Leftover Turkey Soup is a simple, healthy soup you can make in your instant pot, slow cooker or on the stove! A yummy, easy turkey soup everyone will love! This is the perfect leftover turkey recipe!
There’s nothing worse than eating thanksgiving dinner 4x in a row to use up the leftover turkey.. that’s why this leftover turkey is a MUCH better option!
This isn’t just any leftover turkey soup… it’s the BEST leftover turkey soup. What makes it so good you might ask?
Well, we use real turkey bone broth (which you can make if you just follow this bone broth recipe!), loads of hearty veggies, and all that leftover turkey up for maximum flavor.
It’s cozy, easy to make, and delicious! It can also be paleo/whole30 friendly, or gluten free depending on what add-ins you use. There’s a long list of substitutions below!
Easy Turkey Soup
This easy turkey soup is so simple to make. Especially if you’re enjoying this after a holiday.. you’re probably tired from all the cooking/hosting/traveling you did – which means you probably don’t want to spend ANY more time in the kitchen.
All you have to do is chop some veggies + the leftover turkey, sauté, and toss in to the instant pot, slow cooker or on the stove! It really doesn’t get any easier. Here’s what you’ll need to make leftover turkey soup.
Ingredients for Homemade Turkey Vegetable Soup:
To make this leftover turkey soup you’ll need olive oil, onion, garlic, carrots, celery, salt, pepper, broth, cooked turkey and your add in’s of choice.
Cooked rice, quinoa, zoodles or noodles are all great options!
How to make Leftover Turkey Soup:
Making leftover turkey soup is very simple. Pictured below are stovetop instructions, but you can easily do this in the crockpot or instant pot (see recipe for instructions)
First, chop your veggies + leftover turkey.
Sauté onion + garlic, then celery + carrots until soft. Add in spices, cooked turkey + broth.
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer on medium heat for 2o minutes.
When you’re ready to serve, serve over cooked rice, noodles or zucchini noodles.
SO cozy.
This soup is easily customizable. Feel free to get creative with your add ins, and see below for some of the things we’ve tried.
Substituions for this turkey soup recipe:
Can you make a creamy turkey soup? Sure! Stir in 1/4 cup heavy cream or coconut cream once it has cooked to make this recipe a creamy soup.
Turkey Noodle Soup Recipe: Just add cooked noodles to the soup when you’re ready to serve for turkey noodle soup
Spicy Turkey Soup: If you want some spice, add 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes to the soup as it’s cooking
Broth: We used homemade bone broth in this recipe, but you can use chicken stock or whatever broth you have on hand.
Add ins: Quinoa, Brown Rice or Noodles all work in this recipe. You can also add zucchini noodles
Zucchini Noodles: For best results, I recommend adding the zucchini noodles to the bowl instead of adding to the slow cooker pot. This way your zucchini noodles/spinach won’t get soggy if you eat leftovers. You can also sub pasta for zucchini noodles.
WW Freestyle Note: This can be 0SP if you use spray to sauté your veggies instead of pouring olive oil into the pan.
Veggies: You can add peas, potatoes or even spinach to this recipe!
Herbs – I like to add in a little chopped fresh rosemary and a bay leaf to this recipe – but you can use whatever herbs you like!
How to store turkey soup:
How long will leftover soup last? About 3 days in the fridge. If you know you’re not going to eat your turkey soup, put it in the freezer!
Can you freeze turkey soup?
You can freeze turkey soup! I do not recommend freezing or refrigerating it with the zucchini noodles or pasta as they can get mushy.
If you’re going to freeze, put in airtight containers. It will last up to 3 months in freezer!
We hope you love this simple leftover turkey soup recipe. It’s great for after the holidays – or really ANY time you have turkey leftovers you have to use up!
Other healthy soup recipes:
- Healthy Italian Wedding Soup
- Healthy Chicken Pot Pie Soup
- Healthy Potato Soup
- Vegan Pasta Fagioli
- Healthy Lemon Chicken Soup
- 15 Bean Soup
Leftover Turkey Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup onion diced finely
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 1 cup celery diced finely
- 2 cup carrots cut in small circles
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 8 cups low/no sodium broth make bone broth from your leftover turkey bones!
- 4 cups leftover turkey cut in small cubes (about 1 lb)
- 2 cups cooked rice OR zucchini noodles optional
Instructions
Stovetop Instructions
- Chop vegetables + turkey.
- In a large pot, heat olive oil.
- Sauté onions + garlic until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add celery + carrots. Sauté for an additional 5 minutes.
- Add remaining ingredients to the pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium heat and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- While soup cooks, cook rice or grains to your liking or spiralize zucchini into noodles..
- Add soup to bowl, add grains or veggies + enjoy.
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Chop vegetables + turkey.
- Set instant pot to saute, 10 minutes.
- Sauté onions and garlic until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add celery and carrots. Sauté for an additional 5 minutes.
- Add remaining ingredients to the pot. Cover and set to sealing, High Pressure, for 10 minutes.
- While the soup cooks, cook rice or grains to your liking or spiralize zucchini into noodles.
- Once cooked, allow the soup to naturally release pressure for 10 minutes, then manually release remaining pressure.
- Add soup to bowl, add grains or veggies + enjoy.
Slow Cooker Instructions
- Chop vegetables + turkey.
- Optional, but recommended: In a large pot, heat olive oil. Sauté onions, garlic + celery until translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add cooked veggies to the crockpot. Add remaining ingredients to the crockpot + stir.
- Cover and cook for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low.
- While soup cooks, cook rice or grains to your liking or spiralize zucchini into noodles.
- Add soup to bowl, add grains or veggies + enjoy.
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