Lemon Parmesan Leftover Turkey Risotto

Leftover Turkey Risotto is a non-negotiable during twixtmas. It’s a lovely difference from the usual meat + two veg that we’ve been enjoying in our Christmas feasting. Creamy cheesy rice deeply flavoured with garlic, lemon and vermouth and plenty of freshly grated parmesan.

I make my risotto to a similar recipe throughout the year but there’s something extra special about specifically making stock from the leftover turkey bones and using the meat to enrich this supper. It feels cohesive and cosy. There’s nothing more peaceful in these dark and mysterious evenings between Christmas and New Year when time seems to stand still, than calmly stirring a rich pot of risotto.

We’re keeping it simple here using just the light and dark turkey meat but if I have also baked a Christmas Ham (and I usually have) then I throw a handful of ham cubes in too. You don’t need to be too specific with how much turkey or leftover meat you add. You won’t feel the pinch even if you have half the amount of turkey specified. A lovely side of green salad will go some way to appease the shortfall.

This recipe is straightforward and simple so you can get back to spending time with your family. I’ve even included the option of an Instant Pot version which I occasionally turn to if I want a night off from the stove.

Ingredients Needed

Leftover turkey. You could also use leftover or rotisserie chicken if you are making this out of season. Chop into larger bite-sized pieces so they don’t disintegrate into the sauce as you are stirring it in. Use both white and dark meat. You could also cook off fresh turkey or chicken especially for this risotto, why limit yourself to making this just once a year. If you don’t have as much leftover turkey as the below recipe suggests then just add in what you have. You can supplement the risotto if you don’t feel it’s enough with a lovely green side salad.

Butter. We are using unsalted butter at the start of the recipe to build the butter flavour in. You could use salted butter but by using unsalted you can control the salt content of the dish. If you’re making this dairy-free then just omit the butter and use olive oil.

Olive oil. We use olive oil alongside the butter to kick off proceedings to temper the temperature of the butter so it doesn’t burn.

Onion. Choose a large white onion and dice very small. If you’re being fancy then choose shallots which will give a more delicate flavour profile. Although I do feel they would be overpowered by our turkey here.

Celery. Adds to our flavour base, again, dice very small.

Garlic. You can use crushed fresh garlic or a teaspoon of lazy garlic.

Lemon. Since we are using both the zest and the juice, make sure the lemon is unwaxed so you don’t have to scrub it off first.

Vermouth. You need a dry white Vermouth which pairs so nicely with the lemon flavour. I keep in Noilly Prat specifically for this purpose (and our Christmas martinis). You can opt for Martini Extra Dry which can be more widely available. If you don’t have vermouth in and don’t want to buy a bottle specifically you can swap for a glass of dry white wine, it doesn’t have the depth of vermouth but it’s a good substitute.

Arborio rice. Or your favourite risotto rice but arborio is the most widely available. Try not to substitute for whatever rice you have in as it won’t have the same texture. Arborio contributes to the signature creamy texture of the risotto. I do recommend you buy in the specific rice as otherwise the timings will be off and the texture won’t be the same.

Stock. My best tip for this dish is to use fresh stock. The difference it makes in flavour and texture is astounding. Chicken or turkey stock is perfect. If you are making it with leftover turkey then hopefully you might also have some bones to hand and I’ll show you how to make turkey stock from the carcass.

Parmesan. We grate a bunch of parmesan into the risotto right at the end after it’s finished cooking. It helps achieve a lovely savoury depth. If you think you’ll just use cheddar as that’s what you have in I might have to stop you there. Although I’m British and a mound of cheddar on top of spaghetti bolognaise is de rigeur, here I advise you to buy a wedge of parmesan especially. The flavour cannot be messed with. If you are dairy-free then choose a plant-based parmesan.

Egg yolk. You whisk in the egg yolk to the cooked risotto to make your finished dish more silky and cohesive. Think of how eggs are used to enrich carbonara and that’s what you have here. Don’t worry you won’t taste the egg and you won’t be having it raw as it cooks into the hot risotto even though it’s off the heat.

Parsley. Totally optional but it does add a little bit of freshness to your plate and a spark of greenery.

How To Make Turkey Risotto

For full recipe instructions go to the recipe card at the end of this post.

Peel and dice the onion and celery into small pieces. Melt the olive oil and butter in a large cooking pot and add the onion and celery. Cook until softened.

