This easy turkey soup is perfect for using up leftover turkey, especially those Thanksgiving turkey leftovers! This soup cooks on the stovetop in about 30 minutes, is a great use for leftover herbs you have, and is Whole30, Paleo, gluten-free and dairy-free. Along with being family-friendly Whole30 soup recipe, it also is freezer-friendly, so you can save it to enjoy turkey beyond the holiday season!
Whole30 Turkey Soup Ingredients
For this turkey vegetable soup recipe, you’ll need to have two cups of shredded turkey. Dark or light meat works great for this. I pull off most of the skin, but do leave a bit on for added flavor. Leaving a little bit of the skin on adds a delicious depth to the soup and broth!
The vegetables you’ll use include diced onion, diced celery and diced carrots. This soup is really great for using up any other leftovers you have though, too, and you can add any other vegetables like peas, potatoes and green beans. You’ll also need 5 cups of chicken broth or turkey broth, and two cups of water.
This Whole30 turkey soup also calls for a bundle of fresh herbs, including rosemary, thyme and parsley. After a holiday like Thanksgiving, you will likely have these left over, and you can create a bundle by taking two to three springs of each herb and tying them together using kitchen twine. This bundle will simmer with your soup and broth, and then be removed prior to serving.
How to Cook Your Turkey Soup
You will first start by adding your oil or ghee and minced garlic to the bottom of a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Once it’s hot and the garlic is fragrant, add in the diced vegetables, lightly salt them, and begin sautéing them. You’ll do this for about 4 minutes, until the onion and celery has started to soften.
Next you will pour in the broth and water, add in your shredded turkey, and the bundle of herbs. You’ll bring the liquid to a boil, and then reduce the heat down to medium. Place a lid over the pot and allow your turkey soup to simmer for about 25 minutes until the carrots have softened, and the herbs have infused their flavors into the broth. Give it a taste and add any salt or pepper to your preference.
Using Chicken Instead of Turkey
While this soup was created with shredded turkey in mind, you absolutely can substitute shredded chicken in its place to enjoy this soup year round. If you have precooked chicken or leftovers, you’ll follow the directions as written. If you want to use uncooked chicken breasts, you can poach them right in the soup by adding the raw chicken when you add the broth.
After the simmer time of 25 minutes, you can remove the chicken breasts, shred them, and add the shredded chicken back into your soup. This saves a step of baking or poaching and adding another pot or sheet pan to wash.
Other Recipes to Use Leftover Turkey:
Whole30 Chicken Pot Pie Casserole
Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili
Whole30 Creamy Dijon Chicken Casserole
PrintLeftover Turkey Vegetable Soup: 30 Minutes, Whole30, Paleo, Gluten-Free
This easy turkey soup is perfect for using up leftover turkey, especially those Thanksgiving turkey leftovers! This soup cooks on the stovetop in about 30 minutes, is a great use for leftover herbs you have, and is Whole30, Paleo, gluten-free and dairy-free. Along with being family-friendly Whole30 soup recipe, it also is freezer-friendly, so you can save it to enjoy turkey beyond the holiday season!
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 25
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
- Category: Turkey
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Soup
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons ghee (or olive oil)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1/2 large white onion, diced
- 3 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2–3 stalks celery, diced
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups cooked and shredded turkey
- 2 sprigs each of rosemary, thyme and sage, tied together in a bundle with kitchen twine
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, or 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper, or more to taste
Instructions
- In a large stock pot, heat ghee (or oil) and minced garlic over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the diced onions, carrots and celery
- Saute the vegetables for about 4 minutes, or until the onions have started to soften. Pour the broth and water into the pot and add in the shredded turkey
- Place your bundled herbs into the pot. Bring it to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium
- Cover the pot with a lid and let simmer for 25 minutes, or until the carrots are softened and the broth is well seasoned. Remove the herb bundle and discard
- Taste and add salt and pepper to your preference and serve
Notes
- Use 1 teaspoon each of dried herb if you do not have fresh herbs
- Chicken can be used in place of turkey
- Optional vegetables to add include: peas, potatoes and/or green beans
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