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–+ servings
A pot of hearty turkey soup with carrots and shredded poultry sits beside a bowl of butter and slices of crusty bread.

Best Homemade Turkey Soup Recipe (made with leftover turkey!)

Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 8 hours
Total Time: 8 hours 10 minutes
Making homemade turkey soup after your Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner is super easy and a delicious way to use all the leftovers. This is the basic, easy homemade turkey soup recipe you remember your mom making. It's delicious!

Ingredients

Turkey Stock

  • Bones from your roast turkey

Turkey Soup

Instructions 

Turkey Stock

  • Remove all of the meat from the turkey and reserve 3 cups for the soup. If you've cooked your stuffing in the turkey, make sure to remove it all.
    Bones from your roast turkey
    Image for recipe instruction: Hands shredding cooked poultry meat from a carcass on a white cutting board, preparing the perfect ingredients for Turkey Soup, with a bowl of shredded meat nearby.
  • Break the roast turkey into 3 or 4 pieces that are small enough that they will fit into your largest pot. Fill the pot with cold water so that the water comes 2-inches above the bones. Bring the pot almost to a boil then reduce the heat so that it is barely simmering. You want the water to move around and a few small bubbles to rise, but not to boiling. Cook for 8-10 hours, leaving the lid off. (See notes if you'd like to use your crockpot instead.)
    Image for recipe instruction: A pot containing cooked poultry bones, with water being poured over them from a measuring cup, ready to simmer into a flavorful turkey soup.
  • Strain the turkey stock through a colander into a large bowl and discard the bones. Strain the stock once more through a fine-mesh sieve. You can either use the turkey stock immediately or let it cool and refrigerate it for up to 3 days or freeze it for up to 3 months.
    Image for recipe instruction: A metal strainer rests over a pot filled with light-colored turkey soup, positioned on a striped cloth surface.

Turkey Soup

  • Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes. Add the carrot and cook until it begins to brown in a few places, about 5 minutes.
    1 teaspoon olive oil, 1 medium onion, 3 large carrots
    Image for recipe instruction: Chopped carrots and onions are sautéing in a pot, with some browning visible on the bottom surface—a flavorful start for Turkey Soup. A wooden utensil is stirring the vegetables.
  • Add the celery, turkey stock, and reserved turkey meat to the pot and bring it to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes, or until the carrots and celery are soft. Season to taste generously with sea salt.
    4 stalks celery, 6 cups turkey stock, 3 cups reserved turkey meat, Sea salt
    Image for recipe instruction: A pot of Turkey Soup with shredded chicken, carrots, and celery is being stirred with a wooden spoon.
  • If you're using the egg noodles, add them cooked to your soup bowl, ladle in the soup, and garnish with a little sprinkle of parsley.
    Image for recipe instruction: A bowl of comforting turkey soup with shredded turkey, wide noodles, sliced carrots, celery, and chopped parsley on a marble surface.

Notes

Turkey meat: If you don't have enough turkey meat left, you can add two chicken breasts or four chicken thighs to the soup and let them cook. Once cooked, shred the meat and return it to the pot.
Egg noodles: While I love using egg noodles in my soups, you can use any short-shaped pasta instead. Make sure to cook the noodles or pasta first and add them to your bowl. If you cook them in the soup, the leftovers will turn mushy.
Turkey Dinner Clean-Up Tip: If you'd like to use your crockpot to make the turkey stock, put all the bones in, fill it with water, and set the timer for 8-12 hours. PRO TIP: Do this while cleaning up from dinner so you don't have to store the bones! Here's a link to the full Crockpot Turkey Stock recipe.
What is the best way to thicken turkey soup? Homemade turkey stock has a rich, viscous mouthfeel because of the natural collagen and gelatin. But if you would like it to be a little thicker, you can add a tablespoon of all-purpose flour after you saute the vegetables.
Can I make turkey soup with storebought broth? While you certainly can, it will alter the recipe significantly. Homemade broth is wonderfully flavorful and has a rich mouthfeel that storebought broth doesn't match. If you choose to use store-bought stock, you may want to add some poultry seasoning and extra salt to boost the flavor. 
Serving: 2 cups, Calories: 248kcal, Carbohydrates: 16g, Protein: 24g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 68mg, Sodium: 873mg, Potassium: 610mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 4551IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 31mg, Iron: 1mg