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This leftover turkey noodle soup recipe turns holiday leftovers into something new and tasty. Loaded with tender turkey, hearty vegetables, and satisfying egg noodles in a rich, flavorful broth, this cozy, soul-warming dish is something you’ll be making long after Thanksgiving or Christmas is over!
See recipe card below for full list of measurements, ingredients, and instructions.
Why This Recipe for Turkey Noodle Soup is So Good
- This soup is ridiculously easy to make but tastes like it took hours of careful attention. Everything happens in one pot, so cleanup is a breeze, and you’ll have a huge batch ready to feed a hungry family or stash in the freezer for those nights when cooking feels impossible.
- The flavor is absolutely incredible โ rich, savory broth loaded with aromatic vegetables, herbs, and tender turkey creates this deeply satisfying taste that hits all the right notes. Each spoonful is hearty, nourishing, and exactly what you want when you’re craving real comfort food. Plus, that hint of lemon juice at the end? Pure magic.
- Here’s the best part: this recipe is incredibly versatile and forgiving and smart use of holiday leftovers. You can add more veggies, or add more broth for extra savory liquid. You can make this gluten-free with different noodles, adjust the seasonings to match your taste, and customize it with whatever you have in your fridge!
- This turkey and noodle soup recipe makes a massive batch that keeps beautifully, so you can meal prep for the week or freeze portions for future quick dinners. It actually tastes even better the next day after all the flavors have melded together, which means you’re essentially getting a gift that keeps on giving every time you reheat a bowl.
What You Need to Know Before You Start
- This soup is noodle-heavy, and those noodles will continue absorbing liquid even after cooking. Start with 10 to 12 cups of broth, but if you love a brothier soup (like I do), go ahead and add up to 16 cups total. You can always add more throughout the cooking process as the noodles soak it up, and keep a box of broth handy when reheating leftovers โ you’ll likely need to add a splash to bring it back to your preferred consistency.
- The saltiness of your broth and your leftover turkey will vary dramatically depending on what brands you used, so always taste before serving and adjust the seasoning. I usually add about 1 tablespoon of salt at the end, but you might need more or less. Don’t forget about the pepper, herbs, and that squeeze of lemon juice โ it brightens everything up and makes the flavors pop.
- Add the turkey at the very end so it doesn’t overcook and get dry or stringy. You’re just warming it through, not cooking it from scratch. If you’re using rotisserie chicken instead of turkey, same rule applies โ toss it in during the last minute or two of cooking.
Recipe Variations
Use Chicken Instead of Turkey: No leftover turkey? No problem! Use rotisserie chicken, leftover roasted chicken, or even poached chicken breasts. You’ll need about 2 cups of shredded or chopped cooked chicken.
Load up on Veggies: Add mushrooms, Brussels sprouts (halved or quartered), green beans, or zucchini along with the carrots and celery. Frozen mixed vegetables work great too โ just toss them in during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
Try Different Noodles: Swap egg noodles for any pasta shape you love โ rotini, penne, or small shells all work beautifully. You can also use rice or orzo for a different texture.
Make it Creamy: Stir in ยฝ cup of heavy cream or half-and-half at the very end for a rich, creamy turkey noodle soup that’s even more indulgent.
Add Greens: Stir in a few handfuls of fresh spinach, kale, or Swiss chard during the last 2 minutes of cooking for extra nutrition and color.
Frequently Asked Questions
For sure, just cut 2 pounds of boneless, skinless turkey or chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and add them after you’ve sautรฉed the garlic. Cook for about 8 to 10 minutes until the meat is cooked through and no longer pink, then continue with the recipe as written.
Cook the noodles just until tender, not beyond. If you’re making this soup ahead of time, consider cooking the noodles separately and adding them to individual bowls when serving. This keeps them from absorbing too much broth while the soup sits in the fridge.
Yummy homemade broth makes this soup even more incredible. If you have the turkey carcass from your holiday meal, simmer it with vegetables and herbs to make your own rich turkey stock, then use that as the base for this soup.
Any pasta or noodle works here โ try rotini, penne, farfalle, or even rice noodles for a gluten-free option. Just adjust the cooking time based on the package directions for whatever pasta you choose.
