Easy Turkey Soup

Grab the leftover turkey from the holiday feast and make this easy, delicious Turkey Soup. It’s a hearty cream-based soup filled with classic Thanksgiving fixings.

Did you cook a turkey for Easter and have leftovers? If you do or you’re finding this recipe because, despite all your efforts, you have leftover turkey from Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas festivities, you’ve found the right recipe.

If you’re feeling like enjoying the classic Thanksgiving flavors through a bowl of delicious, hearty soup you are going to love this easy soup recipe.

This easy turkey soup recipe is a perfect way to use up that leftover turkey. Filled with all the classic Thanksgiving fixings: russet potatoes, sweet potatoes, green beans, sage, thyme and don’t forget the moist chunks of turkey (or chicken if you prefer).

HOW TO MAKE TURKEY SOUP:

This turkey soup is a favorite of mine for a few reason. One being how quick it is to make especially when I use leftover turkey or canned chicken. If it’s not turkey season you can also use precooked chicken. This alone save loads of time in the cooking process because I don’t have to wait for the meat to cook.

Once you have your leftover turkey (or chicken) ready, in a large pot over medium to medium-high heat add butter or oil and sauté onions and celery until they begin to turn translucent, about two to three minutes.

Next, add the spices. As the spices heat the flavors will be amplified. This only takes 15-30 seconds. Make sure you stir the spices in so they don’t burn.

Immediately add the chicken broth, potatoes (both kinds), and frozen green beans. Bring it all to a simmer and cook until potatoes become fork tender. Depending on how cool the broth is, it may take 15-20 minutes.

Once the potatoes are fork tender, add the cooked, diced turkey (or chicken) and cornstarch slurry. Return the soup to a simmer. Make sure you stir constantly until soup thickens to avoid scorching or lumps. This will only take a couple of minutes.

Once thickened add the cream. Salt and pepper to taste and that’s it. Enjoy!

This turkey soup only takes about 20 minutes to cook because you can use leftover turkey or chicken in it. Hot turkey soup will be on the table in 30 minutes start to finish. Now that’s my kind of dinner.

RUE VS SLURRY:

Used to thicken sauces, gravies, and soups a cornstarch slurry or flour rue can be used. A fat, like butter, mixed with flour is all you need to make a flour rue. To make a slurry, you mix together water or milk with cornstarch. To thicken this soup a slurry or rue can be used.

If gluten is a dietary issue, stick with a cornstarch slurry which is a gluten-free option.

NOTE: Cornstarch slurry has 2x the thickening power as flour rue. A substitute for the cornstarch slurry in this recipe would be a flour rue. See notes on recipe card for details.

LOOKING FOR THE PERFECT SIDE DISH?

Grandma B’s Dinner Rolls are our absolute favorite roll for Thanksgiving. They are the perfect side dish for this Leftover Turkey Soup!

ARE YOU A SOUP LOVER? YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:

• Chicken Pot Pie Soup
• Crockpot French Onion Soup
• Creamy Tomato Basil Soup
• Philly Cheese Steak Soup
• Chicken Noodle Soup (with homemade noodles)
• Mexican Pozole
• Creamy Crockpot Ham and Potato Soup

HERE’S THE FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE. ENJOY!

Rachel Koller

Easy Turkey Soup

5 from 4 votes

A hearty cream-based turkey soup filled with classic Thanksgiving fixings and the leftover turkey from the holidays.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Servings: 10 -12 servings

Calories: 365

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x?

• 1 Tbs butter or olive oil
• 1 cup diced onions about 1 medium onion
• 1 cup celery about 2 large stalks
• 1 tsp thyme ground or whole
• 1 1/2 Tbs sage ground
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 12 cups chicken broth I use water + chicken base or bouillon
• 1 1/2 cups sweet potatoes diced, about 1 lb
• 1 1/2 cups russet or red potatoes diced, about 1 lb
• 10-12 oz frozen green beans
• 2 cups turkey (or chicken0 cooked and diced
• cornstarch slurry 1/4 cup cold water + 1/4 cup cornstarch see notes for flour rue substitution
• 1 cup cream

Equipment

• OXO Good Grips Wooden Corner Spoon & Scraper
• Measuring Spoons and Cups 
• AmazonBasics Enameled Cast Iron Covered Dutch Oven, 6-Quart, Blue

Method

 

1. In a large pot over medium to medium-high heat add butter or oil then sauté onions and celery until they begin to turn translucent (about 2-3 minutes).
2. Add salt, pepper, sage, and thyme. Stir for 15-30 seconds.
3. Immediately add chicken broth, potatoes (both kinds), and frozen green beans. Bring to a simmer and cook until potatoes become fork tender. (about 10-15 minutes).
4. Add cooked, diced turkey and cornstarch slurry. Return to a simmer. Stir constantly until soup thickens (about 3-5 minutes).
5. Once thickened add cream. Salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 365kcalCarbohydrates: 51gProtein: 17gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 54mgSodium: 1086mgFiber: 12gSugar: 16g

Notes

If substituting flour rue for cornstarch slurry, use 1/2 cup melted butter with 1/2 cup flour. Follow same directions, stirring constantly until soup has thickened.

Cooked chicken can be used in place of turkey.

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