Leftover Turkey Noodle Soup is cozy, comforting, and the perfect use for leftover Thanksgiving turkey. Cooks in just 30 minutes with limited prep time.
Making a big bowl of noodle soup is perfect for cooler weather and is the favorite choice when you're feeling under the weather. If you don't have leftover turkey or chicken to make this recipe, you can use raw chicken breasts to make this Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup.
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Perfect Leftover Turkey Recipe!
Using leftover turkey for soup is one of my favorite ways to use it up! It comes together easily, quickly, and you can even freeze the soup if you make a big batch.
Other Leftover Turkey Recipes
- Leftover Turkey Pot Pie - made in one skillet for easy clean up and uses store bought biscuits for the topping.
- Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls - Swap in shredded turkey for the shredded chicken to make these fun appetizers. Can be made in the oven or air fryer.
- Leftover Turkey Sliders - These Leftover Turkey Sliders use both leftover turkey AND leftover cranberry sauce. All layered in Hawaiian rolls for a fun and easy lunch or game day snack.
Ingredients
- Butter and Olive Oil - I love the flavor of using both!
- Onion - Yellow or White
- Carrots
- Celery
- Garlic
- Leftover Cooked Turkey - Shredded. You can use light, dark, or a mixture
- Turkey or Chicken Stock or Broth
- Spices: Dried Bay Leaves, Dried Thyme, Dried Rosemary, Salt and Pepper
- Egg Noodles
- Lemon Juice and Fresh Parsley - Adding this to the soup adds the right balance of acidity and freshness.
Step by Step Instructions
This recipe for leftover turkey soup takes only 5 minutes of prep and is ready start to finish in a little over half an hour.
- Prep - Dice up the carrots, celery, and onion. I like to dice everything to a similar size so it cooks evenly.
- Sauté - Grab a large soup pot and heat up the butter and olive oil. Sauté the veggies until they start to soften then add the garlic and herbs and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Boil - Add most of the broth and bring to a boil. Boil until the veggies are tender then add the noodles. Depending on the size of your soup pot, you may need to add more broth so that the noodles are fully submerged. I used about 10 cups total. Cook the noodles until just al dente.
- Add Turkey and Finish Soup - Add the shredded turkey to the soup and simmer until warmed. Finish by stirring in the lemon juice and topping with fresh parsley.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are several things that gives this recipe its flavor. The classic is the mirepoix (celery, carrot, and onion). I also include garlic and dried spices - you could always increase the amounts to your taste. The lemon juice at the end adds a little acidity and brightness to freshen up the soup.
Yes! After cooling down, you can freeze in freezer bags for up to 3 months. You can freeze with or without noodles. If you keep the noodles in, be aware that they will soak up more liquid and be softer.
Absolutely! But the noodles will continue to soak up the broth as it sits in the fridge. You can wait to add the noodles until before serving, by cooking them separately and adding to the soup after reheating.
Yes! Egg Noodles are the classic choice for this soup, but you can use a different pasta of your choice. The cook time may differ, so adjust accordingly.
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PrintRecipe
Leftover Turkey Noodle Soup
Leftover Turkey Noodle Soup is cozy, comforting, and the perfect use for leftover Thanksgiving turkey. Cooks in just 30 minutes with limited prep time.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 cup diced carrots, 2-3 medium carrots
- 1 cup diced celery, 2-3 celery stalks
- 1 cup diced yellow or white onion, 1 medium
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 8-12 cups chicken or turkey broth or stock, see note
- 12 oz egg noodles
- 2-3 cups cooked and shredded turkey
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Sauté - In a large soup pot, add the butter and olive oil and heat to medium-high. Once the butter is melted and the pot is hot, add the carrots, celery, and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally until starting to soften. About 7 or 8 minutes. Add the garlic and spices and sauté for one minute more.
- Boil - Add 8 cups of the broth or stock. Bring to a boil and boil for 3-4 minutes until the veggies are tender. Add the noodles to the pot. You may need to add the additional broth to make sure the noodles are fully submerged. Bring to a boil again and cook noodles until just al dente, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add Turkey - Add the shredded turkey and simmer until the turkey is warmed. Add the lemon juice for brightness.
- Serve - Soup is best served immediately after making. The noodles will continue to soak up the broth as it sits.
Notes
Leftovers/Make Ahead - The noodles will continue to soak up the broth as it sits in the fridge. If making in advance, I recommend cooking them separately and adding to the soup after reheating.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 234
- Sugar: 2.4 g
- Sodium: 153.7 mg
- Fat: 7.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Protein: 23.7 g
- Cholesterol: 73.4 mg
Katie says
I make this every Thanksgiving and it's perfect!