One of the best ways to use up your holiday leftovers is to make a turkey carcass soup when you are done with your roast turkey. This is a great waste not, want not recipe to make sure you are making the most out of your food!
How to Make Turkey Soup From Scratch
If you want to make turkey soup from scratch you are going to have to start with using up your leftover turkey, whether it’s from my deconstructed turkey This is the best way to use up your roast turkey, making a soup that is loaded with healthy vegetables, lean turkey meat and a homemade broth. I like to also add in wild rice to make it a meal in a bowl!
1.Break Down The Roast Turkey
Take the roast turkey and remove all of the meat from the bones and place in a container. Break the turkey carcass apart at the joints where you can, in order to be able to fit it into the soup pot. Remove all the skin and fatty parts as well.
2.Simmer the Turkey Carcass
Place the turkey pieces into a large stock pot. You now have to add the seasonings. Throw in a large onion cut into quarters, 2 carrots cut in thirds, 2 celery stalks ( if you have the leafy tops those are amazing for flavour, add them in!) . Add in 2 tbsp of salt, 5-6 peppercorns, 3 bay leaves, 2-3 springs fresh parsley if possible and then cover the turkey with water, just to the top of it. Simmer for 3-4 hours until the turkey bones are starting to break down, the meat is falling off the bone and the broth is looking nicely colored.
3.Remove the Carcass and Strain
Remove the carcass from the soup pot carefully and set aside. Strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer then return to the pot.
4.Add the Remaining Soup Ingredients
Add in the rest of the soup ingredients and cook until the vegetable are soft and the rice has cooked completely.
Tips & Tricks for Making Turkey Soup from a Carcass
- The key to this fast and easy turkey carcass soup recipe is removing the fat BEFORE you make the broth. A lot of recipes will have you cool the turkey broth and then skim the fat off the top, but when I am making the soup I want it THAT DAY, and I’m not usually making it for another time. Remove the skin, the fat and clean up the bones and you will have a soup that has just the right amount of flavour from fat.
- When you are removing the meat, chop it into the small pieces for the soup and measure out the two cups of meat while you are doing that, it saves a ton of time.
- Only use enough water to cover the bones and vegetables in your soup pot. If you use too much water you are going to have a weak broth.
- If you want to make more broth, you can add more water but you will have to compensate for diluting the flavour by adding store-bought chicken or turkey stock of you own to the homemade broth.This is totally ok if you want to make a large batch and have a smaller turkey!
- Skim any foam off the top of your simmering soup while you are cooking it for the three hours. This does NOT need to be in the soup!
Make This Turkey Carcass Soup From the BEST Roast Turkey Recipe!
Now, if you need a foolproof method to make the best, most render and juicy turkey ever, try my Roast Turkey recipe. That recipe is the best method of cooking a turkey, period. I have tried it all. Breast down, red wine, convection, low and slow, fast and furious, and THAT method in that recipe yielded the best turkey I have ever made. if you are looking for another great leftover turkey recipe, try my Turkey Pot Pie, that is a great recipe for using up the extra meat, while this turkey carcass soup uses up the bones.
This turkey carcass soup will definitely be simmering on my stove top on Boxing Day if we make turkey for Christmas this year! I think we might be having prime rib this year, but if I know my Mom, there will be a small roast turkey at some point during the holidays, I just know it. You can make this into a turkey noodle soup, simply skip the rice and add in precooked egg noodles once the vegetables are done cooking.
Happy cooking!
Love,
Karlynn
How to Make Turkey Carcass Soup
Ingredients
Turkey Stock Ingredients
- 1 turkey carcass cleaned of skin, fat and meat
- 1 large white or yellow onion, peeled and quartered
- 2 carrots
- 2 stalks celery
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 5 peppercorns
- 3 bay leaves
- 2-3 sprigs fresh parlsey or 2 tsp dry
- water to top
Turkey Soup Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 cup diced white onion
- 4-5 large carrots diced large
- 3-4 stalks celery diced large
- 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
- 2 cups diced turkey meat
- 8-10 cups turkey stock
- 1 cup wild rice mix
Instructions
- Break the turkey carcass apart at the joints where you can, in order to be able to fit it into the soup pot. Remove all the skin and fatty parts as well.
- Place the turkey pieces into a large stock pot. Add the onion, the carrots and the celery stalks ( if you have the leafy tops those are amazing for flavour, add them in!) .
- Add in the salt, peppercorns, bay leaves,,fresh parsley, and then cover the turkey with water, just to the top of it.
- Simmer for 3-4 hours until the turkey bones are starting to break down, the meat is falling off the bone and the broth is looking cloudy.
- Remove the carcass from the soup pot carefully and set aside. Strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer then place in another pot.
Turkey Soup Ingredients
- Chose the soup pot that you want to use, then add in the butter. Fry the onions until soft, then add in the celery and carrots. Fry for another 4-5 minutes, then add in the poultry seasoning. Fry for 1 minute.
- Add in the turkey meat, the broth and the rice, Stir. Bring to a low simmer and cook until the rice is done and the vegetables are soft.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
- If you want to reduce the stock, after you strain it you can return it to the same pot and boil it until it’s reduced. This will make it stronger tasting.
