Leftover Turkey Noodle Soup (2024)

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My favorite way to use leftover turkey is to make a delicious pot of turkey noodle soup. It’s also an excellent way to clean out your refrigerator!

Leftover Turkey Noodle Soup (1)

Turkey Noodle Soup

Don’t throw out the turkey bones after Thanksgiving! Making homemade turkey stock with bones is the secret to the best-tasting soup. I promise it’s easy! This Leftover Turkey Noodle Soup recipe is the perfect way to turn holiday leftovers into a satisfying meal. With a rich, flavorful broth, tender turkey, and a mix of vegetables and noodles, this soup is comfort in a bowl. For more of my favorite soup recipes that would be great with leftover turkey, try this Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup, Turkey Pot Pie Soup, and Tortilla Soup.

Why This Turkey Noodle Soup Recipe Works

  • Easy: This turkey soup with egg noodles and vegetables is so simple. You don’t even have to sauté the onions and garlic. Just throw everything in a pot and simmer.
  • Healthy: This dish provides good fiber and protein with only 131 calories and fewer than 26 grams of carbs.
  • Nourishing: This warm, comforting meal provides a variety of nutrients, such as vitamins A, C, and K and potassium.
  • Freezer Friendly: This recipe for turkey noodle soup is great for meal prep and freezing since leftovers reheat well.
Leftover Turkey Noodle Soup (2)

Ingredients

  • Homemade Turkey Stock: Make your own stock with leftover turkey from Thanksgiving.
  • Herbs: Bay leaf, fresh parsley
  • Vegetables: Carrot, onion, celery
  • Garlic: Mince two garlic cloves.
  • Salt and Black Pepper to season your soup
  • Noodles: I used No Yolks egg noodles.
  • Turkey: You’ll need two cups of leftover shredded turkey.

How to Make Turkey Noodle Soup

  1. Fill a large pot with the stock, bay leaf, carrots, onion, celery, garlic, salt, and pepper.
  2. Simmer until the vegetables are soft.
  3. Remaining Ingredients: Put the parsley, noodles, and turkey in the stock, and cook the pasta according to package directions.
  4. Serve: Discard the bay leaf and serve hot.
Leftover Turkey Noodle Soup (3)
Leftover Turkey Noodle Soup (4)
Leftover Turkey Noodle Soup (5)

Variations

  • Chicken: Swap turkey with leftover chicken and chicken stock. You can also use the bones from a rotisserie chicken to make stock.
  • Time Saver: If you don’t have time to make homemade stock, use low-sodium canned turkey or chicken stock or broth.
  • Pasta: Use whatever types of noodles you have. Rotini and elbow macaroni would work.
  • Herbs: Add fresh thyme, rosemary, or chives.

How to Make Turkey Stock with a Leftover Turkey Carcass

Bones create a rich, flavorful stock, and it’s easier to make than you might think. There are no exact measurements—use whatever is in your refrigerator.

  1. Add everything to a soup pot: the leftover turkey carcass with any turkey meat, an onion, a few stalks of celery, some garlic, herbs, and anything else you find in your refrigerator.
  2. Simmer: Cover everything with water, put the lid on the pot, and simmer it on low for a few hours.
  3. Strain the liquid: Toss out the bones and vegetables, reserve the turkey, and start your soup.

If you’re not making the soup right away, refrigerate the stock. Then, remove the fat from the top. You can use this turkey stock recipe as a base swapping the turkey wings for leftover turkey.

What to Serve with Turkey Noodle Soup

This easy turkey soup would be delicious with biscuits or crackers or a salad.

FAQs

How long is soup made with leftover turkey good for?

Leftover turkey lasts for up to four days. So, I’d recommend making this soup a day or two after Thanksgiving, so the soup is still good for at least a day.

Can you freeze turkey noodle soup?

Turkey noodle soup also freezes well, so if you have extra, freeze it in small containers for up to three months. You can either thaw it in the fridge overnight or microwave it straight from frozen.

Do egg noodles soak up soup?

Yes, noodles soak up the broth as they sit in the liquid. To reheat the soup, you may need to add a little extra water or stock.

Leftover Turkey Noodle Soup (6)
Leftover Turkey Noodle Soup (7)

More Leftover Turkey Thanksgiving Recipes:

  • Leftover Turkey and Sweet Potato Frittata
  • Leftover Turkey Tacos with Brussels Sprout Slaw
  • Leftover Turkey Harvest Cobb Salad
  • Leftover Turkey Lettuce Wraps
  • Leftover Baked Turkey Croquettes

Leftover Turkey Noodle Soup (8)

Leftover Turkey Noodle Soup

5 from 19 votes

3

Cals:131

Protein:5

Carbs:25.5

Fat:0.5

My favorite way to use leftover turkey is to make a delicious pot of turkey noodle soup. It’s also an excellent way to clean out your refrigerator!

Course: Dinner, Soup

Cuisine: American

Leftover Turkey Noodle Soup (9)

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Total: 10 minutes mins

Print Rate Pin SaveWW Points

Yield: 4 servings

Serving Size: 1 3/4 cups

Ingredients

  • 6 cups homemade turkey stock, or low sodium canned
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 cup diced carrot
  • 3/4 cup chopped onion
  • 3/4 cup diced celery
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • salt to taste
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley
  • 3 oz uncooked egg noodles, I used no-yolk
  • 2 cups leftover shredded turkey, about 8 ounces

Instructions

  • Fill a large saucepan with homemade turkey stock (or canned).

