Turkey Noodle Soup Recipe
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My hearty Turkey Noodle Soup is packed with vegetables, tender pieces of leftover turkey, and egg noodles simmered in a creamy broth that is all about comfort. It is filling, satisfying, and ideal for lunch with warm bread or as a cozy dinner during the holiday season.
You all know I am a soup person through and through, and I could happily eat it any time of year. But during the holidays, when leftovers start piling up and I refuse to toss even a scrap, this turkey noodle soup is my favorite way to put them to good use. I like using whatever roasted turkey is left from dinner, and it ends up as a flavorful bowl of comfort that makes sure nothing goes to waste.
Turkey Noodle Soup
Turkey noodle soup is well known as a comforting dish made with cooked turkey, vegetables, and noodles simmered in broth. There are countless ways to make it online, and in my opinion, there is no wrong way because it is meant to be tailored to your taste or whatever ingredients you have on hand or in season.
In my version, I make this soup shaker-style with vermouth, butter, and cream for an incredibly rich flavor using just a few ingredients listed below. You can watch my video or continue reading here, and I will show you exactly how to make it step by step, plus share my best tips you can use to serve the most flavorful soup to your family.
This soup is a fantastic way to use up any leftover turkey, so if you are planning to make turkey for Thanksgiving or Christmas this year, I highly recommend making this recipe. The good news is that if you are not ready to eat it right away, you can easily store it in the refrigerator or freezer and enjoy a hearty bowl of soup whenever you want later on.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Turkey – I use fully cooked turkey that is cut up. It can be fresh, a few days old, or frozen and thawed.
- Stock – Chicken stock is best to use in my recipe. Other options are vegetable stock, or simply water.
- Vegetables – I added hominy and peas outside of onions, celery, carrots, and garlic. You can use any leftover vegetables, such as celeriac root, parsnips, potatoes, or turnips. Feel free to use a yellow, white, or sweet onion in my soup recipe.
- Cream – You will need heavy whipping cream for this. There is no substitute.
- Vermouth – Use any brand that is dry or extra-dry vermouth.
- Flour – All-purpose flour acts as a thickening agent to the soup.
- Butter – I always use unsalted butter in my cooking and baking to control the sodium content and not a butter company.
- Noodles – I like using egg noodle but any other type of noodle will work.
How to Make Turkey Noodle Soup
Reduce the liquid: First thing I do is add the chicken stock, vermouth, and butter to a medium sauce pot. I let it cook over medium heat until the liquid reduces to about 1/3 cup. It will be almost like a syrup.
Add the cream: Next, I whisk in the heavy whipping cream until everything is fully combined, then I set it aside while I work on the rest of the soup.
Cook the noodles: I add the noodles to a large pot of boiling salted water and cook them for 7-8 minutes or until they are al dente or slightly less.
Cool: I drain the noodles right away and run them under cold water until they cool down, which only takes about 2 to 3 minutes.
Store the noodles: I transfer the cooled noodles to a container or plastic bag and lightly coat them with olive or avocado oil. Then I store them in the refrigerator until I am ready to add them to the soup.
Cook the onions: I add some butter to a large rondeau or Dutch oven and let it melt over low to medium heat. Then I gently cook the onions for about 10 to 15 minutes until they turn a very light brown.
Soften the vegetables: Next, I add the carrots, celery, and garlic to the pot and let them cook over low to medium heat for about 3 to 4 minutes until they begin to soften.
Add the turkey and stock: I stir in the cut-up turkey and pour in the stock, then bring everything to a boil so the flavors start to come together.
Simmer the soup: I lower the heat to a gentle simmer and let everything cook over low to medium heat for about 6 to 8 minutes, just until the vegetables are tender.
Prepare the thickener: Once the soup is simmering, I whisk the flour and water together in a small bowl until the mixture is smooth with no lumps.
Temper the mixture: I add ½ cup of hot broth from the soup and mix it in.
Thicken the soup: Once the vegetables are tender, I slowly pour the flour mixture into the pot while stirring constantly. I keep stirring until the soup thickens slightly.
Add the cream mixture: Next, I stir in the cream and vermouth mixture until everything is fully blended.
