Leftover Turkey Soup
on Sep 23, 2025
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This leftover soup is the cozy, hearty answer to what do I do with all this turkey? Packed with vegetables and tender chunks of turkey, it’s ready in about 30 minutes and makes the most of Thanksgiving leftovers.
The days after Thanksgiving are basically sponsored by leftovers. And while turkey sandwiches and midnight fridge raids are all well and good, there’s nothing like a pot of leftover turkey soup simmering on the stove. It’s warm, it’s hearty, and it somehow feels like the virtuous second act of the big feast you just had.
Loaded with vegetables, tender turkey, and whatever starch you like best – rice, noodles (my favorite), or even potatoes – and it comes together in about 30 minutes. Which is exactly the amount of energy most of us have after making, eating, and cleaning up from Thanksgiving dinner.
This turkey soup is like Thanksgiving in a bowl, homey and comforting. It makes use of the leftover turkey and possibly the stock you may have made with your turkey carcass. Leftover white and dark meat are both delicious in this filling soup. If you do make homemade turkey stock, this is simply the best possible place to use it.
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Ingredients
- Vegetables: carrots, celery, onion, and garlic – This basic vegetable mix is called a mirepoix (official French cooking term here!), and it forms the base of flavor for the soup when sautéed in olive oil or another cooking fat. This combo of vegetables is used as the starting point of all sorts of soups, stews, sauces, and other types of dishes. I love the simplicity of the flavor combo, but when sautéed, the vegetables caramelize and really form a terrific flavor base. You could use shallots or leeks instead of onions if you like.
- All-purpose flour – For thickening the soup a bit; you can use gluten-free flour, or skip it if there are gluten concerns.
- Turkey or chicken stock
- Chopped cooked turkey – This soup is perfect with white breast meat, or dark meat from the thighs or drumsticks. Or use a combination! Whatever leftover turkey you have is perfect. Chop or cut it into bite-sized pieces.
- Herbs – I like to use a combination of rosemary and thyme, but you can swap in any fresh herbs you have on hand. Fresh or dried both work fine here. If you roasted your turkey with fresh herbs, these amounts are probably fine. If you roasted your turkey plain, then you may want to taste and up the quantities.
- Greens – At the very end, I like to add some roughly chopped spinach, some peas, and some chopped fresh parsley.
- Noodles – My family loves this soup with the addition of egg noodles or orzo, but you can use any kind of pasta you like. Or, add 2 cups of cooked rice (any kind) if you prefer.
How to Make Leftover Turkey Soup
- Sauté: Cook the carrots, celery, and onion in a large soup pot for 5 to 7 minutes, until tender. Add the garlic. Add the flour and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring frequently, until the flour is well incorporated into the vegetables.
- Add the stock and turkey: Season with the thyme, rosemary, and salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer.
- Cook the noodles.
- Finish the soup: Add the spinach, peas, 1/2 cup parsley, and cooked pasta to the soup, and return to a simmer. Simmer until the peas are cooked and the pasta is completely tender, about 3 minutes.
- Season and serve: Adjust the seasoning as needed and serve hot, sprinkled with additional parsley if desired.
How to Serve Turkey Soup
Feel free to play with other add-ins that you may have in the fridge from The Big Meal. If you have cooked peas, add those. Perhaps some cooked pearl onions, or cubes of roasted butternut squash or sweet potatoes. Maybe some sliced string beans, or some sautéed mushrooms. Use up those leftover herbs. It’s a very flexible turkey soup template.
Cooking Tips
- Once the vegetables are sautéed, a bit of flour is added and then stirred into the mix for a couple of minutes to toast up a bit. The blend of flour and fat (here including the vegetables) forms a roux (another French cooking term!). The roux will thicken the soup just enough, giving it a slightly creamy texture.
- A roux can be used to thicken everything from gravies to gumbos, and the amount of thickening power they have depends on the ratio of the flour to liquid and the rest of the dish. Here we are just thickening the soup slightly.
- You can make your own homemade stock, which will ensure that this soup is deeply flavorful, or there is no shame at all in using store-bought! If you can buy a high-quality stock, go for it. If not, use canned or boxed, no problem. I like to go for less-sodium broth and stock, and then add additional salt to taste.
What to Serve With Leftover Turkey Soup
You can finish off the bowls of this soup with some hot sauce, some more fresh herbs (in addition to the recommended fresh parsley), maybe a squeeze of lemon, or even a sprinkle of Parmesan. You’ll want some great bread to accompany the soup!
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Leftover Turkey Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 carrots (peeled and sliced)
- 3 celery stalks (sliced)
- 1 onion (diced)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 quarts (8 cups) turkey or chicken stock
- 3 cups diced cooked turkey (white or dark meat, or a combination)
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste)
- 2 cups roughly chopped spinach (optional)
- 1 cup peas (fresh or frozen)
- ½ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (plus more for sprinkling)
- ½ pound egg noodles (or 1 cup dried orzo)
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large soup or stock pot over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery, and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes, until the vegetables start to become tender. Add the garlic and cook for another minute until you can smell the garlic.
- Add the flour and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring frequently, until the flour is well incorporated into the vegetables. Add the stock, turkey, thyme, rosemary, and salt and pepper. Turn the heat to high and when the soup starts to simmer, lower the heat so it stays at a gentle simmer.
- Meanwhile, cook the egg noodles or orzo according to package directions, just until al dente (shave a couple of minutes off the cooking time). Drain and set aside.
- Add the spinach, peas, 1/2 cup parsley, and cooked pasta to the soup, and return to a simmer. Simmer until the peas are cooked and the pasta is completely tender, about 3 minutes. Adjust the seasoning as needed and serve hot, sprinkled with additional parsley if desired.
