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Homemade Turkey Soup is one of the easiest, yummiest recipes. It tastes like home and is the epitome of comfort food.

I love to make this Turkey Soup after Thanksgiving when I have plenty of leftover Roast Turkey. It’s quite similar to homemade Chicken Noodle Soup, with a slightly different flavor.

Turkey soup served in a white bowl.


Use Up Some Leftover Turkey!

While Turkey isn’t one of my favorite meats, I enjoy having it around the holidays.

Since most people have turkey for Thanksgiving, I wanted to make sure I shared at least a few recipes that would be great for some of that leftover meat.

We always have Thanksgiving leftovers because we prepare WAYYY too much food. Other than sending guests home with a Tupperware full, I think it’s great to have a few recipes in mind to use up all the leftover turkey meat.

We love Turkey Tetrazzini or Creamy Turkey and Noodles, as well as soups like today’s recipe.

Of course, you can freeze a lot of the meat but in case you want to use it, this homemade Turkey Soup recipe is perfect. It’s flavorful and tastes a lot like Chicken Noodle Soup, which is perfect to enjoy in the cooler weather.

Dried pasta in a measuring cup to use in turkey soup.

How to Make Turkey Soup

One thing I love about this Turkey Soup recipe is that it only takes about 30 minutes in total! The steps are also simple.

VEGGIES. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add celery and carrots and cook until just tender, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional minute.

TURKEY. Then, add broths, chopped turkey, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil.

PASTA. Reduce heat, add egg noodles and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve warm.

Slow cooker directions

Add all the ingredients into the slow cooker, except the noodles. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 – 7 hours or on HIGH for 2 – 3 hours. Add the noodles and cook an additional 30 – 40 minutes, or until the noodles are tender.

Diced turkey for using in turkey soup.

Recipe tips

Turkey. Turkey Soup is great to use leftover Roast Turkey. If you don’t have any leftovers or didn’t make a turkey:

  • Purchase raw turkey breasts or tenderloins, add poultry seasoning, and bake them. Once done, chop and add it to the soup.
  • Or go the precooked route. Most grocery stores carry packages of pre-cooked, chopped turkey, or stop by the deli and have them cut thick slices of turkey and cube them at home.

Make your own turkey broth. Make turkey stock with the leftover turkey carcass to use instead of broth. This needs to be done the day before.

  1. Stick the carcass in a stock pot and cover it with water/broth and bring it to a boil.
  2. Let it simmer for 4-5 hours before removing the carcass.
  3. Drain the stock through a colander or mesh sieve to remove any lingering pieces of bone.
  4. Store the stock in the fridge for a few days, or the freezer for a couple of months until you’re ready to use it for the soup.

Thicken soup. If you prefer a creamy Turkey Soup, add heavy cream, yogurt, or use a can of cream of chicken soup. You can also use flour or cornstarch:

  • Flour: Scoop ½ cup of hot broth out of the soup and into a bowl and mix in 1 tablespoon of flour. Once smooth, pour the mixture back into the soup and stir. 
  • Cornstarch: In a separate bowl, mix together 1 tablespoon of cold water and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. Add half to the soup and let it simmer. Add more as needed. 

Variations + Storing

This Turkey Soup is delicious as it, but here are a few suggestions to make it your own:

  • Add cooked wild rice, white rice, or brown rice.
  • Mix in more veggies such as green beans, peas, and corn.
  • Add favorite herbs like fresh parsley or a bit of rosemary.
  • Switch up the type of noodle. Most pasta works, but we love rotini and butterfly pasta the most.

Serve Turkey Soup in a Bread Bowl, or with a side of Homemade Rolls or Breadsticks.

STORE leftover Turkey Soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Keep them altogether or in individual portions.

FREEZE. Cool and store in an airtight freezer-safe container in the freezer for 4-6 months. Keep in mind the noodles may become mushy due to absorbing so much liquid over time. 

Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.

Close up of a bowl filled with turkey soup.

For more hearty soups:

5 from 13 votes

Turkey Soup Recipe

By: Lil’ Luna
Homemade Turkey Soup is one of the easiest, yummiest recipes. It tastes like home and is the epitome of comfort food.
Servings: 8
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 1 hour

Ingredients 

  • 1 tablespoon butter unsalted
  • ½ cup chopped celery
  • 1 cup sliced carrots
  • 3 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 4 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth full sodium
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can vegetable broth
  • 2 cups chopped turkey cooked
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • salt and ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 ½ cups medium egg noodles

Instructions 

  • Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add celery and carrots and cook until just tender, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional minute.
  • Then, add broths, chopped turkey, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil.
  • Reduce heat, add egg noodles and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve warm.

Notes

Slow Cooker Directions: Just add all the ingredients into the slow cooker, except the noodles. Cover and cook on low for 6 – 7 hours or on HIGH for 2 – 3 hours. Add the noodles and cook an additional 30 – 40 minutes, or until the noodles are tender.

Nutrition

Calories: 511kcal, Carbohydrates: 7g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 53g, Saturated Fat: 16g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g, Monounsaturated Fat: 22g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 62mg, Sodium: 32mg, Potassium: 95mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 2753IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 18mg, Iron: 0.4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: American
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About Kristyn

My name is Kristyn and I’m the mom of SIX stinkin’ cute kids and the wife to my smokin’ hot hubby, Lo. My mom’s maiden name is Luna, and I’m one of the many crafty “Lil’ Lunas” in the fam. On this site I like to share all things creative - from recipes to home decor to gifts and home decor ideas. Welcome!

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Recipe Rating




11 Comments

    1. I haven’t tried with frozen noodles, but I suppose you could. You may adjust the liquid slightly, but just make sure they defrost/cook and it should work just fine!

  1. 5 stars
    Best use for your leftover Thanksgiving Turkey. I even used the carcass to make the broth instead of using chicken broth. This recipe is so rich and buttery- my family raves about it and it was so easy to make! Will be permanent in the rotation.

  2. 5 stars
    Delicious and easy way to use up leftover Thanksgiving Turkey! I was sick of turkey from Thanksgiving so I portioned it and stuck it in the freezer. That’s what I used for this and it was great for a quick weeknight dinner.