Put that leftover turkey to good use in this comforting, healthy Instant Pot Turkey Soup. Filled with fresh herbs and flavor!.
Thanksgiving wouldn’t be the same without a pot of Instant Pot turkey soup—it’s incredibly simple to prepare, full of vegetables and fresh herbs, and a great way to use up leftovers!
Even though I enjoy a rich Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, I have to confess that I look forward to the leftovers—like turkey noodle soup, for example—even more. Easy dinner ideas in the days after the holiday include delicious turkey cranberry wrap sandwich, baked mashed potato bites that are perfect as a snack, and corn chowder made with turkey (or chicken).
With just minimal work, this Instant Pot and stovetop instructions for turkey noodle soup boasts all the flavors of Thanksgiving, including thyme and sage.
Thanksgiving may be over, but the feast lives on! Leftover turkey is a blank canvas for culinary creativity, and what better way to utilize it than in a comforting, soul-warming soup? This article presents two fantastic Instant Pot and stovetop recipes for leftover turkey soup, each bursting with flavor and guaranteed to satisfy your taste buds.
Easy Leftover Turkey Soup (Instant Pot)
This recipe, courtesy of What Great Grandma Ate is a quick and budget-friendly way to transform your Thanksgiving leftovers into a delicious and healthy meal. Packed with veggies turkey, and rice, it’s the perfect comfort food that comes together in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups cooked turkey meat (white or dark, or a mix)
- Optional: turkey carcass or bones
- 1 tbsp ghee or cooking oil
- 1 diced onion
- 2 diced celery stalks
- 2 diced carrots
- 4 minced garlic cloves
- 1 tsp fresh thyme (or 1/3 tsp dried)
- 5 cups chicken broth (or water if using bones)
- Optional: 1/2 cup white rice (omit for paleo or Whole30)
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- Chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions:
- Remove turkey meat from the bones and dice it. Save the bones if available.
- Turn your Instant Pot to Sauté and melt ghee or oil.
- Add onion, celery, and carrots, and cook for 5 minutes until softened.
- Add garlic and thyme, and cook for 1 minute.
- Turn off the Instant Pot, then add turkey, bones (if using), broth (or water), rice (if using), salt, and pepper.
- Stir, secure the lid, and cook on HIGH pressure for 10 minutes.
- Once done, release pressure naturally for 10 minutes, then manually release remaining pressure.
- Add lemon juice and remove bones. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
- Serve in bowls, garnished with parsley.
Turkey Noodle Soup (Instant Pot or Stovetop)
This recipe from Cookin’ Canuck is another fantastic option, packed with fresh herbs and veggies for a flavorful and healthy soup. It’s perfect for using up leftover turkey or chicken and can be easily made in your Instant Pot or on the stovetop.
Ingredients:
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1/2 chopped yellow onion
- 2 large carrots, sliced
- 2 large celery stalks, chopped
- 3 minced garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp each minced fresh sage, rosemary, and thyme
- 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper
- 7 cups turkey or chicken broth
- 2 cups uncooked egg noodles
- 1 pound chopped cooked turkey (or chicken)
- 3 tbsp minced flat-leaf parsley
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Set the Instant Pot to Sauté mode and add olive oil.
- Add onions and cook until softened (3-4 minutes).
- Add carrots and celery, and cook until softened (2-3 minutes).
- Stir in garlic, herbs, salt, and pepper. Cook for 1 minute.
- Add broth, set to High pressure on Manual mode for 5 minutes.
- Let pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then manually release remaining pressure.
- Press Sauté button, add broth to boiling, then add noodles and turkey. Cook until noodles are tender (6 minutes).
- Turn off the Instant Pot and stir in parsley. Serve.
Stovetop Instructions:
- Heat olive oil in a large nonstick saucepan.
- Add onion and cook until softened (3-4 minutes).
- Add carrots and celery, and cook until softened (2-3 minutes).
- Stir in garlic, herbs, salt, and pepper. Cook for 1 minute.
- Add broth, bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes.
- Turn up heat to boiling, add noodles and turkey. Cook until noodles are tender (6-7 minutes).
- Remove from heat and stir in parsley. Serve.
Tips & Tricks:
- Both recipes can be frozen for up to 4 months. For the Instant Pot version, freeze without the rice and add fresh rice when reheating.