For a slow cooker, add everything except the noodles, turkey, parsley, and lemon juice. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours. During the last 30 minutes, add the noodles. Stir in the turkey, parsley, and lemon juice just before serving. For an Instant Pot, sautรฉ the vegetables using the sautรฉ function, then add the broth and seasonings. Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes, quick release, then add the noodles and cook on high pressure for another 3 minutes. Quick release again, then stir in the turkey, parsley, and lemon juice.
More Delicious Turkey Recipes
- Smoked Turkey Breast
- Crockpot Turkey and Stuffing
- Quick Turkey Brine
- Leftover Turkey Salad with Apples and Cranberries
- Garlic and Herb Sous Vide Turkey
- Leftover Turkey Poutine
- Leftover Turkey Casserole
- Sous Vide Turkey Breast with Crispy Skin
- Baked Turkey Wings
- Instant Pot Turkey Breast
Leftover Turkey Noodle Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup carrots peeled and sliced thin (about 1 1/2 large carrots)
- 1 cup celery sliced thin (about 2 stalks)
- 1 cup sweet Vidalia or yellow onion peeled and diced small (about 1 medium onion)
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 10-12 cups chicken broth plus more if desired
- 2 bay leaves
- ยฝ tsp dried thyme leaves
- ยฝ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon pepper or to taste
- 10 ounces wide egg noodles or your favorite noodles or pasta
- 2 cups shredded cooked turkey
- 4 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Add the oil to a large Dutch oven or stockpot and heat over medium-high heat to warm.
- Add the carrots, celery, onion, and sautรฉ for about 7 minutes, or until vegetables begin to soften. Stir occasionally.
- Add the garlic and sautรฉ for another 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the chicken broth, bay leaves, thyme, oregano, pepper, and bring to a boil. Boil gently for about 5 minutes or until the vegetables are fork-tender. Note โ If you like brothier soup, add additional broth, as much as an additional 64 ounces because as time passes the noodles will continue to absorb broth.
- Add the egg noodles and boil the soup for about 10 minutes, or until noodles are soft and cooked through. At any time while making the soup, if the overall liquid level is lower than you like and you prefer more broth, adding a cup or two of water is okay. At the end you just need to adjust the salt level to taste.
- Add the turkey, parsley, optional lemon juice (brightens up the flavor), and boil 1 to 2 minutes, or until turkey is warmed through.
- Taste soup and add salt to taste. I added about 1 tablespoon but this will vary based on how salty the brand of chicken broth used is, how salty the turkey is, and personal preference.
- Make any necessary seasoning adjustments (i.e. more salt, pepper, herbs, etc.), remove the bay leaves, and serve immediately.
- Soup will keep airtight in the fridge for 5 to 7 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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We’ve made this soup 3 times now and it is ALWAYS a hit! Super simple & fast to throw together and flavourful. We increase the amount of turkey and reduce the amount of egg noodles (they can seriously take over, lol!).
We’re so glad it’s a hit! Thanks for sharing, Alison!
This is a superb soup Like the lemon finish Wasnโt sure Glad I Did
So glad you enjoyed it, Kathy!
Easy and delicious recipe for our leftover turkey!
I totally agree! So glad you enjoyed it, Jenny!
This soup was so delicious. I am allergic to certain foods and spices so I am learning the alternatives to the spice I canโt have. So I followed the recipe to a T except for the oregano is used โMarjoram spiceโ, for the thyme โno alternativesโ, for the Chicken broth I used โ vegetable brothโ, it turned out great and my mother and I enjoyed it. Thanks for the recipe.
Hi, Lorenna! So glad you and your mother enjoyed it! Thank you for sharing! ๐
This was hands down the highlight of this yearโs thanksgiving week! Everyone loved it and didnโt know I used my mother in laws failed turkey (dry and sad) โฅ๏ธ.
The best way to give life back to some dry and sad turkey! So glad everyone enjoyed! Thanks so much for the review!
Just made..cannot wait to serve tonight!
Yay! Hope it was amazing! Thanks so much for the review, Val!
This soup was so yummy with our leftover smoked turkey. I even added in some leftover turkey gravy. It added a little richness to the broth. My husband and son loved it, 2 bowls each, two nights in a row.
That’s how you know a recipe is a hit! So glad y’all enjoyed it. ๐
Very easy recipe. I reduced the amount of noodles to about 8 oz and left out the lemon juice. It was super delicious and a big hit with husband and young kids. Will definitely make this again. Thank you!
Love this recipe.