How to Make Delicious Homemade Turkey Soup

Making turkey soup is one of the best ways to use up leftovers after Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. Simmering the turkey carcass creates a flavorful broth, while turkey meat and vegetables make it hearty and delicious. Read on to learn how to make easy homemade turkey soup that will become a new family favorite!

Why Make Turkey Soup?

There are several great reasons to make turkey soup with your leftovers:

• It puts the entire turkey to use – meat, bones, and carcass. Less waste!
• Simmering the bones makes a nutrient-rich bone broth.
• The flavor is incredible since it comes straight from the roasted turkey.
• It’s simple, healthy comfort food that warms you up.
• Soup freezes beautifully so you can enjoy it for weeks.

Tips for Making Turkey Soup

Follow these tips for killer homemade turkey soup:

Use the Turkey Bones

The key to amazing flavor is using the bones and carcass. This transforms your soup from okay to outstanding.

Break up the carcass and pack it into a big pot with some turkey wings, neck and giblets if you have them. Cover with water and simmer for 6-12 hours. The long cook time extracts tons of flavor and collagen from the bones creating a nutrient-dense broth.

Cook it Low and Slow

Patience pays off when making turkey broth. Let it simmer as long as possible. A minimum of 6 hours is ideal, but you can go up to 12 hours or longer. The longer the simmer, the more rich and flavorful the broth.

Use Leftover Meat

Shred or chop any leftover meat and add it to the finished soup. The tender, moist turkey complements the broth wonderfully. If you don’t have enough, throw in some chicken too.

Sauté the Veggies

Sautéing veggies like onion, carrots and celery before adding them to the soup boosts their flavor. They’ll also add sweetness to balance the savory broth.

Season Generously

Don’t be shy with the sea salt! Turkey broth needs quite a bit of salt to make all the flavors pop. Start with 1/2 tsp per quart of broth and add more to taste. Freshly ground black pepper is great too.

Mix up the Spices

Basic poultry seasoning is essential, but you can also experiment with other dried herbs and spices. Rosemary, thyme and sage are perfect with poultry.

Go Easy on the Vegetables

Keep veggies minimal so the glorious turkey flavor can shine. Onion, carrot and celery are classic. Add 1 or 2 others like potatoes, parsnips or sweet potato if desired.

Cook Pasta Separately

If using noodles or pasta, cook them al dente first. Then add to each bowl of soup. This prevents mushiness in leftovers.

Let it Chill

Chilling the finished soup allows the flavors to develop fully. It also gives you time to skim excess fat from the top.

Garnish with Herbs

Fresh parsley, thyme or chives scattered on top adds color and brightness right before serving.

How to Make Turkey Noodle Soup

This easy recipe shows you how to make the classic turkey noodle soup.

Ingredients:

• Turkey carcass and bones
• 1-2 quarts water
• 2 quarts chicken broth
• 3-4 cups chopped cooked turkey
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 3 carrots, sliced
• 3 stalks celery, sliced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1⁄2 tsp rosemary
• 1 tsp poultry seasoning
• 1/2 tsp dried sage
• 1 cup egg noodles or small pasta
• Sea salt and pepper to taste
• Chopped parsley

Instructions:

1. Simmer the turkey carcass and bones in water for 8-12 hours. Remove the bones and strain the broth.

2. Sauté onion, carrots and celery in olive oil until soft, 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute more.

3. Add broth, turkey meat, bay leaves and all spices to the pot. Simmer for 30 minutes.

4. Cook egg noodles separately according to package directions.

5. Discard bay leaves. Season soup with salt and pepper to taste.

6. Add cooked noodles to each bowl of soup. Garnish with chopped parsley.

This simple soup lets the delicious turkey broth be the star. The noodles and veggies round it out into a comforting, nourishing meal.

Tips for Leftover Turkey Soup

Transforming leftovers into turkey soup is one of the best parts of Thanksgiving! Here are some tips:

• Make the broth while you clean up from dinner. Simmer the carcass overnight in the crockpot or on the stovetop while you sleep.

• Pick the turkey clean before making stock. Refrigerate or freeze the meat to add later.

• Cook any leftover veggies like onions, carrots and celery a bit longer when making soup. They may be overcooked from the initial meal.

• If the soup seems thin after adding the meat and veggies, thicken it with a cornstarch slurry or splash of cream.

• Adding barley, rice or pasta turns it into a hearty meal. Cook them on the side and add to individual portions so they don’t get too mushy.

• Swap out spices and herbs each time you make it. Rosemary and sage are nice alternatives to poultry seasoning.

• Freeze any extra soup in meal-size portions. It lasts 3-6 months in the freezer.

Troubleshooting Turkey Soup

If your turkey soup turns out less than delicious, here are some common issues and how to fix them:

Broth is flavorless: Simmer the bones for at least 8-10 hours. Use more bones/wings/neck next time for concentrated flavor.

Soup is greasy: Chill it so the fat solidifies, then scrape it off the top before reheating.

Meat or noodles are mushy: Store them separately from the broth to prevent overcooking.

Soup tastes flat: Add more salt, pepper and herbs. Acid from lemon juice or vinegar also helps.

Soup is too thin: Cook it a bit longer to reduce the liquid or add a starch slurry to thicken.

Vegetables lack flavor: Sauté them in olive oil before adding to develop flavor.

More Delicious Turkey Soup Recipes

Once you master the basic turkey soup, try one of these fun flavor variations:

• Turkey Noodle Soup – The classic! Use egg noodles, macaroni or other small pasta shapes.

• Turkey Rice Soup – For heartiness, use white or brown rice instead of noodles.

• Turkey Chili – Spice it up with chili powder, cumin, beans, corn and tomato.

• Creamy Turkey & Wild Rice Soup – Puree some of the soup and add cream or milk for a creamy texture.

• Turkey Corn Chowder – Add corn, diced potatoes and cream for a hearty chowder.

• Turkey Posole – Hominy, green chiles and cumin give this Southwestern flair.

• Thai Turkey & Coconut Soup – Coconut milk and red curry paste makes this deliciously exotic.

• Turkey Tortilla Soup – Top with tortilla strips, avocado and Monterey jack for amazing flavor.

• Turkey & Vegetable Soup – Pack it with carrots, squash, green beans, peas and any other veggies you like.

• Italian Turkey Soup – Flavor it up Italian-style with tomato, spinach, basil and parmesan.

So get creative with your leftovers! Turkey soup is the perfect way to savor every last bit of your holiday bird.