- For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free noodles or substitute with zucchini noodles or rice.
- Feel free to customize these recipes with your favorite vegetables or herbs.
Additional Resources:
- For more Instant Pot recipes, check out the “You’ll Love These Instant Pot Recipes” section in the What Great Grandma Ate recipe.
- Cookin’ Canuck offers a variety of other Thanksgiving leftover recipes, including turkey cranberry wrap sandwiches and baked mashed potato bites.
These two leftover turkey soup recipes are sure to become staples in your post-Thanksgiving culinary repertoire. They’re easy to make, packed with flavor, and a great way to use up those delicious leftovers. So grab your Instant Pot or stovetop, gather your ingredients, and get ready to warm your soul with a comforting bowl of turkey soup!
What you need for this Instant Pot Turkey Soup:
See recipe card below for full ingredients list & recipe directions.
These are the main ingredients needed for this recipe:
- Turkey: This recipe works well with leftover or rotisserie chicken, but it’s also great for using up leftover Thanksgiving turkey. I use a 50/50 mixture of light and dark meat.
- Noodles: Traditional egg noodles work well in this kind of soup, but you can also use other kinds of pasta. Good choices are elbow macaroni, farfalle (bowties), and fusilli (corkscrews). Cook until the pasta is al dente.
- Broth: For this recipe, homemade turkey broth is highly recommended. The taste of homemade turkey stock is simply unmatched by store-bought chicken broth for some reason. Nevertheless, this soup tastes just as wonderful with chicken broth.
- Vegetables: For maximum flavor, start this soup with a classic mirepoix of onions, carrots, and celery, plus garlic.
- Herbs: I used what was usually left in my fridge the day after Thanksgiving or Christmas, which was a combination of fresh sage, thyme, and rosemary. If you don’t have fresh sage, dried thyme and rosemary work well too, but I really suggest using fresh sage. It tastes a lot better than the dried sage you buy at the store, in my opinion.
- Other seasoning: Season with kosher salt and ground pepper. Before serving, taste the soup and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
What’s to love about this turkey soup recipe:
Utilize leftovers: Although I adore a delicious turkey sandwich with plenty of sausage stuffing, everyone can use a little diversity in their diet. And nothing beats a hot bowl of soup to get you warm! ❪️ Packed with flavor, this soup has a ton of fresh herbs, onions, and garlic. ▪️Light & healthy: After a day or two of feasting, it’s time to stop the madness. This soup is low in calories and high in protein. Serve with a fall salad for an extra dose of veggies.
How to Make Turkey Soup in Instant Pot | BEST TURKEY SOUP RECIPE | Instant Pot Soup Recipes
FAQ
Is an Instant Pot good for making soup?
What does soup setting on Instant Pot do?
Why does my turkey soup taste bland?
How do you cook a Turkey Soup in an Instant Pot?
If serving the soup right away, you can cook them directly in the instant pot on the Sauté function after the soup is finished. Sauté onions in olive oil for 3 minutes until translucent. Add other vegetables, turkey and broth to instant pot. Set to High Pressure for 10 minutes. It will take an additional 10 minutes to build pressure.
How long do you Pressure Cook a Turkey in an Instant Pot?
Set the time to 7 minutes. When the pressure cooking cycle is over, let sit and do a natural release for 10 minutes. Then do a quick release of the remaining pressure. Close the lid again and make sure your Instant Pot is set to “Keep Warm”. Let sit for 5 minutes for the turkey to warm up. Remove the lid, taste test, and adjust seasoning if needed.
How do you cook Turkey in a pressure cooker?
Turn on a multi-functional pressure cooker (such as Instant Pot®), add oil, and select High Saute function. Add carrots, celery, onion, and parsnip and saute until slightly soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in turkey broth. Add turkey, tomato paste, celery leaves, herbes de Provence, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes; stir to combine.
Can you eat Turkey Soup in an Instant Pot?
This Instant Pot Turkey Soup is a true one-pot meal. Just serve warm in individual bowls. If you like a garnish and have some extra fresh herbs on hand, that’s great! Sage, parsley, thyme, or rosemary would all work well. Do I have to use vegetables? If you like to eat turkey soup with just broth and noodles, no problem.