Leftover turkey noodle soup is the perfect comfort food. Made with fresh veggies and turkey or chicken, it’s the perfect winter soup!
We love Thanksgiving around here, and will make an excuse to enjoy turkey dinner whenever we can. This soup is so simple to put together after all of the cooking we do for turkey dinner! It’s even quicker if you use Instant Pot turkey stock.
This soup is perfect with some bread to sop up anything left in the bowl. We love serving it alongside Irish soda bread, or cornbread (made with a quick cornbread mix).
There’s nothing like homemade turkey noodle soup on a cold winter day with a slice of Irish soda bread or warm skillet cornbread. It’s comforting, simple, and delicious!
This turkey noodle soup uses a homemade stock to really make it perfect, but if you’ve already discarded the carcass you can pick up some turkey or chicken stock from the store. Make sure you look for one that is reduced sodium.
How To Make Turkey Soup Stock
To make the stock for this turkey noodle soup:
- Remove as much of the meat from the turkey carcass as possible.
- Add the carcass to a large stock pot. Add the rest of the ingredients, and bring it to a boil.
- As soon as the pot begins to boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer. Simmer the stock for a minimum of an hour. The longer you simmer, the better the flavor will be!
- When the stock is ready, remove the carcass. Then, strain the stock through a sieve or cheesecloth to get all of the ingredients out. Then, you’re left with the stock!
How To Make Turkey Noodle Soup
To make turkey noodle soup:
- Saute the onions, carrots, and celery over medium heat. Avoid using oil if possible, so you don’t need to skim the soup. If the ingredients stick, add a small glug to help.
- Add in garlic and poultry seasoning, then saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the turkey stock you made, or store bought if you’re looking to save a little time.
- Simmer for about 15 minutes, then add salt as needed. If you made homemade stock, it will need salt. Store bought broth will already have sodium added.
- Add the diced turkey and egg noodles. Simmer until the noodles are cooked, about 5 minutes.
For Slow Cooker Turkey Noodle Soup
- Saute veggies in a medium saucepan. Add garlic and poultry seasoning. Add to slow cooker.
- Add broth and turkey, and cook on high for 3 hours or low for 5 hours. Add egg noodles, and cook for an additional 20 minutes or until cooked through.
How To Store Leftover Turkey Soup
To store turkey noodle soup, allow it to cool completely. It can be kept in plastic containers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
If you plan to freeze turkey noodle soup, don’t add the egg noodles until you reheat it on the stovetop. Freeze for up to 6 months, and defrost over medium heat in a saucepan. Add egg noodles once it reaches a simmer.
Tips For Making Turkey Soup
- Watch the sodium – homemade stock won’t have added salt, so it will need to have salt added to fill out the flavors. Store bought will be salted already, so make sure you don’t reduce the liquid at all.
- Use different cuts of turkey – we love using a mix of dark and white meat when we make turkey noodle soup
- Add more or less veggies – if you’re a big fan of veggies, you can always add more!
- For a gluten free version of turkey noodle soup, omit the egg noodles.
- Simmer for longer, if you have time. 15 minutes is the minimum time to simmer, but you can always simmer longer if you have the time!
More Delicious Fall Recipes
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole
- Slow Cooker Thai Peanut Chicken
- Tuscan Chicken Pasta
- Rice Pilaf with Orzo
- Roasted Root Vegetable Soup
- Creamy Carrot Soup
Leftover Turkey Noodle Soup
Ingredients
Homemade Turkey Stock (Optional)
- 1 turkey carcass meat removed
- 10 cups water
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 celery stalks with leaves
- 4 cloves garlic peeled
- 1 onion cut into wedges
- 1 tablespoon peppercorns
For The Soup
- 1 cup carrots chopped, about 2
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 cup celery stalks chopped, about 3
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
- 3 quarts turkey stock (or broth) can use chicken
- 1 teaspoon salt to taste
- 3 cups leftover turkey chopped into bite sized pieces
- 8 oz egg noodles
Instructions
For Homemade Turkey Stock:
- Combine all stock ingredients in a large stock pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer for at least 1 hour, but up to 4.
- Discard carcass. Pour turkey stock through a sieve or cheesecloth to strain it. Store for up to 3 days in the fridge, freeze, or use for the soup.
For Turkey Noodle Soup:
- In a large stock pot, combine carrots, onions, and celery. Saute over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. If ingredients stick, add a small dash of olive oil. Add in garlic, and saute until fragrant, about another minute.
- Stir in poultry seasoning. Add turkey stock, and simmer for 15 minutes. Taste, and add salt as needed.
- Add leftover turkey and egg noodles. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until turkey is heated and egg noodles are soft.
Notes
Pin it for later:
