Turkey Stuffing Soup Recipe: the best use for turkey leftovers
What do you do with the leftovers from a whole roast turkey or even a roast turkey breast and fixings? You make a warming pot of leftover turkey stuffing soup, of course!
Why you’re going to love this winter soup recipe
Every year, food lovers across America engage in the debate of what to do with Thanksgiving leftovers. I don’t know about you, but I find that the bird is pretty picked over by the end of the big day. And what we’re left with is bones and sides. That’s why I created this recipe for this turkey and stuffing soup. It calls for a little turkey and a whole lot of stuffing. And it is, as far as I’m concerned, one of the best leftover turkey dinner recipes of all time.
How to make turkey and stuffing leftovers soup
A good soup starts with a great base. I’m talking about the broth. My recipe recommends making your own stock using marrow bones. The reason I recommend using marrow bones over just turkey bones is that as it melts into the stock, the marrow brings a richness to the broth you simply can’t obtain from lean turkey. However, it isn’t worth stressing over. Just do what’s easiest for you. (But promise yourself you’ll try using marrow to make a soup stock sometime.)
A rich, flavorful stock makes any soup better. But, of course, that takes time. So if you’re short on time, you can use ready-made chicken broth. Or, if you want to put that turkey carcass to good use, you can always make traditional turkey stock. (I find that both turkey and beef marrow stock work for this soup. And a combination of the two is brilliant.)
Once you’ve got your base, you need to start building flavor. This soup gets flavor from two primary sources, the onions and celery and the stuffing. (Incidentally, did you know that celery is an aphrodisiac?)
About the stuffing
Beyond the stock, the secret to this homemade turkey soup is to use a flavorful stuffing, or turkey dressing, as it’s called in some regions. All the seasoning in the soup will come from your stuffing, so it better be a good one! The fun part is, you’ll soon have a bowl of rich, nourishing soup that tastes like a turkey dinner with all the best fixings.
You can use whatever leftover stuffing you used in your turkey or you can make a batch of dressing just to add to the soup. (You’re going to need two cups of stuffing.) I do not recommend using stuffing with dried fruits in it or cornbread-based stuffing. Both of these make the soup oddly sweet. But any savory stuffing I’ve tried works amazingly well in this leftovers recipe.
How to store the soup
You want to cool the soup to room temperature before transferring it to a storage container or container. But may sure you don’t let the soup sit out for more than two hours before refrigerating or freezing. The soup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Frozen soup can be stored for up to three months.
Check out more winter soup recipes
Turkey Stuffing Soup
Equipment
- Soup ladle
Ingredients
- 1 lb marrow bones
- 2 onion
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 stalks celery chopped (including leaves)
- 2 cup turkey stuffing*
- 1 cup turkey meat combination dark and light, cut into bite-sized pieces
- salt to taste
- 8 oz frozen spinach
- salt and pepper to finish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Place the marrow bones in a shallow baking dish. Peel and quarter one of the onions and add it to the pan.
- Roast the bones and onions for 20-25 minutes or until nicely browned, turning once.
- Remove the bones and onions from the pan and place in a stock pot with 1/2 tsp salt. Pour a quarter cup of water into the roasting pan and gently heat on the stovetop, scraping to remove stuck-on bits of meat. Add pan juice to the stock pot.
- Add 4 cups cold water to the stock pot and bring to a simmer. Cover the pot and simmer gently, on low, for 2 hours.
- Remove onions and bones from the stock pot. Scoop the marrow from 2 of the bones and add it to the simmering stock, stirring until it partially dissolves.
- Finely chop the second onion and add it, along with the celery, stuffing and turkey to the pot. Bring back to a simmer and add salt to taste. (The stuffing may add enough seasoning.) Cover the pot and simmer for 1 1/2-2 hours.
- Stir in the frozen spinach and bring soup back to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
Notes
Leftover soup should be stored in an airtight container. It can be refrigerated for up to three days or freeze for up to three months.
Nutrition
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