Black Friday Turkey Noodle Soup
This assembly meal transforms leftover Thanksgiving turkey into a comforting soup in under an hour. Using pre-chopped frozen vegetables and prepared chicken stock, you'll have a restaurant-quality soup on the table in 45 minutes with minimal active cooking time. Perfect for the day after the holiday when you want something nourishing without starting from scratch.
Equipment
- Large Pot
- 8-Quart Stockpot
- Colander
- Enamel-Coated Cast Iron Pot
Ingredients
Soup
- 4 oz Butter grass-fed, salted
- 2 cups Onions chopped, frozen package works perfectly
- 2 lb Carrots sliced, frozen or leftover from Thanksgiving
- 2 lb Celery sliced
- 4 sprigs Thyme fresh
- 1 gallon Chicken Stock
- 2 lb Turkey Meat leftover, pulled and chopped
- 1 cup Turkey Gravy leftover, used as a thickener and flavor boost
- 1 tablespoon Kosher Salt Morton brand, adjust to taste
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper ground
Noodles (cooked and stored separately)
- 1 lb Egg Noodles wide
Optional — Cornstarch Slurry
- 2 teaspoon Cornstarch
- ½ cup Water
Instructions
Cook Noodles
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Cook the egg noodles for 1 minute less than the package directions.
- Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking.
- Set aside and store cooked noodles separately until ready to serve.
Make Soup
- Melt butter in an 8-quart stockpot over medium heat.
- Add chopped onions and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add chicken stock and bring to a boil.
- Reduce to a simmer.
- Add celery, carrots, and fresh thyme sprigs.
- Simmer until the vegetables are tender to your liking, about 15-20 minutes.
- Add the leftover turkey gravy a little at a time, stirring to incorporate, until you reach the consistency you want.
- Optional: combine cornstarch with ½ cup water and mix until dissolved.
- Optional: bring broth to a boil and add the slurry while stirring constantly for 3 minutes.
- Add the leftover turkey meat and stir to combine.
- Simmer for 10 minutes until heated through.
- Remove thyme sprigs.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve
- Place a portion of cooked noodles in each bowl.
- Ladle the hot soup over the top.
- Serve with toasted French bread, crackers, or toasted slices of leftover French Bread Dressing.
Notes
Cook the noodles separately and chill them to prevent them from absorbing too much broth and becoming mushy during storage. The gravy serves double duty as both thickener and flavor enhancer—adjust amount based on how thick you want the soup and how much leftover gravy you have. If you don't have turkey gravy, use the cornstarch slurry method instead. Store noodles separately from the broth if keeping leftovers; this prevents them from swelling and gives you better texture when reheating. The soup base freezes well for up to three months, but add fresh noodles when serving. This recipe scales easily—use whatever amount of leftover turkey and vegetables you have on hand.
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