- I have estimated that you will have around 8-10 cups of broth when you are done cooking to use in your soup. If you made more than that, simply store the extra in a container and freeze for later!
Nutrition
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Abby says
I really appreciate this recipe. Started making this last year, because my dad who passed away a few years ago use to make turkey soup from the carcass of my mom’s Thanksgiving bird. It reminds me of his, since he had no recipe written down. Now I make it twice with each turkey carcass, because the bones usually go for two batches of stock. I also roast a head of garlic, and add 3 or 4 cloves to the stock part, then break apart and add 4-5 more when I’m assembling the soup. IT IS DELICIOUS!! Thank you so much continue my dad’s legacy.
Jes says
I’ve been making this recipe for the past 3 years and it’s AH-mazing!!! Thank you!
Carol H. says
My soup has been cooking for 2 hours, still has some time to go but it is smelling amazing. I’m going to have some now with homemade noodles (like a chicken n’dumplings only with turkey). The rest I’ll freeze for later and have turkey and rice soup. I always hated to throw away the carcass, it was such a waste but wasn’t sure how to make a soup. Thanks so much!
Susan Gwynn says
Love this recipe! Looks good. Question – do you cover the pot when simmering the carcass?
Pat Schneider says
Like Kathy, I too love to cook, but I was one who had to work also. With 4 kids, his, hers and ours, I was kept pretty busy back then in the late 70’s I loved the carcass stock then turned in to a great soup, I also added some left over gravy and stuffing. Came out just fine. First batch I boil up some orzo or star pasta then add soup to bowls and put a dash of Parmesan cheese and serve with buttered rolls. Yummy, and freeze left over soup and I will serve again when the time is right. Thanks for giving a good recipe for all the up and coming mom’s that want to do it the old fashioned way. Have a wonderful Christmas and Happy New Years. Pat Schneider
Constance Cynthia says
Too much salt at 2 tbs!
Karlynn Johnston says
Hi Constance,
You mustn’t have added enough water; this makes a solid 10 cups of turkey broth. If you don’t make that much broth, then yes, it will be too salty. After all the ingredients and everything is added, that isn’t much salt for a soup this large.
Miriam says
The directions were simple for this person that doesn’t like to cook and the soup is delicious. Thank you!
Aliza H says
This is so helpful (& delicious)! I hate wasting food, so “upcycling” bones is now a tradition. LOVE this recipe. This year we added fresh poultry herbs too, and potatoes instead of rice b/c personal prefs. Thanks for helping ppl like me get turn bones into a tasty, healthy soup!
Carol says
Great recipe! Will use it again. You are too funny! Thanks!
Patti Peters says
First time I’ve used the turkey carcass. Won’t be the last. Amazing taste!
Judith Clark says
I did not care for the poultry seasoning in the soup. I suggest approaching the salt in broth cautiously. I used only 1.5 TBSP instead of 2.0 and it was too much, possibly because turkey had been dry brined.
Cathleen says
Thank you Karlynn for your well done recipe site, love it! I call mine “Turkey Bone Soup”. Simmer the cleaned of stuffing leftover turkey bones in water with onion, carrot, celery stalk and parsley, 2 1/2 hours, strain broth. I add barley, cut green beans, carrot, one diced red pepper, an onion for the soup. Skim off the scum/froth with a ladle as the soup/veg cooks this will give a clearer broth. I make this everytime I have leftover turkey bones… hence “Turkey Bone Soup”. Gooble-gooble-gooble… 🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃
Step-Jeff says
Great recipe also make it using chicken carcass. my family loves it. thanks
Diana Barnes says
This soup is amazing! Even my husband, who is a picky eater, said the same thing. It’s just so good, I can’t wait to roast another turkey and make it again. Thank you Karlyn Johnston. You rock!
Cheryl says
I have this on stove now simmering with the So Cal Atmospheri River Storm outside! A question re wild rice mix. Is it ok to use the long grain wild rice mix that’s in a box that has a seasoning packet in it? Do I add the seasoning packet too??? Thank you.
Gail says
I see there was no answer to your question. May I ask what you decided? I have the same question!
Sally says
Best Turkey soup I’ve ever made! It was delicious. Considered by and roasting another turkey just so I could make this soup again!
Marie Hochstein says
Served thus soup on a cold, snowy, MI wibter ecening to 16 guests. EVERYONE RAVED and had seconds ir thirds! I shared recipe too.
Elaine says
I make Turkey Carcass Soup similar to yours. But I add mushrooms with rest of veggies (That have been cut up bite size.) I also do not remove veggies but leave them in. At the end I add a can of condensed milk. Yummmm. I may need to make some with leftover frozen turkey Carcass and bones. I love soup year around…
Kathy says
I think it sad that the art of cooking has been lost. I am a 66 year old mother of 4, grandmother of 6, and wife of 1. my husband and I will celebrate our 47th wedding anniversary this year. As a kid, stay at home moms were the norm, and moms that worked were the exception. When I was raising my children, as a stay at home mom, I was the exception. I was grateful my husband was willing to be the sole provider, and he was grateful that I was willing to have second hand furniture and drive 20 year old cars. I think your recipe which I am doing now is spot on. I don’t need a recipe but I like to read other recipes for ideas and to compare to how I cook. Thanks for keeping cooking art alive.