Turkey Noodle Soup

Turn leftover turkey from Holidays into Turkey Noodle Soup. Its broth is so healing and delicious, you would want to make it year round. Or make soup with chicken.

Turkey Noodle Soup Recipe

Any holiday, I turn leftover turkey into a turkey noodle soup. I simmer turkey carcass until rich and flavorful stock forms. Then add potatoes, carrots, pasta, spices and herbs and a cousin of my grandma’s chicken noodle soup is born.

We are way more lucky than our grandparents, in some ways. The only thing I do differently than my grandma, I make bone broth out of turkey carcass in my Instant Pot. I use this Instant Pot bone broth recipe for any type of bones: chicken, beef, venison, turkey etc. 2 hours vs 24 hours – totally lucky. 🙂

Bone broth is a superfood loaded with collagens, good bacteria for your gut, immune boosting and detox properties. They sell it for a lot of money everywhere. Don’t fall for it – make your own homemade bone broth dirt cheap.

What Are the Best Turkey Parts to Use?

You can make this turkey noodle soup recipe quicker with stock or broth, with or without drippings, and with or without carcass. It is basic recipe, use it as a guideline and make your own.

• Carcass
• Bones
• Tissues
• Neck
• Wings

Tip: Do not add skin as it adds more saturated fat to the broth. And I do not recommend to use turkey breast because it becomes rubbery when cooked for that long. Save it for a turkey salad.

How to Make Bone Broth from Leftover Turkey

Instant Pot (bone) broth: All you have to do is add turkey carcass and any meat (optional) to an electric pressure cooker along with water, whole onion, carrots, celery, garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves and salt. That’s when I pull out my 8 quart Instant Pot.

Truth is you can add just bones, water and salt. I always change things up depending what’s in the fridge. Then cook for 2 hours on high pressure. Bones will be so soft, you can eat them but you don’t have to. 🙂

Slow cooker (bone) broth: Again, add approximate amount of ingredients to a large slow cooker and cook on low for 24 hours. Water should just cover the ingredients. That is why I love my Instant Pot. 🙂

Stovetop (bone) broth: Bring all ingredients to a boil and simmer on low for up to 24 hours in a large stockpot. I know but that’s how long it takes. If you are not feeling comfortable going to bed with the stove on, start in the morning and finish at night. You would want to skim the foam first 2 hours occasionally. And while simmering, keep the lid a bit open.

Then discard the bones and vegetables, reserve the meat and start your soup. You can strain broth if you want. I don’t.

Tip: The efforts of making bone broth are so worth it! I love-love-love to pour myself a cup of broth, sprinkle it with fresh parsley or dill and freshly cracked pepper. We call it “golden liquid” in Ukraine. 🙂

How to Make Quick Turkey Noodle Soup

No time, energy or Instant Pot? No problem. Make quick noodle soup with broth or stock.

Broth is meat simmered with water for 1 hour or so. And stock is bones and meat simmered for 2-6 hours.

• Use dark turkey meat leftovers like thighs and legs.
• Add some turkey drippings and juices from roasted turkey.
• Add gravy leftovers – yes!
• The goal is to make water flavorful with concentrated amount of turkey flavor in either above, in as little time as possible.
• Just simmer with water for 30 minutes and then add veggies, pasta and herbs.

More Tips and Storage

• Pasta soaks up liquid like crazy. If you make a lot of soup and don’t like soggy noodles next day (who does?!), add enough pasta to eat today. Tomorrow bring soup to a boil, add more pasta and simmer until pasta is cooked.
• Larger shape pasta like penne (pictured) becomes more soggy than noodles or small shape pasta.
• Try small gluten free pasta – it doesn’t get as soggy as wheat.
• Add frozen veggies at the end like peas, corn and edamame.
• Of course, you can use stock or broth from a carton or cubes (preferably both low sodium and organic) if you don’t have enough turkey leftovers.
• And yes, you can make this soup with chicken as well. Woot-woot.
• If you plan on freezing leftovers, do not freeze with soup with cooked pasta.
• Reheat soup by simmering on low. I even do it sometimes with frozen soup. 🙂

More Noodle Soup Recipes

• Instant Pot chicken noodle soup
• Quick chicken noodle soup
• Buckwheat soup with leftover turkey
• Turkey meatball soup
• Miso soup with meatballs

Turkey Noodle Soup

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

Turn leftover turkey from Holidays into Turkey Noodle Soup. Its broth is so healing and delicious, you would want to make it year round. Or make this turkey soup with chicken.

