Leftover Turkey Soup
This turkey soup is one of my favorite ways to use up leftover Thanksgiving turkey. Made with simple ingredients, it's incredibly easy to prepare and delivers a warm, comforting meal. Check out the notes below for substitution options—you can enjoy this soup year-round by using leftover or rotisserie chicken instead!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion chopped
- 3 ribs celery chopped
- 3 medium carrots sliced ¼-inch thick
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 cups chopped cooked leftover turkey or leftover cooked chicken
- ¾ cup orzo pasta 4 ounces, see note
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrots, stirring often, and cook until the vegetables begin to soften, about 6 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in the chicken broth, then add the chopped rosemary, thyme sprigs, salt, pepper, and bay leaves.
- Increase the heat to bring the soup to a simmer. Once boiling, reduce to a low simmer, cover the pot, and cook for 15 minutes.
- Stir in the chopped cooked turkey and orzo pasta. Cover and simmer for 9-11 minutes, until the pasta is al dente (just tender).
- Remove and discard the thyme stems (the leaves will have fallen into the soup) and bay leaves. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper, if needed.
Notes
Herbs: If fresh rosemary and thyme aren’t available, substitute with ½ teaspoon each of dried rosemary and dried thyme.
Turkey: This soup can also be made with leftover cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken instead of turkey.
Orzo: Swap orzo pasta for another short pasta shape, rice, or egg noodles. Use approximately 4 ounces of pasta/noodles or ¾ cup uncooked rice and adjust the simmer time accordingly. Alternatively, stir in cooked rice along with the turkey for a different texture.