Looking for a delicious way to use your leftover Thanksgiving turkey? Here’s how to make a delicious and easy turkey soup using leftover turkey.
The best way to eat leftovers is to transform them into something new and different. This turkey soup recipe is another delicious recipe to use leftover turkey from the holiday.
David and I enjoy this soup with leftover smoked turkey, but the turkey doesn’t necessarily have to be smoked; you can also use oven-roasted turkey.
This leftover turkey soup recipe is delicious, and I guarantee you it will be a recipe you will save for years to come.
Turkey Soup Ingredients & Substitutions
Oil: I always use extra virgin olive oil, but use whatever cooking oil you prefer.
Vegetables: mirepoix – diced celery, carrots, onion and garlic.
Herbs: fresh thyme, bay leaf and parsley
Leftover Turkey: shredded white meat, dark meat, or a combination of the two.
Broth: turkey, chicken broth, or vegetable broth. I made homemade turkey stock using the leftover pieces from spatchcocking our turkey for this recipe.
Rice: long grain uncooked white rice or brown rice. Any wild rice blend is an excellent option. (*see notes)
Parmesan Cheese Rind: about 2×2 inch piece. You can substitute with ¼ cup of grated parmesan cheese (*see recipe tips)
Seasoning: Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Lemon Juice: serve the soup with lemon wedges. The acid in the lemon juice brightens up the soup and balances out the flavor.
How to Make Turkey Soup
Sauté the Veggies: heat the oil and cook the vegetables until tender. Then, cook the garlic and fresh thyme until fragrant.
Pour in the Liquid: Pour in the broth and toss in a bay leaf.
Simmer: bring the soup to a boil, then reduce and simmer for at least 30 minutes (longer if you have time)
Mix in Rice and Parmesan Rind: Stir in the rice and parmesan rind. Simmer until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes.
Serving: remove the bay leaf and parmesan rind. Taste the soup. Add salt and pepper and adjust as needed. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve with fresh chopped parsley and lemon wedges.
Storage and Freezing
- Store leftover soup sealed tightly in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat the soup on the stove or in the microwave.
- Freeze soup in the freezer for up to 6 months. Thaw the frozen soup overnight inside a pot over low heat on the stove.
Tips for the Best Turkey Soup Recipe
- I recommend simmering this soup for 1 hour. (the longer, the better).
- You can omit a parmesan cheese rind if you do not have it. The rind does bring a lot of extra flavor, though. You could always stir a ¼ cup of grated parmesan cheese into the soup before serving.
- Adjust the total cooking time based on the ingredients you use.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Use ¼ teaspoon dried thyme instead of fresh.
Yes, perfect swap. You can use egg noodles or any pasta. Adjust the soup’s cooking time based on the time needed to cook the egg noodles or pasta – refer to the package instructions.
Yes! Using cooked rice is faster. If using cooked rice, you do not need to simmer the soup longer than 30 minutes.
Making this turkey soup recipe? We’d love to hear your feedback. Leave us a comment and a star rating below. We really appreciate it!
See ya on the mountain!
Easy Leftover Turkey Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup carrot peeled and diced
- 1 cup celery diced
- 1 cup onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
- 1-2 cups cooked turkey shredded
- 8 cups broth homemade turkey broth, chicken or vegetable
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ cup uncooked rice
- Parmesan cheese rind about 2×2 inch piece (*see note)
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- Fresh chopped parsley and lemon wedges and crackers for serving
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large dutch oven (or heavy pot) over medium heat. Add carrots, celery, and onion, and cook until tender, about 7-10 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and thyme and cook for one minute or until fragrant.
- Add in the turkey, and pour in the broth. Toss in a bay leaf and bring the pot to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer the soup covered until the veggies are tender about 30 minutes.
- Add in the rice and parmesan rind (if using) and continue to simmer, low, for 20 minutes or until the rice is tender.
- Remove the bay leaf and the parmesan rind, and season the soup to taste.
- Ladle into bowls and serve with parsley, lemon wedges, and saltine crackers.
Notes
- I recommend simmering this soup for 1 hour. (the longer, the better).
- You can omit a parmesan cheese rind if you do not have it. The rind does bring a lot of extra flavor, though. You could always stir a ¼ cup of grated parmesan cheese into the soup before serving.
- Use ¼ teaspoon dried thyme instead of fresh.
- Substitute egg noodles or any pasta for the rice. Adjust the soup’s cooking time based on the time needed to cook the egg noodles or pasta – refer to the package instructions.
- Using cooked rice is faster. If using cooked rice, you do not need to simmer the soup longer than 30 minutes.
- Calories are calculated using rice and parmesan cheese rind only. See our Policies & Disclaimers page for more info.
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