Dairy-Free Turkey Mushroom Soup (made creamy with cashews)
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Indulge in the comforting goodness of this turkey mushroom soup made with a twist that transforms leftover Thanksgiving or Christmas turkey into a creamy, flavorful soup. With just 10 minutes of prep time, it’s as simple as it is delicious.
If your post-Thanksgiving fridge is overflowing with leftovers, this turkey mushroom soup is one of my favorite ways to keep dinnertime exciting. It’s cozy, satisfying, and a great way to give leftover turkey a second life.
A potato and cashews (or cashew butter) give the soup a rich, velvety texture that tastes like you’ve poured in a splash of cream — even though there’s none in the pot. It’s comforting, clever, and exactly the kind of meal I crave after a holiday feast.
Ingredients needed
This creamy turkey soup with mushrooms uses these ingredients:
- Mushrooms: Adds earthy richness and umami depth.
- Onion: Contributes sweet undertones.
- Garlic: For a savory note.
- Carrots: Adds natural sweetness and a vibrant color.
- Celery: Brings a refreshing note to the base of the soup.
- Potato: Adds creaminess when blended with the cashews (if you have leftover mashed potato from Thanksgiving, you can sub it in here!)
- Homemade turkey stock: You can also substitute for chicken.
- Turkey meat: Adds protein for a hearty, satisfying soup.
- Cashews: When blended, cashews contribute a nutty creaminess.
How to make the turkey stock
Homemade stock is a super easy and delicious way to infuse extra goodness and flavor into your recipes! It’s as easy as putting bones in a pot, covering them with water, and letting them simmer for a while. This crockpot turkey stock recipe is super easy – when you’re cleaning up from Thanksgiving, pop all the turkey bones into your slow cooker, fill it with water, and set it for ten hours, then wake up to delicious stock! Or, you can also make a stovetop version using this turkey stock recipe.
This works just the same with using chicken bones to make chicken broth.
What to serve with turkey mushroom soup
This turkey and mushroom soup is hearty enough to be a standalone meal, but you can top it off with some crowning croutons.
No duo is more dynamic than soup and grilled cheese – serve it with a twist with this sriracha apple grilled cheese.
For a fresh side, serve alongside this asparagus salad, kale apple salad, or arugula wild rice salad.
Recipe FAQs
Can I substitute the cashew for another type of nut?
Cashews are used in this soup as they blend into a smooth paste, which thickens the soup. They also have a very neutral flavor. If you’re able to blend other nuts so they are very smooth – with a similar consistency as a nut butter – then they’ll work. If your blender isn’t high-powered enough, you can also use cashew butter. When substituting cashew butter for raw cashews use half the amount that the recipe calls for.
Should I soak the cashews before blending?
If you have a high-powered blender (like a Vitamix) then you can skip the soaking part. If your blender is a little less powerful, soaking the cashews helps soften them so they blend faster. If you’re crunched for time, you can pour boiling water over them and let them sit for about 10 minutes.
Can I store leftovers?
Yes, leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. When reheating, be careful not to cook too long as the cashew sauce may thicken a little too much. If you encounter this, thin it with a little water or stock if needed. To store for longer, keep in the freezer for up to three months and thaw in the fridge before reheating.
Dairy-Free Turkey Mushroom Soup (made creamy with cashews)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 10 ounces mushrooms (sliced)
- 1 medium onion (chopped)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 medium carrots (chopped)
- 2 stalks celery (chopped)
- 1 medium potato (peeled and cut in half)
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 6 cups homemade turkey stock (can sub chicken)
- 2 cups shredded turkey meat (can sub chicken)
- ¼ cup cashews (see notes)
- Sea salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Note: this recipe uses the leftover meat from your turkey dinner and stock made from the bones. You need to make the stock first – it's easy! This is the crockpot recipe we use. You can also make a stovetop version using this recipe.
