This Turkey Noodle Soup is hearty and comforting, packed with vegetables and pasta, and it’s perfect for using up leftover Thanksgiving turkey! Make it on the stovetop, slow cooker or Instant Pot!
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You know I love soup big time. It’s my favorite way to warm up on cooler days, but it’s perfect any time of year.
This easy Turkey Noodle Soup recipe is a great way to use Thanksgiving leftovers the next day, or even leftovers from a chicken dinner.
Make your own homemade turkey stock for the best flavor, and you can change up the veggies you use to suit your taste.
Homemade turkey noodle soup with homemade turkey stock is one of the best things you can do for yourself on a cold day!
It’s a soul-warming, ailment-healing experience that I don’t ever regret.
Try my Crockpot Turkey with Garlic Butter, Turkey Meatballs, Turkey Kielbasa Pasta Bake, my One Pot Turkey Tetrazzini Recipe, and this Creamy Turkey Shepherd’s Pie for more delicious ways of using leftover turkey meat.
Ingredients Needed:
- Oil: I like using canola oil, but olive oil or another kind of neutral-flavored oil will also work to sauté the vegetables.
- Vegetables: use a classic mirepoix of carrots, celery, and onion for a great flavor base.
- Seasonings: salt, dried parsley, freshly minced garlic, dried thyme, dried rosemary, and black pepper give an aromatic flavor to the soup.
- Turkey Stock: use low-sodium turkey stock to add great flavor.
- Pasta: I’ve used fusilli pasta for this recipe, but you can use any short pasta, like ziti, penne, or rigatoni.
- Turkey: cooked, chopped turkey will add protein and flavor, you can use shredded chicken if you prefer.
Turkey Noodle Soup on the Stovetop
You will find the full recipe down in the pink recipe card!
- Sauté vegetables: Sauté the carrots, celery, and onion in your Dutch oven with oil.
- Add seasoning: Add salt, parsley, garlic, thyme, rosemary, and black pepper, and toast briefly.
- Cook with stock: Add turkey stock, stir, and cook.
- Add pasta. Stir in the pasta, turkey, cover, and let it cook until al dente.
How to make this Turkey Noodle Soup in the Instant Pot
- Add all ingredients to the Instant Pot and stir.
- Put the lid on, select pressure cook or manual, high, and set the cooking time for 3 minutes.
- It will take about 15 minutes to come under pressure and begin counting down.
- Once the cooking time is over, let the pressure release naturally for 7-10 minutes, then gradually open the valve to release the remaining pressure, and serve.
Slow Cooker Turkey Noodle Soup
- Place turkey stock, turkey, onion, carrots, celery, salt, parsley, garlic, thyme, rosemary, and pepper in a 4-6 quart slow cooker.
- Cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 3 hours, or until carrots are tender.
- Turn the slow cooker to high and stir in the pasta.
- Cover and let cook on high for 10-20 minutes, just until al dente (the cooking time will depend on the type and shape of pasta used), and serve.
Turkey Noodle Soup FAQs
Turkey stock and turkey broth are both made from simmering turkey meat and bones in water, but there are some differences between the two. Stock is typically made with just the bones and contains more collagen, which gives it a thicker, more gelatinous texture. It’s also usually more flavorful than broth, as it’s simmered for a longer period of time.
Broth, on the other hand, is made with meat and can include bones, but it’s typically simmered for a shorter amount of time and has a lighter, clearer consistency. Both can be used in a variety of recipes, but stock will give you the best tasting soup, as it is a richer and more flavorful base.
Store turkey noodle soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Allow it to cool to room temperature before putting it in the fridge.
One of my favorite things about soup is how well it freezes for later use. Once the soup has fully cooled, store it in a freezer-safe container and freeze it for up to 3 months. Keep in mind that the pasta will soften with freezing, so you may want to cook the soup without the noodles, then add them just before serving.
Tips and Notes
- I use this 6 quart Instant Pot and this 6 quart slow cooker. They’re both a great size for making large meals for the whole family! Some devices have Bluetooth, meat probes, and other handy things to help you while you cook, so do a bit of research before investing in one to suit your needs.
How To Make Homemade Turkey Stock?
Making turkey carcass soup or stock may look different for everyone, so use this as more of a guide than an exact recipe.
Use a leftover turkey carcass to make turkey stock. The size of the turkey will differ, the veggies you have lying around may differ, and the seasonings you prefer can change each time you make it.
