Leftover Turkey Soup Recipe (Easy & Healthy!)

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There are dozens of ideas for what to do with leftover turkey, especially after Thanksgiving and Christmas — and you can find lots of them in my Thanksgiving turkey recipe post. One of my favorites is this leftover turkey soup recipe, because it’s made with common ingredients and it’s so easy to prepare. Shredded turkey, colorful herbs, and tender veggies combine for a comforting, yet light, soup that’s perfect for those times after heavy holiday meals.

Why You’ll Love This Leftover Turkey Soup Recipe

Fresh flavors in a savory seasoned broth
Tender shredded turkey and veggies
Simple ingredients you’ll have on hand
Done in one pot
No noodles, rice, or potatoes needed
Naturally healthy, low carb, and gluten-free
The best turkey soup recipe to make with leftover turkey!

Ingredients & Substitutions

This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for leftover turkey soup, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.

Olive Oil – For sauteing. You can substitute any neutral cooking oil you like.
Vegetables – Onion, carrots, celery, and cauliflower. You can use other veggies such as green beans, peas, and zucchini, frozen bagged vegetables, or even leftover veggies from holiday meals.
Sea Salt & Black Pepper – As needed. For an extra savory flavor, add a teaspoon or two of poultry seasoning.
Leftover Turkey Meat – I like using leftover Thanksgiving turkey, slow cooker turkey breast, or even meat from turkey legs in this recipe for turkey soup. (It’s one of the best things to do with leftover turkey of any kind!) If you don’t have any, you can use store-bought shredded turkey, or other poultry like shredded chicken. Another option is to add pieces of raw chicken or turkey directly to the soup, and let them cook while the soup simmers.
Chicken Broth – I use a reduced sodium version. If time allows, make homemade bone broth instead using your leftover turkey carcass.
Fresh Herbs – Including fresh parsley and fresh thyme. If you need to use dried herbs, replace with 2 teaspoons dried parsley and 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme.

How To Make Turkey Soup

This section shows how to make this leftover turkey soup recipe, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.

Saute aromatics . Heat oil in a large Dutch oven and saute the onion until soft. Add garlic and saute until fragrant.
Cook veggies. Add carrots, celery, cauliflower, and salt and pepper. Cook until the vegetables start to soften.

Sauteed celery, carrots, cauliflower, and seasonings in a pot.

Simmer. Stir in turkey, broth, parsley, and thyme. Bring to a boil and then simmer until the flavors develop.
Season. Taste and season as desired. Serve your homemade turkey soup recipe with additional chopped parsley, if desired.

Broth added to a pot with vegetables and turkey.

VARIATIONS: Make creamy turkey soup or turkey noodle soup!

To make the turkey soup creamy: Add up to 1/2 cup heavy cream in the last 5 minutes of simmering.
For turkey noodle soup: Replace either all or half of the cauliflower with your favorite dry pasta, and add it in the last 8-12 minutes of simmering. (That’s how long noodles will take to cook, and you don’t want to add them too soon to prevent overcooking.)

How Long Is Leftover Turkey Good For?

Leftover turkey will keep in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. If you make leftover turkey recipes with it, they will still be good for the same time frame from when the turkey was originally cooked.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep leftovers in a covered container up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Reheat: Pour leftovers in a pot over medium heat and simmer until warm.
Freeze: Place portions in freezer safe containers or zip lock bags, and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight or reheat directly from frozen.

This bowl of turkey soup is one of the best things to do with leftover turkey.

More Leftover Turkey Recipes

Turkey isn’t just for soup… try these other leftover turkey recipes:

Casseroles – One dish casseroles are perfect for busy schedules! Try this leftover turkey casserole or make chicken cordon bleu casserole with turkey meat instead.
Salads – This turkey salad recipe is my favorite. You can also swap chicken with turkey in avocado chicken salad, buffalo chicken salad, or Mediterranean chicken salad. Or, add plain meat on top of fall dishes like butternut squash salad and kale crunch salad.
Sandwiches – Use turkey in cucumber subs, lettuce wraps, or between slices of your favorite bread (almond flour bread is one of my fave healthy options).

Tools To Make Leftover Turkey Soup

Chef’s Knife – This stainless steel blade makes it easy to prep the meat and veggies in this soup.
Dutch Oven – A stunning pot that travels beautifully from stove to table.