Rich And Flavorful Turkey Carcass Soup

Once you have your rich broth, you can add sauteed vegetables and leftover turkey meat for a wonderfully satisfying meal. Having a hot, comforting bowl of soup for a late dinner on Thanksgiving is something I look forward to every year. I admit it: We eat our Thanksgiving meal early partly to make sure we get to enjoy this tasty soup that same night! This leftover turkey soup is so rich and delicious. We always save the turkey carcass after carving, plus any skin we’re not interested in eating, and often the wings too. Turkey bones with some attached meat and skin, slowly simmered for several hours, make a rich, flavorful broth. 🍲

Ingredients

Here’s an overview of what you’ll need to make this tasty soup. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. For the basic broth:

Bones from a 10-12-lb. turkey. If some meat is still attached to the bones, that’s even better and will make for a richer, more flavorful soup.Water: Enough to cover the bones.Seasonings: I like to use kosher salt, black pepper, dried thyme, and a bay leaf.

For the soup:

Olive oil: I love cooking with this delicious oil. But if you’d rather use an oil with a higher smoke point, you can use avocado oil instead. Another tasty option is to use butter or ghee. Vegetables: I use sliced carrots, sliced celery, and chopped onions. Cooked turkey meat: Either white or dark - both work, though I tend to use white. Be sure to remove the skin.

Instructions

It’s easy to make turkey carcass soup! Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps: Simmer turkey bones in water with some spices for three hours, then strain the rich broth and discard the bones. Cook some vegetables (onions, celery, and carrots) in olive oil or in butter. Add the strained broth and diced cooked turkey meat, and cook just until heated through.

Expert tip

It’s up to you if you’d like to skim the fat layer off the top of the soup. I actually prefer not to, since the fat adds so much flavor. If you decide to skim it, it’s easier to allow the broth to cool completely in the fridge. The fat will float to the top and harden, and it will be very easy to remove. Then you can reheat the broth and proceed to make the soup.

Frequently asked questions

Serving suggestions

I usually serve this soup as our main dish. So rather than serve cups of it as an appetizer, I serve generous bowls, and then it makes the perfect after-Thanksgiving dinner - relatively light, but flavorful and comforting. Since this soup contains meat and vegetables, it makes a complete and very filling meal. But f you’d like to add something on the side, try thick slices of almond flour bread (great for dipping in the soup!), cornbread, or perhaps these tasty biscuits.

Variations and substitutions

I love this soup just as it is! But in case you’d like to change it up, here are a few ideas for varying the basic recipe:

If you’re out of turkey meat but still have some turkey stock, you can add these turkey meatballs.Serve the soup with condiments such as hot sauce and soy sauce (gluten-free if needed) in case anyone wants to add extra flavor to their soup.Change up your veggies. Small cauliflower florets work well, and you can also add a teaspoon of minced garlic when you cook the vegetables.

Storing leftovers

Leftovers keep well in the fridge, in an airtight container, for about 3 days. I reheat bowls or mugs of this soup in the microwave, covered, on 50% power. You can also freeze individual portions in mugs. Seal their tops with a few layers of plastic wrap.

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