For most families, the day after Thanksgiving can mean spending the whole day Black Friday shopping (which is what we do) or having a relaxing day without even cooking! Thanksgiving leftovers are delicious at first, but they become less tempting after your fourth meal in a row. This homemade leftover turkey soup recipe is the perfect way to reinvent Thanksgiving leftovers.
This soup helps nourish your body with gut-healing bone broth and vegetables, which can be welcome relief after a long vacation. Most Black Friday sales are now online, so you can eat leftovers from the comfort of your couch while you shop!
Turkey Soup from Scratch
You may or may not have the energy to eat homemade turkey stock the day after Thanksgiving. My family buys organic, pasture-raised turkeys, which typically cost more than conventional birds. Still, the nutrition is good for the price. I like to make turkey broth to make the most of leftover turkey carcass.
Simply place the turkey bones in the slow cooker (or large pot) with the water. You can also add salt, poultry seasoning, and other herbs to taste. You can find the full recipe for homemade broth here.
If you don’t want to make it yourself, you can also use store-bought broth. I love this one from Kettle and Fire. You can also use chicken broth for a quick option.
Turkey soup is a great way to use up leftover Thanksgiving turkey. Since turkey tends to dry out when reheated, the stock helps keep the meat moist.
Once you have the broth, this recipe is simple. Place all ingredients in a soup pot or Instant Pot and bring to a boil. I’ve also included instructions for the Instant Pot version below the recipe.
Turkey Soup Variations
Maybe it’s not the day after Thanksgiving, or maybe it’s not the day your family chooses to cook duck this year. You can make this with chicken anyway. Rotisserie chicken works great to turn this into chicken soup.
I use potatoes to add a filling carbohydrate, but you can add other starches as well. Adding gluten-free dumplings or egg noodles is a great addition. Wild or white rice makes a delicious turkey and rice soup. Add remaining green beans or other vegetables, if desired. Since this is leftover soup, it’s a good idea to keep things easy and use what you have!
Leftover Turkey Soup Recipe
A simple, light and nutritious soup for an easy post-Thanksgiving meal.
- leftover turkey meat (dice)
- 2 big carrot (dice)
- 2 celery stalk (dice)
- 1 medium yellow onion (dice)
- 2 TBSP butter (or olive oil)
- 4 cup chicken broth (or turkey broth)
- 1 teaspoon basil
- 1 bay leaves
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 medium potato (or diced sweet potato)
- 1 bunch of kale
- 1 cup French Lentils
- salt (to taste)
- pepper (to taste)
- fresh parsley (Optional, for decoration)
- fresh thyme (Optional, for decoration)
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In a large stock pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat.
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Saute the carrots, celery and onions in melted butter until soft and onions are translucent.
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Add all remaining ingredients.
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Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until potatoes and lentils are tender, about 1 hour.
Nutrition Facts
Leftover Turkey Soup Recipe
Per serving (1 cup)
calorie 232
calories from fat 63
% Daily Value*
province 7g11%
2g saturated fat13%
Trans fat 0.1g
1g polyunsaturated fat
2g monounsaturated fat
cholesterol 58mg19%
sodium 382mg17%
potassium 409mg12%
carbohydrate 21g7%
6g fiber25%
3g sugar3%
protein 21g42%
Vitamin A 2133IU43%
Vitamin C 8 mg10%
calcium 42mg4%
steel 2mg11%
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and reheat as needed.
Turkey Soup Instant Pot Options
This is an easy Instant Pot soup because the turkey is already cooked. Use the same ingredients as in the recipe above.
- Saute the carrots, celery, and onions on the sauté setting in the Instant Pot for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add remaining ingredients.
- Seal the Instant Pot and set to manual high pressure for 4 minutes.
- Allow natural release for 5 minutes and then manually release pressure.
- Ladle into bowls and serve.
What to do with leftover turkey?
If you still have some leftover turkey after soup, keep it in the freezer for an easy protein meal another night. Or try one of these delicious recipes: Turkey goes well in a variety of soups, stews and casseroles.
- Pumpkin Chili – This recipe uses cinnamon along with traditional chili soup spices for a surprising twist. Use ground turkey instead of ground beef in the recipe.
- Paleo Turkish Tetrazzini – A classic dish reinterpreted with coconut milk instead of dairy and served with a variety of vegetables.
- Vegetable Frittata – Add diced turkey and sweet potatoes to a basic frittata recipe. Toss in some leftover sliced Brussels sprouts for good measure!
- Broccoli Casserole – Substitute turkey for chicken for a creamy one-pan meal.
What’s the best way to recycle Thanksgiving turkey and other holiday leftovers? I’d love to hear it!
