Turkey-Vegetable Soup

One of our go-to recipes for using up leftover turkey is this soul-warming turkey-vegetable soup. You mastered how to cook a turkey, you roasted a beautiful bird for Thanksgiving dinner, and you even made a gorgeous turkey stock. Now it’s time to put that leftover meat to delicious use!

Made with leftover turkey breast, chopped vegetables and orzo, our turkey-vegetable soup features lots of zippy spices and herbs, but you can add any herbs and spices to make it your own.  A warm bowl makes for a wholesome, light lunch. Or add a bright green salad and crusty bread for a heartier dinner. Here’s how to make this ultra-comforting turkey-vegetable soup.

Turkey-Vegetable Soup Ingredients

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• Vegetables: The classic combination of vegetables—carrots, celery and onion—lends flavor and nutrients to this turkey-vegetable soup. It also calls for garlic (a great flavor enhancer), red bell pepper and green peas for color and texture.
• Turkey: You’ll need 2 cups of cubed turkey meat for this recipe. It calls for turkey breast meat, but you could use dark meat if you prefer.
• Canned tomatoes with chiles: If you don’t like chiles in your tomatoes, it’s fine to use plain canned tomatoes. You’ll want to use the juices, so don’t drain them.
• Herbs: Dried herbs like basil, thyme and bay leaf add depth to this soup. Fresh cilantro is used as a garnish, but if you’re someone who doesn’t like the herb, omit it or use parsley instead.
• Spices: This recipe leans on Mexican-inspired flavors, including a subtle hint of cumin. And hot sauce—add to taste!
• Chicken bouillon: You can use sodium-free chicken bouillon granules and water for the broth, or substitute in 4 cups of chicken broth or turkey stock for the water and granules.
• Orzo: Orzo is a great pasta for soups because it cooks quickly and maintains its texture. Cook it al dente for best results. If you want to keep this soup low-carb, omit the pasta.

Directions

Step 1:  Cook the vegetables

In a large saucepan, saute the onions, carrots, celery and red pepper in oil until tender. Add the garlic, and cook for two minutes longer.

Step 2: Make the soup

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Add the water, tomatoes, peas, bay leaf, bouillon, basil, thyme, cumin, pepper and, if desired, pepper sauce to the pan. Bring everything to a boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes.

Step 3: Cook the orzo

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Meanwhile, cook the orzo according to package directions. Drain.

Editor’s Tip: You want to keep the orzo a bit al dente so it retains some structure in the soup.

Step 4: Combine everything

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Stir the orzo and cubed turkey into the soup, and heat through. Discard the bay leaf. Ladle soup evenly into serving bowls. Top the bowls of soup with a sprinkle of cilantro, and serve.

Recipe Variations

• Swap in different vegetables: Feel free to mix and match vegetables for this soup. Corn wouldn’t be out of place, nor would cut green beans; use fresh or frozen, depending on what you have. The most important veggies to keep are the aromatics—carrots, celery, onion and garlic—because they add essential savory flavor.
• Use other meats: This soup is a great leftover turkey recipe, but you can also use rotisserie or roasted chicken. Or use ground turkey any other time of year! Just make sure to cook the ground turkey before combining with the vegetables and broth.
• Change up the herbs and spices: You can substitute poultry seasoning for the cumin, or use parsley instead of cilantro.
• Try another pasta shape: Any small pasta shape, like ditalini or macaroni, would work well in this soup. Whichever you choose, cook it until just al dente so it doesn’t get too soft in the soup too quickly.
• Use chicken stock or broth: If you don’t have bouillon, substitute 4 cups chicken broth or turkey stock for the water and bouillon granules.

How to Store and Freeze Turkey Vegetable Soup

Once the soup has cooled, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days, or in the freezer for up to six months.

To reheat the soup, partially thaw it in the refrigerator overnight. Then heat it thoroughly in a saucepan, stirring occasionally. Add more broth or water if necessary. You can also microwave the partially thawed soup until it’s heated through.

Turkey Vegetable Soup Tips

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Can I use ground turkey for turkey-vegetable soup?

You can easily use ground turkey for this soup. Cook 1 pound ground turkey, and use it in place of the cubed meat.

How do you add more flavor to turkey soup?

There are lots of ways to add more flavor to soup, including a squeeze of lemon juice right before serving. Make sure you’re not making any of these mistakes when making soup to make sure your soup tastes its best.