The moment Thanksgiving is over, my brain starts to think about all the great recipes I can make from the leftover turkey I just packaged away. I turn it into casseroles and salads, but this warm and delicious turkey soup is probably my favorite use for it. Of course, it can be made with leftover chicken, too, which I’ve done plenty of times. I love that it’s simple to make yet so delicious. It makes my entire family feel loved because it has cozy goodness in every bite.
Recipe Highlights
Soothing and delicious: Soups like these are just good for the soul. From the warm broth to the whole-food ingredients, every part of this recipe is wholesome and always gives me comforting, soothing vibes, just like chicken noodle soup.
Use turkey or chicken: I always make this soup with leftover Thanksgiving turkey, but it can be made anytime of the year with either leftover cooked chicken and cooked turkey.
Well rounded: This soup provides a nice balance of macronutrients, including protein, carbohydrates, and healthy monounsaturated fats. It’s also a good source of vitamins and minerals including potassium, vitamin A, and vitamin C. I pair it with crusty bread for a light and nourishing meal. The pasta does fall to the bottom of the bowl, so it may not look like it’s not enough, but it’s actually just the right amount.
Customizable: This is an easy recipe for using up veggies from the fridge (like leeks or green beans), a random box of pasta in the pantry, or cooked turkey or chicken that needs to go to good use. I think it would taste great with a few handfuls of chopped fresh kale mixed in. It would also be great with egg noodles in place of the pasta (for turkey noodle soup).
Ingredients To Gather
This simple recipe doesn’t require many ingredients. Here are a few of my notes about the main ones.
- Turkey – I make this soup after I roast a Thanksgiving turkey or just the roasted turkey breast. I chop and pull the leftover turkey meat into bite-size pieces. Leftover cooked shredded chicken also works great, and I think this soup would also be good with other proteins, such as rotisserie chicken, white beans (for a vegetarian option), or cooked chopped ham.
- Broth – For more richness to the base of this soup, I like to use my homemade bone broth (or homemade turkey stock or turkey broth that I make from the turkey carcass). Store-bought chicken broth also works well. I always buy low-sodium broth so I have more control over the saltiness of the soup.
- Pasta – I love a small pasta shape in this soup, such as ancini di pepe, which is widely available. The pasta swells in the broth as it cooks, creating a creaminess and giving the broth a nice mouthfeel without being starchy or thick. Orzo, ditalini, or another small pasta will work just fine.
Find the ingredient list with exact measurements in the recipe card below.
How To Make Turkey Soup
This delicious soup has depth of flavor without the need to simmer for hours. Here are the quick steps to make it:
- Saute the veggies: The first step is to cook the yellow onion, celery, carrots, and a few cloves garlic in olive oil inside of a large soup pot over medium heat on the stovetop.
- Add the other ingredients: Once the veggies are tender, stir in the cooked turkey and broth. Let it heat for about 10 minutes, then stir in the pasta.
- Simmer to cook the pasta: Cover the pot and let the soup simmer until the pasta is tender, about 20 minutes. Season with kosher salt and black pepper.
- Let it rest: Remove the pot from the stovetop, cover it again, and let it sit for 10 minutes to allow the soup to cool a bit and for the pasta to continue soaking up the broth.
For serving size and the complete directions and ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card below. All of our recipes include the nutrition analysis, listing calories (kcals), protein, carbohydrates/carb, fiber, sugar, sodium, cholesterol, and more per serving.
Let It Rest
When the soup is done cooking and before I serve it, I let it rest (off the heat and covered) for 10 minutes before I serve it. This does a few things:
- It allows the pasta to finish cooking and swelling while the herbs infuse the broth with flavor.
- The soup is really hot when I first take it off the heat (too hot to eat) so letting it cool a bit makes it the right temperature to experience the delicate flavors of the vegetables and herbs without having to blow on each bite.
