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    You Are Here Home » Soup and Stew Recipes

    Published: Nov 16, 2018 Updated: Sep 14, 2022 by Hilda Sterner | This post may contain affiliate links 27 Comments

    Creamy Turkey Soup

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    turkey soup recipe

    This dreamy Creamy Turkey Soup is hearty, rich, and so filling! I look forward to preparing it every year, the day after Thanksgiving. Whether you use deep fried turkey, smoked turkey, or baked turkey, the end result is perfection! Use any leftover soup to make my AMAZING mini turkey pot pies!

    turkey soup and crackers

    Every year I look forward to Black Friday. Not for the reason that most women look forward to this day; unlike most women, I hate shopping. Especially if I have to deal with crowds. I'd much rather stay home and make this Creamy Turkey Soup.

    Why This Recipe Works

    • This delicious Creamy Turkey Soup is AMAZING!!! It is easy to prepare and so satisfying and warm, especially in the colder months.
    • The recipe is forgiving and can be adjusted by replacing some of the ingredients if needed. For example, you can replace the barley with brown rice, or add only milk if you don't have half and half.
    • Although this is a Creamy "Turkey" Soup recipe, you can even go as far as using a rotisserie chicken instead of turkey. 🦃

    What Goes into This Recipe

    turkey soup ingredients

    Ingredient Notes And Substitutions

    • Turkey — I prefer to use both light and dark turkey meat in my soup. If you have a preference, you can use it. Also, if you want to make this soup throughout the year and not just around Thanksgiving, a rotisserie chicken is a great option!
    • Barley — I love the texture of the barley in this soup. It's not only healthy but also filling. However, you can use rice, if you prefer.
    • Half and Half/Milk — Depending on how rich (or not) you would like the soup to be, you can use milk, half and half, or cream.
    • Garlic — Use either fresh garlic (never from a jar), or if you have a little extra time, roast the garlic first!

    How to Make This Recipe

    Step 1 | Simmer Turkey Carcass

    Begin by stripping your turkey bones of most of the meat. Set the meat aside until needed. Place turkey carcass in a soup kettle or Dutch oven and cover with enough water to fully immerse. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for one hour or longer. Remove carcass and strain 10 cups of turkey broth.

    turkey soup carcass

    Tip: If your turkey was stuffed with fruit or vegetables while roasting, add everything to the pot!

    Step 2 | Strip Turkey of Meat

    Remove remaining turkey meat from the carcass and cut into bite-size pieces. Add more turkey, as necessary, to equal four cups.

    Step 3 | Sauté Vegetables

    Melt butter in a large soup kettle or Dutch oven. Saute celery, carrots, onions, and garlic for a couple of minutes. Add flour, and stir for a few more minutes.

    carrots, onions, and celery being sautéed
    roux being stirred into veggies

    Step 4 | Add Broth

    Gradually add half of the reserved broth, stirring to combine. Bring to a boil, while stirring. Simmer until thickened.

    soup being stirred with a wooden spoon

    Step 5 | Add Barley, Corn, Salt, Pepper, Turkey, and Thyme

    Add the remaining broth, barley, corn, salt, pepper, reserved turkey, and thyme. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 35 minutes or until barley is tender. 

    turkey soup being stirred in a pot

    Step 6 | Stir In Milk and Half-n-Half

    Add milk, and half-n-half, then simmer for an additional 10 minutes. 

    milk being poured into soup

    Enjoy the fruits of your labor!!!

    turkey soup being spooned with a large ladle

    I made this tonight, a terrific recipe, I didn’t have enough barley so I used rice and didn’t cook it as long. My mom and I both enjoyed it.

    —Paula

    Various Ingredients to Include in This Soup

    The most obvious ingredient you need to make this creamy turkey soup is a turkey! Additionally, you need butter and flour; they help with the thickening of the soup.

    You will also need plenty of vegetables. I recommend carrots, celery, onion, garlic, and corn. If you choose to add potatoes, you'll probably have to add more liquid, or the soup will be too thick.

