A quick and easy turkey Soup recipe is a go-to after holiday meals!
This shortcut soup tastes like it’s been cooking all day and has tender pieces of turkey, carrots, onions, celery, and pasta noodles simmered a turkey broth.
It’s easy to make and only takes about 25 minutes, a great option for busy weeknights.
Ingredients in Turkey Soup
Broth: Use either homemade or boxed turkey broth or even chicken broth or stock in this recipe. The addition of poultry seasoning and a sprinkle of parsley really adds a homemade flavor to boxed broth.
To make homemade turkey soup from scratch, use the leftover turkey carcass or bones from Thanksgiving to make homemade turkey stock. You can also check with your local deli; they sometimes sell homemade broth or stock. Once the broth is prepared, follow the directions below to prepare the soup.
Vegetables: I keep it simple with carrots, celery, and onion. Add your favorite veggies like sweet potatoes, mushrooms, canned tomatoes, green beans, or corn.
Noodles: Add any kind of pasta or egg noodles to this recipe. Cook pasta or rice on the side for leftovers and add to each bowl. You can also use white rice, brown rice, or wild rice blend.
Turkey: This is a leftover turkey soup recipe but if you don’t have leftover turkey meat, cooked chicken works too.
How To Make Turkey Soup
This recipe is a shortcut version of a homemade turkey soup recipe. It tastes like it’s been cooking all day!
- Soften the onion in olive oil in a large dutch oven.
- Add veggies, turkey, poultry seasoning, and herbs, and simmer for a few minutes.
- Add noodles and cook until tender. Serve.
If planning for leftovers, keep the noodles or rice separate when cooking. Turkey soup can be stored for 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator or frozen for up to 4 months.
Freeze it in individual freezer bags to make reheating the right amount easier. Thaw directly in a saucepan or large pot over medium heat.
Pasta can sometimes change in texture when frozen and reheated so it’s best to omit the pasta and add it when you reheat it.
Broth-based soups like turkey noodle soup generally aren’t thickened. I add a tiny bit of flour to give the broth a little bit of body, and the starches in the pasta do a good job of creating a silky broth that isn’t too thick or thin.
If you prefer a slightly thicker broth soup, combine equal parts cornstarch and water (a tablespoon or two) and whisk it into the simmering soup. Let it boil for a minute or two with the slurry to get rid of any starchy flavor.
More Ways to Love Leftover Turkey
Turkey Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
- 3 large carrots peeled and sliced
- 2 ribs celery
- 2-3 cups leftover cooked turkey diced
- 8 cups turkey broth or chicken broth, homemade or store bought
- ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 1 bay leaf
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 ounces shell noodles about 1 ½ cups, or medium pasta
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped, optional
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and cook until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Add flour and cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in carrots, celery, turkey, broth, poultry seasoning, bay leaf, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add noodles (*see note) and cook 8-10 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat, discard bay leaf and stir in parsley.
- Season to taste and serve.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Main Course, Soup
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Soup was a hit!!! Thank you!!! Easy to make and very flavourful.
Glad you enjoyed it, Charmaine!
Easy and fast. And DELICIOUS!
I added more salt than I would like, but it was worth it.
Family and friends LOVED it!
Super easy and I agree the flour does add a nice touch. Will be making again and freezing!
Thanks, Cheryl! So glad you enjoyed it.
This recipe was delicious and very easy to make. I didn’t have enough carrots so l added parsnips instead. My 20 month old grandson absolutely loved it. I will definitely make this again.
When you say 2 stalks of celery do you mean 2 ribs or actual full stalks? Thanks! :)
You will need two ribs of celery.
The Turkey veggie soup was Delicious I put large shells in the soup and I cannot wait until my family eats this soup!! Thanks for that wonderful recipe for Turkey after Thanksgiving!!
So glad you loved this Sherri!
I made this for the first time and it is delicious. I couldn’t find turkey broth and so I substituted low sodium chicken broth plus I added an additional 2 cups of homemade veggie broth. I added the extra broth because I put in a bit more pasta and a potato. This soup has a great flavor and was so easy..
I’ll be making it again hopefully with turkey broth.
This is such a great recipe! A family favorite, for sure. I have made the recipe twice, once with turkey and the second time with chicken, and my family has loved it. The mirepoix/base has such a great flavor that my husband (who seasons just about everything I cook) announced tonight that he added “No additional spices” to the soup!
It’s just that flavorful!
Would it be okay to use egg noodles?
Yes it would. I would suggest cooking them on the side and adding them into each bowl so they don’t get mushy.
Great recipe! I used turkey bone broth and add 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice at the end.
This soup was so easy, and perfect for a cold night. I made enough for leftovers, and they didn’t disappoint!
So glad you loved this Stacie!
This turned out delicious. Definitely a keeper for that left over turkey. Thank you
You’re welcome Marilynn!
Can I make this in a crock pot?
Yes it can cook in the slow cooker. I would suggest cooking the pasta on the side and adding it to each bowl as you serve as pasta in the slow cooker can become a bit gummy in texture sometimes.
Soup looks fantastic will need to try it!!!
Delicious. I found with the pasta, the flour was unnecessary. I will also only use half the pasta called for next time. It seemed to soak up all of the broth when I made it according to the recipe.
Made this using tiny bow tie pasta, and subbed in butter for the oil to saute the onion. Didn’t end up adding in the parsley, and it turned out wonderfully! The whole family loved it. Thanks!
You’re welcome Kate!
I made the soup today and it was delicious! I will certainly make it again.
I made your home made Turkey soup, and it was amazingly out of this world.
Thanks so much.
Craig
Definitely a 5 star, from this end.
Go ahead everyone its truly worth it.
I dont know how to insert a photo…..
Thanks so much Craig!I am thrilled that you enjoyed it!
Thanks Holly,
This looks easy enough for me to try. Not to mention delicious to. My Turkey stock is ready and now I just need to finish it with all the rest of the aromatics.
Thanks again
Craig
Glad to hear Craig! Hope you enjoy.
No brussel sprouts yuk. The rest perfect !!!!