This turkey noodle soup is chunks of turkey, vegetables and pasta, all simmered together in a homemade broth. The absolute best way to use up leftover turkey after the holidays!
When I’m looking for ways to repurpose leftover Thanksgiving turkey, I turn to favorites such as turkey salad, turkey casserole, turkey pasta carbonara or this hearty and comforting turkey noodle soup.
Every year when Thanksgiving rolls around, I use my leftovers to make turkey noodle soup. The whole family loves this soup recipe, and it’s a great way to make sure no food goes to waste!
Table of Contents
Turkey Noodle Soup Ingredients
To make the turkey broth, you will need a turkey carcass, onion, carrot, celery, kosher salt, black peppercorns, parsley, thyme, garlic and a bay leaf. For the soup, you will need the turkey broth, butter, onion, celery, garlic, carrot, Italian seasoning, diced leftover turkey meat, kosher salt, black pepper, rotini pasta and fresh parsley.
How Do You Make Turkey Noodle Soup?
Start by simmering the turkey carcass with vegetables in a large soup pot to make a homemade broth. Melt butter in a large pot, then add carrots, onions and celery. After the vegetables are tender, add diced turkey meat, seasonings and the homemade broth. Simmer the soup until the vegetables are tender, then add the pasta. Boil until the pasta is tender, then sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Tips for the perfect soup
- No time to make turkey broth? Store bought chicken broth or turkey broth will also work just fine.
- Turkey noodle soup will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for 2 months. If you’re planning to freeze the soup, you may want to omit the noodles, then add them later to the thawed soup when you reheat it.
- Serve your soup with side dishes such as avocado corn salad, red cabbage slaw, garlic knots or cucumber dill salad to complete the meal.
- You can also make this soup in a slow cooker. Add the vegetables, broth, turkey and seasonings to a crock pot, then cook on low for 2-4 hours. Add the noodles during the last 20 minutes of the cooking time. Sprinkle with parsley, then serve.
- Be sure to check out my comprehensive list of leftover turkey recipes for more great ideas!
Quick Tip
You can prepare the broth up to 3 days before you plan to make the soup.
Recipe FAQs
You do not need to pre-cook your noodles before you add them to the soup. That being said, the noodles will soak up the broth as they sit in the soup, so it’s best to serve noodle soup right away.
You can keep cooked turkey with a carcass for up to 3 days before you turn it into soup. Store the turkey in an airtight container or freezer bag in the fridge.
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Turkey noodle soup flavor variations
While this soup is delicious as-is, you can add other ingredients to customize the flavors to your tastes.
- Protein: Swap out the turkey for chicken, or add a can of white beans for extra protein.
- Vegetables: Feel free to add more veggies to the mix such as corn, a can of diced tomatoes, potatoes, green beans, mushrooms or butternut squash. Fresh spinach or kale also pair nicely with the turkey and pasta.
- Flavorings: You can add other herbs and spices such as rosemary, sage, garlic powder, paprika or onion powder.
- Noodles: I use rotini pasta, but other great options include orzo, shell pasta, egg noodles or farfalle. You can also swap out the noodles for rice.
This turkey noodle soup is so delicious that I make it year round! It’s a comfort food classic that’s always a big hit with both kids and adults.
More Great Soup Recipes
Pumpkin Soup with Bacon
1 hr 20 mins
Easy Egg Drop Soup
20 mins
Tuscan White Bean Soup
30 mins
Matzo Ball Soup
2 hrs 5 mins
Chicken Gnocchi Soup
30 mins
Turkey Noodle Soup Video
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Turkey Noodle Soup
Ingredients
For the turkey broth
- 1 turkey carcass from a 10-12 pound bird
- 1 medium onion peeled and quartered
- 3 carrots peeled and cut into 3 inch pieces
- 2 stalks celery cut into 3 inch pieces
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 4 sprigs fresh parsley
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme can also use 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 4 cloves garlic smashed
- 1 bay leaf
For the turkey soup
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3/4 cup onion diced
- 3/4 cup celery sliced
- 1 cup carrots peeled and sliced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic minced
- 1 1/4 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
- 3 3/4 cups diced cooked turkey
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt or more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper or more to taste
- 8 cups turkey broth homemade or store bought
- 8 ounces rotini pasta uncooked
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves chopped
Instructions
For the turkey broth
- Place all of the broth ingredients in a very large pot. Cover with 10 cups of cold water.
- Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Turn the heat to medium-low, then cook for 3-4 hours. Skim the surface occasionally.
- Pour the broth through a fine sieve into a container.
For the turkey soup
- Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots and celery and cook for 6-7 minutes or until vegetables start to get soft.
- Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.
- Place the Italian seasoning, diced turkey and turkey broth in the pot. Add the salt and pepper.
- Bring to a simmer. Cook for 10-12 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
- Add the pasta. Cook for another 10-12 minutes or until pasta is tender. Taste and add more salt or pepper if needed.
- Sprinkle with fresh parsley, then serve immediately.
Notes
- No time to make turkey broth? Store bought chicken broth or turkey broth will also work just fine.
- Turkey noodle soup will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for 2 months. If you’re planning to freeze the soup, you may want to omit the noodles, then add them later to the thawed soup when you reheat it.
Can I use chicken broth for this recipe?
Yes that’s fine!
Oh this looks positively slurp worthy! I love the idea you have of using your leftover turkey so that nothing gets wasted. The combo with the broth and veggies really appeals to me. Comforting but also nourishing at the same time, thanks, can’t wait to make it!
I love that you use the whole turkey for this soup!! This looks amazing, I am so excited to try this recipe!! Bookmarked for later 🙂
Love turkey soup, we always make the day after thanksgiving. Next thanksgiving, i’m giving this recipe a try!
Yum! This recipe is always a family favorite in our house! It’s comforting, hearty, and my kids love it too!
This is such a delicious and comforting soup! My family and I absolutely loved this recipe! Excited to make this soup a lot during the fall! Definitely one of our new favorites!
I love this recipe – cant wait to try it !
Such a pretty looking bowl of soup. So appealing!
Looks like my family’s kind of meal, quick, easy and tasty!
Looks so comforting and delicious! A perfect dinner, for when I have some leftover turkey.
This is the perfect comfort food and so delicious! The family is going to absolutely love this! This is perfect for fall and for our dinner again tomorrow night! Excited!