Leftover Turkey Soup Recipe

Leftover Turkey Soup

This leftover turkey soup is the coziest thing to make with Thanksgiving leftovers. Tender shreds of turkey, sweet carrots, celery, and onion simmer in a savory broth with egg noodles and a handful of fresh herbs, turning the bird you already cooked into a second dinner that tastes like you planned it all along. It comes together in about 40 minutes, uses the turkey carcass if you saved it, and freezes beautifully for a cold night later in the month.

The secret is a quick homemade stock from the carcass — even 30 minutes of simmering pulls out far more flavor than plain broth — and adding the noodles near the end so they stay tender instead of turning to mush.

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 40 minutes Servings: 6

What You’ll Need

• Large stockpot or Dutch oven
• Wooden spoon
• Ladle
• Fine-mesh strainer (if making stock from the carcass)

For the pot itself, see our best Dutch ovens guide — a heavy pot holds a steady simmer and makes this soup even easier.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil or unsalted butter
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into coins
• 2 celery stalks, sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 8 cups turkey or chicken stock (homemade from the carcass if you have it, or low-sodium store-bought)
• 3 cups cooked turkey, shredded or cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
• 1 1/2 cups egg noodles
• 1 cup frozen peas (optional)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Sauté the vegetables. Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6–8 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more until fragrant.
2. Add the stock and seasonings. Pour in the stock, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the bay leaf, thyme, and rosemary. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes so the vegetables turn tender and the flavors meld.
3. Add the turkey. Stir in the shredded turkey and simmer for 5 minutes more. The turkey is already cooked — this step just warms it through and lets it absorb the broth.
4. Cook the noodles. Increase the heat to medium, add the egg noodles, and cook for 7–8 minutes, until the noodles are just tender. Stir in the peas (if using) for the last 2 minutes of cooking.
5. Finish and season. Remove the bay leaf. Stir in the lemon juice and parsley, then taste and season with salt and pepper. Leftover turkey varies in saltiness, so season at the end rather than the start.
6. Serve. Ladle into warm bowls and serve with crusty bread or leftover dinner rolls for dunking.

Tips for the Best Leftover Turkey Soup

• Make quick stock from the carcass. If you saved the turkey carcass, cover it with water in the same pot with an onion, a carrot, and a bay leaf, simmer 30–45 minutes, and strain. Even a short simmer beats store-bought broth for depth of flavor.
• Add noodles near the end. Egg noodles go from tender to mushy fast. Adding them in the last 8 minutes keeps them firm, and if you plan to freeze the soup, cook the noodles separately and add them when reheating.
• Use dark and white meat. A mix of leftover breast and thigh meat gives the best flavor and texture — thigh meat stays especially tender in the soup.

Warm, hearty, and made from the turkey you already have — this leftover turkey soup is the leftover recipe that earns a spot in the regular rotation.