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This leftover turkey soup recipe is a delicious and simple way to use up leftover turkey or rotisserie chicken! It is flavoured with onions, celery, carrots, bay leaves and parsley evoking the memories of homemade soups your granny used to make! It is also extremely speedy, wholesome and satisfying!
If you still have more leftover turkey in your fridge, give my Chicken and Dumpling Soup a try but use your leftover Thanksgiving turkey! Or for a creamier soup, try my Turkey Chowder!
Every year I buy a small turkey for Thanksgiving to make sure I have as little leftovers as possible. My personal preference is for a small turkey as it cooks faster and doesn’t dry out as much.
No matter how small my turkey is, I still end up with leftovers. So this year I decided to finally share a few of my leftover turkey recipes. This simple and delicious turkey soup is top of the list since it’s so easy and requires barely any ingredients.
Turkey leftovers
It’s a bit of a shame that we end up just throwing turkey leftovers in the microwave and recreate a lesser version of our Thanksgiving meal. There is so much space to get creative and find all sorts of ways to make interesting and tasty meals from the leftover meat.
Any recipe that is made with chicken can also be made with turkey, so recipes for leftover chicken and turkey are pretty interchangeable.
While throwing extra turkey into a sandwich or salad may seem like the obvious approach, I don’t think it gets the best from the meat. To keep the turkey as moist as possible, I’m a big believer in cooking it into a pie, soup, stew or even curry.
This ensures tender turkey and infuses it with moisture while stretching leftovers out even further. To really take it the distance and beyond a single time of year, try freezing leftover turkey for as long as 6 months for later use (although quality will go down after three!).
Ingredients
I always start my soup base with three main vegetables. Onions, celery and carrots with a choice of herb and this time I went with fresh thyme. I still had some left from the big Thanksgiving dinner. You can use dried thyme just as successfully.
I also add bay leaves and a clove of garlic for an aromatic and delicious soup.
The recipe for this homemade turkey soup recipe is based in the traditional chicken noodle soup but I added a little twist. Besides homemade turkey stock I add leftover turkey pieces and instead of traditional egg noodles I throw in half a cup of giant couscous also known as Israeli couscous or pearl couscous.
Giant couscous is a perfect choice as it has the same taste as pasta, It looks great and it’s so fun to eat! If you can’t find it, regular noodles will work as well.
How to make it
When I say this soups is easy I am not exaggerating in the least! The method is very simple and it only takes about 30-35 minutes to make. The turkey is already cooked and the vegetables and couscous cook fast!
There are a few things I’d like to mention, which make this easy turkey soup recipe extra flavourful. I start by sautéing the vegetables in a mix of olive oil and butter. Do use butter! It adds incredible flavour.
I love using homemade stock that’s been made using leftover turkey carcass and aromatics. You can definitely use already made stock or a stock cube, including chicken stock. Not everything has to be homemade. I often opt for a stock cube myself.
Fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary and bay leaves also contribute to a beautiful aroma and a delicious broth.
Giant couscous only takes 10 minutes to cook just like any pasta, so I throw it in the broth after it just boils. I take the soup off the heat as soon as Israeli couscous is soft.
Sprinkling the turkey soup with some freshly chopped parsley or dill before serving is a real treat!
Serving suggestions
This hearty soup is delicious on its own or with a bread roll. However, if you are up for something more adventurous, try it with garlic cheesy rye toast.
All you have to do is to rub sliced rye, homemade sourdough or any bread of your choice with a clove of garlic sliced in half lengthwise. Sprinkle with your favourite grated cheese and broil in an oven or a toaster oven until melted and golden.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- I’ve suggested using Israeli (pearl) couscous as the starch in this soup, but pasta is another great option. Choose a short pasta shape such as This is an affiliate link.orzo, This is an affiliate link.macaroni or conchiglie, or even This is an affiliate link.gnocchi!
- To keep it gluten free, use rice. White rice will work just fine but brown rice would add the most flavour and texture. Or try hearty wild rice for a nutty twist!
