This Turkey and Veg Soup is cozy, flavorful and filled with tender turkey, hearty vegetables and a rich, savory broth. It’s the perfect way to turn holiday leftovers into a nourishing, feel-good meal.
Perfect for those post-holiday days when you want something warm and satisfying, this leftover turkey soup comes together easily and tastes even better the next day. It’s comfort food you’ll want to make long after the holidays are over.
Using up leftovers is the name of the gave. Make our Slow Cooker Turkey Stock for the ultimate broth for this recipe.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Ultimate Comfort Foods: This soup is warm, nourishing and perfect for cold weather or when you just need something simple and satisfying.
- Perfect Way to Repurpose Leftovers: Turn holiday turkey into something new by adding the meat or even the carcass to make a rich homemade stock and a satisfying soup.
- Quick and Easy: Done in under an hour with very little prep.
- Versatile: Swap in what you have on hand: rotisserie chicken, frozen veggies or add wild rice to make a turkey and wild rice soup.
- Freezer-Friendly: Make a big batch and store in a freezer-safe container for later use, you can enjoy a healthy turkey vegetable soup any time of year.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Reader Review
“Love this soup recipe, perfect way to use up my leftover turkey or chicken. I always love to add in spinach or green peas!"
-Amy
Ingredients
You only need a handful of simple ingredients to make this leftover turkey vegetable soup, most of which you probably already have on hand.
See the recipe card below for the exact quantities of each ingredient.
- Homemade Turkey Stock: This turkey broth is a rich base made from a leftover turkey carcass.
- Carrots and Celery: Classic soup veggies that soften well during cooking time and add a subtle sweetness.
- Leftover Turkey: Adds hearty protein and depth to the soup, making it the perfect way to stretch holiday meals into something new.
- Egg Noodles: A tender pasta that makes the soup more filling and hearty. Any small to medium noodle shape works well.
For this hearty soup recipe, you'll want to have on hand large stock pot, ladle and measuring cups and spoons.
Variations
- Protein Swaps: Use rotisserie chicken, ground turkey or ground chicken instead of leftover turkey.
- Grains & Pasta: Try rice, barley or gluten-free pasta in place of egg noodles.
- Veggie Add-Ins: Green beans, zucchini, sweet potatoes or peppers add flavor and texture.
- Beans & Legumes: Kidney or black beans boost fiber and make the soup heartier.
- Flavor Boosters: Add fresh herbs, a pinch of red pepper flakes or a splash of lemon juice.
- Stock Options: Chicken, beef or vegetable stock all work if you don’t have turkey stock.
How to Make Our Easy Turkey And Veg Soup
This soup comes together in one large pot with minimal fuss.
In a large stock pot heat oil and cook onions until soft over medium heat.
Add in garlic, salt and ground pepper and cook for 1 minute.
Pour stock, carrots, leftover turkey, celery and bay leaves into the pot and bring to a boil, then reduce to a rolling simmer and cook for about 10 minutes or until the carrots are your desired tenderness.
Meanwhile, cook egg noodles in a separate pot then add to your individual serving bowls and ladle it over top. Alternatively, add the cooked noodles into the stock pot and serve.
Hint: Noodles soak up broth quickly, so try serving the soup over cooked noodles instead of mixing them in. This also makes freezing easier since noodles don’t hold their shape well after thawing.
Recipe Tips
- Use Homemade Stock: If you’ve saved your turkey carcass, make a homemade broth for the best flavor.
- Noodles on the Side: Keep noodles separate until serving to prevent them from absorbing too much broth.
- Double the Batch: Freeze half in a freezer-safe container for the best way to enjoy a quick meal later.
- Season to Taste: Don’t be afraid to add a splash of apple cider vinegar, lemon juice or a bundle of fresh herbs to your soup pot to enhance the flavor.
Our Herb Butter Turkey is the true star of this leftover recipe.
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Storage Instructions
- Refrigerator: Once cooled, place in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.