Make It Gluten Free
It’s easy to make this turkey soup gluten free with a single ingredient swap. In place of the regular pasta, use gluten-free pasta, such as this small-shaped brown rice pasta, which has a cute star shape. Also, if using store-bought broth, be sure to find one that is certified gluten free (most – but not all – broths are).
Serve And Enjoy
I garnish servings of the soup with fresh herbs, such as fresh parsley or fresh thyme. It’s also good with toppings of shaved Parmesan cheese or oyster crackers.
I always serve this soup with an Italian lettuce salad and a loaf of crusty sourdough bread. The bread is great for dunking in the soup and just adds to the cozy feel of this recipe.
Storage And Reheating Instructions
To store leftovers, let the soup cool to room temperature then transfer it to an airtight container. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 5 days. When the soup cools in the fridge, the pasta soaks up more of the broth, so more broth will probably need to be added when reheating servings.
Leftover turkey soup also can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw it in a large pot or Dutch oven on the stovetop over medium-high heat until melted and warmed through, adding more broth as needed. A big batch of frozen leftover turkey or chicken soup also can be heated in a crockpot. Place the frozen soup in the slow cooker, cover it, and cook on the low setting until it’s warmed through, adding more broth as needed.
Turkey Soup Recipe
This cozy soup is comforting, soothing, and a rich source of nutrients. It’s a great use for leftover turkey (or use cooked shredded or chopped chicken) and is easy to customize based on what’s on hand.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced (~1 cup)
- 2 medium celery stalks, thinly sliced (~1 cup)
- 3 medium carrots, thinly sliced (~1 ¼ cups)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 ½ cups leftover cooked turkey, cut or shredded into bite-sized pieces (1 lb)
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth (I like using homemade chicken stock)
- ⅔ cup dry ancini di pepe pasta*
- 1½ tablespoons minced fresh herbs (fresh sage, rosemary, thyme, or a mix)**
- ½ teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
- Optional for garnish: chopped fresh parsley or other herbs
Get Recipe IngredientsInstructions
- Place a large pot or Dutch oven (6 quarts or larger) over medium heat.
- When the pot is hot, add the olive oil.
- When the oil is hot, add the chopped onion, celery, and carrots. Stir and cook until the onion starts to soften, 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the garlic. Stir and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute more.
- Add the cooked shredded turkey and the broth to the pot with the vegetables.
- Increase the heat to medium-high and bring just to a boil, uncovered.
- Reduce the heat to low then cover with the lid and simmer the soup gently until the vegetables are almost tender, about 10 minutes.
- Add the pasta. (NOTE: If using dried herbs, add them in this step. If using fresh herbs, add them in Step 10.) Stir and increase the heat to medium.
- Cover and cook until the pasta is tender, about 20 minutes.
- Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the fresh herbs (if using fresh). Season with salt and pepper, then taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
- Cover and allow the soup to sit for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley if desired.
Last Step! Please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive so we can continue providing free recipes and high-quality content for you.
Notes
* May use ditalini or orzo pasta in place of ancini di pepe. For gluten-free pasta, I recommend this stellini pasta.
** May use dried herbs instead of fresh. If using dried herbs I suggest using 1½ teaspoons of either dried Italian seasoning, dried thyme, or dried Herbs de Provence. Dried herbs should be added in Step 8 instead of Step 10.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. When reheating leftovers, may need to add more broth, as the pasta soaks up more of it when stored in the fridge.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size: ⅙ of the recipe ~ 1 ¾ cups
- Calories: 171
- Fat: 5 g
- (Sat Fat: 0 g)
- Sodium: 895 mg
- Carbohydrate: 16 g
- (Fiber: 2 g
- Sugar: 5 g)
- Protein: 16 g
- Cholesterol: 32 mg
Dietary
The photos in this post were taken by Megan McKeehan.
For ultimate success, we highly recommend reading the tips in the full blog post above. All photos and content are copyright protected. Please do not use our photos without prior written permission. If you wish to republish a recipe, please rewrite the recipe in your own unique words. Link back to the source recipe here on The Real Food Dietitians. Thank you!
