My in-laws have a tradition of making a huge pot of turkey soup the day after Thanksgiving. It’s a great way to use every last bit of the bird, and you’ll have enough to freeze several batches to enjoy throughout the winter months. Our kids love Nonno’s turkey soup!
In addition to using up leftover turkey, you’ll also use up any leftover vegetables such as Brussels sprouts, green beans, potatoes, yams, butternut squash, corn, or whatever else was served with the turkey. You can even stir in leftover stuffing for a thicker soup.
The main time-consuming part is boiling the turkey bones to create rich stock. Boiling the bones for hours may seem daunting, but it’s the only way to get that true depth of flavor that you simply can’t get out of a box or can. It’s worth it, I promise! And especially after all the gorging on Thanksgiving day, it’s nice to balance it out with a light meal of turkey soup and fresh salad.
So while you’re recovering from Thanksgiving food coma, put a pot of turkey soup on the stove while you relax on the couch or get an early start on holiday decorating. I hope you enjoy my After Thanksgiving Turkey Soup recipe.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Ginny November 29, 2011 at 11:24 pm
Looks fab but a bit late for this. Perhaps next year but I never thought about doing soup with leftover turkey! It’s an excellent idea!
Wona Miniati December 2, 2011 at 6:32 pm
Yes, it’s a great way to use up all the leftovers from the big feast. I have several containers of turkey soup in my freezer and look forward to enjoying it throughout the winter. We’ll send out the suggestion earlier next year! 🙂
Swallow Conrad December 6, 2011 at 9:30 pm
My family does the same thing for the day after Thanksgiving. It is a GREAT way to freeze soup for the cold of winter. The site is amazing. Thank you for all the hard work. cooking with emotions
Vicki January 1, 2012 at 12:32 pm
I do the same thing, but I use my crock pot. I put the turkey carcass in with 1cup each chopped carrots, onions and celery, salt & pepper and about 1 gallon of water. At the end of the day, I add additional veggies after I’ve removed the bones from the broth.