  • Add bay leaf, carrots, onion, celery, garlic, salt and pepper to taste and simmer 10-15 minutes, until the vegetables are soft.

  • Add parsley, noodles and shredded turkey; cook according to noodle directions, about 5 minutes.

  • Discard bay leaf and serve.

Last Step:

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Nutrition

Serving: 1 3/4 cups, Calories: 131 kcal, Carbohydrates: 25.5 g, Protein: 5 g, Fat: 0.5 g, Sodium: 57 mg, Fiber: 4.5 g, Sugar: 2.5 g

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Categories:

  • Dinner Ideas
  • Fall
  • Freezer Meals
  • Kid Friendly
  • Leftovers
  • Lunch
  • One Pan
  • Recipes
  • Soup
  • Thanksgiving Recipes
  • Turkey Recipes
  • Under 30 Minutes
  • Weight Watchers – WW Recipes
Leftover Turkey Noodle Soup (2024)

FAQs

How long is leftover turkey good for soup? ›

Leftover turkey soup is good for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. It can be frozen for a few months.

How to make bland turkey soup taste better? ›

Foods that have a great deal of acidity, like lemon juice, vinegar, white wine, and tomato puree, can help liven up the flavor of bland-tasting bone and other broths. "The acidity of these ingredients works to complement and enhance the broth's flavors, not mask it.

What to do with leftover noodle soup? ›

  1. Use it to make pasta sauce. Michele Di Pietro is so passionate about soup that she wrote a whole book about it, SOUPified: Soups Inspired by Your Favorite Dishes. ...
  2. Use it to make one-pot pasta. ...
  3. Add it to make a casserole creamier or thicker. ...
  4. Turn creamy soup leftovers into a dipping sauce.
Dec 21, 2023

Can you have leftover soup? ›

You sure can. When I have a hearty, creamy leftover soup that I want to reuse in a new way, I'll often whirl it into a delicious dip. To do this, simmer your leftover soup on the skillet, then sprinkle on cheese to thicken the texture.

Is leftover turkey good after 7 days? ›

USDA recommends using cooked turkey within 3 to 4 days, kept refrigerated (40°F or less). Refrigeration slows but does not stop bacterial growth. Turkey can be frozen for 3 to 4 months. Although safe indefinitely, frozen leftovers can lose moisture and flavor when stored for longer times in the freezer.

Can you make soup with a 5 day old turkey? ›

Cooked turkey should be refrigerated within two hours after being cooked . Stuffing should be removed and stored separately in air tight containers . Assuming your soup would include the carcass you want to make your soup within three days . And the soup itself has a life of three to four days in the fridge.

How many days is leftover chicken noodle soup good for? ›

A general rule of thumb is that soup can be stored in the refrigerator for about three days, but you should always taste your dish before deciding to reheat. A clear, vegetable-based soup with some acidity, such as tomatoes, may last longer. Chicken soup usually lasts three to five days.

How to turn soup into a meal? ›

10 Ways To Turn Your Soup Into A One Pot Meal
  1. Add grains or pasta Of course alphabet pasta is my kids' first choice, but I love to add quinoa, rice, farro, barley, couscous, rice noodles and of course, ramen.
  2. Add legumes Beans, legumes and chickpeas are all great additions to help bulk-up a soup.
Feb 6, 2017

What noodles are best for soup? ›

The best noodles for soup
  • Rice noodles. Fast-cooking rice noodles are generally made from rice flour and water and are a favorite in soups, salads and stir-fries. ...
  • Ramen noodles. Winter Chicken Ramen. ...
  • Orzo. ...
  • Egg noodles. ...
  • Acini de pepe.
Jan 5, 2023

How do you know if soup has gone bad? ›

Check the smell: If the soup smells sour or has an off-putting odor, it's a sign that bacteria has started to grow and it's no longer safe to eat. Look for mold: If you see any mold growing on the surface of the soup, it's definitely time to throw it out.

Can you boil bacteria out of soup? ›

To be completely safe, you'll have to boil the soup vigorously for 10 minutes. Doing this will not only kill off any active bacteria, it will also inactivate -- but not destroy -- botulinum spores.

Why shouldn't you reheat soup more than once? ›

Because the quality decreases each time food is reheated, it is best to reheat only the amount needed. Cooked foods that cannot be used within four days should be frozen for longer, safe storage.

Can I eat leftover soup after 5 days? ›

Leftovers can be kept for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. After that, the risk of food poisoning goes up. If you don't think you'll be able to eat leftovers within four days, freeze them right away. Frozen leftovers will stay safe for a long time.

Is soup still good after 7 days? ›

A general rule of thumb is that soup can be stored in the refrigerator for about three days, but you should always taste your dish before deciding to reheat.

Can you eat leftover turkey on the 5th day? ›

Eat turkey within three to four days of cooking. If you use the turkey in a new dish like a soup or casserole, only consume within those initial four days. Another option is freezing the cooked turkey. Turkey can last up to four more months if frozen.

How long does cooked turkey broth last in the fridge? ›

Cool the stock, then place it in the fridge, either in a large pot or in quart containers. When the stock is chilled, scrape most or all of the fat from the top. Use as desired in various recipes. Turkey stock can be refrigerated for up to 4 days, or frozen for up to 4 months.

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