How to Make Turkey Soup

Co-authored by Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: May 2, 2022 Tested

VIDEO

You've enjoyed a roasted turkey dinner, eaten leftovers, and now you're down to the bones. Don't toss them! They can make the base for turkey soup that has a rich, deep flavor. If you don't have bones on hand, buy turkey stock. Either way, all you need to do is add turkey meat and customize the soup however you like. Think of the recipe as a guideline and use whatever you have on hand. Stir in your favorite veggies, add noodles or rice, and season the dish with fresh herbs. Pretty soon, you'll be rewarded with a steaming bowl of delicious turkey soup.

Ingredients

Stock

1 turkey carcass
Cold water
1 yellow onion, quartered or cut into thick wedges
1 to 2 carrots, roughly chopped
1 celery stalk with the leaves, roughly chopped
Several sprigs of fresh parsley
1 to 2 sprigs of fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon (2 g) of dried thyme
1 bay leaf
5 to 10 whole peppercorns
1 teaspoon (5.5 g) of salt

Makes 3 to 4 US quarts (2.8 to 3.8 L) of stock

Classic Turkey Soup

2 teaspoons (9.9 ml) of olive or vegetable oil
2 leeks, sliced
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 stalk of celery, chopped
3 to 4 cups (420 to 560 g) of leftover cooked turkey, shredded or cubed
2 to 3 bay leaves
2 teaspoons (4 g) of dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 g) of salt
1/4 teaspoon (0.25 g) of ground black pepper
8 cups (1.9 L) of homemade or store-bought turkey stock
6 ounces (28 g) of uncooked egg noodles
1 cup (134 g) of frozen green peas
2 tablespoons (7.6 g) of freshly chopped parsley leaves

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Stock for the Soup

1
Pick all the meat off of the turkey carcass and set it aside. You'll be surprised at how much meat is still on the carcass! Pull off all the little bits of meat you find and put them into a storage container for later. Then, stick it in the fridge while you make the stock since it takes a while to make.^{[1]
X
Research source}
- You'll need 3 to 4 cups (420 to 560 g) of meat for the soup.
2
Put the carcass into a stockpot and pour in cold water. Set an 8 or 12 US qt (7.6 or 11.4 L) stockpot on the stove and put the carcass into it along with all of the bones, skin, and drippings from roasting the bird. These add a lot of flavor to the stock. Then, pour in enough cold water to cover the carcass by 1 in (2.5 cm).^{[2]
X
Research source}
- Did you accidentally use hot water? Don't worry! This shouldn't affect the flavor of the stock too much, but it might make the stock cloudy. If you still end up with cloudy stock, you can clarify it to make it clear again.
- Break up the turkey carcass if you're having trouble fitting it into your pot.
3
Add the rest of the stock ingredients to the pot. Now it's time to add ingredients that give your stock a ton of flavor. Toss in 1 yellow onion that's quartered or cut into thick wedges along with 1 or 2 roughly chopped carrots and 1 chopped celery stalk. Then, add:^{[3]
X
Research source}
- A few sprigs of fresh parsley
- 1 to 2 sprigs of fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon (2 g) of dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 5 to 10 whole peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon (5.5 g) of salt
It will take a while for the water to come to a boil, but you don't have to do anything while you wait! Just leave the uncovered stock alone and watch for the water to start boiling.^{[4]
X
Research source}
5
Simmer the stock for 3 to 3 1/2 hours and occasionally skim off the foam. When you see the water boiling, turn the burner down to medium so it bubbles very gently. Then, leave the lid off of the stockpot and let it simmer for at least 3 hours. Scoop away the white foam that floats to the surface about every 30 minutes.^{[5]
X
Research source}
- This might seem like a long time, but it really concentrates the flavor as some of the liquid evaporates.
6
Discard the big bones and pour the stock through a strainer. Your full stockpot is really heavy, so use tongs or a slotted spoon to scoop out the biggest bones and throw them away. Then, set a big pot in the sink and put a fine mesh strainer into it. Carefully pour the stock through it and toss the solids that are left in the strainer.^{[6]
X
Research source}
- Don't have a fine-mesh strainer? No worries! Put a regular strainer or colander into the big pot and line it with cheesecloth.
- Want to make the stock in advance? Pour it into airtight storage containers and let it cool completely. Then, refrigerate the stock for up to 4 days or freeze it for up to 6 months.
Advertisement

