There are dozens of ideas for what to do with leftover turkey, especially after Thanksgiving and Christmas — and you can find lots of them in my Thanksgiving turkey recipe post. One of my favorites is this leftover turkey soup recipe, because it’s made with common ingredients and it’s so easy to prepare. Shredded turkey, colorful herbs, and tender veggies combine for a comforting, yet light, soup that’s perfect for those times after heavy holiday meals.
Ingredients & Substitutions
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for leftover turkey soup, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
Olive Oil – For sauteing. You can substitute any neutral cooking oil you like.Vegetables – Onion, carrots, celery, and cauliflower. You can use other veggies such as green beans, peas, and zucchini, frozen bagged vegetables, or even leftover veggies from holiday meals.Sea Salt & Black Pepper – As needed. For an extra savory flavor, add a teaspoon or two of poultry seasoning.Leftover Turkey Meat – I like using leftover Thanksgiving turkey, slow cooker turkey breast, or even meat from turkey legs in this recipe for turkey soup. (It’s one of the best things to do with leftover turkey of any kind!) If you don’t have any, you can use store-bought shredded turkey, or other poultry like shredded chicken. Another option is to add pieces of raw chicken or turkey directly to the soup, and let them cook while the soup simmers.Chicken Broth – I use a reduced sodium version. If time allows, make homemade bone broth instead using your leftover turkey carcass.Fresh Herbs – Including fresh parsley and fresh thyme. If you need to use dried herbs, replace with 2 teaspoons dried parsley and 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme.
How To Make Turkey Soup
This section shows how to make this leftover turkey soup recipe, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
How Long Is Leftover Turkey Good For?
Leftover turkey will keep in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. If you make leftover turkey recipes with it, they will still be good for the same time frame from when the turkey was originally cooked.
To make the turkey soup creamy: Add up to 1/2 cup heavy cream in the last 5 minutes of simmering. For turkey noodle soup: Replace either all or half of the cauliflower with your favorite dry pasta, and add it in the last 8-12 minutes of simmering. (That’s how long noodles will take to cook, and you don’t want to add them too soon to prevent overcooking.)
Storage Instructions
Store: Keep leftovers in a covered container up to 4 days in the refrigerator.Reheat: Pour leftovers in a pot over medium heat and simmer until warm.Freeze: Place portions in freezer safe containers or zip lock bags, and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight or reheat directly from frozen.
More Leftover Turkey Recipes
Turkey isn’t just for soup… try these other leftover turkey recipes:
Casseroles – One dish casseroles are perfect for busy schedules! Try this leftover turkey casserole or make chicken cordon bleu casserole with turkey meat instead.Salads – This turkey salad recipe is my favorite. You can also swap chicken with turkey in avocado chicken salad, buffalo chicken salad, or Mediterranean chicken salad. Or, add plain meat on top of fall dishes like butternut squash salad and kale crunch salad.Sandwiches – Use turkey in cucumber subs, lettuce wraps, or between slices of your favorite bread (almond flour bread is one of my fave healthy options).
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