- To use up leftover roasted vegetables from your turkey dinner, dice to them to be the same size as the other vegetables and add them to your soup with approximately five minutes of cooking time left. This gives just enough time for them to be heated through.
- Even though this is a recipe designed for leftover turkey, the exact same recipe can be used for leftover roast chicken.
- If you don’t like the idea of a soup, how do you feel about a creamy stew, also using up any leftover turkey?
Storage and leftovers
Leftover soup can be kept in a fridge for 3-4 days or can be frozen for up to 3 months, both in an This is an affiliate link.airtight container.
While the microwave is an option, the best way to reheat soup is in a This is an affiliate link.saucepan on a stovetop. Keep the pan lid on to retain moisture and bring the soup to a rolling boil.
Leftovers should only be reheated once. So if you make a large amount to eat over a few days, only heat up what you plan to eat immediately. If freezing, it may be convenient to store in individual portions.
More Thanksgiving leftovers recipes
- Chicken Pot Pie with Roasted Vegetables (Use leftover turkey instead)
- Turkey Marsala Pot Pie
- Salmon Cakes (Use leftover mashed potatoes)
- Hearty Mulligatawny Soup (leftover turkey)
Leftover Turkey Soup
Equipment
- This is an affiliate link.Soup pot
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp This is an affiliate link.olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 onion, or 2 shallots
- 1 carrot, large
- 2 stalks celery
- 1 clove garlic
- 4 sprigs thyme, or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1½ litres / 6 cups turkey or chicken stock
- 75g / 1/2 cup giant/pearl couscous
- 250g / 2 cups cooked turkey or chicken
- 2 This is an affiliate link.bay leaves
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Saute chopped onion, celery, carrots and a clove of garlic with thyme leaves in oil and butter over low heat for 5 minutes. Add turkey or chicken stock, cooked turkey, bay leaves and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add the giant couscous or noodles and cook for 10 minutes over medium heat until the couscous is tender. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.
Notes
- Homemade or ready made turkey or chicken stock is suitable.
- You can use noodles instead of Israeli couscous
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This soup as absolutely delightful! Thank you! This is definitely going in my go-to recipes folder.
I made it for dinner tonight. It is delicious! One of my keeper recipes.
I thought this recipe was so delicious that I had to come back and leave a comment. Husband approved! What a delicious way to use leftover turkey! I used Israel couscous and it came out great!
Just made this with leftover Thanksgiving turkey. Added green beans and a scoop of mashed potatoes too. It was delicious !!!!
Thanks so much I had most of the items do thanks.
SO SO good! Thank you very much! for sharing ☺️
Just realized I already left a comment last year! I’m doing again because this soup is just good. The fresh thyme and bay leaves are the only seasonings this needs with the chicken stock and fresh garlic. I’ve seen other turkey soup recipes that are much more complicated. This one is just perfect my level of skill in the kitchen. Absolutely love this soup and can’t wait to make it anytime we have leftover turkey!!
Amazing, Michelle!! Thank you so much!
Nice and easy! Delicious recipe!!
Made this soup for friends. So quick and easy to make. I added frozen mixed vegetables and used the Israeli couscous. So many comments on how delicious the soup was so sharing the recipe with friends.
Thank you for your review and for sharing the recipe with your friends, Kat!
I’m usually not a Fan of turkey soup but this was good. I replaced the couscous with a package of Near East Couscous with Garlic and Olive Oil, including the seasoning packet. After the recipe suggested cooking time, I put it in a slow cooker for several hours. It was awesome. The couscous became soft and made more like a stew than a soup.
This Turkey soup was so good! I cooked it in the crock pot on high for 1 hour and low for 5 hours. After 3 hours I added some frozen green beans and some frozen white corn and some leftover brown rice. I also added the juice of 1/2 a lemon. Delish! Thank you for another great easy recipe
This soup is great! Used my left over Turkey from Thanksgiving and homemade Turkey broth. Followed the recipe exactly and it turned out great! Will make again.
Thank you for your feedback, Carol. I am so pleased you enjoyed this soup.
