Uber Creamy Orzo Turkey Soup
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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!
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 cooking 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.
I look forward to this soup every year
It really bums me out that people throw away their leftover turkey when they could be making soup. This one is especially great cause it uses up other ingredients you’ll probably have sitting in your fridge after the holidays. And while wild rice would be delicious in this recipe, orzo cooks up way quicker and adds a nice texture.
- This soup is a one-pot wonder. Less dishes is always welcome in my house.
- It comes together in less than 30 minutes. (Because let’s be honest, the last thing you want to do after Thanksgiving is spend more time at the stove).
- The soup is comforting and hearty, easy and filling. It has so much flavor too!
- It will feed all your guests who are still hanging around after the holidays.
A case for using up leftovers
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!
- Leftover turkey – you can use dark meat (like thighs or legs), white meat (like breast), or a mix of both.
- Veggies – shallots (or onions), carrots, and celery a.k.a mirepoix. This is a classic combo in soup which adds so much sweetness and aromatics!
- Spices & herbs – garlic, sage, thyme & a bay leaf give this soup a crazy amount of flavor.
- Dry white wine – for a little pop of acidity and flavor.
- Turkey stock – I know this isn’t always available in stores. If you can’t find it and don’t want to make your own with the leftover turkey carcass, you can use turkey bouillon or chicken stock.
- Orzo – this is a small, rice-shaped pasta that adds a nice texture to the soup. Orzo is my favorite but any small pasta will do!
- Cream – obviously to add creaminess to this dish. If you want a lighter soup, you can always leave this out.
- Kitchen basics – you’ll also need 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.
- First, heat a pat of butter and a drizzle of olive oil in a large soup pot. Add the shallots, carrots, celery, pepper, and a pinch of salt. Sauté until the veggies are soft and brown on the edges.
- Next, add the garlic, sage, and thyme. Cook until everything smells amazing.
- Deglaze the pan with the white wine and reduce by half.
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.
- 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.
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.)
- 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!
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!
Side dishes to try
This soup is a meal on its own but I always like having a side dish or two! Here are some of my favorite side dishes to serve with this soup.
- Crusty bread or garlic butter dinner rolls
- Simple green salad with sherry shallot dressing
- Leftover cornbread stuffing with sausage & sage
- Lemony charred broccoli
- Lemony green beans with pine nuts
Storing & reheating 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!
To reheat the soup, you can microwave it in a microwave-safe bowl until it’s hot. But, my favorite way is to reheat it on the stove! Just heat it in a small saucepan, stirring frequently, until it’s simmering.
Recipe notes & tips
- 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.
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Creamy Orzo Turkey Soup
Ingredients
- 2 Tbs unsalted butter
- 1 Tbs olive oil
- 1 large shallot, small dice
- 3 large carrots, peeled & sliced
- 3 celery stalks, small dice
- 4 large garlic cloves, finely minced
- 2 Tbs fresh sage, finely minced (8 large leaves)
- 8 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 1/2 c dry white wine
- 6 c turkey stock
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 c orzo pasta
- 1 c heavy cream
- 3 c leftover turkey, diced or shredded
- Kosher salt & freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
Equipment
- Large soup pot
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 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!
