Leftover Turkey Vegetable Soup with cream and a hint of tarragon, a cozy and nutritious soup that is incredibly delicious and heart-warming. It's a great way of using up any leftover turkey that you may have from your Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. No more food waste, this turkey soup recipe packed with all the goodness you need.
Gargantuan feasts like Thanksgiving and Christmas can't really be beaten, but how about we make the leftovers as exciting as can be? This leftover turkey soup is a fine example that this can be achieved with little effort and prep.
After all, big celebrations can wipe you out, and no one really wants to spend hours in the kitchen after all the prep for the big days. And if you enjoyed way too many rich dishes on feast days, this light soup is all you need.
The cream adds a touch of indulgence to an already fantastic soup, and the tarragon really ups the flavours to create a soup that is both healthy and soothing. And if you have any picky eaters in your family, I can guarantee you that even they will absolutely love it.
Don't be intimidated by the list of ingredients, it might look rather long, but all the ingredients are easily available, and you probably have everything around anyway. The veggies can also be swapped with whatever else you have on hand, no need to buy something specially for this soup.
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Ingredients used
- leftover turkey - I used leftover roast turkey crown for my soup. You can also use leftover roast chicken or rotisserie chicken for the soup, it would work as well
- potatoes - I only had some baby potatoes, which I cut in half, but if you have regular potatoes, you can cut them in chunks
- frozen peas - or frozen mixed veggies if you wish
- carrot - or sweet potato / squash
- onion - I used a regular onion, but red or shallots are also ok
- cream - in the UK the popular one is double cream, US is heavy cream
- chicken stock/broth - it's what I had available, but turkey stock would work wonderfully here if you have
- garlic - it works really well with the rich cream
- tarragon -I used dried tarragon, it's an incredibly fragrant herb, I highly recommend using it if you have, it works incredibly well with creamy dishes
- tomato paste - I used concentrated tomato paste, which adds a touch of sweetness to the soup
- salt & pepper - to taste
- oil - for frying the onion
- fresh parsley - for garnishing
How to make leftover turkey soup with vegetables
- in a large pot, heat up the oil on low to medium heat
- add the peeled and chopped onion and fry until golden
- add the peeled and chopped potatoes, carrots, cubed leftover turkey and peas
- give everything a good stir, pour over the stock and place a lid on the pot
- leave it to simmer on a medium heat until the vegetables are tender
- remove the pot from the heat to add the cream
- return the pot to the heat, add the tomato paste, tarragon, season with salt and pepper, and garnish with chopped parsley
Why the recipe works
- it's a great way to avoid food waste by using up leftovers
- it's quick and easy to make
- as a family-friendly recipe, everyone gets to enjoy a hot bowl of soup
- it's delicious!
Expert tips
Adding cold cream to a soup can be tricky, as it can curdle and make the soup less appetizing. The best way to add it is to add one tablespoon of hot soup to the cream, mix well, then add 2 or 3 more tablespoons of soup, mixing well every time.
Before the cream is added, remove the pot from the heat, add the cream, give it a good stir, then return the soup to the heat. In this way, the soup is creamy and delicious, with not a single curdle in sight.
Tarragon is an incredible herb, but I find it too overpowering in larger quantities, so I would not add too much of it to the soup.
Recipe FAQs
I personally would make just enough leftover turkey soup for a meal, but if you happen to make more and it needs reheating again, make sure it's piping hot to avoid the risk of illness.
The double cream works wonderfully well here, but if you don't have any, sour cream or creme fraiche work too, they add a touch of fresh and sour to the soup.
Other leftover turkey recipes
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Leftover Turkey Vegetable Soup
Ingredients
- 2 cups leftover turkey, cubed
- ½ cup frozen peas
- ½ lb baby potatoes
- 1 large carrot
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 3 tablespoon double cream (heavy cream)
- 4 cups chicken stock / broth (or turkey broth)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon dried tarragon
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley
Instructions
- Heat up the oil in a large pot set over a low to medium heat, then add the peeled and chopped onion and fry until golden.
- Add the peeled and chopped garlic, baby potatoes cut in half, carrot, peas and cooked turkey.
- Give everything a good stir.
- Pour over the stock, place a lid on the pot and leave it to simmer on a medium heat until the veggies are tender.
- Add the cream to a small bowl or ramekin, and pour over a tablespoon of the hot soup.
- Mix it well, then add 2-3 more tablespoons of soup, mixing after each addition.
- Remove the pot of soup from the heat, add the cream, mix it, then return the pot to the heat.
- Add the tomato paste, tarragon, season with salt and pepper and garnish with fresh parsley.
Video
Notes
- Adding cold cream to a soup can be tricky, as it can curdle and make the soup less appetizing. The best way to add it is to add one tablespoon of hot soup to the cream, mix well, then add 2 or 3 more tablespoons of soup, mixing well every time.
- Before the cream is added, remove the pot from the heat, add the cream, give it a good stir, then return the soup to the heat. In this way, the soup is creamy and delicious, with not a single curdle in sight.
- Tarragon is an incredible herb, but I find it too overpowering in larger quantities, so I would not add too much of it to the soup.
Nutrition
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