Leftover Turkey Soup with Orzo - Easy Thanksgiving Leftovers Recipe! (2024)

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Katerina

5 from 17 votes

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My Leftover Turkey Soup with orzo and spinach combines all the best Italian flavors in a belly-warming bowl of soup! This hearty and nutritious soup recipe is my favorite way of using leftover Thanksgiving turkey.

Leftover Turkey Soup with Orzo - Easy Thanksgiving Leftovers Recipe! (2)

This homestyle turkey soup, brimming with Italian flair and a tangy tomato broth, is ideal for Thanksgiving turkey leftovers. A staple after our family’s holiday gathering, it is the best comfort food. Packed with tender turkey, nutritious veggies, orzo, and herbs, it’s reminiscent of a Tuscan retreat in a bowl. Simple to love, this one-pot soup is hearty, flavorful, and ready in just 30 minutes, drawing inspiration from my easy and delicious Turkey Corn Chowder recipe.

Leftover Turkey Soup with Orzo - Easy Thanksgiving Leftovers Recipe! (3)

Turkey Soup Ingredients

  • Olive Oil and Butter: I use both when sautéing the veggies.
  • Onion, Carrots, and Celery: Diced and sautéd with garlic for the soup’s flavor base.
  • Fresh Parsley
  • Salt and Pepper
  • Turkey: You’ll need about four cups of cooked, shredded (or chopped) turkey meat.
  • Tomato Paste & Diced Tomatoes
  • Herbs: A combination of thyme, oregano, and rosemary, and throw in a bay leaf for flavor.
  • Broth: Use your choice of low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth.
  • Orzo: This is a type of small pasta that looks a lot like long-grain rice.
  • Spinach: Baby spinach is full of nutrients and softens up easily.

How to Make Leftover Turkey Soup

Leftover Turkey Soup with Orzo - Easy Thanksgiving Leftovers Recipe! (4)
Leftover Turkey Soup with Orzo - Easy Thanksgiving Leftovers Recipe! (5)
  1. Sauté: Warm up the olive oil and butter in a large pot. Stir in the diced onions, carrots, celery, garlic, and parsley, and season with salt and pepper.
  2. Add Turkey: Toss in your shredded leftover turkey to cook for a couple of minutes.
  3. Combine: Stir in the tomato paste, diced tomatoes, and herbs. Add the broth, orzo pasta, and a bay leaf.
  4. Cook: Bring the soup to a boil, then leave it to simmer over low heat. It should take about 10 minutes for the orzo to become tender.
  5. Finish and Serve: Lastly, stir in the baby spinach and give your soup a final seasoning to taste. Fish out the bay leaf, ladle the soup into bowls, and dig in!
Leftover Turkey Soup with Orzo - Easy Thanksgiving Leftovers Recipe! (6)

Recipe Tips And Variations

  • Use up your veggies. I’ll frequently mix up the ingredients that go into this soup depending on what’s taking up space in my fridge, from adding diced bell peppers to chopped broccoli. Nothing is off-limits.
  • Make chicken orzo soup instead. I make this soup year-round with shredded chicken, too! I’ll use leftover Easy Roast Chickenor a store-bought rotisserie chicken.
  • Make it spicy. If you’re after a soup with a bit of spicy kick, toss in a pinch of crushed red chili flakes.
  • Different pasta.If you don’t have orzo, other good pasta options are rotini, ditalini, fusilli, or rotelli.

Serving Suggestions

Serve a bowl of zesty leftover turkey soup with a side of crusty Focaccia, Skillet Bread, or Naan to soak up that delicious broth. Other easy sides include a fresh green salad or Easy Butternut Squash Salad,Roasted Butternut Squash, Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts, or Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Parsnips, and Carrots.

Leftover Turkey Soup with Orzo - Easy Thanksgiving Leftovers Recipe! (7)

Storing and Reheating Soup

Store leftovers in an airtight container and keep them in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat leftovers, stir a little extra broth or water into the soup, then warm the soup on the stovetop or in the microwave.

More Leftover Turkey Recipes

  • Leftover Turkey and Wild Rice Casserole
  • Leftover Turkey Salad Sandwiches
  • Turkey Corn Chowder
  • Turkey Tetrazzini with Fetuccine
  • Leftover Turkey Pot Pie
  • Leftover Turkey Frittata

Leftover Turkey Soup with Orzo - Easy Thanksgiving Leftovers Recipe! (8)

Leftover Turkey Soup

Katerina | Diethood

A hearty Italian-inspired soup recipe loaded with tomatoes, spinach, orzo pasta, and leftover turkey meat.It's the best way to use up Thanksgiving leftovers!

5 from 17 votes

Rate this Recipe!

Servings : 6 servings

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

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 fresh ground black pepper, to taste
  • 4 cups cooked and shredded turkey meat
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 can (14-ounces) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 8 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
  • cups orzo pasta
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 5 to 8 ounces baby spinach

Instructions

  • Heat the oil and melt the butter in a Dutch oven or a large stock pot set over medium-high heat.

  • 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.

  • Stir in the turkey meat and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring occasionally.

  • Mix in the tomato paste and stir in the canned tomatoes; stir in thyme, oregano, and rosemary and cook for 2 minutes.

  • 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.

  • Stir in the baby spinach and cook for 1 more minute or until the spinach is wilted.

  • Remove from heat and taste for seasonings. Adjust accordingly.

  • Remove bay leaf and serve.

