Put that leftover turkey to good use in this comforting, healthy Instant Pot Turkey Soup. Filled with fresh herbs and flavor!
It's just not Thanksgiving without a batch of Instant Pot turkey soup! Super easy to make, filled with fresh herbs and veggies and a fantastic way to use up Thanksgiving leftovers.
As much as I love a decadent Thanksgiving or Christmas feast, I willingly admit that I look forward to leftovers (hello, turkey noodle soup!) even more. Turkey (or chicken) corn chowder, scrumptious turkey cranberry wrap sandwich and snack-worthy baked mashed potato bites make for effortless meals in the days following the holiday.
This turkey noodle soup (Instant Pot and stovetop instructions included) is full of all of the flavors of Thanksgiving - think sage and thyme - and comes together with VERY little effort.
What you need for this Instant Pot Turkey Soup:
See recipe card below for full ingredients list & recipe directions.
These are the main ingredients needed for this recipe:
- Turkey: This recipe is ideal for using up leftover Thanksgiving turkey, but also works well with leftover or rotisserie chicken. I use a 50/50 mixture of light and dark meat.
- Noodles: Classic egg noodles are the traditional noodles for this type of soup, but feel free to swap out with other types of pasta. Fusilli (corkscrews), farfalle (bowties) and even elbow macaroni are all good options. Cook until the pasta is al dente.
- Broth: Homemade turkey broth is by far the preference for this recipe. There's just something about the flavor of homemade turkey stock that just can't be replicated by store-bought chicken broth. That being said, this soup is still VERY good with chicken broth.
- Vegetables: Start off this soup with a standard mirepoix (onions, carrots and celery) plus garlic for great flavor.
- Herbs: I used a combination of fresh sage, thyme and rosemary because that's typically what's leftover in my fridge the day after Thanksgiving or Christmas. Dried thyme and rosemary would well if you don't have fresh, but I highly recommend sticking with fresh sage. I've found it has significantly more flavor than store-bought dried sage.
- Other seasoning: Season with kosher salt and ground pepper. Be sure to taste the soup before serving and adjust the seasoning, if needed.
💙What’s to love about this turkey soup recipe:
▪️Use up leftovers: As much as I love a great turkey sandwich piled high with sausage stuffing, we all need a little variety. And there’s nothing better than a bowl of hot soup to warm you up!
▪️Tons of flavor! This soup is packed with fresh herbs, onions and garlic.
▪️Light & healthy: After a day or two of feasting, it’s time to stop the madness. This soup is low in calories and high in protein. Serve with a fall salad for an extra dose of veggies.
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How to make turkey soup (Instant Pot and stovetop):
In the Instant Pot:
- The first step is to sauté the vegetables in a little olive oil. Set your Instant Pot to SAUTÉ mode and cook the onions (add these first), carrots and celery until starting to soften. Set the Instant Pot to Saute mode.
- Next up - add the garlic, sage, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper, and sauté for another minute.
- Stir in the turkey or chicken broth. Put the lid on, turn the knob on top to SEAL and set the Instant Pot to HIGH pressure for 5 minutes. It will take about 15 minutes to come to pressure.
- Once the time expires, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Then, release pressure manually until all of the steam releases and the pressure button drops.
- Set the Instant Pot to SAUTÉ again. Boil the broth, then add the egg noodles and chopped cooked turkey. Cook until the noodles are tender, about 6 minutes.
- Turn off the Instant Pot and stir in the fresh parsley. Serve it up!
On the stovetop:
- Start by sautéing the mirepoix (yellow onion, carrot and celery) in a large nonstick saucepan.
- Stir in the garlic, sage, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper.
- Next up - add the turkey or chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Let it simmer away for about 15 minutes.
- Turn up the heat so that the soup is boiling gently. Stir in the egg noodles and chopped turkey. Cook until the noodles are tender, 6 to 7 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley. Serve.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Yes! Completely cool the soup, then transfer it to freezer safe plastic or glass containers, or resealable freezer bags.
When frozen and defrosted, the noodles tend to break down a bit, but are still perfectly edible and tasty. If you are making the soup specifically to freeze, leave out the noodles. Once the soup is defrosted, cook a batch of noodles, then add to the reheated soup.
Leftover turkey soup can be frozen from 4 to 6 months, provided that it is frozen properly in freezer-safe bags or containers.
There are a few ways to make turkey or chicken noodle soup gluten free. There are plenty of gluten free pasta options available these days. Look for them in health food stores or online, such as these gluten free egg noodles (affiliate link).
The second option is to leave out the noodles completely and substitute them with zucchini noodles. This works for a low carb or keto option, too.
Another way to make this gluten free is by substituting the noodles with rice. For extra fiber, opt for brown rice and follow the directions for my Instant Pot Chicken & Rice Soup.
Turkey Soup (Instant Pot or Stovetop)
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- ½ yellow onion chopped
- 2 large carrots cut into half-circles
- 2 large celery stalks chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh sage
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
- 7 cups turkey or chicken broth
- 2 cups uncooked egg noodles
- 1 pound chopped cooked turkey (or chicken) mix of light & dark meat (4 cups)
- 3 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley
Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Set the Instant Pot to Saute mode. Add the olive oil. Stir in the onions and cook until starting to soften, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the carrots and celery, and cook until the vegetables are starting to soften, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic, sage, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper. Cook for 1 minute.
- Add the turkey or chicken broth. Set the Instant Pot to High pressure on Manual mode. Reduce the time to 5 minutes. It will take about 15 minutes to come to pressure.
- Once the time expires, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Release the pressure manually.
- Press the Saute button. Once the broth is boiling, add the egg noodles and chopped turkey. Cook until the noodles are tender, about 6 minutes.
- Turn off the Instant Pot and stir in the parsley. Serve.
Stovetop Instructions:
- Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick saucepan. Add the onion and cook until starting to soften, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the carrots and celery, and cook until the vegetables are starting to soften, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic, sage, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper. Cook for 1 minute.
- Add the turkey or chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes.
- Turn up the heat so that the soup is boiling gently. Stir in the egg noodles and chopped turkey. Cook until the noodles are tender, 6 to 7 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley. Serve.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
This post was first published on November 29, 2019. It was updated with new tips and text on November 10, 2021.
Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Trevor
This is a really good soup! Really comforting flavors and easy to make.
Shea H
Love this soup! The fresh herbs are the difference maker. Very fragrant and super yummy.
Charlene
When you use ground turkey do you sauté it first?
Dara
Hi Charlene - yes, I do that first, then transfer it to a container and set it aside. I add it back in once the noodles are cooked.
Don Q
This is my “go to” recipe whenever I have leftover turkey. Thank you so much. (It’s in my recipe archives now).
Rachel McCormick
I made this with leftover chicken and it was delicious! I used the Instant Pot instructions. I'm hoping to have enough turkey left over from Thanksgiving to make it again.