Easy Homemade Turkey Soup

Turkey soup is served in a dark soup bowl.

Warm up with this easy turkey soup recipe, featuring tender turkey, fresh vegetables, and savory broth - a comforting meal that's perfect for using leftover turkey.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 3 30

Total Time 4

Servings servings

Calories 123kcal

Author Vered DeLeeuw

Ingredients

For the basic broth:

The bones of a 10-12-pound turkey
3 quarts water
1 tablespoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt or ½ tablespoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf

For the turkey soup:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup carrots sliced
1 cup celery sliced
1 cup onion chopped
2 cups cooked turkey breast skinless, diced ; 10 ounces

Instructions

Place the turkey bones in a large stockpot and cover them with cold water. Add the kosher salt, black pepper, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Skim the foam off the surface. Reduce the heat to medium-low so the stock is at a gentle simmer. Cook, partially covered, for 3 hours.
The bones of a 10-12-pound turkey, 3 quarts water, 1 tablespoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon dried thyme, 1 bay leaf
Remove the bones and bay leaf and discard. Strain the stock through a strainer. Measure the liquid. You should now have about 2 quarts of stock. If you have less, add enough water to get to 2 quarts.
Taste the stock and add more salt if needed.
Wipe the stockpot clean with moist paper towels. Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes. Add the carrots, celery, and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender-crisp, for about 5 minutes. You want the onions golden, not browned. If the bottom of the stockpot becomes too dry, add a splash of water.
Add the turkey meat.
2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 cup carrots, 1 cup celery, 1 cup onion, 2 cups cooked turkey breast
Skim the fat layer from the top of the broth if you wish, and then add it back to the stockpot. Bring back to a simmer and cook just until heated through, about 5 more minutes.
Serve immediately.

Video

Notes

The sodium content is an estimate.
Seasonings, especially salt, are guidelines. Adjust to taste.
It's up to you if you'd like to skim the fat layer off the top of the turkey stock. I prefer not to, since the fat adds flavor. If you decide to skim it, it's easier to do if you allow the stock to cool for 30 minutes. The fat will float to the top and harden, making it easy to remove
To make a creamy soup, stir half a cup of heavy cream into the strained broth, then add it to the saucepan with the sauteed vegetables and gently heat the soup for a few minutes, taking care not to bring it to a boil.
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. I reheat bowls or mugs of them in the microwave, covered, at 50% power. You can also freeze individual portions in mugs. Seal their tops with a few layers of plastic wrap before freezing.

Nutrition