Save the leftover turkey carcasses and enjoy the last bits of Thanksgiving with this delicious turkey carcass soup. Paired with hearty grains, beans, and veggies, this turkey soup is the perfect post-Thanksgiving meal that the whole family can enjoy!
How about a title? It might not be the most appetizing thing to see the word “carcass” in your recipe, but I swear this turkey carcass soup is delicious and the perfect use for leftover turkey from Thanksgiving.
I’ve been making this leftover turkey soup for years. I always save the turkey carcass and cook this soup the day after Thanksgiving (or later if I don’t have time). I learned how to make this soup from a family member over a decade ago, and it’s been my go-to recipe ever since. It can also be customized according to your preferences! Let’s get started:
Why Preserve and Cook a Turkey Carcass?
Okay, let’s talk about saving turkey carcasses. There are several reasons why you might want to reuse it:
- There’s still a lot of meat on the bones! Don’t let it go to waste.
- Turkey bones make a delicious and nutritious bone broth that contains amazing benefits like collagen and immunity-boosting properties. Your grandma is crazy about her chicken soup<—and so is the turkey!
You can certainly pick the turkey clean, but I find that cooking it into soup helps release some of the meat that’s stuck to the bones. Plus the turkey carcass soup is delicious!
turkey carcass soup
- turkey carcass -Any size will do! You just need to adjust the water and seasonings according to the size of the turkey carcass.
- water– for making inventory
- apple cider vinegar– This helps the bones release collagen into the bone material
- onion
- carrot
- celery
- cereals – Hearty grains (I like farro, barley, or wild rice) work best, otherwise they will become too mushy! You can also make turkey noodle soup by adding noodles at the last minute, but I find that noodle soup doesn’t freeze well.
- beans -optional, but white beans or lima beans taste best
- spices – I love sage and poultry seasoning, but here you can try and make your own turkey soup. Don’t forget to season with salt and black pepper!
How to Make Turkey Carcass Soup
Step 1: Boil + Boil the Turkey Carcass
Place the turkey carcass in a large stockpot or stockpot and cover with water. The amount of water depends on the size of the body. Add apple cider vinegar and bring to a boil. After boiling, reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour.
Step 2: Choose turkey meat
Turn off the stove and carefully remove the turkey carcass from the pot and place it in a large shallow dish. Set turkey broth aside. Once the turkey carcass has cooled, remove the meat from the bones and set aside.
Step 3: Cook soup + seasoning
Add the onions, carrots, celery, grains, and beans (and peppers, if using) to the stock, bring the mixture to a boil again, and simmer for 30-45 minutes or until the grains are cooked. Add the turkey meat to the soup and stir in the spices. Adjust spices to taste. Cook over low heat for another 10 minutes before serving.
–>FAQ
I want to answer a few questions I know turkey soup will raise:
Yes! If you don’t have time after Thanksgiving (or any other occasion that calls for a turkey!), you can place the turkey carcass in a bag, tie it tightly, and place it in the freezer. You can freeze turkey carcasses for up to 6 months. When you’re ready to make turkey soup, simply place the frozen turkey carcass directly into the pot. No need to defrost!
Yes! I’ve tested this recipe on both the stove top and the Instant Pot. The only issue with the Instant Pot is space, but if you’re cooking a smaller turkey this year, you can definitely make this recipe in the Instant Pot.
Here are the instructions:
Place the turkey carcass in the Instant Pot and add water until completely covered. Set the Instant Pot to the “Soup” setting and adjust the time to 25 minutes. Release slowly for about 20 minutes, then quickly release for the remaining time. Remove and strain the carcass, and when cool, separate the turkey meat from the bones.
Return the stock to the Instant Pot and add the vegetables, turkey, grains and beans. Set to “Soup” setting and cook for 10 minutes, then quick release. Your turkey carcass soup is delicious!
Yes! You absolutely can. Be sure to preserve the chicken carcass after roasting the whole chicken so that you can make delicious chicken carcass soup. Just swap out the chicken for turkey and keep everything else the same. Alternatively, I recommend making bone broth that you can freeze and use in place of stock or drink daily to keep your immune system healthy.
It’s all up to you! If you notice a lot of foam in your turkey soup, feel free to skim off the top or use a fine mesh strainer to remove any particles before continuing with your soup recipe. I find that higher quality carcasses require less pressure.
Storage instructions
refrigerator: This turkey carcass soup will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week (if it lasts that long)
refrigerator: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 6 months. Turkey soup in the summer, anyone? Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Reheat leftovers on the stove top or in the microwave.
More Thanksgiving Recipes You’ll Love:
turkey carcass soup
Save the leftover turkey carcasses and enjoy the last bits of Thanksgiving with this delicious turkey carcass soup. Paired with hearty grains, beans, and veggies, this turkey soup is the perfect post-Thanksgiving meal that the whole family can enjoy!
- Preparation time: 10 minutes
- Cooking time: 110 minutes
- Total time: 2 hours
- yield: 12 servings (at least!) 1x
- category: Soup
- method: chef
- gourmet food: American
- 1 Turkey carcass (any size will do)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 Large yellow onion, diced
- 4 carrots, chopped
- 4 Celery stalks, chopped
- 1 cup Grains (I prefer barley, farro or wild rice)
- 1 canned beans, rinsed and drained (white or lima beans work well)
- 1 tablespoon dried sage
- 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Optional: 1 can green chili peppers for extra flavor
*Seasoning needs to be adjusted according to the soup base
- Place turkey carcass in a large stockpot and cover with water. The amount of water depends on the size of the body
- Add apple cider vinegar and bring to a boil.
- After boiling, reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour.
- Turn off the stove and carefully remove the turkey carcass from the pot and place it in a large shallow dish.
- Once the turkey carcass has cooled, remove the meat from the bones and set aside.
- Add the onions, carrots, celery, grains, and beans (and peppers, if using) to the stock, bring the mixture to a boil again, and simmer for 30-45 minutes or until the grains are cooked.
- Add the turkey meat to the soup and stir in the spices. Adjust spices to taste.
- Cook over low heat for another 10 minutes before serving.
- Stores in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for several months.
