Leftover Turkey Soup
, Updated Nov 04, 2022
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This Leftover Turkey Soup recipe is a great way to use up leftover turkey from your Thanksgiving or Christmas feast! This healthy soup is easy and quick to make, delicious AND healthy too.
This soup is Syn Free on Slimming World and Keto Friendly / Low Carb / Gluten Free without the noodles.
Check out my Air Fryer Turkey recipe!
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The best part about Thanksgiving and Christmas is the leftovers, am I right? Well, ONE of the best parts anyway 😉
Even though I usually choose a small turkey or turkey breast (check out my Slow Cooker Turkey Crown), I always end up with some leftovers.
But that’s a bonus because I can add to my growing catalogue of leftover turkey recipes. This healthy turkey soup is my latest addition and such a tasty and easy way to feel restored after overindulging!
WHAT GOES INTO MY LEFTOVER TURKEY SOUP
Onions, carrots and celery are the classic base for many soup recipes, adding flavor to the broth. You can even find these three vegetables ready chopped, fresh or frozen, as “soup mix” in some supermarkets.
You can add all sorts of other vegetables in your soup such as potatoes, zucchini, corn and leeks. I wanted to have the option to make a Keto turkey soup version so I have just used zucchini and fresh tomatoes in this instance. Feel free to improvise!
I decided to make a Turkey Noodle soup as I love using little broken up vermicelli or ditalini noodles to thicken my soups.
Or how about using giant couscous (also known as pearl couscous, Israeli couscous or fregola) as I have done in my popular Hearty Chicken and Vegetable soup? Orzo and long grain rice can also be used if you prefer.
Your soup will taste even better if you use your turkey carcass to make the stock. But canned broth, a stock cube or bone broth will all work too!
Well let’s not forget the all important herbs! I used plenty of chives, parsley and dill in this soup to add color and flavor. You can replace the dill with fresh basil if you aren’t a fan.
TURKEY SOUP IN 30 MINUTES
Full measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page. Please take a look at the steps and video before attempting this recipe!
Since you are using cooked turkey, this soup is super quick and easy to make! Start by gently cooking your onions, carrots and celery until softened but not colored.
Stir in the garlic, bay leaf, salt and pepper, add the diced tomatoes and chicken stock and bring to the boil.
Lower heat to a simmer and stir in the courgette (zucchini), turkey, herbs and lemon juice. Simmer gently for 5 minutes.
Stir the pasta in and cook for time indicated on the pack (usually 8-10 minutes) or until al dente.
Discard the bay leaf and check the seasoning adding salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and chives and serve with a slice of crusty bread.
HOMEMADE TURKEY BROTH
Put the turkey carcass in a slow cooker and add two celery ribs, two carrots, a yellow onion, three tablespoons apple cider vinegar and two bay leaves. Cover with water and cook on the LOW setting overnight or for 12 hours.
Strain the broth and discard everything apart from the carrots which you can use in the soup. Store the broth in the fridge or use straight away.
REHEATING TURKEY NOODLE SOUP
Any leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to three days. The noodles will absorb more of the broth over this time so you will need to add a bit of water or stock when reheating. This soup is not suitable for freezing.
MAKE IT KETO!
This turkey soup recipe is suitable for the Keto diet if you skip the noodles! You can simply leave those out or replace them with some Konjac noodles (also known as Shirataki Noodles or Miracle Noddles).
My preferred brand is Better Than Noodles. Drain the noodles and rinse in plenty of water before adding to your soup.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH SOUP
This turkey soup is just delicious on its own but even better with a slice of bread! Try my Slow Cooker Soda Bread, Easy No Knead Bread or Sourdough Bread.
If you are making a Keto version of this turkey soup make sure to add some of my Keto Bread on the side!
Use up your leftover turkey in these recipes
- Chicken Alfredo (use turkey instead of chicken)
- Easy Leftover Turkey Curry
- Thai Turkey Salad
- Creamy Leftover Turkey Pasta
Leftover Turkey Soup
Video
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil or olive oil cooking spray
- 2 onions , finely diced
- 2 carrots , finely diced
- 3 stalks celery , finely diced
- 1 tsp garlic paste or minced garlic
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground pepper
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh chives
- 1 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley
- ½ tsp dried dill
- 2 litres (8 cups) turkey or chicken stock
- 2 medium tomatoes , seeded and chopped
- 1 courgette (zucchini) finely diced
- 1 tbsp lemon juice or to taste
- 65 g (½ cup) fine vermicelli or small pasta shapes (see notes
- 450 g (2 ¾ cups) cooked turkey or chicken, diced
To serve
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh chives
- 1 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large deep pot (Dutch Oven) and sauté the onions, carrots and celery for five minutes, stirring.
- Add the garlic, bay leaf, salt and pepper and stir to combine.
- Add the diced tomatoes and chicken stock and bring to the boil.
- Lower heat to a simmer and stir in the courgette (zucchini), turkey, herbs and lemon juice. Simmer gently for 5 minutes.
- Stir the pasta in and cook for time indicated on the pack (usually 8-10 minutes) or until al dente.
- Discard the bay leaf and check the seasoning adding salt and pepper to taste.
- Sprinkle with chopped parsley and chives and serve.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is always approximate, and will depend on quality of ingredients and serving sizes.
Delicious
This was so yummy and so easy! I love lemon in soup, adds that bit of freshness. Served with a wedge salad and crusty bread. Definitely going on my Pinterest Board
I have bronchitis and live alone so I used my little energy and made this turkey soup. I even took a picture (I hope I can figure out how to share it.) I didn’t have all the spices so I just went with it. Haven’t tried it yet. It looks delicious.
Hope you feel better soon Rita! ❤️
Just a heads up — your directions in both places call for lemon juice but it is not listed in the ingredient list. I didn’t buy a lemon!! Oops! The ONE time I don’t just have one handy. 😉
thanks Jennifer – will make sure to correct.
Thanks for sharing, this soup looks a lovely way to use up the leftovers 🙂