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Classic Turkey Soup

1
Sauté leeks, carrots, garlic, and celery in a pot for 4 minutes. Set a large pot on the stove and pour in 2 teaspoons (9.9 ml) of olive or vegetable oil. Turn the burner to medium and heat the oil until it shimmers. Then, add 2 sliced leeks, 2 chopped carrots, 1 clove of minced garlic, and 1 chopped stalk of celery. Stir the veggies every few minutes until they soften just a little.^{[7]
X
Research source}
- Smells great, right? Sautéing vegetables might not seem like a very important step, but it builds a ton of flavor before you even put turkey or turkey stock into the pot!
- Want to use butter instead of oil? Go ahead—butter will also give a deep, rich flavor to the vegetables. However, if you're watching your saturated fat, you may want to stick with olive or vegetable oil.
2
Stir in cooked turkey, bay leaves, thyme, salt, and pepper. Get out your leftover cooked turkey and put 3 to 4 cups (420 to 560 g) of the meat into your soup. Then, season it a little. Add 2 to 3 bay leaves, 2 teaspoons (4 g) of dried thyme, 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 g) of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon (0.25 g) of ground black pepper.^{[8]
X
Research source}
- Remember, this is just a start with seasoning. Don't be afraid to taste the soup as you cook it and add more salt or herbs according to your own taste.
3
Add turkey broth and bring it to a boil. If you made homemade turkey stock, measure 8 cups (1.9 L) of it and pour it into the pot. Then, turn up the burner to medium-high and bring the stock to a boil.^{[9]
X
Research source}
- Short on time? Use 8 cups (1,900 ml) of your favorite store-bought brand instead.
Give your turkey a chance to heat up since it's probably pretty cold from being in the fridge. Turn the burner down to medium-low and pop a lid on the pot. Let the soup simmer for about 10 minutes.^{[10]
X
Research source}
5
Bring the soup to a boil and add egg noodles. Now that your turkey is hot, wear an oven mitt and take the lid off of the pot. Turn the burner back up to medium-high so the soup bubbles and stir in 6 ounces (28 g) of uncooked egg noodles.^{[11]
X
Research source}
- Can't find egg noodles? You can use the same amount of any type of pasta! Try ditalini, macaroni, rotini, or even spaghetti. Feel free to break long noodles into smaller pieces if you prefer spoon-sized noodles.
- Do you prefer rice? Leave out the noodles and add 1 cup (200 g) of dry rice instead.
6
Simmer the soup and stir it occasionally for around 10 minutes. Keep the lid off of the pot so you can keep an eye if the soup is bubbling gently. Stir it every few minutes to keep the noodles from clumping together and cook them until they're as soft as you like. This should take about 10 minutes.^{[12]
X
Research source}
- If you're using rice instead of noodles, you'll have to simmer the soup for about 15 minutes so the rice softens and swells.
7
Stir in frozen peas and heat them for 1 minute. Pour 1 cup (134 g) of frozen green peas right into the soup without defrosting them. The hot stock will soften them in about 1 minute.^{[13]
X
Research source}
- Not a fan of peas? It's totally okay to leave them out.
8
Turn off the burner and stir in fresh parsley before you serve the soup. Fresh parsley adds a bright pop of color to the soup, but feel free to leave it out if you don't have fresh herbs on hand. If you have some in the fridge, mix in 2 tablespoons (7.6 g) just before serving.^{[14]
X
Research source}
- Refrigerate your leftover turkey soup in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Don't forget to pull out the bay leaves!
Advertisement

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Variations

1
Stir in hot chili sauce and chips to make turkey tortilla soup. Want to add a little heat to your turkey soup? Blend chiles in adobo sauce and stir 1 to 2 tablespoons (14 to 28 g) into the stock. To round out the Southwestern flavors, squeeze 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of lime juice into the soup and scatter tortilla chips on top just before you serve it.^{[15]
X
Research source}
- Set out garnishes like freshly chopped cilantro, sliced avocado, and crumbled queso fresco.
2
Mix in curry powder for a spiced version of turkey soup. Sure, turkey soup is a classic, but if you're in the mood for trying something a little different, open your spice cabinet! Stir 4 teaspoons (8 g) of curry powder into the pot when you sauté the vegetables. For even stronger flavor, you can use a few spoonfuls of fresh curry paste—try yellow or green curry to complement the flavor of the turkey.^{[16]
X
Research source}
- To make a mulligatawny style soup, add a diced apple when you add the stock.
3
Add your favorite veggies if you want to round out the meal. Think of classic turkey soup as a great starting point for making your own soup. Want to add an onion instead of leeks? Go for it! Like shredded cabbage? Add a few handfuls! You can add vegetables to the stock when you add the turkey to the pot. This gives the veggies a chance to soften and flavor the soup. Here are some more great vegetables you can add:^{[17]
X
Research source}
- Diced or canned tomatoes
- Frozen mixed vegetables
- Baby spinach just before serving
- Diced potatoes
Advertisement

Expert Q&A

Search

Add New Question

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Video

Tips

If you make your own turkey stock, you'll probably have more than you need for 1 batch of soup—just store the extra stock in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.^{[18]
X
Research source}

Thanks
Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0