5. Ali says

      June 25, 2015 at 11:55 am

      What a yummy-sounding summer salad!

      Reply
    6. Rachel says

      June 25, 2015 at 8:54 am

      Wow!! This looks so tasty. Especially since this hot weather is coming. Thanks for sharing. I will try this one!

      Reply

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