Add the crushed garlic, stir for about 30 seconds then add the zest of the lemon, the salt and pepper and the rice. Stir the rice well to fry it and coat it with the oil and aromatics for 1-2 minutes.

Deglaze the pot with the vermouth. Keep stirring it into the rice and allow it to cook off for 1-2 minutes.

Add ladlefuls of hot stock into the rice, stirring it in so it can absorb. Once the pot is starting to dry then add another ladleful. Keep stirring the all the while so it doesn’t catch on the bottom of the pan. Carry on stirring and occasionally adding more stock until the rice is plump and almost ready.

Add the turkey pieces, stirring gently in. Keep adding more stock as you need to (maybe another 5 minutes) until the rice is tender with a slight bite to it. Taste to check.

Stir the parmesan and egg yolk into the risotto along with a good squeeze of lemon juice. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt and pepper if needed. Place the lid onto the risotto and allow to rest for 2-3 minutes whilst you get the bowls ready to serve.

Make In Advance (including safety and freezing guidelines)

If you are using leftover turkey then it is not advised to make the risotto in advance (which requires re-heating it). This is because the turkey will be re-heated twice. The Food Standards Agency recommends only re-heating poultry once to adhere to food safety practices.

However, you can make the risotto up to the point of adding in the turkey. You don’t want to make the risotto completely as on the re-heat the rice will be overcooked. Allow to cool and chill for up to 3 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

When you are ready to serve the risotto heat it in the large pan and complete the recipe, adding in more stock to finish cooking the rice and adding the turkey and finishing with the parmesan and egg yolk.

Freezing

If you are using leftover turkey then it is not recommended to make up the whole of this recipe and then freeze this risotto as the turkey will be re-heated more than once.

You can make up the risotto as above. Allow to cool completely then freeze in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator then finish making the risotto with the turkey and the rest of the ingredients as per the recipe.

If you are planning on having the risotto with leftover turkey as per this recipe then you could make it a couple of months before Christmas / Thanksgiving to thaw and finish the recipe when you have your leftovers.

Turkey and Ham Risotto. If I have leftover turkey then you can expect I will also have leftover ham (since I usually make the two for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day respectively). So I have made this recipe just as many times with ham added in the mix. If you are keeping to the 400g meat in the recipe then 300g turkey and 100g ham is a good ratio. However, you can just use what you have.

Instant Pot Method

You can make this risotto in the Instant Pot with great success. It doesn’t quite have the same silky smooth texture as the stove-based option which benefits from the hand stirring to promote the starch being released from the rice. However, it’s a great hands off option. You’ll need less stock and you should add the turkey in after the high pressure cooking. Here are the brief steps.

1. Turn your Instant Pot to ‘Saute’ mode and add the olive oil and butter. Once melted add the celery and onion, cook for 2-3 minutes.
2. Add the garlic and lemon zest. Stir for about 30 seconds then add the vermouth to deglaze the pot.
3. Add the rice to the pot and stir well to coat with the oil and aromatics. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Pour in 700g stock (so less than the original recipe), making sure to stir well into the rice.
5. Close the Instant Pot lid and set the valve to ‘Sealing.’ Select the ‘Pressure Cook’ (or ‘Manual’) setting and cook on high for 6 minutes.
6. After the cooking time is up then carefully perform a quick release of the pressure.
7. Open the lid, taste and stir the turkey in gently for 1-2 minutes. Make sure it is diced small and not directly from the fridge so it cooks through in the residual heat. Check the consistency of the risotto whether you need a little more stock to loosen and taste for seasoning.
8. Finish by stirring in the egg yolk, parmesan and finally the lemon juice.
9. Serve with sprinkled parsley.

More Leftover Turkey Recipes You’ll Love

This really is the best Leftover Turkey Curry you could hope to make. It’s deliciously creamy with coconut milk and double cream, punchy with spices, garlic, chilli and ginger and is gorgeously relaxing to make.

Cosy Turkey Hotpot turns your leftover turkey into a warming and nostalgic family friendly dinner. Cooked into a garlic and herb creamy sauce, the turkey is topped with layers of buttery crisp potatoes.

Herby Leftover Turkey Salad with Crunchy Fridge Raid Veg is a light and fresh way to use leftovers. Diced roasted turkey is dressed in a sharp dill and gherkin yoghurt dressing and served with a bright crunchy salad. Accompany it with whatever vegetables need using up in the fridge.