Leftover Turkey Soup
A hearty leftover turkey soup recipe loaded with tomatoes, spinach, orzo pasta, and leftover turkey meat. It's the best way to use up Thanksgiving leftovers!
Servings: 6 servings
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 2 large carrots diced
- 3 ribs celery diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup fresh chopped parsley
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 4 cups cooked and shredded turkey meat
- 2 to 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 14 ounces can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
- 8 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 1½ cups orzo pasta
- 1 bay leaf
- 5 to 8 ounces baby spinach
Instructions
- Prep. Heat the oil and melt the butter in a Dutch oven or a large stock pot set over medium-high heat.
- Saute the vegetables. Add the onions and sauté for 2 minutes. Add carrots, celery, garlic, and parsley; season with salt and pepper and continue to sauté for about 3 minutes.
- Add the turkey and tomatoes. Stir in the turkey meat and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Mix in the tomato paste and stir in the canned tomatoes, thyme, oregano, and rosemary, and cook for 2 minutes.
- Stir in the broth and pasta. Add the broth, orzo, and bay leaf; stir to combine and bring the soup to a boil. Lower heat to medium-low and continue to simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender.
- Add the spinach. Stir in the baby spinach and cook for 1 more minute or until the spinach is wilted.
- Finish and serve. Remove from heat and taste for seasonings; adjust accordingly. Remove the bay leaf and serve your leftover turkey soup with a side of crusty bread.
Video
Notes
- Use up your vegetables. Make this soup with anything from bell peppers to broccoli. It’s an excellent way to clear out your fridge.
- Try it with chicken. Substitute turkey with shredded roast or rotisserie chicken for year-round enjoyment.
- Add heat. For spiciness, include some crushed red chili flakes.
- Switch the pasta. Use rotini, macaroni, ditalini, fusilli, or rotelli instead of orzo.
Nutrition
Serving: 1.5cups | Calories: 391kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 106mg | Sodium: 287mg | Potassium: 653mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 3960IU | Vitamin C: 14.5mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 2.8mg