    Also, if you don't like barley, you can substitute rice instead. The addition of heavy cream, half and half, or milk makes this soup extra creamy. But, in an effort to cut down on the calories, I use a combination of milk and ½ and ½.

    Finally, herbs like thyme and sage help to take this creamy turkey soup to the next level. What about you, what will you add?

    This was delicious! I substituted orzo pasta for the barley and it came out great. A hit with the entire family.

    —Kristine
    turkey soup in a yellow bowl

    I added leftover dressing and noodles instead of barley and it is YUMMY. Thank you Hilda.

    —Anne
    turkey soup and crackers

    Creamy Turkey Soup Leftovers

    This is one of those times that you are going to wish you have some leftovers. That's because you will need the leftover creamy turkey soup to make Turkey Pot-Pies. 

    These mini pot-pies are absolutely delicious and perfect for a quick lunch or an easy dinner. They freeze well too! Alternatively, you can make the traditional-sized pies, but we are huge fans of the individual-sized ones.

    You will need the 5" disposable mini tins which can be purchased on Amazon. I always make sure I have some on hand!

    mini turkey pot pies

    I’ve been making this soup every year for the last 7 years and my family loves it just as much as the big Thanksgiving feast itself. My favorite tweaks are to use a carcass from a deep fried turkey using Cajun seasoning and I like to sub out the rice and use barley. Happy cooking!

    —Zara

    Pro Tips

    • I like to boil the turkey carcass on Thanksgiving night. I then refrigerate the broth until the next day, when I make the soup.
    • One of the advantages of making the broth the night before is that you can skim the hardened fat off the top of the broth, reducing the amount of fat in the soup.
    • Be sure to reserve some of the soup to make mini Turkey Pot Pies!

    Delicious soup! My family loved it and this is one I’ll be making year after year. My daughter already asked for the recipe. Thanks Hilda!

    —Nancy

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    Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.

    Stay in touch with me through social media @ Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, and Facebook. Don't forget to tag me when you try one of my recipes!

    📖 Recipe

    turkey soup main photo

    Creamy Turkey Soup

    The best creamy turkey soup you'll ever have!
    4.80 from 10 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Soup
    Cuisine: American
    Cook Time: 2 hours
    Total Time: 2 hours
    Servings: 14 1 cup servings
    Calories: 256kcal
    Author: Hilda Sterner

    Ingredients

    • 1 turkey carcass
    • ½ cup unsalted butter
    • 2 celery ribs diced
    • 2 large carrots peeled and diced
    • 1 large onion diced
    • 3 cloves of garlic diced
    • ½ cup all-purpose flour
    • 10 cups reserved turkey broth
    • 1 cup milk
    • 1 cup half-n-half
    • ¾ cup barley (may substitute rice)
    • 1 cup corn
    • 2 teaspoon salt
    • ¾ teaspoon pepper
    • 4 cups turkey (chopped)
    • 1 teaspoon dried thyme

    Instructions

    • Begin by stripping your turkey bones of most of the meat. Set the meat aside until needed. Place turkey carcass in a soup kettle or Dutch oven and cover with enough water to fully immerse. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for one hour or longer. Remove carcass and strain 10 cups of turkey broth.
    • Remove remaining turkey meat from the carcass and cut into bite-size pieces. Add more turkey, as necessary, to equal four cups.
    • Melt butter in a large soup kettle or Dutch oven. Saute celery, carrots, onions, and garlic for a couple of minutes. Add flour, and stir for a few more minutes.
    • Gradually add half of the reserved broth, stirring to combine. Bring to a boil, while stirring. Simmer until thickened.
    • Add the remaining broth, barley, corn, salt, pepper, reserved turkey, and thyme. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 35 minutes or until barley is tender. 
    • Add milk and half-n-half, then simmer for an additional 10 minutes.