• Author: Olena of ifoodreal.com
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 8 servings 1x
• Category: Soup
• Method: Stove, Instant Pot or Slow Cooker
• Cuisine: Ukrainian

Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

• 3 cups leftover turkey meat + carcass and/or bones
• Cold water
• 3 bay leaves
• 5 peppercorns, whole
• 1 small whole onion, just peeled
• 3 large garlic cloves
• 4 large carrots (2 whole and 2 diced)
• 2 large celery stalks
• 2 cups potatoes, diced
• 2 cups dry pasta, whole grain
• Salt, to taste
• Ground black pepper, to taste
• 3 tbsp fresh dill, parsley or green onion, finely chopped

Instructions

This recipe is very forgiving and varies based on what you have on hand. Use it as a guideline.

Stovetop

1. In a large pot or stockpot, add turkey carcass, turkey meat, whole onion, garlic, whole carrots, celery, bay leaves, peppercorns and enough cold water to cover everything.
2. Bring all ingredients to a boil and simmer on low for up to 24 hours. If you are not feeling comfortable going to bed with the stove on, start in the morning and finish at night.
3. You would want to skim the foam first 2 hours occasionally. And while simmering, keep the lid a bit open.
4. Then discard the bones and vegetables, reserve the meat and start your soup. You can strain broth if you want. I don’t.
5. Add potatoes and carrots, stir and reduce heat to medium. Cook with half lid open for 5 minutes.
6. Add pasta, stir and cook for another 5 minutes. I would stir a few more times to prevent pasta from sticking.
7. Add salt and pepper to taste, herbs and stir. Adjust any seasonings more if you wish.
8. Serve hot with a slice of toasted bread.

Instant Pot

Instant Pot makes bone broth in 2 hours instead of 24. That’s the beauty of a pressure cooker!

1. To 6 or 8 quart Instant Pot, add turkey carcass, bones, dark meat, whole onion, garlic, whole carrots, celery, bay leaves, peppercorns and enough cold water to make pot 2/3 full (older models) or up to PC Max line (newer models).
2. Close the lid, set pressure vent to Sealing and press Pressure Cooking on High for 2 hours.
3. After let pot stand for 30 minutes and then release pressure using Quick Release or let it come down on its own.
4. Discard veggies, bay leaves and bones.
5. Add pasta, stir, close the lid, turn on Keep Warm and let pasta “cook” for 15 minutes.
6. Open, add herbs, salt and pepper to taste.

Slow Cooker

1. In a large slow cooker, add turkey carcass, bones, dark meat, whole onion, garlic, whole carrots, celery, bay leaves, peppercorns and enough cold water to cover.
2. Cover and cook on Low for 8 hours or on High for 4 hours for a broth, and 24 hours on Low for bone broth.
3. Discard veggies, bay leaves and bones.
4. Add pasta, cover and cook for another 10 minutes or until pasta is ready.
5. Open, add herbs, salt and pepper to taste.

Quick Turkey Noodle Soup

Make quick noodle soup with broth or stock. Broth is meat simmered with water for 1 hour or so. And stock is bones and meat simmered for 2-6 hours.

• Use dark turkey meat leftovers like thighs and legs.
• Add some turkey drippings and juices from roasted turkey.
• Add gravy leftovers – yes!
• Just simmer with water for 30 minutes and then add veggies, pasta, seasonings and herbs.

Notes

More Tips and Storage

• Pasta soaks up liquid like crazy. If you make a lot of soup and don’t like soggy noodles next day (who does?!), add enough pasta to eat today. Tomorrow bring soup to a boil, add more pasta and simmer until pasta is cooked.
• Larger shape pasta like penne (pictured) becomes more soggy than noodles or small shape pasta.
• Try small gluten free pasta – it doesn’t get as soggy as wheat.
• Add frozen veggies at the end like peas, corn and edamame.
• Of course, you can use stock or broth from a carton or cubes (preferably both low sodium and organic) if you don’t have enough turkey leftovers.
• And yes, you can make this soup with chicken as well. Woot-woot.
• If you plan on freezing leftovers, do not freeze with soup with cooked pasta.
• Reheat soup by simmering on low. I even do it sometimes with frozen soup. 🙂

★ Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating in the comments.

2922 g640.3 mg3.8 g0.8 g0 g25.3 g3.6 g39.5 g104.7 mg

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