Anyone else have a bag of leftover turkey in their freezer? I roasted a small turkey breast for Thanksgiving this year since it was just the two of us and still ended up with more leftovers than we could eat, so I froze a bunch. And since I can’t get enough soup this time of year, I decided to use some in an easy leftover turkey and vegetable soup recipe.
Leftover Turkey and Vegetable Soup Recipe Notes
- I started with your basic aromatics mix of carrots, celery, and onions for this. You just can’t go wrong. I also added in some sliced mushrooms for an added depth of flavor. I just can’t help but add in MORE vegetables whenever I see the opportunity.
- Since I used leftover cooked turkey for this, I added it in for just the final 5 minutes of simmering to heat it through. You could easily swap in leftover chicken if that’s what you have on hand.
- I wanted to add potatoes to this soup to create a heartier consistency. But I also wanted a freezer-friendly recipe. In the end, I decided to leave out potatoes. That being said, potatoes would be amazing in this soup. If you plan on eating this soup the day you make it, definitely add in potatoes along with the stock.
- Using wine to deglaze the pan is my favorite way to add a little extra flavor. If you’d rather not use alcohol, you can skip this and just stick with the stock.
- I originally planned on adding chopped Swiss chard to this soup at the end of cooking. I decided not to at the last minute just because I didn’t want to overwhelm the soup. However, I think that they would have been a welcome addition, so I’ll add the greens next time I make this soup.
- Any stock you have on hand will work for this. If you have turkey stock, awesome. If not, chicken or vegetable stock will work nicely.
Leftover Turkey and Vegetable Soup
After Thanksgiving, it’s not uncommon to have a decent amount of leftover turkey hanging out in the fridge or freezer. And since it’s soup season, a simple but flavorful turkey and vegetable soup recipe is exactly what I crave.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1/2 medium yellow onion diced
- 3 carrots sliced
- 2 stalks celery sliced
- 8-10 white or brown mushrooms sliced
- 4-5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 6 cups stock
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 3-4 cups cooked turkey cubed or shredded
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of avocado oil in a large heavy-bottom pot over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add onion, carrots, celery, and mushrooms. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and stir to coat all the veggies in oil. Let cook, stirring occasionally, until veggies have begun to release their moisture and cook down – about 10-15 minutes.
- Add garlic and thyme and cook for 1 minute more, until garlic is fragrant.
- Increase the heat to medium-high and add wine. Stir and let cook until the smell of alcohol is gone – about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add stock, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, then let simmer for 7-10 minutes, until carrots are tender.
- Add turkey and simmer 5-7 minutes more, until turkey is heated through.
- Remove bay leaf and adjust seasoning as needed before serving.
Notes
Since you’re already working with leftover turkey, you’ll want to freeze any leftovers the same day you make it.