    Notes

    • I like to boil the turkey carcass on Thanksgiving night. I then refrigerate the broth until the next day, when I make the soup.
    • If your turkey was stuffed with fruit or vegetables while roasting, add everything to the pot!
    • One of the advantages of making the broth the night before is that you can skim the hardened fat off the top of the broth, reducing the amount of fat in the soup.
    • Be sure to reserve some of the soup to make mini Turkey Pot Pies!

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1cup | Calories: 256kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 471mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g
    Tried this Recipe? Please leave A Star Rating!Mention @HildasKitchenBlog or tag #HildasKitchenBlog!

    This post was originally posted on 11/16/2018 and was updated with more pictures and instructions on 11/29/19.

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      Ham and Beans Soup

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    1. Rachel says

      March 14, 2023 at 10:31 am

      5 stars
      This recipe was a big hit with us! I subbed out the corn for frozen peas, but otherwise made the soup as instructed. So yummy on a cold night. I liked that it used half and half rather than heavy cream. Comfort food without being too heavy.

      Reply
      • Hilda Sterner says

        March 14, 2023 at 1:11 pm

        Thank you, Rachel! I'm glad you enjoyed it. FYI, I've even added whole milk and it still tasted great!

        Reply
    2. Kathy Fisher says

      September 06, 2021 at 7:57 am

      Don't wait until Thanksgiving to make this wonderful, yummy soup. Greg absolutely loves me - me too. For me, this is the highest level of comfort food. I made it yesterday. First time at 76 years that I've made turkey soup. It's never too late. I had a Butterball turkey breast in the freezer that needed to be used. Thank you so very much Hilda for this recipe. Maybe I'll make those delicious little pot pies you suggest with the left- over soup. Those little pot pies that you made were the BEST ever.

      Reply
      • Hilda Sterner says

        September 06, 2021 at 11:50 am

        I'm so glad it went well and you both enjoyed the soup!

        Reply
    3. Lori Ross says

      December 31, 2020 at 3:00 pm

      5 stars
      I made this the other day and we are still enjoying leftovers! The recipe was super easy to follow and the soup turned out great! The soup had a really good flavor and was very creamy in a good way, not heavy at all! Thanks Hilda

      Reply
      • Hilda Sterner says

        December 31, 2020 at 6:26 pm

        Thanks, Lori, so glad you guys enjoyed it. Happy New Year!

        Reply
    4. Rowena says

      December 02, 2020 at 7:18 pm

      Loved it and the pot pies! I took your advice and added whatever leftovers I felt like. So that meant mashed potatoes, stuffing and candied yams. It was delicious, I’ll add that I didn’t add gravy and used frozen pie crusts and they were perfect. The soup and all the starch held things together perfectly.

      Reply
      • Hilda Sterner says

        December 02, 2020 at 8:19 pm

        Hi Rowena,
        Thank you so much for coming back to leave your review. I really appreciate it! I'm so glad you enjoyed both the soup and the turkey pot pies and love the addition of the yams. 🙂

        Reply
    5. Brenda says

      November 30, 2020 at 5:02 pm

      5 stars
      Amazing soup. I chopped my veggies very fine otherwise followed exactly. Very popular at my house tonight.

      Reply
      • Hilda Sterner says

        November 30, 2020 at 5:15 pm

        Yay, thanks, Brenda. I am so glad your family approved and thank you so much for the review!

        Reply
    6. Kelly Methey says

      November 22, 2019 at 10:23 pm

      5 stars
      Can’t wait to make this soup next week when I have a turkey carcass. It sounds so delicious. We love soup and this sounds like a great one! Your recipes are always so wonderful.

      Reply
    7. Kristine Quirk says

      November 28, 2018 at 4:39 am

      5 stars
      This was delicious! I substituted orzo pasta for the barley and it came out great. A hit with the entire family.

      Reply
      • HildaSterner says

        November 28, 2018 at 6:08 am

        Wow, what a great addition! I love orzo pasta! So glad you and your family enjoyed it, Kristine! Thanks for commmenting too!