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until they are soft and starting to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the onion and cook until it softens, about 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.2 tablespoons olive oil, 10 ounces mushrooms, 1 medium onion, 4 cloves garlic
- Add the carrots, celery, potato, thyme, turkey stock, and meat to the pot and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer the soup for 20 minutes, or until the potato is soft.2 medium carrots, 2 stalks celery, 1 medium potato, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 6 cups homemade turkey stock, 2 cups shredded turkey meat
- Remove the two potato halves from the soup and put them into your blender. Add the cashews and enough of the soup liquid so they will blend. Don't worry if you get a few small pieces of the other veggies into your blender. Blend on high until smooth then return the 'cream' to the pot. Season to taste with sea salt and pepper.¼ cup cashews
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
Just put this together really simple to do with left over turkey from Christmas day. Smells & looks amazing.
So happy to hear you like the recipe!
I was considering pressure canning some quarts of this to keep on hand for later in the year – I know I couldn’t do so if it had dairy cream in it but thought this one might work. Do you think it would be safe to try?
Technically, canning meat is no longer recommended. But the soup does freeze very well.
Just made this today, and wow! It is so yummy! I only had sweet potatoes, but they still thickened up the soup just fine, and I just used cream instead of the cashews. Anyway, just this week during a conversation with some friends, I found out about making turkey soup with left overs, never thought about that before! I am 70 years old, an excellent cook, and always ready for new flavors and recipes….but, somehow, turkey soup got past me. 🙂 Thanks or this great recipe!
So great to find new ways to use up turkey dinner leftovers! You’re very welcome for the recipe!
I made this with my leftover turkey, carrots and potatoes and added some peas. I accidentally threw away the turkey carcass so I used store bought vegetable stock plus all of the liquid that was leftover from cooking the turkey and the herbs I seasoned it with and added no additional salt or pepper and it was phenomenal! Oh, I didn’t have raw cashews so I added some nonfat Greek yogurt right at the end, very easy and delicious!
Sounds like the recipe was a success!
Simply delicious!
Thank you!
This is the best soup ever. I cannot have any cream in soup so this is an excellent option. I also add different kinds of mushrooms. I like using cauliflower substituting for potato keeping the carbs down. Every time I serve it there’s not a drop left.
That makes me so happy to hear! Hooray!
Kristen,
I swear this is cream of turkey soup made with farm cream! Amazing taste. Easy enough for an inept cook like me but good enough for company.
Thank you!
Sincerely,
A western Canuck.
Ray
That makes me so happy to hear! Hooray!!
Do you have to soak the cashews?
Soaking the cashews helps soften them so they blend faster. If you’re crunched for time, you can pour boiling water over them and let them sit for about 10 minutes. If you have a high-powered blender (like a Vitamix) then you can skip the soaking part. 🙂
Thoughts on using coconut milk as the cream?
It will change the flavor a lot but I think it would make a nice coconut soup. 🙂
Just made this soup exactly as written. I used my homemade turkey bone broth that simmered in my crock pot for 24 hours. Super delicious and easy to make. Will make it again….Was going to post a pic but I don’t see where to attach photos.
I wish I could see the pic! If you still have it, you can tag @theendlessmeal on Instagram so I can see it there!
I have made this four times! It has easily become my favorite soup. the only modification I made was ti skip the celery and double, sometimes triple the mushrooms! So satisfying and my W30 go-to comfort food!
That makes me so happy to hear! Hooray!!
Excellent soup! Thank you! Got a turkey on special after Christmas. Cut it up and froze the parts, then made broth from the carcass and froze it. I kept thinking I’d have leftover meat when I used one of the parts but I never did so I bought some skinless boneless thighs, cut them in small pieces and cooked them with the veggies in the soup. Even my picky teen likes it! Thanks!
I’m so happy to hear it was a hit!
This looks absolutely delicious! I plan on making it tonight. I’m going to be the only one eating this and needed to know if this will freeze well?
It freezes really well!
If I am using cashew butter are the measurements the same.
When I substitute cashew butter for raw cashews I use about half the amount that the recipe calls for. 🙂
Can I use ground turkey in this? It looks so goood!
It would work but it wouldn’t be quite the same. You’ll definitely want to make sure you’re using homemade stock to get the max amount of flavor. 🙂
If I’m making this ahead and reheating, should I wait to add the cashew cream until reheating? Or just make full recipe, and then reheat? Thanks for the tasty recipe– looking forward to making it!
You can add it and reheat the soup. If the soup cooks too long (while you’re warming it up) the cashew sauce may thicken it a little too much. You can always thin it with a little water or stock if needed. 🙂