For many of us, leftover turkey is the best part of the Thanksgiving feast. Of course, there are turkey/cranberry sauce sandwiches, but my favorites are the soups that can be made from the turkey carcass. You can put just about anything you want to in them which makes the soup a very creative opportunity. Here are a couple I made, and you can vary them as you wish.
Turkey Carcass Soup
1 c. each onion and celery, chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
2 T. olive oil
1-2 c. cubed potatoes
1 c. carrots, sliced
1 can cannellini, garbanzo, kidney or black beans
8-10 c. chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste
Boil the turkey carcass in roughly 6 c. water. When it is cool to the touch, remove turkey from the bones, cut into bite sized pieces and set aside.
Chop celery and onion and saute in 2 T. olive oil until soft. Add minced garlic and cook for one minute more.
To the turkey broth, add enough water or packaged stock to make 8-10 cups or more if you have lots of turkey. Add celery, onion, garlic, carrots and cubed potatoes. Heat to boiling over medium high heat, reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are soft. Add turkey, beans, season to taste, heat through and you’re done.
This night I had a little cream that needed to be used so I poured it in at the last minute and added a scoop of leftover, reheated cornbread dressing to the bowl of soup. Yum!
There was plenty of soup for a second time around, and this time I added a can of Rotel tomatoes and 1 t. cumin to the mix. As the soup was simmering, I sautéed corn tortilla strips in olive oil until they were crispy.
To serve this new version, soup was poured over the tortilla strips and topped with a dollop of sour cream, some chopped avocado and a sprinkling of cheese. There you have it, two quick and easy meals thanks to the turkey carcass. And guess what? There’s enough left for my lunch today!
Tell me, what ideas do you have for using your turkey carcass?
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This soup looks so good and would be just perfect for this cold winters day! Hope you have a great week and thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday!
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen
I think FSU is going to win the National Championship! Go Seminoles!!!
My carcass went in the garbage! lol! I plan to pin this for next year. Love the idea of a scoop of dressing in the soup. Your variations sound good too.
Your last comment to me was sweet. Thanks, Linda.
My son and family have now moved to Texas again. We are excited we can push it and drive there in a day. Much closer than Las Vegas!!!
Where in Texas? You know I am in Houston at least for now.
Leftovers are my favorite part of the turkey. They are all gone now and I think I’m going to roast another one just so I can make turkey sandwiches, soups and casseroles.
The soup looks delicious!
I used leftover turkey to make turkey salad.
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