This tasty turkey soup combines onions, celery, carrots, mini penne pasta, and turkey in a lightly seasoned broth with fresh herbs. You can make it with leftover holiday turkey or an already-cooked oven-roasted turkey breast.
Nothing says comfort like a big pot of hot and hearty soup. If you don’t believe me, ask my family. Enjoy this tasty soup with garlic knots, homemade yeast rolls, or sweet potato cornbread.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Marjoram: It is a milder, sweeter, less intense version of oregano. However, you can substitute oregano if needed.
- Chicken broth: Low sodium is best.
- Pasta: Medium pasta such as mini penne, cavatappi, bowtie, or medium shells.
- Turkey: Any cooked turkey will work
- Fresh herbs: such as thyme, rosemary or parsley
How to Make Turkey Soup
Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrots and cook until the onion and celery are tender. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic and marjoram. Cook for one minute while stirring.
Stir in the chicken broth, bay leaf, and pasta. Cook until the carrots and pasta are tender. Stir in the cooked turkey, fresh thyme, and fresh rosemary. Warm for just a couple of minutes before serving.
Preparation Tips
- Peel the carrots so the bright orange color shines through.
- Simmer the pasta until cooked al dente, which means a little firm.
- Fresh herbs are best added towards the end of the recipe. If substituting dried herbs, use one teaspoon for every tablespoon of fresh herbs and add them to the pot with the garlic.
Recipe Variations
- Turn it into turkey and rice soup by omitting the pasta and adding 2 cups of cooked white, brown, or wild rice.
- Switch it up to turkey and potato soup by omitting the pasta and adding 2 cups of diced Yukon gold potatoes.
- Turn it into turkey and bean soup by adding a can of black beans, pinto beans, or kidney beans.
- Make turkey vegetable soup by adding green beans, peas, and cabbage.
More Soup Recipes
Turkey Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped
- 2 ribs celery chopped
- 3 large carrots peeled and chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dried marjoram or oregano
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 1½ cups mini penne
- 2½ cups diced cooked turkey
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- 1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrots and cook until the onion and celery are tender.
- Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic and marjoram. Cook for 1 minute while stirring.
- Stir in the chicken broth, bay leaf, and pasta. Cook until the carrots and pasta are tender.
- Stir in the cooked turkey, fresh thyme, and fresh rosemary. Warm for 2-3 minutes before serving
Notes
- Peel the carrots so the bright orange color shines through.
- Simmer the pasta until cooked al dente, which means a little firm.
- Fresh herbs are best added towards the end of the recipe. If substituting dried herbs, use one teaspoon for every tablespoon of fresh herbs and add them to the pot with the garlic.
Melissa C
This was so delicious and perfect for me and my husband. I used some leftover frozen turkey from Thanksgiving dinner! I will make it again.
April
Now this is comfort food! Yum! I loved every bite!
Laura M
Great soup recipe. I had some leftover Thanksgiving day turkey in my freezer and this turned out perfect. The family loved it.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Laura! I am so glad that they liked it.
Karen
I never had Turkey soup before trying out yours…omg…It was delicious…Thanks a lot for the recipe, it is great…
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome, Karen!
ReeAnne S
I would never think to make soup out of the leftover turkey, but it sounds like a great way to use it up. My mother in law usually freezes part of ours so we can have turkey stew in the new year and it’s always one of my favourites.
Yasmine
I love a good homemade soup. I am looking forward to trying this out as there is always so much leftover turkey and vegetables after Christmas dinner.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Yasmine! Enjoy and Merry Christmas!
Sam
I always look for recipe ideas for using left over turkey. I do make soup but slightly different to your so will be trying this next week
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Sam! Enjoy!
Allysa
This soup is perfect for the cold weather this year! I loved it so much!
Michelle
Had leftover turkey to use and this turkey soup hit the spot! Used soup shells pasta instead, otherwise didn’t change a thing. Delicious!
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Michelle! I am so glad that you enjoyed it!
Catalina
What a comforting and hearty soup! I made this after Thanksgiving with leftover turkey, and it was a perfect way to use it up. The broth was rich, and the veggies added such a nice texture.
Krystle Smith
It’s a great way to use up leftover holiday turkey, and the fresh herbs really bring out the flavor.