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Transform your Thanksgiving leftovers into a delightful pot of turkey noodle soup! This creamy, savory dish is brimming with fresh herbs and vegetables that your family will adore. It’s the perfect hearty meal to enjoy after the holiday festivities.
Homemade soup is truly unmatched in flavor and comfort! I have countless favorite soup recipes, but you must try this copycat Zuppa Toscana, Pasta e Fagioli, and Italian Wedding Soup!
Turkey Noodle Soup: The Ultimate Thanksgiving Leftover Recipe
After Thanksgiving dinner, I often find myself with an abundance of turkey. While turkey sandwiches are great, they can get old quickly—so why not whip up a comforting bowl of turkey noodle soup instead? In fact, I believe this recipe rivals my classic chicken noodle soup—and that’s saying something! Once you taste it for yourself, you’ll understand why it’s become one of my go-to dishes.
This turkey noodle soup is incredibly satisfying and packed with flavor. The creamy broth combined with fresh herbs and tender egg noodles creates a delightful experience in every spoonful. And let’s not forget about those juicy pieces of leftover turkey that add richness to the dish! Pair it with some saltine crackers for a cozy night at home.
Ingredients for Your Turkey Noodle Soup
One of the best aspects of this recipe is that it utilizes common pantry staples—perfect for when you’re not keen on making another grocery run post-Thanksgiving! Check out the recipe card below for precise measurements:
- Butter: For sautéing diced vegetables.
- Onion: Sweet onions like white or yellow work best.
- Carrots: Peel and dice them before adding.
- Celery Stalks: Diced celery adds wonderful texture to the soup.
- Minced Garlic: Fresh garlic enhances savory flavors beautifully.
- Herbs: Use dried thyme, parsley, and basil from your spice rack to elevate taste.
- Flour: A little flour helps thicken your broth nicely.
- Turkey Broth: This serves as the base; feel free to use store-bought or homemade broth (chicken broth works too).
- Shredded Turkey: Perfectly utilizes leftover meat from your feast!
- Canned Evaporated Milk: Essential for achieving creaminess in your soup.
- Salt & Pepper: Season according to taste preferences.
- Noodles: Dried homemade-style egg noodles are ideal here.
- Frozen Peas: Add these towards the end for extra heartiness.
Boosting Flavor with Bouillon Cubes
For an added depth of flavor in your turkey noodle soup, consider incorporating a chicken bouillon cube—it provides an excellent umami kick! Typically one cube per two cups of water does wonders.
Let’s Get Cooking!
Making this comforting noodle soup from scratch is simple—especially when using up leftover Thanksgiving turkey! Your family will be thrilled once they get their first taste. After trying homemade soups like this one, you’ll never want store-bought again!
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Sauté Vegetables: In a large pot over medium-high heat, melt butter then add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook until softened before stirring in garlic along with thyme, parsley & basil; cook briefly (about 1 minute).
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Incorporate Flour: Sprinkle flour over cooked veggies while stirring until it forms a paste-like consistency.
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Add Broth: Pour in broth along with thyme & herbs; whisk continuously until slightly thickened (around 5 minutes).
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Combine Remaining Ingredients & Simmer: Stir shredded turkey meat into pot alongside evaporated milk & noodles; reduce heat to low simmering gently until noodles are tender (approximately 15 minutes). Finally mix frozen peas into pot cooking an additional 5 minutes.
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Season Before Serving: Adjust seasoning by adding salt/pepper as needed based on how seasoned your leftover turkey was initially; garnish each bowl generously with fresh parsley!
Crafting Homemade Turkey Stock
This easy-to-make turkery noodle soup takes advantage of all those tasty leftovers from Thanksgiving dinner! To create homemade stock save any remaining carcass/bones after carving—the process involves placing them into a large stockpot filled with water plus desired herbs/spices then letting simmer around three hours before straining out solids afterward—you can substitute packaged broths if preferred!
Storing Leftovers
Is there anything better than enjoying leftover soups? They make quick lunches throughout busy weeks ahead too—here’s how best preserve freshness:
In Refrigerator: Store airtight containers keeping well up-to four days maximum duration without losing quality!
Can You Freeze Turkey Noodle Soup? Absolutely yes!! Allow cooling completely prior transferring contents gallon-sized freezer bags storing safely within freezer lasting two-three months easily thaw overnight inside fridge ready reheating next day whenever desired!!
Pin It Now For Later Reference
Here’s what you’ll need:
▢ 4 tbsp butter
▢ 1/2 onion diced
▢ 3 carrots peeled/diced
▢ 2 celery stalks diced
▢ 1 tsp minced garlic
▢ 1½ tsp dried thyme
▢ 1 tsp dried parsley
▢ ½ tsp dried basil
▢ ⅓ cup flour
▢ 8 cups turkey/chicken broth
▢ 4 cups shredded cooked turkey
▢ 12 oz canned evaporated milk
▢ 1½ tsp salt (or more)
▢ ½ tsp pepper (or more)
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Instructions
In large pot over medium-high heat melt butter then add onion/carrots/celery cooking till softened followed by stirring minced garlic/herbs cooking briefly together forming flavorful base mixture next sprinkle flour mixing thoroughly creating paste-like consistency finally pour-in prepared stock whisking continuously till slightly thickened approximately five mins thereafter stir-in remaining ingredients allowing everything meld together reducing temp low-simmer fifteen mins longer finishing off last five mins tossing frozen peas adjusting seasonings accordingly serving hot garnished freshly chopped parsley atop bowls enjoyed warm alongside crusty bread/crackers perfect cozy meal anytime year-round!!
Nutritional Information
Calories per serving approx.: 410 kcal | Carbohydrates:35 g | Protein:32 g | Fat:16 g
About Alyssa Rivers – Author behind ‘The Tried-and-Tested Cookbook’, professional food photographer specializing recipe development featured across platforms including Good Morning America Today Food Buzzfeed among others sharing passion culinary arts through tried true creations enjoyed worldwide!!
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