This turkey carcass soup recipe works great because it uses up the scraps of leftover turkey meat stuck to the bones and gets a rich flavor from the already-cooked turkey. It’s the perfect way to use up a leftover turkey carcass.
Wondering what to do with your leftover holiday turkey carcass? Whether you had a Traeger Smoked Turkey, Traditional Roast Turkey, or Smoked Spatchcock Turkey, this is a great way to make the most of it – you can make this Turkey Carcass Soup! This delicious turkey soup is made with leftover turkey bones and simmered in a flavorful broth. It’s the perfect way to enjoy leftover Thanksgiving turkey dinner without simply reheating the meat for another turkey sandwich.
What Is Turkey Carcass Soup?
Turkey Carcass Soup is a low-carb soup that uses leftover turkey bones as a base for a creamy soup. It’s our favorite way to use a leftover turkey carcass other than our Instant Pot Turkey Stock!
To make this soup recipe, the bones and leftover meat are roasted in the oven and simmered with fresh vegetables, parmesan cheese, and heavy cream in a large stockpot. The result? A delicious, keto-friendly soup that makes eating turkey leftovers less bland, just like our Leftover Smoked Turkey Sandwich or Black Friday Burger!
Turkey Bone Soup Ingredients
- Turkey carcass (ribs, breastbone, spine, wings, legs) – serves as the base for a rich turkey broth.
- Oil – used to coat the turkey parts before roasting, enhancing the browning process in the oven.
- Leeks, Carrots, Celery stalks, Onion – form the foundation of the soup’s flavor and are collectively known as mirepoix.
- Garlic cloves – add a robust and aromatic quality to the soup.
- Poultry seasoning – imparts a warm, savory, and herbaceous essence to the soup.
- Dry white wine – used to deglaze the pan after sautéing the vegetables.
- Chicken broth – serves as the primary liquid in the soup and complements the turkey carcass and vegetables. Use homemade turkey stock for even more depth.
- Heavy cream – gives the soup a velvety mouthfeel and a touch of indulgence.
- Parmesan cheese – adds a salty and nutty undertone to the soup.
- Peas – bring a pop of color and a slightly sweet, garden-fresh element to the soup
- Salt and pepper to taste
How to Make This Homemade Turkey Soup Recipe
Get every ounce of value out of your Thanksgiving dinner by using the leftover turkey to make the best soup!
- First, preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
- Now, grab your leftover carcass parts and give them a good rub with one tablespoon of oil. Place them on a baking sheet lined with foil and pop them in the oven. Roast the bones for about 30 minutes or until they’re a nice deep golden brown.
- While that’s happening, heat up a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat and add the other tablespoon of oil. Swirl it around to coat the pan nicely. Next, toss in your chopped leeks, carrots, celery, and onion. Then sauté these for about 5 minutes, just until they start to get a bit soft.
- Now, add the garlic and poultry seasoning, and let them cook for about 30 seconds more.
- To deglaze the pan, pour in the white wine slowly, and be sure to scrape up all those tasty browned bits from the bottom.
- Next, bring back the roasted turkey parts and pour in the chicken stock, adding a couple cups of water if needed to cover the turkey. Let it come to a gentle boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Let this simmer for about 1 hour.
- Using some long tongs, carefully take out the turkey parts and put them in a bowl. Now, add the heavy cream and parmesan cheese to the pot and give it all a good stir.
- While the turkey cools down a bit, you can start picking the meat from the bones. Get rid of the bones, fat, and skin – we just want the remaining turkey meat. Put it back in the pot along with the peas. Mix everything up.
- Last but not least, season your soup with some salt and pepper to your liking. Serve it up hot, and don’t forget to garnish it with a sprinkle of cheese and some fresh parsley. Enjoy your delicious bowl of soup!
Girl Carnivore Expert Recipe Tips
- If you want some more carbs, add in some wild rice or egg noodles and make leftover turkey noodle soup!
- If you just want to make a hearty broth, you can stop after roasting the turkey bones in the soup. Then strain everything to make a rich homemade turkey broth that can be stored in the freezer for up to 6 months.
What to Serve With Turkey Carcass Soup
Serve up your delicious soup with some crusty Rosemary Garlic Bread and BBQ Glazed Smoked Brussels Sprouts with Bacon!
Leftovers & Reheating
Store leftover turkey soup in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months in individual containers or freezer bags.
To reheat:
- Stovetop: Pour leftover soup into a small pot on the stove and heat on medium or medium-low until warm.
- Microwave: Pour leftover soup into a bowl and reheat for 1 minute, adding 30-second intervals and stirring in between until heated.
MORE DELICIOUS leftover TURKEY RECIPES
This homemade soup is the best way to use up that leftover turkey carcass and meat. The rich flavor from the bones, the aroma of the veggies, and the creaminess of the heavy cream and parmesan cheese create a luxurious soup that will warm you up post-holiday.
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This creamy leftover turkey soup recipe works great because it uses up the scraps of meat stuck to the bones and gets a robust flavor from the already-cooked turkey. It’s the perfect way to use up a leftover turkey carcass.
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Roast the turkey carcass
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F
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Rub the turkey parts with 1 tablespoon oil and place onto a baking sheet lined with foil.
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Roast the bones for 30 minutes, until they are a deep golden brown.
Make the leftover turkey soup
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Meanwhile, in a large Dutch oven or stock pot, preheated over medium heat, add the remaining tablespoon of oil and swirl to coat the pan.
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Add the chopped leeks, carrots, celery, and onion to the pan and saute, stirring as needed, for 5 minutes until the veggies are just started to soften.
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Add the garlic and poultry seasoning and cook 30 seconds longer.
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Deglaze the pan with the white wine, pouring it in slowly and scraping up and browned bits.
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Add the roasted turkey parts to the pot and pour in the chicken stock.
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Bring to a gentle boil and reduce the heat to a simmer. Allow the soup to cook for 1 hour.
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Using long tongs, carefully remove the turkey parts from the soup and palace in a bowl.
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Add the heavy cream and parmesan cheese to the soup and stir.
Pick the meat from the bones
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When the turkey has cooled, pick any meat from the bones and discard the bones, fat, and skin.
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Return the meat to the soup along with the peas. Stir everything to combine.
Serve
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Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve hot, garnished with a sprinkle of cheese, and freshly minced parsley.
To make leftover turkey stock:
Stop after simmering the soup in the broth with the vegetables and strain everything to make homemade leftover turkey stock. Allow it to cool before storing in air tight containers in the fridge for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Serving: 1g | Calories: 162kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 461mg | Potassium: 143mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 2371IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 150mg | Iron: 1mg
Recipe FAQs
Yes! However, we still recommend roasting the bones and sautéing the veggies for extra flavor, but that’s totally up to you. If you’d rather make things easier on yourself, you can dump all the ingredients into a crock pot and let it simmer on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 4 hours.
You can store the carcass for up to 1 week if left in the refrigerator.
Absolutely! If you’re not ready to make this recipe just yet, freeze your turkey carcass for up to 6 months. When you’re ready to make this soup, let the turkey carcass come to room temperature before roasting it.
