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This creamy orzo turkey soup is my favorite way to use up leftover turkey after the holidays! With vegetables, white wine, sage, and thyme, it’s cozy, filling, and perfect for a chilly night. Plus it’s one-pot and only takes 30 minutes to make!

A grey bowl of creamy orzo turkey soup on a white tablecloth next to a tan linen, sliced bread, and sage leaves.

I don’t know about you, but after my second leftover-turkey-stuffing-provolone-cranberry-mayo-on-sourdough sandwich, I basically don’t want to eat turkey again for another 365 days. But soup, on the other hand, I could probably eat every single day.

So here we are. Combining both leftover turkey and cozy soup for the perfect meal to munch on while you put up the Christmas tree!

This year, we’re leaving for our honeymoon (!!!) the day after Thanksgiving, so my holiday leftovers situation will be in the form of a breakfast turkey sandwich on the plane. But, if you want to escape the cold, snuggle up on the couch, and watch When Harry Met Sally, then you’re going to want a bowl of this soup on your lap, trust me. I’ll be thinking of you while I sip cocktails on a beach in Curacao. 😎

As a culinary school graduate, I have it ingrained in my brain to use up each and every single part of the turkey lol. If you’re looking for more ways to use up leftovers, don’t forget to make my turkey pot pie! Or, just use turkey in this Dutch oven chicken and dumplings instead of chicken.

A case for using up leftovers

A grey bowl of veggies, a white bowl of turkey, a wood bowl of herbs, and other soup ingredients on a beige counter.

Here’s everything you’ll need to make this soup! Hopefully, you’ll have most of these ingredients laying around after the holidays. But if not, everything is pretty basic! All you need is leftover turkey, shallots or onions, carrots, celery, garlic, sage, thyme, a bay leaf, dry white wine, chicken or turkey stock, orzo, heavy cream, unsalted butter, olive oil, Morton’s Kosher salt, & freshly-ground black pepper.

Make this soup

This little one-pot situation comes together in less than 30 minutes! Here’s how to make this recipe.

Three steps to making stew. In photo 1, a white pot has vegetables on a white counter next to herbs and bowls of meat and broth. In photo 2, a hand is holding a brown bowl of herbs over a white soup pot. In photo 3, a hand is pouring white wine into the pot.
First, heat some butter and olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Sauté the shallots, carrots, & celery with a pinch of salt & pepper. Add the garlic, sage, and thyme. Deglaze the pan with the white wine.

If you don’t want to use white wine, you can just leave it out. Or, for a bit of acidity, try a splash of lemon juice.

Three steps to making soup. In photo 1, chicken broth is being poured into a white pot on a white counter next to herbs and a bowl of shredded meat. In photo 2, the pot has a bay leaf in it. In photo 3, orzo is being poured into the pot.
Then, add the turkey stock and a bay leaf. Bring it to a boil. Add the orzo and boil the pasta until it’s al dente according to package directions.

Don’t over-cook the orzo or it will get soggy. You want to cook it just until it’s al dente! (A.k.a. still a bit firm to the bite.)

Three steps to making orzo turkey soup. In photo 1, a hand is pouring cream in a white pot of soup. In photo 2, a spoon is stirring turkey into the soup. In photo 3, a wood spoon is scooping soup.
During the last few minutes of cooking, add the cream and leftover turkey. Simmer the soup for a few more minutes until everything is warmed through. Spoon the soup into bowls and enjoy!
A woman in a beige sweater holding a grey bowl of creamy orzo turkey soup on a white tablecloth next to bread, white wine, and sage leaves.

Or, try chicken

You can totally use leftover chicken in this soup instead! Honestly, you don’t have to have leftovers on hand at all to make this recipe. My favorite is rotisserie chicken because it mimics the roasted turkey flavor. But, you can also use shredded chicken!

Storing leftover soup

If you have any leftovers, let the soup cool completely. Then, store it in an airtight container for up to 3 days. I actually love the leftovers because the flavors have time to meld!

If you’re worried about soggy pasta, cook it separately and add it to individual bowls of soup.

A bowl of creamy turkey orzo soup on a white tablecloth next to spoons, a beige linen, and slices of bread.

If you make this recipe, I would love it if you left a star rating and review! I read every single comment and love hearing what you think about my recipes. Thank you for supporting Sunday Table!

A bowl of creamy orzo turkey soup on a white tablecloth next to slices of bread and sage leaves.
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30-Minute Creamy Orzo Turkey Soup

Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
This creamy orzo turkey soup is the best way to use up holiday leftovers when you just can't handle one more sandwich. It has veggies, white wine, sage, and thyme for a super flavorful, filling, and cozy soup. Also, it's one-pot and only takes about 30 minutes to make. It's the perfect dinner for a chilly winter night!
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Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large shallot, small dice
  • 3 large carrots, peeled & sliced
  • 3 celery stalks, small dice
  • 4 large garlic cloves, finely minced
  • 2 Tablespoons minced fresh sage (8 large leaves)
  • 8 sprigs of fresh thyme
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 6 cups chicken or turkey stock
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 cup orzo pasta
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 3 cups leftover turkey, diced or shredded
  • Kosher salt & freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

Equipment

  • Dutch oven

Instructions 

  • Add the butter and olive oil to a soup pot over medium-high heat. Once it's hot, add the shallots, carrots, celery, black pepper, and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the veggies are soft and browned on the edges, about 7-8 minutes.
  • Next, add the garlic, sage, and thyme. Sauté until the mixture is fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  • Deglaze the pot with the white wine and cook until it's reduced by half, about 30-60 seconds. Scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan.
  • Add the chicken or turkey stock and bay leaf. Bring the soup to a boil. Add the orzo and cook until al dente, 9-10 minutes.
  • During the last 3 minutes of cooking, add the cream and turkey. Simmer until the soup is warm and the pasta is tender. Taste and add more salt and pepper, to taste. Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs and discard. Ladle the soup into bowls and enjoy!

Notes

First, let the veggies cook for at least 5-6 minutes. You want the veggies to be brown on the edges for the best flavor and texture. Remember, brown = flavor!
Try making your own turkey stock with the leftover carcass. This is totally optional, but one of my favorite ways to use up every single bit of the leftovers!
If you’re worried about soggy leftover orzo, just cook it separately and add it to individual bowls of soup. I’ve never had much of an issue with this but it’s still an option!
This recipe makes 6 servings. But, if you have big eaters, it’ll feed close to 4. Feel free to double it to serve more people.
Cuisine: American
Course: Soup
Author: Sara Lynn Hunt Broka
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 462kcal, Carbohydrates: 26.8g, Protein: 39.5g, Fat: 17.4g, Saturated Fat: 8.6g, Cholesterol: 91mg, Sodium: 679mg, Potassium: 476mg, Fiber: 1.9g, Sugar: 2.6g, Calcium: 57mg, Iron: 11mg
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