Healthy Leftover Turkey Breast Recipes: Turkey Soup

This healthy leftover turkey breast recipe turns chopped cooked turkey into a hearty soup with white beans, vegetables, tomatoes, and herbs. It comes together in one pot, is easy to adapt to the vegetables you have, and makes a satisfying lunch or dinner without needing to cook the turkey from scratch.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced, about 1 cup (150 g)
2 medium carrots, diced, about 1 cup (130 g)
2 celery ribs, diced, about 1 cup (100 g)
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped, about 1 tablespoon (9 g)
1 teaspoon (1 g) dried thyme
½ teaspoon (1 g) smoked paprika
6 cups (1.42 L) low-sodium chicken or turkey broth
1 can diced tomatoes, 14½ ounces (411 g), with their juices
1 can no-salt-added cannellini or great northern beans, 15 ounces (425 g), drained and rinsed
1 medium zucchini, diced, about 1½ cups (200 g)
3 cups (about 400 g) cooked leftover turkey breast, cut into bite-size pieces
3 packed cups (90 g) chopped kale, tough stems removed
½ teaspoon (3 g) fine salt, or to taste
¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice
¼ cup (15 g) chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

Prepare the ingredients. Dice the onion, carrots, celery, and zucchini; chop the garlic and kale; and cut the cooked turkey into evenly sized pieces. Drain and rinse the beans. This prep takes about 20 minutes, depending on your knife skills. Keep the turkey refrigerated while you work, and take it out just before adding it to the pot.
Soften the aromatics. Set a large, heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium heat and add the olive oil. Warm it for 1 minute, then add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 8 minutes, stirring every minute or two, until the onion is translucent and the carrots begin to soften. Stir in the garlic, thyme, and smoked paprika and cook for 1 minute. If the vegetables begin to stick, add a tablespoon or two of broth rather than more oil.
Add the broth and tomatoes. Pour in the broth and diced tomatoes with their juices. Stir well, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned bits. Raise the heat enough to bring the liquid to a gentle simmer, which should take about 4 minutes. Avoid a hard boil; a steady simmer cooks the vegetables evenly without making the broth evaporate too quickly.
Simmer the base. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 12 minutes. The carrots should be getting tender but still hold their shape. Stir once or twice, especially around the bottom and edges of the pot.
Add the beans and zucchini. Stir in the drained beans and diced zucchini. Simmer for 8 minutes, until the zucchini is tender but not falling apart. Taste a spoonful of broth before adding salt, since the turkey and broth may already be seasoned.
Heat the turkey through. Add the cooked turkey and kale, then stir to submerge the turkey and wilt the greens. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. The USDA FSIS safe minimum for reheated leftovers is 165°F (74°C); stir the soup thoroughly and check the center of the soup and several turkey pieces with a food thermometer to confirm they reach 165°F (74°C).
Finish and serve. Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice and parsley. Add the measured salt and pepper, taste, and adjust only as needed. If the soup tastes flat, a little more lemon juice can brighten it; if it is too concentrated, stir in a splash of hot broth or water. Ladle into bowls while hot.

Tips

Use turkey that has been stored safely. Start with cooked turkey that was refrigerated within 2 hours of cooking and has been kept cold. Leftover turkey should generally be used within 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. If you are unsure how long it has been stored, do not use it. Cut the meat into similar-sized pieces so it heats at the same rate.
Choose low-sodium broth and season at the end. Broths, canned tomatoes, and leftover turkey vary in saltiness. Low-sodium broth gives you more control, but it is not necessary if that is not what you have. Hold back some salt until the soup is finished, then season to taste. If your broth is already salted, you may need little or none.
Keep the vegetables pleasantly firm. Cut carrots and celery into small, even pieces so they soften in the stated simmer time. Add delicate vegetables such as zucchini later, as directed; adding them with the carrots can leave them overly soft by the time the turkey is hot. If your carrots are cut larger than bite-size, give the soup a few extra minutes before moving on.
Make the consistency work for your table. The beans add body, but this is still a brothy soup. For a thicker bowl, mash a few beans against the side of the pot and stir them back in. For a lighter broth, add a little extra broth. Avoid adding uncooked pasta directly unless you are prepared to add liquid and cook it separately according to its package time.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the soup in warm bowls with a lemon wedge so everyone can brighten their portion to taste. A slice of whole-grain bread, a small piece of crusty bread, or simple toast is useful for soaking up the tomato-and-herb broth. If you want another side, choose something crisp and uncomplicated, such as a green salad with a light vinaigrette or sliced cucumber and radish.

For a more filling meal, spoon the soup over a small serving of cooked brown rice, barley, or farro in each bowl. Keep the grain separate until serving if you expect leftovers; grains left in the pot absorb broth and can become very soft overnight. A little extra parsley or freshly ground black pepper makes a simple finishing touch. The soup is flavorful enough to serve as it is, so rich toppings are optional rather than necessary.