- Freezer: Store in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. For best results, add noodles fresh instead of freezing them in the soup.
- Reheating: Simply bring to room temperature and microwave on medium power or heat up in a pot on the stove.
- Make Ahead: Soup can be prepared in advance and reheated before serving. For best results, chop vegetables up to 2-3 days ahead and store them in airtight containers and add noodles just before serving.
Serving Suggestions
- Heartier Pairings: Spinach and Bacon Quiche, Slow Cooker Pot Roast, Chicken Thighs with Honey or Brisket Sliders.
- Comfort Sides: Creamy Mashed Potatoes or Cornbread.
Turkey Vegetable Soup Recipe FAQs
Simmer the carcass in a stock pot or slow cooker with water, herbs, and aromatics like onions, garlic, celery, carrots and bay leaves. The longer it cooks, the richer and more flavorful the broth becomes.
Yes, but be sure it cooks fully to an internal temperature of 165F. For more even cooking, roast it first, let it rest, then chop and add it to the soup.
A cornstarch slurry is a quick gluten-free option, but you can also puree part of the soup, stir in mashed potatoes, or simply simmer uncovered to reduce the liquid.
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Turkey and Veg Soup
Equipment
- Large Stock Pot
- Spatula
- Ladle
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
Ingredients
- 1-2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped small
- 4 cloves garlic
- ½ tablespoon kosher salt
- ¼ - ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 6 cups homemade turkey stock or store-bought
- 3-4 carrots peeled and chopped (about 3.5 cups)
- 3 cups leftover turkey chopped
- 3 ribs celery chopped (2 cups)
- 2-3 bay leaves
- 8- ounce egg noodles dry measured
Instructions
- In a large stock pot heat oil and cook onions until soft over medium heat.
- Add in garlic, salt and ground pepper and cook for 1 minute.
- Pour stock, carrots, leftover turkey, celery and bay leaves into the pot and bring to a boil, then reduce to a rolling simmer and cook for about 10 minutes or until the carrots are your desired tenderness.
- Meanwhile, cook egg noodles in a separate pot then add to your individual serving bowls and ladle it over top. Alternatively, add the cooked noodles into the stock pot and serve.
Notes
- Spoon over Noodles: Noodles are a great addition to soup, but they tend to soak up the broth. Serving the soup over cooked noodles prevents this and makes freezing easier, since noodles don’t hold up well after thawing.
- Use Homemade Stock: If you’ve saved your turkey carcass, make a homemade broth for the best flavor.
- Noodles on the Side: Keep noodles separate until serving to prevent them from absorbing too much broth.
- Double the Batch: Freeze half in a freezer-safe container for the best way to enjoy a quick meal later.
- Season to Taste: Don’t be afraid to add a splash of apple cider vinegar, lemon juice or a bundle of fresh herbs to your soup pot to enhance the flavor.
Nutrition
We would be so grateful for you to leave us a rating and review on any recipes you try. If you make any change up, let us know how they turned out.
Tina says
Love the idea of using leftover turkey for this soup! Saving it for the my after Thanksgiving leftovers! Thanks for the recipe!
Eva Filer says
You are welcome. It is such a nice recipe to throw any extra fridge produce in as well (well, within reason!). Happy cooking.
Rick says
Love turkey soup. Too bad we don’t cook turkey more often. Can’t wait for my next pot of soup.
Eva Filer says
Haha, that is true! You can try it with rotisserie chicken if that helps!
Eva Filer says
Homemade soup is one of the most comforting things I think you can make, and this turkey and vegetable soup recipe is a perfect way to warm up on a cool day. Great to use up leftover turkey (or rotisserie chicken), and has so much flavor.
Amy says
love this soup recipe, perfect way to use up my leftover turkey or chicken. I always love to add in spinach or green peas!
Eva Filer says
Those are great add-ins! Thank you for sharing. We are happy you enjoy the recipe!