Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey Soup Recipe

For the past two years, my husband and I hosted Thanksgiving, which was so fun. We enjoyed making the foods we loved and the anticipation of sharing it with our family. Outside of spending time with our loved ones, the best part? All the leftovers!! 👏🏼

This year, my husband had to work on Thanksgiving, so I knew I wasn’t ready to take on this holiday on my own. In the end, due to schedule changes, illnesses, and everything that happens in life, we spent our Thanksgiving with my friend’s family. It was an amazing time and I’m so grateful for my friend’s in-laws to have taken in our crew last minute. Not only did we eat too much, but we were able to experience how another family celebrates Thanksgiving. We were certainly thankful that day.

Prior to this all, my husband was afraid he would not meet his Thanksgiving turkey quota since we weren’t hosting. So, he actually went to the grocery store and purchased two turkeys the week before the big day. Not knowing how our Thanksgiving would unfold, we planned to make a turkey meal for the Monday following Thanksgiving, which was also his day off. So while I locked myself in the office to focus on work and catching up from the long holiday weekend, he was out in the kitchen making a HUGE mess. When I say huge, I mean food everywhere, liquids all over, sounds of pots and pans, and lots of pounding. In fact, when I came out at one point, he said, “Don’t look – I’ll clean this all up.” 😂 To give you a better understanding of how my husband cooks…when he makes breakfast (like scrambled eggs), it looks like he’s participating in an episode of the Food Network’s ‘Chopped’ competition to make a 5-course meal, minus any organization or clean-up.

In the end, the meal was truly amazing and the best part? We had leftovers!!!

Fast forward to the next day, my husband initially requested a turkey chili, but I felt with all the amazing flavors of the sage and other seasonings, this soup needed to be “brothy” – is that even a word? 🤔 Anyway, I envisioned a homemade soup in a light broth with the same vegetables that you’d find in a stuffing. The result was delicious and we added rice in the kids’ bowls, which they loved.

Ingredients

2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey, Shredded or Chopped
1 1/2 Onion, Chopped
5 Stalks of Celery, Chopped
3-4 Cloves of Garlic, Minced
1/4 Tsp Sage
1/4 Tsp Rosemary
1 14.5oz Can Petite Diced Tomatoes
6 Cups of Stock or Broth
2-3 Handfuls of Fresh Baby Spinach
Salt and Pepper
Crushed Red Pepper – Optional

Directions

In a large pot, add olive oil and set heat to medium.
Add onions and celery, sautéing for about 10-15 minutes. Stir in sage, rosemary, and garlic. Continue stirring to keep the garlic from burning.
Mix in the petite diced tomatoes.
Add broth, turn heat to medium-high, and place a lid on the pot so the liquid will not reduce.
Once the vegetables are softened (20-30 minutes), add the turkey, then salt and pepper to taste. Lower the heat and simmer until ready to serve.
Prior to serving, stir in the baby spinach.
Once the spinach is wilted, top with crushed red pepper and enjoy.

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