If you’re looking for the perfect leftover turkey recipe, you’ll adore this Turkey Lentil Soup! This recipe includes instructions for making a simple turkey stock, and the rest of the soup comes together in 20 minutes plus simmer time. Mindful, hearty, and oh so cozy!
This season, we partnered with Michelle Miller of Sunkissed Kitchen to create a soup perfect for chilly days. This recipe is sure to keep you feeling warm and full even on the coldest days.
Soup season is one of the best parts of the colder days. There are so many great combinations you can throw into your soup pot, and it’s simple to make a meal to feed your family dinner with several lunches left over.
What recipes are on your menu when the temperature drops? Share your dishes with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok by tagging us and using #SharpHome!
An Oh-So Cozy Leftover Turkey Recipe
The days after Thanksgiving, the last thing you want to do is cook! Give thanks for all the leftovers from a big roast turkey.
If you’re looking for a simple recipe that makes use of the leftover turkey carcass and meat, this is a delicious option.
Make it to enjoy all weekend long, or even freeze this for quick and simple lunches!
This soup is the perfect light, protein-packed meal to balance out holiday indulgences.
You’ll LOVE this recipe because:
- It’s a no-waste recipe — save that carcass, and make a nutritious turkey stock!
- The lentils add a wonderful texture and just the right amount of starch to make this a full meal on its own.
- A big pot of turkey lentil soup will last a family through the post-holiday weekend, or it can be frozen in single servings for lunches!
- It uses kitchen staples — you probably have most if not all of the ingredients leftover from your holiday cooking!
- It’s a protein-packed meal! Lentils and turkey, plus a homemade turkey stock, mean 1 cup of this soup has 20 grams of protein. 2 cups is a very satiating meal with 40 grams of protein and less than 400 calories!
I rely on my Sharp Induction Cooktop to get me through the holidays with ease.
The digital settings mean I know exactly how long to cook foods to perfection — these lentils take 30 minutes of simmering time and I know they will always be tender but not mushy. I can set the timer and know my lentil turkey soup will turn out the same every time.
What You’ll Need
- Leftover Turkey Carcass and Turkey Meat (you can substitute a whole roasted chicken if you don’t have a leftover roasted turkey! This is used for the meat and to make a homemade turkey stock. Chicken broth and shredded chicken work as a substitute if you don’t have a leftover turkey!)
- Olive Oil
- Onions
- Garlic
- Carrots
- Celery
- Lentils (I used a mix of brown, black and green sprouted lentils. Use whichever color you have on hand. See notes about using red lentils below.)
- Crushed Tomatoes (if you have diced tomatoes, pulse them in a blender to create crushed tomatoes)
- Spinach (chopped kale or zucchini are great subs for spinach!)
- Cumin and Paprika
- Sea Salt and Black Pepper
- Optional Garnish: parmesan cheese, fresh basil or Italian parsley, red pepper flakes
How to Make Turkey Lentil Soup
Step 1: Remove as much of the leftover turkey meat from your carcass prior to making the stock. This keeps the meat from being overcooked as you cook down the bones.
Step 2: Add the carcass to a large pot, and fill the pot with water. You can add additional vegetables to the pot, like whole garlic cloves, a quartered onion, or celery. I usually keep mine simple with just turkey bones and water!
Boil the turkey carcass over medium-low heat for 3-4 hours, adding more water as it evaporates to keep the pot full (I use about 12 cups of water, but this depends on the size of your turkey).
Step 3: Allow the broth to cool for about an hour. Strain out the bones and skin, leaving the turkey broth. Set aside.
Step 4: In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, add olive oil, onions, and garlic. Saute the vegetables over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until softened but not browned.
Step 5: Add the chopped celery and carrots and continue to saute for another 10 minutes to develop the flavors.
Step 6: Into the soup pot, add the lentils, crushed tomatoes, 6 cups of turkey stock, cumin, paprika, and sea salt. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and allow the lentils to soften for 30-35 minutes.
Step 7: Use an immersion blender to pulse a few times to thicken the soup. Alternately, add about 1/4 of the soup mixture into a blender and blend until smooth, and then return to the pot.