This was an absolutely delicious way to use leftover turkey. It’s a light, healthy meal after all the heavy Thanksgiving feasting.
Thank you, Lilian. I always make a pot of soup when I feel like I need a break from heavy feasting! 🙂
A really good, basic soup. I always make stock the day after Thanksgiving with our turkey carcass. And used it with this recipe. I subed orzo for the pearl pasta and added extra celery and carrots. Excellent!
Too much celery for me. I did not enjoy this soup.
Unfortunately, I can’t have barley or couscous. What would the timing be if I used quinoa instead?
Hi Deb quinoa takes about 15 minutes to cook.
This soup was extremely yummy. My 5 & 9 year old both has seconds and said it was the best soup ever! I didn’t have giant cuscus so I put in egg noodles instead and definitely was a hit using up extra thanksgiving turkey!
So glad to hear it, Leigh!
I’m not a huge fan of traditional turkey so decided to try this recipe so that our left over turkey did not go to waste. Then recipe is soooo good! Bonus was that it was so easy as well. I will definitely be making this again.
Thank you for the lovely review, Melissa!
Just made this using brined turkey leftovers and it turned out amazing! The only other variation to the recipe was I used 3 1/2 cups of store bought chicken stock as we only had 3 1/2 cups from the Thanksgiving turkey stock we did in the crock pot. My mom says the final result is ‘the greatest turkey soup’ she has ever tasted, also swears by the brining of the turkey making a big difference in flavour. I can’t argue with mom. Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks so much for sharing this with me, Dagan!
This was so good. Even my fussy eater 12 year old liked it! The couscous nailed it down.
Always happy to hear when my recipe is approved by a fussy kid!! Best feeling ever.
Made this soup tonight using leftover turkey I had made in the crockpot for sandwiches. It came out delicious! Will definitely double up the recipe next time. Thank you for the recipe!
My pleasure, Gail! Yes, I love having a double batch in the fridge for lunches in the coming week. I feel so organised when I do!
I just made this recipe and it was delicious. Perfect way to share leftover turkey.
Thank you so much, Bill. I am so glad you enjoyed it!
This is an amazing recipe! I made it for a potluck and everyone raved about it. I used the pearl (israeli) couscous for everyone else, but subbed rice/or cauli rice for mine since I am gluten free. I did not use thyme and of course used homemade stock.
Thank you for much for your review, Dani! Homemade stock makes everything better, doesn’t it?!
Could I make this in my Instant Pot? I could saute the veggies and then set it all to pressure cook but I’m not sure how long to cook it for.
Hi Jenna, I would cook it on high pressure for 5 minutes, then add the couscous or noodles and finish using the saute option.
That is how I made it both times. I just saute all of my aromatics in the Instant Pot, then cook everything on High pressure (sans couscous) for about 10 minutes, quick release, stir in the couscous and just stick the lid back on to soak until cooked through. If you need it quicker, use the Saute function for about 10 minutes.
Great tips, Danielle!
I love having turkey leftovers especially for recipes like this one! Seriously good and feels so much healthier than all the festive eats… YUM
I am also someone who gets super excited about turkey leftovers! 🙂
The first time(after 50+ years of marriage) that I have ever made soup with a leftover turkey carcass. This was delicious! I did use leftover, but fresh, thyme and rosemary. Also used orzo. My family loved it. Thank you so much for a simple, fresh recipe.
Thank you for such a lovely review, Nancy! I am beyond pleased you enjoyed this soup recipe!
Yes , good idea ! My friend which he has no family really so he has dinner with us a lot of times he mentioned putting barley in my turkey soup ! When I go it make it
So today when I make this soup I will add barley
Would that work ?????
Hi Ann, yes it will work but barley takes longer to cook than couscous, so I would adjust cooking time.
Delicious! Just made with the small pieces of turkey remains. Followed most ingredients, but I didn’t have thyme and chose not to use bay leaf. Did use Chicken base instead of broth or stock. Also used Ditalini noodles. Had great flavor and I’ll definitely make again! Thank you for sharing!
I am so pleased to hear it, Renee! It’s such a simple soup but it works as a whole!