How to Make Turkey Carcass Soup With Bone Broth
Learn how to make Turkey Carcass Soup with Bone Broth with this easy recipe! Use the whole turkey and make a delicious dinner with Thanksgiving leftovers all while combating food waste!
If you are looking for more Thanksgiving recipes, be sure to check out Savory Mustard Herb Ham, Bone Broth Mashed Potatoes, or Brown Butter Apple Pie Without Eggs.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- Recipe Name: How to Make Turkey Carcass Soup With Bone Broth
- Ready In: 3 hours 45 minutes
- Makes: 8 servings
- Main Ingredients: turkey carcass, bone broth, Russet potatoes, carrots
- Flavor Profile: cozy, comforting, wholesome soup
- Dietary Info: gluten free, no seed oils
- Difficulty: Easy!
- Why You’ll Love It: reduce waste and make a delicious dinner in the process
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Uses Leftovers: I love recipes that use leftovers and this uses the whole bird!
- Reduces Food Waste: Using the whole turkey drastically reduces food waste. And it gives you a delicious soup at the same time.
- Cozy Recipe: This Turkey Carcass Soup with Bone Broth is a cozy recipe that is perfect for heading into winter.
- Bone Broth Soup: I use bone broth as the base for added protein in this soup. But, vegetable stock or chicken stock also work.
- Organic Soup: Making your own organic soup at home is so much better than anything you can buy from a store. And, this Turkey Carcass Soup with Bone Broth uses up what would have been waste to create a delicious organic soup at home.
By simmering the carcass, you can extract every last bit of flavor from your Thanksgiving turkey! You are turning what would have been waste into a delicious meal that you can enjoy all week long. The addition of bone broth adds protein, flavor, and umami to this simple homemade soup. Try this soup recipe after your turkey dinner this year!
Try this cozy soup with comforting side recipes like Simple Cranberry Kale Salad with Homemade Dressing, Honey Butter Dinner Rolls, or Kale Apple Salad with Honey Dijon Dressing.
Ingredients
- Turkey Carcass: Be sure to save your turkey carcass the next time you cook a whole turkey. You'll need this for the base of this soup.
- Veggies: I use organic carrots, celery, and onion. But, this is a blank canvas, where you can really use any veggies you like. Broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, green beans, these would all be delicious!
- Potatoes: I usually use organic Russet or Fingerling potatoes in this soup for classic flavor. But, sweet potatoes, quinoa, noodles, or rice are also great carbs to use too! Feel free to use your favorite.
- Bone Broth: I use organic bone broth broth for added protein. This way, no matter how much meat is on the carcass, we're still getting a protein rich soup. But you can also use chicken or vegetable stock too. My favorite is Kettle & Fire, use code MIMIBAKESCOOKIES for 20% off your order.
*For a full list of ingredients and measurements, visit the recipe card below.
Flavor Variations
- Turkey Barley + Mushroom Carcass Soup: Use barley as the carb. Add mushrooms for extra umami + texture. Add 1 bay leaf (optional). Include leafy greens at the very end (right before serving) such as kale, Swiss chard, or spinach. Garnish with fresh parsley or dill.
- Turkey & Wild Rice + Root Veggie Soup: Use wild rice in place of potatoes (add in 1 cup). Add in root veggies like parsnips, turnips, or sweet potatoes along with carrots. Boost with extra dried herbs like sage, marjoram, or rosemary.
- Spicy Southwest Tortilla Style Turkey Soup: Add diced tomatoes (canned or fresh), green chiles or jalapeños. Use canned corn, black beans, or pinto beans. Add a little cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder and juice of 1 lime. Garnish with small tortilla chips and fresh cilantro. You can also serve with avocado slices, shredded cheese, and a dollop of sour cream!
Tips for Turkey Carcass Soup
- Save your turkey carcass from your next turkey for this soup. Ideally you want to use the carcass within 2 days for the best flavor and this way the soup can stay fresh for a few days too!
- You can use a slow cooker or Dutch oven, either works. I used my 7-quart Dutch oven here. If using a Dutch oven, it may cook a little quicker and you'll need to be a bit more hands on.
