For most families, the day after Thanksgiving can mean either a full day Black Friday shopping or (what do 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 holiday indulgence. And now that most Black Friday sales are available online, you can eat your leftovers from the comfort of your couch while you shop!
Turkey soup from scratch
The day after Thanksgiving you may have the energy to whip up a pot of homemade turkey gravy, or you may not. Our family gets organic, pasture-raised turkey, which is usually more expensive than conventional birds. However, the food is worth the price. To get the most out of leftover turkey carcass, I like to make turkey stock with it.
Just throw 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 soup here.
If you don't want to make your own, then store-bought soup works just as well. I love this one from Kettle and Fire. You can also use chicken stock for a quick option.
Turkey soup is a great way to use up leftover Thanksgiving turkey. The broth helps keep the meat moist as turkey tends to dry out with reheating.
Once you have the juice, this recipe is easy. Put all the ingredients in a soup pot or the Instant Potand let the goodness simmer. I've also included instructions for an Instant Pot version below the recipe.
Variations of turkey soup
Maybe it's not the day after Thanksgiving or your family chose duck this year. In any case, you can do this with chicken. or rotisserie chicken works well to turn this into chicken soup.
I use potatoes to add some filling carbs, but you can add another starch as well. Gluten-free dumplings or egg noodles make a nice 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 light and use what you have!
Leftover Turkey Soup Recipe
A light, easy and nutritious soup for a light meal the day after Thanksgiving.
- leftover turkey meat (diced)
- 2 large carrots (diced)
- 2 stalks of celery (diced)
- 1 medium yellow onion (diced)
- 2 TBSP butter (or olive oil)
- 4 CUPS chicken stock (or turkey stock)
- 1 SPOON basil
- 1 bay leaves
- 2 carnation garlic
- 2 medium potatoes (or sweet potatoes, diced)
- 1 herd of horses
- 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 remaining ingredients.
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Bring to a boil, then reduce the 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 7 g11%
Saturated fat 2 g13%
Trans fat 0.1 g
Unsaturated fat 1 g
Monounsaturated fat 2 g
cholesterol 58 mg19%
Sodium 382 mg17%
potassium 409 mg12%
Carbohydrates 21 g7%
Fiber 6 g25%
Sugar 3 g3%
Protein 21 g42%
Vitamin A 2133 IU43%
Vitamin C 8 mg10%
Calcium 42 mg4%
Iron 2 mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and reheat as needed.
Instant Turkey Chowder Option
Since the turkey is already cooked, this is an easy Instant Pot soup. Use the same ingredients from the recipe above.
- Fry the carrots, celery and onion for 3-4 minutes in the instant pot on the frying setting.
- Add the rest of the ingredients.
- Close the Instant Pot and set for 4 minutes on high manual pressure.
- Allow a natural release of 5 minutes, then manually release the pressure.
- Pour into a bowl and serve.
What to do with the remaining Turkey?
If you have leftover turkey after the soup, refrigerate some for easy protein another night. Or try one of these delicious recipes. Turkey does well in a variety of soups, stews and casseroles.
- Chili squash – 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 – 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 basic frittata recipe. Throw in some leftover shredded Brussels sprouts for good measure!
- Broccoli Casserole – Substitute turkey for chicken for a creamy one-skillet meal.
What are your favorite ways to repurpose Thanksgiving turkey and other holiday leftovers? I would love to hear!
