For most families, the day after Thanksgiving can mean a full day of Black Friday shopping or (what we do) a relaxing day without cooking! Thanksgiving leftovers are delicious the first time, but less tempting the fourth meal in a row. This homemade leftover turkey soup recipe is the perfect way to reinvent Thanksgiving leftovers.
This soup helps nourish the body with bone broth and gut-healing vegetables, which can be a welcome relief after the holidays. And now that most Black Friday sales are available online, you can eat leftovers from the comfort of your couch while you shop!
Turkey soup from scratch
The day after Thanksgiving, you may or may not have the energy to make a pot of homemade turkey broth. Our family sources organic, pasture-raised turkey, which is typically more expensive than conventional birds. However, the nutrition is worth the price. To make the most of leftover turkey carcasses, I like to make turkey stock with it.
Simply place the turkey bones in a slow cooker (or large pot) with a little water. You can also add salt, poultry seasoning, and other herbs for flavor. You can find my full recipe for homemade broth here.
If you don’t want to make your own, store-bought broth works just as well. I like this one from Kettle and Fire. You can also use chicken broth as a quick option.
Turkey soup is a great way to use up leftover Thanksgiving turkey. The broth helps keep the meat moist since turkey tends to dry out when reheated.
Once you have the broth, this recipe is very simple. Throw all the ingredients into a stock pot or Instant Pot and let everything come to a simmer. I also included instructions for an Instant Pot version below the recipe.
Turkey Soup Variations
Maybe it’s not the day after Thanksgiving or your family opted for duck this year. In any case, you can still make it with chicken. A roast chicken works well to make into chicken soup.
I use potatoes to add some filling carbs, but you can also add another starch. Gluten-free meatballs or egg noodles are a good addition. Wild rice or white rice make a delicious turkey and rice soup. Add some leftover green beans or other vegetables if you like. Since this is a leftover soup, the idea here is to keep things easy and use what you have.
Leftover Turkey Soup Recipe
An easy, light and nutritious soup for a simple meal after Thanksgiving.
- leftover turkey meat (diced)
- 2 large carrots (diced)
- 2 celery stalks (diced)
- 1 medium yellow onion (diced)
- 2 TBSP butter (or olive oil)
- 4 mugs chicken soup (or turkey broth)
- 1 teaspoonful basil
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 nail garlic
- 2 medium potatoes (or sweet potatoes, diced)
- 1 bunch of kale
- 1 cup french lentils
- salt (to taste)
- black pepper (to taste)
- fresh parsley (optional, to decorate)
- fresh thyme (optional, to decorate)
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In a large pot or saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.
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Sauté the carrots, celery, and onion in the melted butter until they begin to soften and the onion is translucent.
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Add all the remaining ingredients.
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Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, covered, for about 1 hour or until the potatoes and lentils are tender.
Nutritional data
Leftover Turkey Soup Recipe
Amount per serving (1 cup)
calories 232
Calories from fat 63
% Daily Value*
Fat 7g11%
Saturated fat 2g13%
Trans fat 0.1 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 2g
Cholesterol 58mg19%
Sodium 382mg17%
Potassium 409mg12%
carbohydrates 21g7%
6g fiber25%
3g sugar3%
Protein 21g42%
vitamin a 2133 IU43%
vitamin c 8mg10%
Calcium 42mg4%
Iron 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 Option
Since the turkey is already cooked, this is an easy instant soup. Use the same ingredients as the previous recipe.
- Sauté carrots, celery, and onion for 3-4 minutes in the Instant Pot on the sauté setting.
- Add the rest of the ingredients.
- Seal the Instant Pot and let it sit for 4 minutes on manual high pressure.
- Allow a 5 minute natural release and then release the pressure manually.
- Ladle into bowls and serve.
What to do with leftover turkey?
If you still have leftover turkey after soup, put some in the freezer for easy protein another night. Or try one of these delicious recipes. Turkey is great in a variety of soups, stews and casseroles.
- Pumpkin Chili – This recipe uses cinnamon along with traditional chili soup spices for a surprising twist. Instead of ground beef, use ground turkey in the recipe.
- Paleo Turkey Tetrazzini – The classic dish reinvented with coconut milk instead of dairy and served with a variety of vegetables.
- Vegetable Frittata: Add diced turkey and sweet potatoes to this base frittata recipe. Add some leftover shredded Brussels sprouts for good measure!
- Broccoli Casserole – Replace the chicken with turkey for a creamy one-skillet meal.
What are your favorite ways to reuse Thanksgiving turkey and other holiday leftovers? I’d love to hear!
