Turkey Soup
on Oct 17, 2023, Updated Apr 23, 2024
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Revitalize that leftover holiday turkey with our Easy-To-Make Turkey Soup! In addition to turkey, this soup features a savory broth, fresh veggies, and a handful of common spices that come together to create a mouth-watering, hearty dish that the whole family will love.
Are you tired of throwing away leftover turkey? My homemade turkey soup is a great way to repurpose leftovers that would otherwise go to waste. By combining your leftover turkey with a handful of pantry staples you can create a savory soup that will be gobbled down as soon as it hits the table.
One of our favorite things about this dish is how inexpensive it is to make. Many of the ingredients are likely in your pantry already, which makes preparing this soup even easier.
You can serve this turkey soup with homemade bread or a dinner roll for dipping. Enhance the meal with a grilled cheese sandwich, a light green salad, or warm cornbread. For a heartier option, add cooked rice or quinoa, or pair with roasted vegetables like carrots and sweet potatoes. These sides complement the soup’s comforting qualities and make for a satisfying meal.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It is a great way to repurpose your leftovers.
- Hearty and full of nutrients.
- Inexpensive dish to make, this soup is extremely easy to customize.
- Comes together in under an hour.
Recipe Ingredients
- Olive Oil—Or another high heat oil like avocado oil.
- Carrots—Peeled and diced.
- Celery—Either celery hearts or celery stalks.
- Spices—A mix of dried minced onion, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
- Turkey—Shredded.
- Egg Noodles—Can be replaced with fettuccine noodles if needed.
- Turkey Broth—Or you can use chicken broth.
- Water—To help cook the egg noodles.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Popular Substitutions and Variations
- Looking to add some extra nutrients? Toss some kale, spinach, or onion into your soup.
- Want a little extra flavor? Top your soup with freshly grated parmesan cheese.
- Looking for a little texture? Oyster crackers make a great addition to this savory soup.
How to Make Turkey Soup
Step #1. Heat the oil in a large pot. After you have heated the oil, add the carrots, celery, and spices. Cook until the veggies are soft and tender.
Step #2. Add the turkey, egg noodles, turkey broth, and water to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil while stirring it occasionally.
Step #3. Once the soup is at a boil, cover the pot and reduce the heat to a simmer. Allow the soup to simmer until the noodles are fully cooked and all the ingredients are tender.
Step #4. Top your soup with a dash of extra salt and pepper. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
Broths and stocks are often confused in the kitchen. While you can technically use either one in this recipe, the way in which they are made is a little different. A stock is generally made using the flavor from bones while broth uses the flavor in the actual meat. However, both generally use vegetables and spices to add depth and flavor.
If you feel like your soup is too bland, you will want to start with an extra pinch of salt and pepper. You want to be careful not to cover the flavor that comes from the turkey broth and the turkey itself. Additionally, you can season your veggies and chicken with a few teaspoons of poultry seasoning or dried parsley.
Yes! If you have extra time, you can let your soup simmer for about 30 minutes before adding the noodles. This will give the flavors of the spices, veggies, broth, and turkey meat time to develop and blend together. As a result, your noodles will absorb more flavor as they cook, giving you a more flavorful end product.
Expert Tips
- In addition to some extra salt and pepper, this soup is great topped with a little bit of freshly chopped parsley.
- You can add some chopped spinach to this dish to add some more vitamins and minerals to your soup.
- This is a great fall recipe, allowing you to revitalize any leftover Thanksgiving or holiday turkey.
- You can replace the turkey broth with chicken broth if that is all you have. While it has a mild effect on the flavor of the soup, it still tastes delicious.
- Egg noodles are a little chewier than regular pasta noodles and add some extra richness to the dish, but pasta noodles can be used if that is all you have.
How to Store Your Leftover Soup
Any leftover soup should be stored in an airtight container. You can store your leftover soup in the fridge for up to 5 days before it goes bad. When reheating your leftover soup, simply toss it in the microwave in a bowl or container covered with a paper towel. Heat the leftovers for about 1 ½ minutes, or until warm all the way through.
Alternatively, you can freeze this soup for up to 3 months. Allow the soup to come to room temperature before transferring it to a Ziploc bag and placing it in the freezer as flat as possible. When you are ready to serve your soup, let it thaw in the fridge completely and then reheat it in a pot over medium heat.
More Soup Recipes To Consider
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Chicken Wild Rice Soup
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Tomato Basil Soup
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Turkey Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1 teaspoon minced onion
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 cups shredded turkey meat
- 8 ounces egg noodles
- 4 cups turkey broth
- 2 cups water
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is heated, add the carrots, celery, and spices. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the veggies begin to soften.
- Add the turkey, noodles, broth, and water. Stir to combine and bring the liquid to a boil.
- Once the liquid is boiling, cover the pot and reduce the heat to a simmer. Allow the soup to simmer for 25 minutes.
- Top the soul with some extra pepper and salt to taste, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
- In addition to some extra salt and pepper, this soup is great topped with some fresh parsley.
- You can also add some chopped spinach to this dish to add some more vitamins and minerals.
- Any leftover soup is best stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat your leftover soup for about 1 1/2 minutes in the microwave.
- You can freeze this soup for up to 3 months. Allow your soup to cool down to room temperature and transfer it to a Ziploc bag. Lay the soup flat in your freezer to take up less space. When you are ready to enjoy your soup, set it in the fridge to thaw completely and then reheat on the stovetop until hot.
- This is a great fall recipe, allowing you to revitalize any leftover thanksgiving turkey.
- You can replace the turkey broth with chicken broth if that is all you have. While it has a mild effect on the flavor of the soup, it still tastes delicious!
