Name: Leftover Turkey Soup
Prep time: 8 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 2 to 3 cups leftover Turkey meat; 32 ounce of chicken stock (or vegetable broth); 2 cups water; 3 Tbsp. olive oil; 1 large shallot- chopped; 2 garlic cloves; 3 carrots - chopped; 3 celery stalks - chopped; 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper; 2 bay leaves; 1/2 tsp. salt; 1/4 cup fresh parsley- chopped; Optional for serving: add some noodles, cooked rice or quinoa

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This simple Leftover Turkey Soup is the perfect light and cozy meal after the holidays! It’s our favorite way to make the most of leftover Thanksgiving turkey. Quick to prepare, full of flavor, and wonderfully comforting… this soup is as easy as it is delicious. Plus, it freezes beautifully for an effortless meal later on!

A white bowl filled with soup, sliced carrots and leftover turkey meat.

Leftover Turkey Soup…

If you like our family, and have any leftover turkey from the Thanksgiving dinner, then you know our mothers and grandmothers always made a pot of soup using the leftover turkey.

Plus, the hectic holiday weekend always follows after Thanksgiving -especially when the shopping frenzy starts, and “shop till you drop” comes into play. And, no one has the time (or even have the desire) to cook. Sounds familiar?

Well, our mom always made a large pot of turkey soup for us to enjoy for days. And, this recipe is an easy one. You know me by now, quick and easy is my motto!

This soup becomes a snap and it’s perfect enough to serve the day after devouring a heavy meal on Thanksgiving.

To help speed up the time, I prefer using store-bought chicken stock, and nowadays you can even find turkey stock at the supermarket.

A white bowl of soup filled with sliced carrots, and turkey meat.

Ingredients You Will Need:

2 to 3 cups leftover Turkey meat
32 ounce of chicken stock (or vegetable broth)
2 cups water
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large shallot- chopped
2 garlic cloves
3 carrots – chopped
3 celery stalks – chopped
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup fresh parsley- chopped

How to Make Turkey Soup with Leftover Turkey?

This is a straightforward recipe to make leftover turkey soup, an it’s quick to make. Plus, our full recipe card is located at the bottom, but first, let’s run through the steps so you can see what’s involved:

First, grab a large soup pot, and sauté some shallots (or onions) with some garlic for 2 minutes.
Then add in fresh vegetables and cook until softened.
Pour the broth and water, along with some seasonings, and your leftover shredded turkey meat (either dark or white meat, or both). Cover and bring to a full boil.
Then simmer for a few minutes longer and it’s ready to serve.

Do You Prefer to Make Your Own Turkey Stock?

If you prefer to make your own turkey stock, here are some great tips on how to make it:

Start by using the turkey’s carcass, simmer in a large pot in water with fresh vegetables and herbs for about 1 to 2 hours.
Then remove all the bones and vegetables, strain the broth, and you’ll have your own turkey stock. Great!

QUICK NOTE: Honestly, making homemade turkey stock is very time-consuming, so I prefer the easy way out. It’s just as good – if not better.

To Store and Freeze…

Always wait until the soup cools down completely before transferring it to a sealed container. Then store it in your refrigerator, and keep it chilled. It will stay fresh for up to 3 days.
This soup also freezes beautifully, and for up to 1 month.

A Quick and Easy Meal…

Leftover Turkey Soup is good for the whole family. This recipe takes less than 30 minutes to make, it’s very light, tasty, and terrific to eat for a few days after the holiday. Everyone will enjoy it.

Enjoy!

Have you tried our Leftover Turkey Soup? Let us know and leave a comment at the bottom of this page, and don’t forget the stars! Sharing your comments help our community to stay strong. And, thank you!

Leftover Turkey Soup

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Prep Time: 8 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Leftover Turkey soup is perfect for a light lunch or dinner after the holiday! It's our favorite way to use our leftover turkey from Thanksgiving. This recipe is fast, easy and delicious tasting! Freezable too!

Ingredients

2 to 3 cups leftover Turkey meat
32 ounce of chicken stock (or vegetable broth)
2 cups water
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large shallot- chopped
2 garlic cloves
3 carrots - chopped
3 celery stalks - chopped
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup fresh parsley- chopped
Optional for serving: add some noodles, cooked rice or quinoa

Instructions

1. In a medium or large soup pot, heat olive oil.

2. Add the chopped shallots (or onion) and garlic cloves. Sauté for 1 minute. Add the vegetables and sauté for 3 minutes, until softened.

3. Add remaining ingredients, including all the liquid, herbs, and seasonings. Cover with a lid. Bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes. QUICK NOTE: here is where you can add in 1 cup of noodles, quinoa, or cooked rice.

4. Remove bay leaves before serving. Serve in individual bowls. Refrigerate in a sealed container, and for up to 3 days.

Serves 6 to 8

Notes

The nutritional value does not include the pasta, quinoa, or rice, if added.

To Store: Always wait until the soup cools down completely before transferring it to a sealed container. Then store it in your refrigerator, it will stay fresh for up to 3 days.

To Freeze: This soup freezes beautifully and for up to 1 month.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 servings Serving Size: 1 serving
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 163Total Fat: 9.7gCarbohydrates: 4.1gFiber: .9gSugar: 2.1gProtein: 14.5g

Happy and Healthy Thanksgiving To Everyone! 🙂

Thanks for stopping by…

xo anna and liz

Welcome! From Anna and Liz

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