Turkey Soup

Homemade Turkey Soup – it’s a comforting soup made with leftover roast turkey and homemade stock, leftover creamy gravy, a fair amount of nutritious vegetables, hearty noodles, and fragrant fresh herbs. It’s an excellent way to use up leftover turkey from the holidays.

This turkey soup is just like what mom and grandma made, but I’d dare say even a little better!

It’s a less wasteful more economical recipe as uses it uses up the leftover turkey, and also the turkey carcass to make a homemade turkey stock from scratch. Plus it calls for leftover gravy, and you can even use leftover corn from the holiday feast. I’ve also included the option to use dried herbs in place of fresh if that’s what you have on hand.

Here you’ll see that less waste can equate to a far more flavorful soup. The homemade stock is the game changer, it’s nutritious and so much more flavorful than store-bought.

The stock is made prior, in the slow cooker for a very hands off approach (which is what I almost always do for homemade stock now). Homemade stock can also be made on the stovetop, just simmered over low heat for a few hours. You can even cook it in a large instant pot for 1 1/2 hours.

If you don’t have the leftover carcass to make a homemade stock for the soup you can use store-bought chicken broth (just keep in mind the flavor won’t have quite the same depth, leftover gravy will be helpful if you have that).

Save this recipe for an after holiday meal. Not only does it satisfy that homestyle deliciousness we crave, but it’s a great way to settle down after the hustle and bustle of the holidays – to a simple, humble bowl of soup.

Turkey Soup Recipe Ingredients

Olive oil: Fat used to saute the mirepoix vegetable blend.

Fresh vegetables: Carrots, celery, onion and garlic are needed. These blend builds up the base flavor of the soup adding to improving it’s overall flavor.

Turkey stock: A homemade turkey stock made from the leftover turkey carcass will add immense flavor, if however you don’t have the turkey bones left (or if time doesn’t allow) you can use a store-bought chicken broth.

Herbs: Thyme, rosemary, parsley and sage are used in the recipe. Fresh or dried.

Noodles: You can use pastas such as rotini, fusilli, mini bow tie, small shells, broken fettuccine (use 5 oz. weight), or use medium size egg noodles.

Salt and black pepper: Used to enhance it’s flavor, season the soup to taste.

Leftover cooked turkey: This is fully cooked turkey from a whole roast turkey. I recommend using a blend of both turkey breast and thigh meat.

Leftover turkey gravy: This add rich dimension to the soup. If you don’t have it simply replace with 1/2 cup heavy cream for a creamy soup.

Frozen corn: You can also use leftover corn from the feast if you have some left. If not I like to use frozen petite white corn.

How to Make Turkey Soup from a Carcass

For the homemade stock for the soup you’ll need to prepare a stock from scratch prior to making the soup.

• To make the stock simply break the carcass down into portions and fit in to a 6 to 8 quart slow cooker (if it was an extra large turkey you can use half of the bones), also include some of the browned skin if there was some left.
• Add 3 peeled carrots, 2 celery ribs, 1 small onion halved, cover with warm water and season lightly with salt.
• Cover with lid and cook on low for 15 hours. Strain through a fine sieve and use amount listed in soup or cool slightly and refrigerate to use later (don’t be alarmed if it’s gelatinized, it melts upon reheating).
• It can also be made on the stove in a large pot, just simmer for a few hours checking the water level as it simmers.

How to Make Turkey Soup:

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add carrot, onion and celery and saute 8 to 10 minutes to nearly soften. Add garlic and saute 1 minute longer.

Pour in turkey stock, add thyme, rosemary, sage and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat just below medium. Cover and simmer 10 minutes.

Add pasta and cook until tender. Cook time will vary based on type of pasta or noodle used, about 6 to 12 minutes.

Stir in cooked turkey, corn, gravy and parsley and warm through. If desired you can additionally season the soup with some lemon zest or a spritz of lemon juice for bright flavor.

Possible Variations

Turkey rice soup: For a rice option simply replace the noodles with 1 cup white rice. Add it as soon as the broth simmers rather than waiting 10 minutes, as it will take about 20 to 25 minutes to cook and soften.

Creamy turkey soup: Omit the gravy and simply replace with 1/2 to 1 cup heavy cream to taste.

Turkey vegetable soup: For even more vegetables add other vegetables such as potatoes, green beans, mushrooms or peas. Omit pasta or reduce to 1 cup if adding extra vegetables. This option would also be delicious with some heavy cream (like the flavors of pot pie).

Gluten free option: For a gluten free turkey soup use a gluten free gravy or the cream option (or omit both), and use gluten free rotini pasta.

Noodle free: This soup can also be made without the pasta or egg noodles for a lower carb option. Omit and reduce the broth by 2 cups. Or replace with a low carb vegetable such as cauliflower.

Homemade noodles: If you like chicken or turkey soup with rustic homemade noodles you can simply replace the dried pasta with homemade fresh. Prepare them as directed in your recipe and cook according time listed for the recipe.

Storage

Refrigerator: Turkey soup can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days, assuming the turkey used was only 1 day old. If the turkey was made a few days prior you’d want to calculate that into the storage life it has remaining as leftover turkey should only be kept for 4 days in the fridge (freezing might be a better option).

Freezer: The soup keeps well in the freeze for up to 3 months, remember to leave about 1-inch of space in your storage containers when freezing as the soup does expand and can break the container if there isn’t proper space left. You can thin it out with some chicken broth upon reheating.

More Homestyle Soup Recipe to Try

Turkey Chili

Turkey Sausage Kale Sweet Potato Soup

Chicken Noodle Soup

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Chicken Stew