Variations

Swap the beans. Great northern beans and cannellini beans are mild and creamy, but chickpeas or drained navy beans also work. Use the same drained quantity, about 1½ cups (250 g). Chickpeas are firmer and give the soup a slightly chewier texture. If using canned beans with added salt, taste before seasoning.

Use other vegetables. Replace the zucchini with 1½ cups (about 200 g) chopped green beans, diced bell pepper, or chopped mushrooms. Add green beans with the zucchini so they have time to soften. Bell pepper can go in with the onion, while mushrooms are best sautéed with the first vegetables until their moisture mostly cooks away. Spinach can replace kale; stir in 3 packed cups (90 g) during the final minute or two because it wilts quickly.

Change the herbs and seasoning. Use 1 teaspoon (1 g) dried Italian seasoning instead of thyme and smoked paprika for a different herb profile. For a gentle kick, add a pinch of red pepper flakes with the garlic. If you do not have fresh parsley, use 1 teaspoon (1 g) dried parsley or leave it out; dried herbs taste more concentrated, so add them earlier in the simmer. A small amount of lemon zest can stand in for some of the lemon juice, though it will add fragrance rather than the same tartness.

Add a grain or pasta. Stir in 1½ cups (about 240 g) cooked rice, barley, or small pasta near the end, just long enough to heat it through. Cooked grains are easiest to manage when added to individual bowls. For dry pasta, cook it separately, then portion it into bowls and ladle soup over it; cooking pasta in the soup can make the broth starchy and leave the pasta swollen in stored portions.

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerate the soup within 2 hours of cooking. Divide it among shallow, airtight containers so it cools promptly, rather than leaving a large, hot pot on the counter. Store it in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. The beans and vegetables may soften slightly as they sit, but the soup will still be suitable for reheating during that time if it was handled and chilled properly.

For longer storage, freeze the cooled soup in freezer-safe containers, leaving a little room at the top for expansion. For best texture, use it within 2 to 3 months. Thaw a container overnight in the refrigerator, or reheat it from frozen in a saucepan over low heat, breaking it up as it softens. If the soup has been frozen with rice or pasta in it, expect those additions to be softer after thawing.

Reheat only the amount you plan to eat in a saucepan, stirring often so the center heats evenly. The USDA FSIS guidance for leftovers is to reheat them to 165°F (74°C); check with a food thermometer after stirring, and make sure the turkey pieces are hot throughout. In a microwave, use a microwave-safe bowl, cover it loosely, pause to stir during heating, and check the temperature in more than one spot. Avoid repeatedly warming and cooling the same batch; portioning before storage makes that easier.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use turkey breast that is already seasoned?

Yes. Plain roasted, herb-seasoned, or lightly smoked cooked turkey can all work. Taste a small piece first, then reduce the salt in the ingredient list if the meat is salty. Strongly flavored or heavily smoked turkey will give the broth a more pronounced taste, so use a mild broth and add the lemon juice gradually.

Can I make this soup with raw turkey breast?

This recipe is written for cooked leftover turkey. If you are starting with raw turkey, cook it separately until the thickest part reaches the USDA FSIS safe minimum internal temperature of 165°F (74°C), checked with a food thermometer, then cut it up and add it to the soup. Do not use the five-minute reheating step as a substitute for cooking raw poultry safely.

Can I use frozen vegetables?

Yes. Frozen diced carrots, green beans, or chopped greens can be convenient substitutes. Add frozen vegetables directly to the pot without thawing, and allow the soup to return to a simmer before judging tenderness. They may release extra water and soften faster than fresh vegetables, so check them early and adjust the final seasoning after they are hot.

Can I make the soup ahead?

Yes. You can make it earlier in the day and refrigerate it in shallow containers within 2 hours, then reheat portions when needed. For the best vegetable texture, slightly undercook the zucchini and kale if you know you will reheat the whole batch later. Cool and store the soup promptly; do not leave it out to cool for an extended period.

How can I make the soup thicker without adding cream?

Mash some of the beans in the pot, or blend about 1 cup (240 ml) of soup and stir it back in. Use an immersion blender carefully, keeping the blender head submerged to avoid splashes. Another option is to serve the soup over cooked rice or barley. These methods add body without changing the soup into a cream-based dish.

What if I have less than 3 cups of turkey?

Use whatever cooked turkey you have, even 1½ to 2 cups (about 200 to 270 g). The soup will be more vegetable-and-bean-forward, but the same cooking method works. You can add another half-can of beans or an extra cup of zucchini to make the portions more substantial. Keep the broth amount the same unless you prefer a thicker soup.

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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

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