Leftover Turkey Soup Recipe

This leftover turkey soup is a delicious, savory way to use up some of that leftover Thanksgiving turkey you’ve still got in the fridge.

What To Do With Leftover Turkey

Leftover turkey recipes see a surge of traffic the day after Thanksgiving. And for good reason. There is usually a fair amount of turkey that needs eating after the holidays is done and gone.

A good leftover turkey recipe will help you enjoy what’s been leftover from the holiday festivities so that nothing goes to waste.

Turkey Stock

If you have that carcass left over from Thanksgiving, put it to good use and make turkey stock! There is nothing quite like homemade stock, and the good news is, it’s simple to make. Here’s how to make turkey stock. And I promise, it will take your homemade soup to new, flavorful heights.

Turkey Noodle Soup

A good chicken or turkey soup really needs more than just a good flavored broth. It needs something to fill that broth. And whether you prefer rice or noodles, both are equally wonderful at bulking up a good broth.

In my experience, it’s always better to cook the noodles separately to package directions. This recipe reflects that.

The best way to get the most flavor out of your pasta is to salt your cooking water. In a large pot of water, I will usually add about 1 tbsp. of salt. A good portion of which, will stay behind in the water when you strain the pasta.

Turkey Rice Soup

If you prefer turkey rice soup over turkey noodle, then it’s easy enough to switch the noodles for rice in this recipe.

What You’ll Need

4 cups chicken broth – Look for broth that is low in sodium and has no added sugar (a.k.a dextrose). You’ll probably add salt to this soup anyway, so having all the extra sodium in your broth is never a good idea.

1 cup sliced carrots – These can be regular, peeled carrots with green tops removed, or you can use baby carrots. Either one will work well here.

2 medium celery stalks – Slice these thin for the best texture in your soup. Large chunks of celery are rarely appetizing.

1 tbsp. garlic powder – Do not use garlic salt. A simple granulated garlic powder is all you need.

1 tbsp. dried onion – You can use onion powder if you don’t have any dried onions. Either one will work here.

2 tsp. dried sage – only use 1 tsp. if your turkey was cooked with sage. Otherwise, the flavor will overpower your soup.

2 cups cooked, shredded turkey – This will be your leftover turkey. Shred some of the pieces and add it to your soup. 2 cups is just a starting point. You can add more or less as you wish.

Noodles or rice – Add as much as you like at the end when serving. See notes in instructions for keep your noodles or rice from getting mushy.

How To Make Turkey Soup

• Boil – In a medium sized soup pot, bring the broth, carrots, celery and spices to a boil.
• Add – Boil until the vegetable are cooked to your liking and then toss in the turkey.
• Cook – Cook for an additional 5 minutes just to warm the meat, and serve.
• Serve – Add any cooked noodles or rice. Note that you may want to add the rice or noodles at serving instead of dumping them into your big pot of soup. Storing them separately will keep them from getting mushy from soaking up extra liquid in the soup overnight.

More Leftover Turkey Recipes

• Leftover Turkey Shepherd’s Pie
• Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey Sandwich

Leftover Turkey Soup