Turkey Noodle Soup (Made With the Turkey Carcass)

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Cuisine

American

Author:

Annie Weisz

Servings

Prep Time

13 hours

Cook Time

20 minutes

There’s nothing more comforting or practical after a holiday meal than turning your leftover turkey and carcass into a cozy pot of homemade turkey noodle soup. Using the whole carcass creates a deep, rich, golden stock that tastes like it simmered in your grandma’s kitchen. With Grandma’s wide egg noodles and fresh vegetables, this soup becomes the perfect second-day dish warm, nostalgic, and packed with flavor.

This recipe walks you through transforming leftover turkey bones and scraps into a beautiful broth, then building a hearty, comforting soup full of tender shredded turkey and perfectly cooked noodles. It’s an ideal way to stretch your holiday leftovers, reduce waste, and fill your home with that unmistakable “day after Thanksgiving” aroma.

Image of Turkey Noodle Soup (Made With the Turkey Carcass)

Ingredients

For the Turkey Stock:
1 leftover turkey carcass (bones, skin, and any scraps still attached)
4–6 medium carrots
4–6 stalks celery
1 medium yellow onion, quartered
3 cloves garlic, smashed
⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp black pepper
3 bay leaves
½ bunch Italian parsley
Water, enough to fully cover the carcass
For the Soup:
1 (16 oz) package Grandma’s wide egg noodles
2 Tbsp butter
3 cups carrots, sliced (about 6 medium)
3 cups celery, ½” diced (about 6 stalks)
2 cups yellow onion, ½” diced (about 1 large)
1 Tbsp garlic, minced (about 4 cloves)
10 cups turkey stock (from above)
6 cups shredded cooked turkey
1 ½ tsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
⅓ cup Italian parsley, chopped

Directions

Making the stock: Remove any large pieces of leftover meat and set aside. Break the carcass into sections so it fits easily in the crockpot.
Add the turkey bones, skin, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, bay leaves, salt, pepper, and apple cider vinegar.
Add enough water to fully submerge everything, usually about 10–12 cups.
Turn the crockpot to high for 1–2 hours until the stock begins to simmer.
Reduce heat to low and cook 8–20 hours (overnight is perfect). The longer it cooks, the richer the stock will be.
Add parsley during the last hour of cooking.
Carefully strain the stock through a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl.
For an extra-clear, golden broth, strain again through cheesecloth.
Set aside while you prepare the soup.
Make the Soup Sweat the vegetables: Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add carrots, celery, onion, and garlic, stirring to coat.
Cook 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables release liquid, reabsorb it, and become slightly softened.
Pour in 10 cups of your homemade turkey stock.
Season with salt and pepper.
Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer 25–30 minutes.
In a separate pot, bring 6 quarts of salted water to a boil. Cook Grandma’s wide egg noodles according to package instructions. Or put the noodles directly into the broth to cook. May take a few extra minutes.
Stir the shredded turkey and cooked noodles into the soup. Simmer for 5 minutes to warm everything through.
Stir in lemon juice and chopped parsley.
Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed.
Serve hot with crusty bread.