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Leftover Slow Cooker Turkey Noodle Soup

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Leftover turkey soup is made in the crock pot and is the perfect recipe to use up some Thanksgiving leftovers. Filled with turkey, vegetables, noodles, and potatoes, this comforting soup will make your house smell amazing as it cooks in the slow cooker!

ladle scooping leftover turkey soup from the crockpot

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Wondering what to do with leftover turkey? There are so many options! Leftover turkey recipes don’t have to be boring. I like to turn them into turkey & stuffing egg rolls and this slow cooker turkey noodle soup. Luckily, there’s usually enough turkey leftover to make multiple dishes.

This soup recipe is so simple to throw together and you can let it simmer all day long in the crockpot, making your house smell amazing as you decorate for the holidays or get other things done.

Why you’ll love leftover turkey soup

  • It’s easy! I’m telling you, only 5 minutes of prep to get it going. The most time consuming part is chopping up the veggies.
  • It’s delicious & kid friendly. Warm, comforting, and hearty, this soup will make your belly happy.
  • It’s a great way to use up leftovers! No boring turkey sandwiches.
  • Not only good with turkey leftovers, if you find yourself craving some soup at other times of the year, it is also excellent made with rotisserie chicken!

Equipment needed to make slow cooker turkey noodle soup

You really don’t need much to make this soup happen, but a few things will make your life easier.

  • Slow Cooker – Of course, you’ll need a slow cooker. This makes a large batch of soup so opt for at least a 6 quart. This is the one I have and love.
  • Veggie Chopper – I mentioned that chopping the veggies is the most time consuming part of the prep, but this veggie chopper makes it quicker. I love this thing.
  • Ladle – To scoop up all the goodness.
  • Souper Cubes – These cubes are excellent for freezing leftovers. They freeze the perfect portions, then I reheat in my mini crockpot for lunches. Highly recommend.
large bowl of leftover turkey noodle soup

Ingredients

Below is a list of ingredients needed as well as some helpful tips and possible substitutions. **Scroll all the way down for the full recipe card with measurements**

Stock – Chicken or turkey stock (or broth). Low sodium can be used if that’s what you need/prefer.
Potatoes – Yukon gold potatoes are soft and creamy while holding their shape, which makes them perfect for soups. Red skin potatoes will also work.
Carrots, Celery, & Onion – The “holy trinity” of soup – carrots, celery, and onion give amazing flavor to soup.
Garlic – Fresh garlic is the best flavorwise, but jarred minced garlic will also work.
Bay Leaves– Bay leaf in soup breaks down to an almost peppery flavor and helps make soup less heavy.
Thyme – Fresh thyme can be picked up in the produce section of most markets. It has an earthy flavor. You can use dried or sub with oregano.
Salt & Pepper – Season to taste.
Cooked Turkey – The star of the soup, cooked leftover turkey. If you don’t have any leftover turkey, a rotisserie chicken works well, too.
Noodles – Egg noodles cook quickly and taste great in soups but you can use your favorite shape, just know that most other noodles will take a bit longer to soften.

overhead shot of labeled ingredients portioned out to make turkey soup

How to make turkey soup from leftovers

You ready for how easy this is??

STEP ONE: First, add the stock, potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, salt, and pepper to the slow cooker. Stir it all together.

STEP TWO: Next, cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours.

STEP THREE: Finally, pull out and toss the thyme stems and bay leaves. Add the cooked turkey and egg noodles, stir it in. Cook an additional 15-30 minutes, checking on the noodles to get them to your preferred doneness.

collage of 4 photos showing the process of making crockpot turkey noodle soup

What to serve with leftover turkey soup

One of the best things about this soup is it is so hearty and filling on its own. I like to serve it with a piece of onion dill bread, a dinner roll, or just crackers.

Follow it up with dessert of “better than box mix” brownies or oatmeal raisin cookies.

Substitutions and additions

This soup is easy to customize. If you don’t have any leftover turkey, you can use diced up rotisserie chicken. If you don’t like egg noodles, choose your favorite shape and adjust cook time as necessary. If you don’t have any yukon gold potatoes, red skin potatoes will also work well, or skip the potatoes altogether if noodles are enough for you.

How to reheat and store turkey noodle soup

Best way to store leftovers

Store leftovers covered in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Can I freeze it?

Yes, this turkey soup will freeze well, but I recommend freezing without the noodles as they absorb too much liquid and won’t reheat well. Store in airtight, freezer safe containers for up to 3 months.

How to reheat it

Leftover soup will reheat well in the microwave, of if you have a large amount of soup, you can reheat right in the slow cooker.

If you don’t plan on eating all of the soup right away, I suggest cooking the noodles separately then adding them to your bowl with the soup while serving. 

You may need to add additional broth/stock if too much has been absorbed.

overhead shot of leftover turkey soup in the crockpot

Leftover turkey FAQs

How long is leftover turkey good for?

Cooked turkey is good for 3-4 days when stored in the fridge.

Can you freeze leftover turkey?

Yes, cooked turkey meat is freezable. Remove the meat from the bones, cut it up and place it into freezer bags. It will keep for up to 3 months and is great when used in casseroles, soups, sandwiches, etc.

How do you thicken homemade turkey soup?

You can thicken soup by adding flour or corn starch. You should never add the flour or corn starch directly to your soup (it will clump), instead make a slurry by ladling out a small about of broth into a separate bowl, whisk in some cornstarch of flour, then pour it back into the pot, stirring to distribute.

Need more leftover turkey recipes? Try these:

Turkey & Stuffing Air Fryer Egg Rolls
Crockpot King Ranch Chicken (great with turkey!)
Leftover Turkey Casserole
Leftover Turkey Tetrazzini

Need more slow cooker soup recipes? Try these:

Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup
Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
Slow Cooker Green Chile Enchilada Soup

Click here for my entire collection of slow cooker recipes.

closeup of turkey noodle soup with text reading "slow cooker turkey noodle soup"

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ladle scooping leftover turkey soup from the crockpot

Leftover Slow Cooker Turkey Noodle Soup

Melissa Williams | Persnickety Plates
Leftover turkey soup is made in the crock pot and is the perfect recipe to use up some Thanksgiving leftovers. Filled with turkey, vegetables, noodles, and potatoes, this comforting soup will make your house smell amazing as it cooks in the slow cooker.
5 from 7 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 10 minutes
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings
Calories 236 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
 

  • 8 cups chicken or turkey stock
  • 1 pound yukon gold potatoes small-diced
  • 2 medium carrots thinly sliced
  • 2 stalks celery thinly sliced
  • 1 smalle small onion small diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 medium bay leaves
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 3 cups cooked turkey shredded or diced
  • 2 cups egg noodles
  • fresh chopped parsley for garnish optional

Instructions
 

  • Add the stock, potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, salt, and pepper to an 8-quart slow cooker. Stir it all together. Cover and cook on on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours.
  • Discard the thyme stems and bay leaves. Add the turkey and egg noodles, stir it in. Cook an additional 15-30 minutes, checking the noodles to your preferred doneness. Top with optional parsley and serve.

Notes

This recipe works great with leftover turkey but rotisserie chicken can be used in place of the turkey to enjoy this year round.
Use any kind of noodles you like, or leave them out. Egg noodles don’t take very long to cook, so other noodles may take longer.
If you don’t plan on eating all of the soup right away, I suggest cooking the noodles separately then adding them to your bowl with the soup while serving.
Stove leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.
If freezing, I recommend omitting the noodles. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 236kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 21gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 50mgSodium: 575mgPotassium: 722mgFiber: 2gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 2649IUVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 37mgIron: 2mg

Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.

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