Use up your Thanksgiving leftovers for this turkey noodle soup–a delicious variation of classic chicken noodle soup.
How was your Thanksgiving?! I feel like it happened so fast and now Christmas is on everyone’s mind, but I hope you were able to spend some quality time with family and friends, and eat amazing food of course.
We had our holiday at my parents’ house this year, when usually we have it at my grandma’s. My dad decided a year ago or so ago to make our outside patio into a theater–he has a big canopy set up with picnic tables and a fire pit and he ran cable out to the patio so we can watch Pirates and Steelers games on a little TV. My mom even got him two of those patio heaters you see at restaurants for his birthday. It’s HILARIOUS. But anyways, he brought out his projector and screen and we had a little football party for the Steelers game on Thanksgiving night, so we decided to have Thanksgiving meal at our house, too, to make it easier.
It wasn’t too cold, but I’m always cold, so I was sitting right by the fire with a blanket and a cup of tea. Even though I was still pretty stuffed from dinner, I was thinking how amazing a big bowl of soup would be and remembered we had tons of turkey leftover (because my mom made two for 10 people and we didn’t even touch the second). That’s when I got the idea for this turkey noodle soup!
Everyone probably says this about their own mom, but my mom makes the best chicken noodle soup. I don’t know what it is, but it has the perfect flavor as well as noodle to chicken to veggies to broth ratio. It could be all the love she puts into it too 🙂 So, naturally, I took her chicken noodle soup recipe and turned it into this healthier turkey noodle soup. The only thing that makes it different is the swap from chicken to turkey and from regular to whole grain noodles.
Anytime my mom plans to make soup she asks what kind we want and my dad ALWAYS requests chicken noodle soup. In the winter there seems to be leftovers in the fridge whenever I’m there, and my dad loves to take it with him to work. He’s very hesitant to try healthy foods, or “weird” food as he calls it, but he didn’t have anything negative to say about this healthier version of his favorite soup when I made some this weekend. It’s warming and delicious and reminds me of comfy weekends at home with my family.
If you’re sick of leftover turkey sandwiches, use your leftover meat for this turkey noodle soup!
Leftover Turkey Noodle Soup
https://www.thesmalltownfoodie.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/TurkeyNoodleSoup3small.png
| Prep: | Cook: | Total: |
Use up your Thanksgiving leftovers for this turkey noodle soup--a delicious variation of classic chicken noodle soup.
You'll Need...
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups diced celery (about 4 branches)
- 2 cups diced carrots (about 4-5 large carrots)
- 2 cups diced onions (about one medium onion)
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 18 cups chicken broth (three 48 ounce boxes)
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 bunch fresh parsley
- 5 whole peppercorns
- 3 cups cooked turkey, cut into bite sized pieces
- 1 12 oz. bag 100% whole grain wide noodles
- Salt and pepper
Directions
- Add olive oil to large pot on medium heat.
- Once oil is hot, add celery, carrots, and onions, and saute for 5 minutes.
- Add garlic and saute another 1 minute.
- Add chicken broth, bay leaf, thyme, parsley, and peppercorns, and bring to a boil.
- Add noodles, return to boil, and boil for 5-7 minutes until noodles are tender.
- Remove herbs and add turkey and salt and pepper to taste.
Additional Notes
I put my herbs together in a piece of cheesecloth and tie it shut. If you do not have fresh thyme and parsley, you can add 1 teaspoon dry of each right to the soup.
This makes A LOT of soup, enough for a large group or leftovers for a whole week (or more). If you don't want this much soup, I suggest you half the recipe.
Leave a Reply