Thanksgiving hosting
The short answer: this turkey soup turns about 3 cups of leftover turkey and the holiday carcass into 8 bowls of dinner.
- Stock: simmer the carcass with onion, carrot, celery and herbs for 2 to 3 hours
- Soup: cook vegetables in the stock for 15 minutes, then add turkey and noodles or rice
- Start it within 3 to 4 days of the holiday meal
- Variations and safe cooling and storage
- Next step: Plan it with the Meal Planner & Grocery List ($3.99).
Our picks for turkey soup
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Meal Planner & Grocery List: Thanksgiving Edition
Plan the perfect Thanksgiving: our meal planner in a warm harvest design, with a Thanksgiving Day timeline, a guest & dish sign-up, an aisle-sorted grocery list and pantry and freezer trackers.
Printables
Family Recipe Binder
Section dividers, four recipe page layouts with room for the family story, 4x6 and 3x5 cards and a conversion chart - print it or type into the fillable version.
This turkey soup turns about 3 cups of leftover turkey and the holiday carcass into 8 bowls of dinner. Simmer the carcass in water with onion, carrot, celery and herbs for 2 to 3 hours to make stock. Strain it, then cook fresh vegetables in the stock for 15 minutes. Add the chopped turkey and noodles or rice and simmer until tender. Season with salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon. Start it within 3 to 4 days of the holiday meal.
I love cooking, and turkey soup is my favorite part of the holiday leftovers. It feels like a second meal for almost no extra money. It also clears room in the fridge. Here's the full recipe, with stock, add-in options and safe cooling and storage.
Ingredients for turkey soup
For the stock
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Turkey carcass | 1, broken into pieces |
| Water | 12 to 14 cups, enough to cover |
| Onion | 1, quartered (skin on is fine) |
| Carrots | 2, in large chunks |
| Celery | 2 ribs, in large chunks |
| Bay leaves | 2 |
| Black peppercorns | 1 teaspoon |
| Fresh thyme or parsley stems | A handful |
For the soup
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Butter or olive oil | 2 tablespoons |
| Onion, diced | 1 medium |
| Carrots, sliced | 3 |
| Celery, sliced | 3 ribs |
| Garlic, minced | 2 cloves |
| Turkey stock | 10 cups |
| Cooked turkey, chopped | 3 to 4 cups |
| Egg noodles or rice | 3 cups dry noodles or 1 cup dry rice |
| Dried thyme | 1 teaspoon |
| Salt and pepper | To taste |
| Lemon juice and parsley | To finish |
No carcass? Use 10 cups of store-bought low-sodium chicken or turkey broth and skip straight to the soup steps.
How to make turkey stock from the carcass
- Strip the bones. Pull off any meat you want for the soup and refrigerate it.
- Fill the pot. Put the carcass, stock vegetables, bay leaves, peppercorns and herbs in a large stockpot. Cover with cold water.
- Simmer gently. Bring it just to a boil, then turn it down to a low simmer. Skim off any foam.
- Give it time. Simmer uncovered for 2 to 3 hours. Add water if the bones poke out.
- Strain. Pour the stock through a fine-mesh strainer. Discard the bones and vegetables.
- Cool it safely. Split hot stock into shallow containers so it chills fast. Skim the fat once it's cold.
You'll get about 10 to 12 cups. A slow cooker works too: cook the same ingredients on low for 8 to 10 hours.
How to make turkey soup, step by step
- Soften the vegetables. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the onion, carrots and celery for 6 to 8 minutes.
- Add the garlic and thyme. Stir for 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Pour in the stock. Add 10 cups of stock and bring it to a boil.
- Simmer the vegetables. Lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, until the carrots are just tender.
- Add the starch. Stir in the noodles and cook 6 to 8 minutes, or the rice for about 15 minutes.
- Add the turkey. Stir in the chopped turkey and simmer until it's hot all the way through.
- Season. Taste and add salt and pepper. Finish with a squeeze of lemon and chopped parsley.
Cooking noodles for leftovers? Cook them separately and add them to each bowl. They won't turn soft in the fridge that way. The same trick works for homemade chicken noodle soup.
Turkey soup variations
| Variation | What to change | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Turkey noodle soup | Egg noodles, as written | The classic |
| Turkey and rice soup | 1 cup rice instead of noodles | Wild rice takes about 45 minutes |
| Creamy turkey soup | Stir in 1 cup cream or half-and-half at the end | Don't let it boil after the cream goes in |
| Turkey vegetable soup | Skip the starch; add 2 cups green beans, corn or potatoes | Uses up leftover sides |
| Spicy turkey soup | Add diced tomatoes, cumin, chili powder and a chopped jalapeño | Top with lime and cilantro |
| Turkey dumpling soup | Drop biscuit dough on the simmering soup and cover for 15 minutes | Very filling |
Safe timing, cooling and storage
Turkey soup works best when you start it soon after the holiday. The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service says to refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and to use them within 3 to 4 days. It also recommends dividing a big pot of soup into shallow containers so it cools quickly. Reheat soup to a rolling boil before serving.
| Step | Guideline |
|---|---|
| Leftover turkey | Refrigerate within 2 hours; use within 3 to 4 days |
| Cooling the soup | Divide into shallow containers before refrigerating |
| Fridge | 3 to 4 days |
| Freezer | 2 to 3 months for best quality |
| Reheating | Bring to a rolling boil |
The fridge and freezer times for soups with meat come from the FoodSafety.gov cold storage chart. If you're not sure how old your leftover turkey is, check our guide to how long turkey is good in the fridge first.
