While Thanksgiving is hands-down my favorite holiday of the year, there is one thing I look forward to even more than our family feast: the day-after turkey soup. Whether I was the one cooking or was sent home with a generous pile of meat, a hearty pot of turkey and vegetable soup has been my tradition for nearly all of my adult life. It’s the sort of light (yet still comforting) fare that’s always nice to tuck into the day after a big meal.
Dice up extra veggies while prepping Thanksgiving dinner
As all post-Thanksgiving meals should be, this one comes together with little time and effort. The most this soup will ask of you is chopping vegetables and dicing or shredding the leftover turkey. Want to make it even easier? If you’re cooking Thanksgiving dinner, add a few more onions, carrots, and celery to the pile for dicing while you’re prepping for other dishes. It only takes a few minutes and it will save you from doing the same again in a couple days. Store the diced veggies in a zip-top bag in the fridge until you’re ready to simmer your soup.
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Post-Thanksgiving Turkey Vegetable Soup
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 medium yellow onions, diced
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch rounds
- 3 medium celery, cut into 1/4-inch slices
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 6 cups (48 ounces) low-sodium chicken or turkey broth
- 3 cups cooked, diced turkey meat
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley leaves
1. Melt the butter in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste, stir to coat the vegetables, and cook for 1 minute more.
2. Add the broth, turkey, bay leaves, and thyme, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir once more and ladle the soup into bowls. Top with the parsley and serve.
Recipe note: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
(Kelli Foster is a senior contributing food editor for TheKitchn.com, a nationally known blog for people who love food and home cooking. Submit any comments or questions to [email protected].)