- If you have a large turkey, you can add more broth, veggies and potatoes too. This recipe is super flexible.
- You can mix up the veggies and carb for anything you like. Try different flavor variations depending on what you have in your fridge or pantry! This is a wonderful blank canvas to get creative!
- Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- You can also freeze this soup by storing in a freezer safe zip bag for up to 3 months.
How to Make Turkey Carcass Soup
- Add the turkey carcass and bone broth to a slow cooker (or Dutch oven).
- Cook on high for 2 hours or until the meat easily falls off the bones. (If using a Dutch oven, bring to a boil and simmer, cover with a lid).
- Dice the celery stalks. Slice the carrots diagonally into 1/2-inch thick slices. Slice the onion into 1 to 2-inch pieces. Add these veggies to a bowl and set aside.
- Cut the potatoes into 1 to 2-inch cubes, add into a separate bowl and set aside.
- Pull the meat off the turkey and remove the carcass, bones, and skin. (If you're cooking in a Dutch oven and notice a lot of the stock evaporated, you can add a bit more or even water).
- Add potatoes cook for about 30 minutes or until almost done. (If using a Dutch oven, bring heat back up to medium).
- Add the carrots, celery, and onion.
- Continue to cook for 1 hour or until the potatoes and veggies are done. (If using a slow cooker, this will be shorter, about 10 to 20 minutes).
Serving Ideas
- We love this with a side of bread and butter! Try it with Sourdough Discard Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread, Sourdough Crescent Rolls, Honey Butter Dinner Rolls, or Lemon Rosemary Sourdough Bread.
- Enjoy with a side salad like Simple Green Salad with Homemade Dressing, Simple Cranberry Kale Salad with Homemade Dressing, or Kale Apple Salad with Honey Dijon Dressing.
- Have as a side to a cozy meal like Organic Meatloaf With Bone Broth.
Recipe FAQ's
You should cook for about 2 hours or until the meat falls off the bones.
Yes, this is a great recipe for meal prep as it's easy to store and great for leftovers!
Yes! You can definitely make this recipe with a chicken carcass which makes it more easily made year round.
Yes, you can use your slow cooker instead of a Dutch oven. Either works!
You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat over the stovetop or in the microwave.
Yes, store in a freezer safe zip bag for up to 3 months.
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How to Make Turkey Carcass Soup
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 turkey carcass
- 4 cups bone broth (or chicken or vegetable stock)
- 4 large celery stalks
- 4 large carrots
- 2 Russet potatoes
- 1 yellow onion
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the turkey carcass and bone broth to a slow cooker (or Dutch oven).
- Cook on high for 2 hours or until the meat easily falls off the bones. (If using a Dutch oven, bring to a boil and simmer, cover with a lid).
- Dice the celery stalks. Slice the carrots diagonally into 1/2-inch thick slices. Slice the onion into 1 to 2-inch pieces. Add these veggies to a bowl and set aside.
- Cut the potatoes into 1 to 2-inch cubes, add into a separate bowl and set aside.
- Pull the meat off the turkey and remove the carcass, bones, and skin. (If you're cooking in a Dutch oven and notice a lot of the stock evaporated, you can add a bit more or even water).
- Add potatoes cook for about 30 minutes or until almost done. (If using a Dutch oven, bring heat back up to medium).
- Add the carrots, celery, and onion and continue to cook for 1 hour or until the potatoes and veggies are done. (If using a slow cooker, this will be shorter, about 10 to 20 minutes).
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
Video
Notes
- Save your turkey carcass from your next turkey for this soup. Ideally you want to use the carcass within 2 days for the best flavor and this way the soup can stay fresh for a few days too!
- You can use a slow cooker or Dutch oven, either works. I used my 7-quart Dutch oven here. If using a Dutch oven, it may cook a little quicker and you'll need to be a bit more hands on.
- If you have a large turkey, you can add more broth, veggies and potatoes too. This recipe is super flexible.
- You can mix up the veggies and carb for anything you like. Try different flavor variations depending on what you have in your fridge or pantry! This is a wonderful blank canvas to get creative!
- Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- You can also freeze this soup by storing in a freezer safe zip bag for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
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Love reducing waste and making this delicious soup at the same time!