Notes

  • Use up your vegetables and 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. No orzo? Use rotini, ditalini, fusilli, or rotelli instead.
  • To Store: Transfer completely cooled turkey soup to an airtight container. Keep refrigerated for up to 4 days. To reheat, add more liquid, stir, and reheat over medium heat on the stovetop.
  • To Freeze: Make sure the soup is completely cooled. Transfer the soup to large, heavy-duty freezer bags (I divide it into two freezer bags), and freeze it for 3 to 4 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

Nutrition

Serving: 1.5 cups | Calories: 391 kcal | Carbohydrates: 36 g | Protein: 33 g | Fat: 11 g | Saturated Fat: 3 g | Cholesterol: 106 mg | Sodium: 287 mg | Potassium: 653 mg | Fiber: 3 g | Sugar: 5 g | Vitamin A: 3960 IU | Vitamin C: 14.5 mg | Calcium: 69 mg | Iron: 2.8 mg

Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.

Course: Dinner, Soup

Cuisine: American, Italian

Keyword: leftover turkey recipes, thanksgiving leftover recipes, turkey noodle soup

Did you make this recipe?Leave a Rating!

Categories:

  • Dinner Recipes
  • Freezer Friendly Meals
  • Holidays
  • One Pot Meals
  • Quick Dinner Ideas
  • Soups
  • Thanksgiving
Leftover Turkey Soup with Orzo - Easy Thanksgiving Leftovers Recipe! (2024)

FAQs

How long can you eat turkey in soup after Thanksgiving? ›

Turkey: 3-4 days.

If you use the turkey in a new dish like a soup or casserole, only consume within those initial four days. Another option is freezing the cooked turkey. Turkey can last up to four more months if frozen. However, keep that four-day time frame in mind.

Can you use 5 day old turkey in soup? ›

USDA recommends using cooked turkey within 3 to 4 days, kept refrigerated (40°F or less). Refrigeration slows but does not stop bacterial growth. Turkey can be frozen for 3 to 4 months.

How long will turkey soup last in the fridge? ›

How long is leftover turkey soup good for? Soup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to four days.

How do you make turkey soup less bland? ›

You can add more herbs and different spices to add more flavor to turkey soup, but sometimes a bit of salt is all you need. The other clincher is cooking the carcass low and slow to get as much flavor from the roast turkey as possible. Try sauteeing your vegetables in a bit of olive oil before adding to the soup.

Is leftover turkey good after 7 days? ›

Before refrigerating, make sure to divide leftovers into smaller portions and put them into shallow containers so they cool quickly, which should prevent bacterial growth. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for three to four days, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service.

Is a 3 year old frozen turkey still good? ›

A whole turkey can be stored in the freezer for up to 12 months. Turkey pieces are best consumed within nine months.

Is 7 day old soup safe to eat? ›

Leftovers can be kept for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. After that, the risk of food poisoning goes up. If you don't think you'll be able to eat leftovers within four days, freeze them right away. Frozen leftovers will stay safe for a long time.

Can I make turkey soup after 6 days? ›

Cooked turkey should be refrigerated within two hours after being cooked . Stuffing should be removed and stored separately in air tight containers . Assuming your soup would include the carcass you want to make your soup within three days . And the soup itself has a life of three to four days in the fridge.

Is it safe to eat turkey soup left out overnight? ›

Food should not be at room temperature for more than two hours. Shallow containers or small amounts of hot food can be placed directly in the refrigerator or rapidly chilled in an ice or cold water bath before refrigerating.

Is 5 day old soup ok to eat? ›

Most soups can only last in a refrigerator for 3 to 4 days until they risk going bad, so make sure you place your cooled vegetable soup promptly in the freezer before this point. Make sure your soup lasts well by placing it in an airtight freezer-safe container.

Can I freeze cooked turkey after 3 days? ›

If your turkey has been properly handled, you can refrigerate and eat it for up to four days. If you are planning to freeze it, it's best to freeze it within one day of cooking for optimal texture and taste. However, leftover turkey can be frozen after three days and it will be fine.

How many times can you reheat homemade turkey soup? ›

Also, don't reheat a portion more than once—just take out what you will eat and keep the rest of it cold.

How can I thicken my turkey soup? ›

Add flour or cornflour

Put a tablespoon of either into a small bowl and stir in 2-3 tbsp of the soup until you have a smooth mixture. Stir this back into the soup and bring it to a simmer. Cook for a few minutes to allow the starch granules to burst to thicken, and to cook out any flour flavour.

Why does my turkey soup taste sour? ›

A lot of types of bacteria (and sometimes other microbes) produce waste products that can taste "sour." And soup/stock is a good growth medium for microbes, which is why most food safety organizations recommend only keeping soup for 3-4 days in the fridge.

What dulls spice in soup? ›

A squeeze of lemon or lime juice or a little vinegar can help cut through spiciness. Acidic foods tone down the spiciness in foods and can add some flavor, making this a good trick for seafood dishes or creamy soups and chowders.

How long can you keep a turkey carcass for soup? ›

If properly stored in the refrigerator, a turkey carcass will last for up to 1 week. Perfect for making turkey soup from a carcass! How long is turkey soup good for? Leftover turkey noodle soup will last up to 3 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

How long can you keep turkey to make soup? ›

How long can you keep a turkey carcass before making soup? You can keep a turkey. carcass for 3 days before making soup.

How long is cooked turkey broth good for? ›

Refrigerate broth up to 1 week or freeze up to 6 months.

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