For most families the day after Thanksgiving can mean either a full day of Black Friday shopping or (what we do) a relaxing day without any 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 gut-healing bone broth and veggies, which can be a welcome relief after holiday indulgence. And now that most Black Friday sales are available online, you can eat your leftovers from the comfort of your sofa while shopping!
Turkey Soup From Scratch
The day after Thanksgiving you may have the energy to throw on a pot of homemade turkey stock, or you may not. Our family gets organic pasture-raised turkey, which is usually pricier than conventional birds. The nutrition is well worth it for the price though. To get the most out of the leftover turkey carcass I like to make turkey broth with it.
Simply throw the turkey bones in a slow cooker (or large pot) with some 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 then store-bought broth works just as well. I like 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. The broth helps to keep the meat moist since turkey is prone to drying out with reheating.
After you have the broth, this recipe is a snap. Throw all the ingredients in a soup pot or Instant Pot, and let the goodness simmer. I’ve also included directions for an Instant Pot version below the recipe.
Turkey Soup Variations
Maybe it isn’t the day after Thanksgiving or your family opted for duck this year. In any case, you can still make this with chicken. A rotisserie chicken works well to turn this into chicken soup.
I use potatoes to add some filling carbs, but you could also add another starch. Gluten-free dumplings or egg noodles make a nice addition. Wild rice or white rice make for a delicious turkey and rice soup. Add some leftover green beans or other veggies if desired. 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 nourishing soup for an easy day-after-Thanksgiving meal.
- leftover turkey meat (diced)
- 2 large carrots (diced)
- 2 stalks celery (diced)
- 1 medium yellow onion (diced)
- 2 TBSP butter (or olive oil)
- 4 cups chicken broth (or turkey stock)
- 1 tsp basil
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 medium potatoes (or sweet potatoes, diced)
- 1 bunch kale
- 1 cup French lentils
- salt (to taste)
- black pepper (to taste)
- fresh parsley (optional, for garnish)
- fresh thyme (optional, for garnish)
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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 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 turn heat to low and simmer, covered for about 1 hour or until the potatoes and lentils are tender.
Nutrition Facts
Leftover Turkey Soup Recipe
Amount Per Serving (1 cup)
Calories 232
Calories from Fat 63
% Daily Value*
Fat 7g11%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Trans Fat 0.1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 2g
Cholesterol 58mg19%
Sodium 382mg17%
Potassium 409mg12%
Carbohydrates 21g7%
Fiber 6g25%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 21g42%
Vitamin A 2133IU43%
Vitamin C 8mg10%
Calcium 42mg4%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and reheat as needed.
Turkey Soup Instant Pot Option
Since the turkey is already cooked, this is an easy Instant Pot soup. Use the same ingredients from the above recipe.
- Saute carrots, celery, and onion for 3-4 minutes in Instant Pot on the saute setting.
- Add the rest of the ingredients.
- Seal the Instant Pot and set it for 4 minutes on manual high pressure.
- Allow a 5 minute natural release, then manually release pressure.
- 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 yummy recipes. Turkey does great in a variety of soups, stews, and casserole dishes.
- Pumpkin Chili – This recipe uses cinnamon along with traditional chili soup spices for a surprising twist. Instead of ground beef use chopped up turkey in the recipe.
- Paleo Turkey Tetrazzini – The classic dish reinvented with coconut milk in place of dairy and served with a variety of veggies.
- Vegetable Frittata – Add diced turkey and sweet potatoes to this base frittata recipe. Throw in some leftover slivered Brussels sprouts for good measure!
- Broccoli Casserole – Replace the chicken with turkey for a creamy one pan meal.
What are your favorite ways to re-purpose Thanksgiving turkey and other holiday leftovers? I’d love to hear!
