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This easy leftover turkey soup recipe is fast, simple to make, and healthy. It’s loaded with vegetables and has a silky and irresistibly seasoned broth!

You may also like my Leftover Turkey Wild Rice Soup or Easy Turkey Tetrazzini.

a bowl of leftover turkey soup

Why you’ll love it

This easy turkey soup recipe hits the spot on a cold day. The potatoes melt in your mouth and make this soup extra comforting. A splash of cream makes the broth taste even better without going overboard! It’s a light but creamy turkey vegetable soup.

This is a low-effort, quick soup that won’t feel taxing after making a Thanksgiving feast with Roast Turkey. Here in Canada our Thanksgiving is in October, so being a food blogger, I’m all turkey’d out by the time American Thanksgiving rolls around!

What you’ll need

  • Olive oil – for sautéing
  • Onion, garlic, celery, and carrots – the aromatic base to any great soup
  • Potatoes – I use baby potatoes
  • Chicken broth – for more savory depth in the broth
  • Italian seasoning – this delicious blend of dried herbs comes in a single jar
  • Turkey – we’re adding already cooked turkey meat near the end so it doesn’t further dry out
  • Heavy cream – just a hint of cream gives this soup a special something-something. You could leave it out, but I don’t recommend it.
ingredients for leftover turkey soup in prep bowls

Tools for this recipe

Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!

  • I use this Le Creuset Dutch oven for this soup.
  • Easily mince garlic with a garlic press. No peeling cloves is required!
  • This Henckels chef’s knife makes chopping vegetables a breeze.

How to make leftover turkey soup

This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.

sautéing onions and adding potatoes and broth to a soup pot

In a soup pot or Dutch oven, sauté the onion until golden. Add in the garlic, and cook until fragrant. Add in the celery, carrots, potatoes, broth, water, and Italian seasoning. Bring to a gentle boil.

adding leftover turkey to a soup pot and mixing in cream

Reduce the heat, partly cover, and let the soup simmer for 10 minutes. Add in the turkey meat, and let it simmer more until the potatoes are cooked through. Stir in the cream and season with salt & pepper as needed.

Substitutions and variations

  • This recipe would work well with cooked chicken as well. It doesn’t have to be turkey! Or even leftover turkey breast meat will work.
  • I chose little potatoes, but you can definitely use the same weight of regular-sized potatoes.
  • This is a flexible soup. Throw in whatever veggies you have on hand that need using up.

What to serve with turkey soup

  • This is a hearty and filling soup, so all you need is a slice of some fresh crusty bread to go with it.
  • For a soup and salad combo, try spring mix with my Creamy Balsamic Dressing or this homemade Italian Dressing. No blender is needed for either of them!

Leftovers and storage

  • Store leftover turkey soup in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the fridge.
  • Reheat over a slow heat slowly until warmed through, taking care to not dry out the turkey.
  • You can freeze this one for up to 3 months.
a pot of leftover turkey soup with a ladle

If you made this leftover turkey soup, please leave a star rating and review below! Ask any questions not answered above. Tag me #saltandlavender on Instagram with your creations.

a bowl of leftover turkey soup
4.98 from 44 votes

Easy Leftover Turkey Soup Recipe

This easy leftover turkey soup recipe is fast, simple to make, and healthy. It's loaded with vegetables and has a silky and irresistibly seasoned broth!
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Total: 35 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients 

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 medium onion chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 4 sticks celery chopped
  • 3 large carrots peeled & sliced
  • 1.5 pounds baby potatoes cut into halves
  • 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
  • 2 cups water
  • 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 2 cups cooked turkey meat or more, to taste
  • 1/2 cup heavy/whipping cream
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions 

  • Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until it's lightly browned (5-7 minutes).
  • Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  • Add the celery, carrots, potatoes, broth, water, and Italian seasoning. Increase the heat to high and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cover the pot with the lid slightly open. Simmer for 10 minutes.
  • Add the turkey meat and allow the soup to simmer for another 10 minutes or so. 
  • Stir in the cream and season with salt & pepper to taste. 

Notes

  • You don’t need to use baby potatoes… regular ones are fine as long as the weight is similar. I just find them easy. 
  • I used 2 cups cooked turkey, but you could definitely add a lot more if you need to!
  • Serves 4-6.

Nutrition

Calories: 263kcal, Carbohydrates: 27g, Protein: 15g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 0.003g, Cholesterol: 57mg, Sodium: 699mg, Potassium: 842mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 6448IU, Vitamin C: 27mg, Calcium: 71mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

© Salt & Lavender Inc. Content and photographs are copyrighted. Sharing this blog post is much appreciated, but copying and pasting full recipes without authorization to social media is strictly prohibited.

Leave a star rating and comment below!

This recipe was originally published on November 13, 2017. It’s been updated with new photos and better instructions but is the same great recipe!


Hi! Iโ€™m Natasha.

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4.98 from 44 votes (7 ratings without comment)

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122 Comments

  1. Jennifer says:

    5 stars
    I substituted sweet potatoes for white potatoes! Such a delicious soup for a cold, rainy night!

    1. Natasha says:

      Excellent, so happy it worked well! ๐Ÿ™‚

  2. Cher says:

    5 stars
    Very yummy! Nice to do something without noodles or rice. I did make it with coconut milk as I had no cream, seasoned it with extra veggie seasoning and added a tablespoon of light cream cheese. Also topped with green onion and seasoned croutons! Thank you

    1. Natasha says:

      I’m so happy you liked it, Cher!! Your adaptations sound delicious.

  3. Bev Whaley says:

    5 stars
    Great soup recipe, was soooi yummy!!!! Thanks for sharing, I hate casseroles but love soup!!!! Perfect and probably freezable.

    1. Natasha says:

      Awesome!! I’m so pleased you liked it. I think it’ll freeze although I haven’t tried.

  4. Iris says:

    5 stars
    Just made this soup it was delicious! Great way to use up leftover turkey.

    1. Natasha says:

      Yay! So happy you liked it, Iris!

  5. Rosemary says:

    5 stars
    This was Delicious!! My family and my neighbors gave it rave reviews. Nice change from the usual turkey noodle soup after the holidays. I sautรฉed the onions and garlic in a Tuscan herb infused olive oil. Thank you so much for this recipe!

    1. Natasha says:

      I am so happy you liked it! And Tuscan herb olive oil sounds so tasty!

  6. stephanie holmes says:

    don’t have celery so can I use celery seeds or salt to give it that taste of celery being in it

    1. Natasha says:

      You could add a pinch or just leave it out altogether ๐Ÿ™‚

  7. Lisa says:

    Excited to make this tonight!

    1. Natasha says:

      Hope you like it! ๐Ÿ™‚

  8. Doris says:

    Hi,
    Would it be okay to use Almond Milk? Haven’t made this yet but it looks really good.

    Thanks,

    1. Natasha says:

      Hi Doris! I haven’t tried it with almond milk, but if it’s something you’re comfortable adding to soups (I don’t often cook with it), then I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. ๐Ÿ™‚ Hope you enjoy the recipe!

  9. Michelle Lowell says:

    5 stars
    This was amazing!!!! I made it with leftover chicken. So simple but so good!

    1. Natasha says:

      So happy you liked it, Michelle!!

  10. Danielle says:

    Hi, instead of whipping cream could I use cream of chicken soup or would that change the recipe? (I’m just looking in my cupboard for a substitute).

    1. Natasha says:

      Hi Danielle! I wouldn’t add the cream of chicken soup, but do you have milk?