I am not always great about keeping vegetable scraps in the freezer for stock, so I throw in what I have. Since I always add tons of vegetables to my turkey noodle soup, I don’t worry much about missing out on flavor or nutrients!
If I don’t have any vegetable scraps, I will chop up an onion and maybe throw in a large carrot and a rib of celery too. I usually use some salt, pepper, garlic, and a variety of herbs like parsley, thyme, rosemary, oregano, or basil.
I will let it all cook overnight or all day in the slow cooker to let the flavors meld together.
Strain the bones and vegetables and use them right away or refrigerate them for later.
If you refrigerate the stock until chilled, any fat in the stock will float to the top and solidify, so you can easily remove it if you prefer.
Turkey Noodle Soup Variations
- Use fresh herbs. You can use some fresh herbs instead of dried herbs if you want, but you will need more fresh herbs than dried ones.
- Add vegetables. You can add some extra veggies to the soup if you like. Fresh vegetables like sweetcorn, mushrooms, peas, or chopped peppers would work well.
- Make it gluten-free. You can make this Turkey Noodle Soup gluten-free by using gluten-free noodles and double-checking all of your packages.
- Use rice instead of noodles. Swap the noodles for rice to make a turkey rice soup, and that is a good substitute for gluten-free pasta if you need one. If you use instant rice, add it for the last 5-10 minutes in the Instant Pot or slow cooker. If you’re using long-grain rice, you will likely want to add it at the beginning of the cooking time.
- Dairy-free soup. This turkey soup is naturally dairy-free.
- Make it creamy. Add a can of evaporated milk to make this soup creamy!
Serving Suggestions
Turkey Noocle Soup is hearty and filling, especially as it includes pasta, but it will also go well with some sides to make it a fuller meal or to help it go a bit further.
Try some delicious bread on the side like my Homemade Crescent Rolls, No Knead Artisan Bread, or Homemade Breadsticks.
This meal would also work well with Air Fryer Broccoli or some Roasted Green Beans on the side for extra nutrition!
Turkey Noodle Soup
written by Ashley Fehr
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2 large carrots peeled and diced
- 1 rib celery sliced
- ½ medium onion finely diced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 2 cloves garlic finely minced
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 6 cups turkey stock (see post for how to make from scratch)
- 2 cups uncooked pasta
- 2 cups cooked chopped turkey
Instructions
- Add oil to a 4-quart Dutch oven or soup pot and heat over medium-high heat.
- Add carrots, celery, and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add salt, parsley, garlic, thyme, rosemary, and black pepper and cook for 1 minute.
- Add turkey stock and bring to a low boil on medium-high heat.
- Stir in pasta and turkey. Cover and let cook for 8-10 minutes, just until al dente (cook time will depend on the type and shape of pasta used).
- Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Serve.
Notes
- Add one boneless turkey breast (or 2 chicken breasts) to the broth and cook.
- Remove when the soup is cooked, shred, and stir back in.
- Add all ingredients to the Instant Pot and stir.
- Put the lid on, select pressure cook or manual, high, and set the cook time for 3 minutes.
- It will take about 15 minutes to come under pressure and begin counting down.
- Once the cooking time is over, let the pressure release naturally for 7-10 minutes, then gradually open the valve to release the remaining pressure, and serve.
- Place turkey stock, turkey, onion, carrots, celery, salt, parsley, garlic, thyme, rosemary, and pepper in a 4-6 quart slow cooker.
- Cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 3 hours, or until carrots are tender.
- Turn the slow cooker to high and stir in the pasta.
- Cover and let cook on high for 10-20 minutes, just until al dente (this cooking time will depend on the type and shape of pasta used), and serve.
Nutrition Information
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Emily says
You forgot to mention when to add the turkey! I assume you add it with the pasta.
Ella says
Sooo yummy! Even the picky husband went for seconds.
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Ella!
Teresa Hoch says
What is a serving size?
Ashley Fehr says
A serving is 1/4 the total recipe
Cathy says
This recipe was so good. I will be making this often even with chicken instead of turkey.
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Cathy!
Stephanie says
Can I freeze this?
Ashley Fehr says
Yes! You can but the pasta will be soft after freezing.
Sally M says
I followed your recipe but I cooked in a pot on the stove. I had to use 8 cups of chicken broth. It’s delicious!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Sally!