Finish: I stir in the drained hominy and peas, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Finally, I mix in the finely minced parsley for a fresh finish.
Serve the soup: I ladle the hot soup into bowls and add the noodles right before serving.
Chef Tip + Notes
My best tip is all about the noodles! That’s right, they can make or break this soup. The key is to cook, cool, and keep the noodles separate so they do not turn mushy in the soup over time. I store them in a container or plastic bag lightly coated in olive or avocado oil so they do not stick together. Then I add them to each bowl with the soup when I am ready to serve it.
- Use homemade stock: I love using homemade chicken stock because it adds extra richness to the soup. If you use store bought stock, taste as you go since it can sometimes be a bit salty.
- Let it simmer: I always let the soup simmer slowly to help the flavors blend without overcooking the vegetables or turkey.
- Add noodles if serving right away: If I know we are going to finish the soup in one meal, I go ahead and add the noodles right into the pot so they can absorb all the flavor.
- Watch the thickener: I stir constantly while adding the flour mixture to make sure the broth stays smooth and velvety.
- Adjust the seasoning: I taste the soup before serving all the time and adjust the seasoning with a bit more salt or pepper if needed since ingredients can vary.
Serving Suggestions
I love plating this turkey noodle soup by starting with a scoop of al dente egg noodles at the bottom of the bowl. Then I ladle a generous amount of the creamy turkey soup over the top and finish with a sprinkle of thyme. And of course, no soup is complete without warm fresh artisan bread or my homemade focaccia straight from the oven.
For me, there is nothing better than sitting at the table with my family and sharing a warm bowl of this soup along with some leftover dinner rolls from Thanksgiving. It always reminds me of doing the same with my parents and sister, and I hope you get to share it with your loved ones too.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: Soup will always taste better the next day as flavors will have the chance to infuse. For freshness, you can make this soup up to 2 days ahead.
How to Store: I cover and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Or, I cover and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw for 1 day in the fridge before reheating.
How to Reheat: I place my turkey noodle soup into a saucepot and cook over low heat until hot.
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Video
Turkey Noodle Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 cups chicken stock
- ¼ cup dry vermouth
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 pound egg noodles
- 1 peeled small diced yellow onion
- 4 peeled thick sliced carrots
- 4 thick sliced ribs of celery
- 3 finely minced cloves of garlic
- 4 cups of large diced cooked turkey
- 1 ½ cups water
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 15 ounce can drained hominy
- 1 cup peas
- ¼ cup finely minced parsley
- coarse salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
- oil for coating
Instructions
- Add 1 cup of the chicken stock, vermouth, and 4 tablespoons of butter to a medium-sized sauce pot and cook over medium heat until it is reduced to about 1/3 cup. It will be almost like a syrup.
- Whisk in the heavy whipping cream until combined and set aside.
- Add the noodles or pasta to a large pot of boiling salted water and cook for 7-8 minutes or until they are al dente or slightly less.
- Immediately drain them and run them under cold water until cool. This should only take 2 to 3 minutes.
- Transfer them to a container or plastic bag and lightly coat them in olive or avocado oil. Store in the refrigerator until they are ready to be used.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to a large rondeau or Dutch oven pot over low to medium heat and cook the onions for 10 to 15 minutes or until they turn very light brown.
- Next, add the carrots, celery, and garlic and continue cooking over low to medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes to begin softening the vegetables.
- Add in the cut-up turkey along with the stock and bring to a boil.
- Turn the heat down to a simmer over low to medium heat and cook until the vegetables are tender, which takes about 6 to 8 minutes.
- Once your soup is turned down to a simmer, whisk the flour and water together in a small bowl or container until combined. It should be smooth with no lumps.
- Add ½ cup of hot broth from the soup and mix it in.
- When the vegetables are tender in the soup, slowly pour the flour-water mixture into the soup while constantly stirring until the soup is slightly thickened.
- Next, stir in the cream and vermouth mixture until combined.
- Stir in the drained hominy and peas. Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper and stir in the finely minced parsley. Serve the soup 1 bowl at a time with the noodles.
Delicious
so good!!
I was too impatient to worry about the noodles, so I ate it without. Omg, it’s soooo delish! 😋😋😋
Fab tasty thank you ChefBilly😁😋👋🤩👌