Freeze the soup without noodles. Add freshly cooked noodles when you reheat it.
How much soup this makes
| Leftover turkey | Stock | Bowls |
|---|---|---|
| 2 cups | 7 cups | About 5 |
| 3 to 4 cups | 10 cups | About 8 |
| 6 cups | 15 cups (larger pot) | About 12 |
Want a whole week planned around the leftovers? Our Thanksgiving leftovers meal plan gives soup its own day, alongside other ways to use the turkey.
Plan leftovers week
Soup night is easier when it's already on the plan. These printables help you use what you have before buying more.
- Meal Planner & Grocery List, $3.99. Plan the week after the holiday, with soup night on the calendar and only the missing vegetables on the list.
- Meal Planner & Grocery List: Thanksgiving Edition, $4.99. Plan the holiday meal itself, from the menu to the shopping list.
- Family Recipe Binder, $6.99. Save your favorite soup version on a recipe page for next year.
Shop the full holiday collection or browse every printable in Printables. Want a freebie? Join our list and we'll email the Holiday Budget Starter Kit, three US Letter pages.
More leftover ideas
- Thanksgiving leftovers meal plan
- Freezer meals
- Freezer inventory list
- Thanksgiving on a budget
- How to plan Thanksgiving dinner
Still have meat left after the soup? Our leftover turkey recipes list has 25 more ways to use it.
Plan the feast on paper
Your Thanksgiving timeline, guest list and grocery list in one place
The Thanksgiving Edition of our Meal Planner & Grocery List, in a warm harvest design: map the day on the Thanksgiving Day timeline, track who brings what on the guest & dish sign-up, and shop once with the aisle-sorted grocery list. Print it at home tonight.
- Thanksgiving Day timeline that works backwards from dinner
- Guest & dish sign-up
- Grocery list sorted by aisle, plus pantry and freezer pages
Thanksgiving and Christmas planners together: the Holiday Quick-Start Pack, $7
Frequently asked questions
How do you make turkey soup from leftovers? To make turkey soup from leftovers, simmer the carcass with vegetables and herbs for 2 to 3 hours to make stock, then strain it. Cook fresh onion, carrot and celery in the stock, add noodles or rice, and stir in 3 to 4 cups of chopped turkey until hot.
How long should I simmer a turkey carcass for soup? Simmer a turkey carcass for 2 to 3 hours for a flavorful stock. Keep it at a gentle simmer rather than a hard boil, and add water if the bones start to poke out.
How long is leftover turkey good for making soup? Use leftover turkey within 3 to 4 days of the meal, as long as it was refrigerated within 2 hours of cooking. The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service gives that 3 to 4 day window for leftovers.
Can I make turkey soup without the carcass? Yes, use about 10 cups of low-sodium chicken or turkey broth instead of homemade stock. Then follow the soup steps with your leftover turkey and fresh vegetables.
Should I cook the noodles in the soup? Cook the noodles in the soup if you'll eat it all that day. For leftovers or freezing, cook them separately and add them to each bowl so they don't turn soft.
How do I cool a big pot of turkey soup safely? Divide the hot soup into shallow containers before you refrigerate it, so it cools quickly. Get it into the fridge within 2 hours of cooking.
How long does turkey soup last in the fridge? Turkey soup lasts 3 to 4 days in the fridge, according to the FoodSafety.gov cold storage chart for soups with meat. Reheat it to a rolling boil before serving.
Can you freeze turkey soup? Yes, turkey soup keeps 2 to 3 months in the freezer for best quality. Freeze it without the noodles and add freshly cooked noodles when you reheat it.
What vegetables go in turkey soup? Onion, carrots and celery are the classic turkey soup vegetables. Leftover green beans, corn, potatoes or spinach also work well and help clear out the fridge.
How do I fit turkey soup into the week after Thanksgiving? Put soup night on the Meal Planner & Grocery List from HomeBase Paper Co. within 3 days of the holiday. Then your grocery list only needs the vegetables and noodles you don't already have.
Free printable
Host without the scramble: get the free Thanksgiving checklist
A printable week-by-week Thanksgiving countdown, from the guest list and menu to the day-of timeline. You'll also get our weekly HomeBase email with simple holiday planning, budgeting and hosting tips.
Sources
- USDA FSIS: Leftovers and food safety fsis.usda.gov
- FoodSafety.gov: Cold food storage chart foodsafety.gov
