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–+ servings
Leftover turkey soup in a bowl with multiple vegetables, including peas, carrots, and onions.
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5 from 2 votes

Leftover Turkey Soup

This turkey soup has tender turkey, veggies and couscous simmered in a warm herb broth. It is simple to make and always hits the spot.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8
Author: Brittany Mullins

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion peeled and chopped
  • 3 large carrots peeled and cut into rounds
  • 1 cup celery chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2-3 fresh sage leaves or ½ teaspoon dried sage
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt plus more as needed
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 8 cups low sodium turkey chicken or veggie broth
  • 1 cup pearl couscous
  • 4 cups shredded turkey or chicken
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • ¼ cup fresh curly parsley leaves finely chopped
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Instructions

  • In a large pot or Dutch oven, add the oil and heat over medium-high heat to warm. Add the onion, carrots and celery to Dutch oven and sauté for about 7 minutes, or until vegetables begin to soften. Stir intermittently. Add the garlic and sauté for another 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Add bay leaf, oregano, rosemary, sage, thyme, salt and pepper. Stir to coat the veggies in the spices.
  • Add the broth and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add couscous then reduce heat to a simmer and cook uncovered for 15-20 minutes or until the couscous is cooked, but not mushy.
  • Add shredded turkey, frozen peas, parsley and lemon juice.
  • Cook 3-5 more minutes until peas are tender.
  • Remove bay leaves, season to taste and add more liquid if needed to reach desired consistency.
  • Pour soup into bowls and serve with crackers or bread, if desired.

Notes

  • Storage: Let the soup cool before storing it in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. The couscous will soak up some of the broth as it sits so add a splash of water or broth when you reheat it.
  • Couscous: Make sure to use pearl couscous for this recipe. It holds its shape and gives the soup a soft chewy texture that works perfectly here.
  • Broth: I always use low sodium broth. Regular broth can make the soup taste salty fast especially once the herbs and turkey cook down.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 344kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 14g | Sodium: 480mg | Potassium: 234mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g