Keto Turkey Soup Recipe
Leftover turkey soup is hearty, flavorful, and comforting. You can easily throw this homemade Keto Turkey Soup recipe together in about 20 minutes! Adults and kids both love it with its creamy texture and added bacon.
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. It is rich, creamy, and packed with both turkey and veggies.
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.
Have more leftover turkey? You should also try my Keto Turkey Casserole and Keto Turkey Pot Pie!
Ingredients
- Butter & Olive Oil – I use both to saute the vegetable base for soups. It gives the richest flavor.
- Onion, Celery, & Carrot – This classic combination really pairs well with a turkey-based soup.
- Cauliflower Rice – I chose to use cauli-rice as the base of my low-carb turkey soup since it is naturally low carb and mild-flavored enough to let the other ingredients shine.
- Chicken Broth or Turkey Stock – Either turkey broth or chicken stock works in this. I normally use my homemade chicken broth powder, which you can see in the recipe video.
- Dark Turkey Meat – Cooked and shredded dark meat works the best in this recipe. If you want to use white meat instead, only add it during the last 2 minutes so it doesn’t dry out.
- Salt & Black Pepper – Always season to taste. The amounts listed are guidelines and may have to be adjusted based on how salty the broth you choose is.
- Garlic Powder – This is a pantry staple in my house, and we use the big one from a bulk store quicker than you can imagine! You can substitute fresh garlic in the first step if you would like.
- Dried Dill Weed – I love dill, and it gives this soup a unique ranch flavor.
- Heavy Cream – Just a bit of heavy whipping cream makes this soup taste rich and decadent. If you would like a dairy free soup, just leave it and the butter out.
- Bacon – Cooked crumbled bacon is amazing in turkey soup. Trust me!
See quantities in the recipe card.
How To Make Keto Turkey Soup
1️⃣ Sauté the Vegetables
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.
2️⃣ Add the Cauliflower Rice
Place the cauliflower rice in with the onion mixture. Turn the heat to low and cover with a lid.
3️⃣ Add the Turkey, Broth, & Seasonings
After you have steamed the cauliflower for around 5 minutes, you’ll need to add in the stock, turkey, and seasonings.
4️⃣ Simmer & Serve
Allow the soup to simmer for 5 minutes, then stir in the bacon crumbles and heavy cream. Add any extra seasonings you desire. Serve immediately.
Storage
You can keep the soup in an airtight container or mason jar in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
To freeze, do not add the cream or the bacon. Freeze the soup and add cream and bacon when serving. It will last 2-3 months in the freezer.
Variations
- Herbs – I chose to use dried dill, but dried or fresh rosemary, oregano, thyme, and/or sage all work well in this soup. It’s nice to add a bay leaf when simmering.
- Cauliflower florets – For a chunkier soup use cauliflower florets instead of cauli-rice.
- Vegetables – Try adding some chopped zucchini, spinach, or kale to boost the veggies.
Try this with a side of Almond Flour Cornbread for an amazing meal.
Common Questions
Do I Use Frozen Cauliflower Rice Or Make My Own?
You can use either store-bought frozen cauliflower rice, refrigerated cauli-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.
How Do You Reheat Leftover 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!
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email below & we’ll send it to your inbox. Plus get great new recipes from us every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Joy Filled Eats
Video
Keto Turkey Soup Recipe
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. Serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Like what you see? Follow me on Facebook and Instagram! Love this recipe? Leave a comment & a 5-star rating right here! Make sure you don’t miss new recipes by getting email updates!
Originally Published November 18, 2019. Revised and Republished November 20, 2025.
Delicious and so, so easy. I added a dash of red pepper flake into my bowl cuz I like things spicy. Very hearty and super satisfying. Will be putting this into my Thanksgiving leftovers rotation.
Can you use peas instead of carrots?
Sure!
Has anyone tried this without bacon?
Yup, it’s still great without the bacon.
Has anyone frozen this soup? Maybe if I do I’ll leave out the cream and add it when I go to use it.
Yes. You can freeze with or without the cream. It freezes fine either way.
I just made this soup with the intent of adding baked turkey meatballs to it and I had to tell you how unbelievable it was with these meatballs!
I forgot to say that I did NOT put the leftover turkey in this soup only the baked ground turkey meatballs…
Could i use riced broccoli instead of cauliflower? I just got my food delivery and instead of rice cauliflower I got rice broccoli.
Sure!
Any idea how much per serving? Looking at the ingredients I’m guessing a serving is about 1 1/4- 1 1/2 cup but was hoping to confirm! Thanks!
Sorry, I didn’t measure that way. I think your estimate is pretty close!
This is sooooo delish!!!! Thank you so much for a great comfort food to enjoy on a cold winter day.
This is my 2nd time making this yummy soup! I cut the salt down to 1/2 tbsp. First time it puckered my tongue. I substituted the dill for Tarragon, and OMG .. the creamy broth tastes like bernaise sauce. Definitely a craveable flavor! Everything else as is, except double carrots. I’ll be making this for years to come!
Wow! Just made this soup and it is fantastic. I added chilli flakes because I like a bit of a kick. Thank you!
This soup is delicious! I wouldn’t change a thing. Yum!
Decided to try this. Used coconut milk instead of cream and a couple tablespoons of lemon juice. So delicious and different from my usual soup. Will make again!
This is one of the best recipes I’ve tried. Thanks so much for sharing!!
Only thing I did different is leave out the dill and cream.
Made this for the family and it was a hit!
This is great for leftover turkey after the holidays! I bet it’s also good with chicken during the rest of the year too!