Leftover turkey soup is hearty, flavorful, and comforting. You can easily throw this homemade turkey soup recipe together in about 20 minutes! Adults and kids will devour it and be asking for seconds.
Leftover Turkey Soup Recipe – Keto, Low Carb, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, THM S
We’ve all been there the day after Thanksgiving or Christmas, and you are left with TONS of turkey. Scratching your head, you search the internet to find something to use the turkey in that everyone will enjoy. There are some great recipes out there, but I happen to think you just stumbled on the best turkey soup recipe I’ve ever tried.
I prefer a soup that has a lot of substance to it. And by substance, I mean some veggies, protein, and lots of seasonings. Thankfully this easy turkey soup meets all the requirements if you ask me!
Spending time with family and friends over the holidays is always fun, but we especially love eating this soup the next day. It’s just so warm and comforting you can’t help but feel thankful and fulfilled.
How To Make Turkey Soup
You don’t just have to make turkey soup after the holidays. You can roast a turkey at any time of year, and the leftovers are great for making this easy turkey soup. Plus, it makes a simple lunch that you can take to work with you.
First Step: Use a large stockpot and melt the butter and oil over medium heat. Throw in the onions, celery, and carrots. Cook them until they have become tender.
Second Step: Place the cauliflower rice in with the onion mixture. Turn the heat to low and cover with a lid.
Third Step: After you have steamed the cauliflower for around 5 minutes, you’ll need to add in the stock, turkey, and seasonings.
Fourth Step: Allow the soup to simmer for 5 minutes then stir in the bacon crumbles and heavy cream. Add any extra seasonings you desire.
Fifth Step: Place the soup in bowls and enjoy hot!
Do I Use Frozen Cauliflower Rice Or Make My Own?
You can use either store-bought frozen cauliflower rice or make your own. To make your own cauliflower rice, all you need to do is cut a head of cauliflower into pieces. Then toss them in a food processor or blender for a couple of seconds until it resembles rice. Once you have it to the texture you want, then you can use it for any of your cauliflower rice dishes and this leftover turkey soup.
Is It Safe To Eat Creamy Turkey Soup That’s Been Left Out Overnight?
No, it’s not safe to eat any soup that’s been sitting out longer than 2 hours. It’s okay to let it sit for up to 2 hours to allow it to cool down properly, but then it needs to be placed in the refrigerator or freezer. Otherwise, bacteria will start growing, and you can get food poisoning.
How Long Is Leftover Turkey Soup Good For?
If you store the homemade turkey soup recipe in an airtight sealed container, you can keep it in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. This is wonderful right after the holidays when everyone is busy going from place to place. You can quickly heat it up and enjoy a homecooked meal in between stops. Leftover turkey soup is lovely for meal planning too!
Can You Freeze Homemade Turkey Soup?
Yes, you can freeze this leftover turkey soup. Just pour it into a freezer bag and fill it ⅔ full. You don’t’ want to overfill it because the soup expands as it freezes, and it would rupture the bag. It will last 2-3 months in the freezer. If you want to have this as a quick lunch, you can pour the soup in individual bags instead of a large gallon-sized.
How Do You Reheat Leftover Turkey Soup?
If it’s frozen, you need to defrost it in the refrigerator overnight. When you are ready to warm it up, you can pour the soup in a stockpot and heat it on medium-high heat until it’s hot. It will usually take 5-10 minutes, depending on how much soup you have.
You can also heat the soup in the microwave. Soup tends to explode as it heats up, so make sure to cover the bowl with a paper towel. This will save you a mess later!
How Can You Tell If Turkey Soup Is Bad?
Usually, you can tell if leftover turkey soup has gone bad pretty easily. If you open the container and are hit with a pungent odor, then you know right away it’s not edible any longer. You may also see that there is a mold that happens to be growing the soup or container it’s in. Either way, toss it out and make a new batch. If you happen to try some and it doesn’t taste good, then get rid of it. It can make you ill if you eat it when it’s bad and no one wants that.
Other Ways to use Leftover Turkey:
Loaded Cauliflower Casserole – chop and add to this cauliflower casserole
Chicken Florentine Soup – sub for the chicken
Turkey Lettuce Wraps – use in place of the deli turkey
Chicken Bacon Caesar Keto Casserole – sub for the chicken
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Ingredients
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup onion chopped
- 1/2 cup celery chopped
- 1/4 cup carrot chopped
- 16 oz cauliflower rice
- 1 quart chicken or turkey stock
- 4 cups dark cooked turkey meat shredded
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried dill
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup crumbled bacon
Instructions
- Heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat in a large stock pot. Add the onions, celery, and carrots and cook until softened. Add the cauliflower rice, reduce the heat to low, and cover the pot with a lid. Steam the cauliflower for 5 minutes.
- Add the stock, turkey, and seasonings. Simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the cream and bacon. Adjust the seasoning if needed.
Katie says
Made this for the family and it was a hit!
Amanda says
This is great for leftover turkey after the holidays! I bet it’s also good with chicken during the rest of the year too!