        Reply
    8. Paula J Gedeon says

      November 26, 2018 at 9:34 pm

      4 stars
      I made this tonight, terrific recipe, I didn't have enough barley so I used rice and didn't cook it as long. My mom and I both enjoyed it.

      Reply
      • HildaSterner says

        November 27, 2018 at 4:57 am

        Thank you, Polly. I’m glad you both enjoyed it. I’ve made it with rice before too; it’s good both ways.

        Reply
    9. Nancy Brooks says

      November 25, 2018 at 4:54 pm

      Delicious soup! My family loved it and this is one I’ll be making year after year. My daughter already asked for the recipe. Thanks Hilda!

      Reply
      • HildaSterner says

        November 25, 2018 at 5:09 pm

        Thank you, Nancy! Really appreciate the review! ?

        Reply
    10. Heidi McGuiggan says

      November 16, 2018 at 10:15 am

      Hilda, I made this last year. It was delicious! Planning on making it again this year. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
      • HildaSterner says

        November 17, 2018 at 8:38 pm

        HI Heidi,
        That's so awesome, I love hearing back from friends who have tried my recipes, especially when they like them! 🙂 Thanks for your feedback, I appreciate it!

        Reply
    11. AmberLynn says

      November 25, 2017 at 10:59 am

      Funny enough, I was just watching a cooking show where the host made soup and fried BLTs from leftover chicken. I love that you have provided a wonderful soup recipe, for the weather is continually dropping. I love it. I would love to try this recipe, so I will be pinning for later. My family is trying to domesticate me, so they're encouraging me cooking more lol just in case my husband won't know how to cook. I can, it's just that laziness forces me not to. Anyway, great recipe.

      Reply
      • HildaSterner says

        November 25, 2017 at 1:35 pm

        You sound like my daughter, she will be 23 in December. Can you imagine my frustration, as someone who has authored a cookbook, but can't get my daughter to step into the kitchen. She has zero interest in cooking, and assures me she will marry a man with cooking skills. One thing she loves to do is travel and blog about it! If you want to check it out it's at: http://www.theseasidecalls.com

        Reply
        • Jill Taylor says

          December 08, 2017 at 2:28 am

          I love to cook/bake but I also love to travel. My husband and I lived in Singapore for 2 years, then Vitoria, Brazil for about 2 years and then back home to Mississippi. Talk about a culture shock for a Mississippian. I went to your daughter's website. I loved it. She is very talented. I know you are proud. Cooking will come to her in time when she finds her mate, she will start trying to do everything for them.

          Reply
          • HildaSterner says

            December 08, 2017 at 6:41 am

            Wow, you have been around! Are either of you in the service? I travelled like that when I was in the Navy. I miss it! Glad you enjoyed my daughter's website, thanks for checking it out. 🙂

            Reply
    12. Zara Williams says

      November 24, 2017 at 8:50 pm

      I’ve been making this soup every year for the last 7 years and my family loves it just as much as the big Thanksgiving feast itself. My favorite tweaks are to use a carcass from a deep fried turkey using Cajun seasoning and I like to sub out the rice and use barley. Happy cooking! I’ll share my results on Sunday after I’ve made ours!

      Reply
      • HildaSterner says

        November 24, 2017 at 9:04 pm

        Yup, you're one of those people I look forward to tagging me in your soup photos! I use barley too! I don't know if you noticed the recipe, but I've changed it a bit over the years, adding 1/2 the butter and flour, and substituting some of the 1/2 and 1/2 etc. It's still delicious!

        Reply
    13. Anne Herrington says

      November 24, 2017 at 8:43 pm

      I added leftover dressing and noodles instead of barley and it is YUMMY. Thank you Hilda.

      Reply
      • HildaSterner says

        November 24, 2017 at 8:49 pm

        Thanks, Anne. I use all the leftovers to make mini turkey pot pies for Scott to take to work. Hoping to post the recipe later this week!

        Reply

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