How was your Thanksgiving? Ours was wonderful. My husband said it was the best dinner he’d had all year, and I have to agree — it was excellent. I roasted a maple-mustard glazed turkey that had been brining for three days, made a mushroom stuffing with three varieties of mushrooms, a bright cranberry sauce scented with orange and cinnamon, parmesan mashed potatoes with a salsa verde swirl, and Brussels sprouts with bacon and balsamic glaze. We enjoyed the meal and had generous leftovers, which inspired one of my favorite post-holiday dishes: Leftover Turkey Soup.
The following soup has become a tradition for me — I made it last year and again this year, and it always turns out comforting and flavorful. If you have a turkey carcass, don’t throw the bones away. They make a rich, nuanced broth that serves as the foundation for this soup. If you don’t have turkey on hand, you can make the same recipe with roast chicken leftovers and chicken bones.
To make the broth, put the turkey carcass and any leftover bones into a slow cooker or large pot. Add carrots, celery, onions, garlic and a few sprigs of parsley, a teaspoon of salt, a bay leaf and a few whole peppercorns. Cook on low for about eight hours, or simmer gently on the stove for several hours. Strain the solids and you’ll be left with a clear, deeply flavored turkey broth — the heart of this soup.
This recipe was inspired by a magazine soup that paired escarole, lemon and small pasta. The finished result is bright and balanced: tender vegetables, lemon brightness, fresh herbs, and chunks of turkey folded in with pasta. Once you have the broth ready, the soup comes together quickly — plan on roughly 50 to 60 minutes from start to finish.
Leftover Turkey Soup
This comforting soup highlights homemade turkey broth, sautéed vegetables, escarole, lemon and pasta. It’s an excellent way to use Thanksgiving leftovers and freezes well if you want to keep portions for later.
Course: Soup
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 40 minutes | Total Time: 55 minutes | Servings: 4–6
Ingredients
Leftover Turkey Soup
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 leek, sliced (white and light green parts only)
- 3 celery stalks, chopped
- 3 carrots, chopped
- 1 parsnip, chopped
- 3–4 quarts turkey broth (see Turkey Broth below)
- 10 leaves escarole, roughly chopped
- 1 strip of lemon peel
- 2–3 cups leftover turkey, chopped
- 1 cup farfalle (bow-tie) pasta
- Juice of half a lemon
- 1/4 cup fresh dill and parsley, chopped
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Turkey Broth
- 1 turkey carcass and any leftover bones
- 2 onions, cut into chunks
- 2 carrots, cut into chunks
- 3 celery stalks, cut into chunks
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 bunch parsley
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
Instructions
Turkey Broth
- Place the turkey carcass and bones in a large slow cooker or stockpot. Add onions, carrots, celery, garlic, parsley, peppercorns, bay leaf and salt.
- Cover with cold water until the bones are submerged. Cook on low for about 8 hours in a slow cooker, or simmer gently on the stove for 3–5 hours. Avoid boiling vigorously; a gentle simmer produces a clearer broth.
- When the broth is deeply flavored, strain it through a fine mesh sieve into a large bowl or pot. Discard the solids. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Leftover Turkey Soup
- Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat.
- Add the sliced leek, chopped carrots, celery and parsnip. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften, about 8–10 minutes.
- Pour in the turkey broth and bring to a simmer. Cook until the vegetables are tender, about 15–20 minutes.
- Add the escarole and the strip of lemon peel. Simmer for another 8–10 minutes so the escarole wilts but retains some texture.
- Add the chopped turkey and the farfalle pasta. Cook until the pasta is al dente and the turkey is heated through, about 5–7 minutes (timing depends on the pasta you use).
- Remove the lemon peel. Stir in the lemon juice, chopped dill and parsley. Taste and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Ladle into bowls and serve warm. Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for 3–4 days; freeze portions if desired.
This soup is forgiving and adaptable: swap in other greens if you can’t find escarole, use different small pasta shapes, or add more herbs for brightness. It’s a nourishing, economical way to stretch holiday leftovers into several delicious meals.