Step 8: Add the spinach and turkey meat, and allow to simmer for another 5 minutes. Season the soup with additional salt and pepper.
How to Store Leftover Soup
Once the soup has fully cooled, pack it in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
To reheat the soup, add it to a saucepan, and bring it to a simmer for about 5 minutes.
How to Freeze Turkey Lentil Soup
Once the soup has fully cooled, add it to glass jars about 3/4 of the way full. Alternatively, add it to plastic freezer bags.
Freeze the soup for up to 5 months. Allow to thaw on the countertop for 1-2 hours prior to adding it to a saucepan to reheat.
Substitutions and Variations
Can I use red lentils?
Yes, red lentils work well in soups. However, they cook much faster then green lentils, brown lentils, or black lentils.
Add the red lentils after the crushed tomatoes have simmered for about 30 minutes, add the red lentils, then simmer for 5-10 minutes before adding the spinach and turkey meat.
No Leftover Turkey?
You can follow the instructions subbing in a whole roasted chicken instead. Alternatively, use chicken broth and shredded chicken or vegetable broth and browned ground turkey, and skip the steps for making a homemade turkey stock.
Do Lentils Thicken a Broth?
Lentils do release starch and add some body to a soup stock. However, lentil soup gets it’s thickness from partially blending the lentils in with the soup broth.
This recipe calls for blending about 1/4 of the lentils and vegetable base to thicken the broth. Make an even creamier and thicker soup by blending 1/2 of the soup base.
Do I Need to Rinse Lentils Before Making Soup?
Lentils do not need to be soaked or rinsed before cooking like larger legumes (beans) do. Rinsing lentils removes any dirt or small rocks from the mixture. Higher-quality brands are pre-rinsed, so this step isn’t necessary.
Rinsing lentils before adding them to the soup pot might lessen the foaming while cooking. If the lentils foam, simply skim off the foam before blending the soup.
Turkey Lentil Soup
Use your leftover turkey to make a cozy pot of soup! This turkey lentil soup is creamy, comforting, and the perfect one-pot meal that will last for days.
Ingredients
- Turkey Stock
- 1 leftover turkey carcass
- 10-12 cups water
- Turkey Lentil Soup
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup onion minced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 carrots peeled and diced (small)
- 4 ribs celery diced (small)
- 6 cups turkey stock (or sub chicken stock)
- 1/2 cup lentils (green, black, or brown. See notes to sub red lentils)
- 1 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes (or pulse diced tomatoes in blender to break down slightly)
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt plus more, to season to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 4 cups shredded turkey meat (chop meat into smaller pieces) or sub shredded chicken
- 6 cups baby spinach or sub kale or chopped zucchini
Instructions
Turkey Stock
Remove as much of the leftover turkey meat from your carcass prior to making the stock. This keeps the meat from being overcooked as you cook down the bones.
Add the carcass to a large stock pot, and fill the pot with water. You can add additional vegetables to the pot, like whole garlic cloves, a quartered onion, or celery. I usually keep mine simple with just turkey bones and water!
Boil the turkey carcass over medium-low heat for 3-4 hours, adding more water as it evaporates to keep the pot full (I use about 12 cups of water, but this depends on the size of your turkey).
Allow the broth to cool for about an hour. Strain out the bones and skin, leaving the turkey broth. Set aside.
Turkey Lentil Soup
In a large soup pot, add olive oil, onions, and garlic. Saute the vegetables over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until softened but not browned.
Add the chopped celery and carrots and continue to saute for another 10 minutes to develop the flavors.
Into the soup pot, add the lentils, crushed tomatoes, 6 cups of turkey stock, cumin, paprika, and sea salt. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and allow the lentils to soften for 30-35 minutes.
Use an immersion blender to pulse a few times to thicken the soup. Alternately, add about 1/4 of the soup mixture into a blender and blend until smooth, and then return to the pot.
Add the spinach and turkey meat, and allow to simmer for another 5 minutes. Season the soup with additional salt and pepper.
