Transforming holiday leftovers into a fresh, delicious meal is a culinary superpower every home cook needs.
This easy slow cooker turkey noodle soup recipe is your secret weapon for turning that leftover turkey into a comforting, healthy, and incredibly satisfying dish. It’s perfect for those chilly evenings when you crave something warm and nourishing, but don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen.
This recipe is designed for maximum flavor with minimal effort, making it ideal for busy weeknights or a cozy weekend meal. It’s a fantastic way to extend the life of your Thanksgiving or Christmas turkey, ensuring not a single delicious shred goes to waste. Get ready to enjoy a hearty bowl of goodness that practically makes itself!
Table of Contents
- What You’ll Love About This Quick And Easy Recipe
- Everything You Need To Make This Recipe Without Stress
- Time Needed From Start To Finish
- How To Make It Step By Step With Visual Cues
- Easy Variations And Serving Ideas That Fit Real Life
- Common Slip-Ups And How To Avoid Them
- How To Store It And Make It Ahead Without Ruining Texture
- Questions People Always Ask Before Making This Recipe
Slow Cooker Turkey Noodle Soup
- Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes to 8 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 servings 1x
Description
Transform holiday leftovers into a comforting, healthy, and incredibly satisfying slow cooker turkey noodle soup. This recipe is designed for maximum flavor with minimal effort, perfect for chilly evenings or busy weeknights. It’s a fantastic way to use up leftover Thanksgiving or Christmas turkey, ensuring nothing goes to waste. The slow cooker does most of the work, allowing flavors to meld beautifully while you go about your day.
Ingredients
Instructions
1. Prepare Your Vegetables: Start by washing and chopping your carrots, celery, and onion into roughly 1/2-inch pieces. Uniform pieces will ensure even cooking.
2. Combine Ingredients in Slow Cooker: Place the shredded or diced cooked turkey into the slow cooker pot. Add the chopped carrots, celery, and onion over the turkey.
3. Add Liquids and Seasonings: Pour in the chicken or turkey broth. Sprinkle in the dried thyme, dried rosemary, and black pepper. Add the bay leaf to the pot. Stir everything gently to combine.
4. Set and Cook: Cover the slow cooker with its lid. Cook on the “low” setting for 6-8 hours, or on the “high” setting for 3-4 hours. The vegetables should be tender when done.
5. Introduce the Noodles: About 30 minutes before you plan to serve, remove the bay leaf from the soup. Add the wide egg noodles to the slow cooker and stir them into the hot broth.
6. Finish Cooking Noodles: Continue to cook for another 15-20 minutes, or until the noodles are tender but still have a slight bite (al dente). Avoid overcooking the noodles, as they can become mushy.
7. Taste and Adjust Seasoning: Carefully taste the soup and add salt as needed. Remember that broths can vary in sodium content, so it’s best to adjust at the end.
8. Garnish and Serve: Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Garnish each serving with a sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley for a burst of color and fresh flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 3-4 hours on high, or 6-8 hours on low
- Category: main dish
- Method: slow cooker
- Cuisine: american
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
Keywords: turkey, noodle soup, slow cooker, leftovers, comfort food, easy, healthy, winter, family meal, meal prep
What You’ll Love About This Quick And Easy Recipe
This slow cooker turkey noodle soup is a true lifesaver for anyone looking for a healthy, comforting meal without a lot of fuss. It’s perfect for busy parents, individuals looking for easy meal prep, or anyone who wants to make the most of their holiday turkey. The magic of the slow cooker means you can simply set it and forget it, allowing the flavors to meld beautifully over several hours while you go about your day. This recipe is incredibly forgiving and adaptable, making it a wonderful choice for beginner cooks. It’s also a fantastic way to sneak in extra vegetables, providing a nutritious boost that everyone will enjoy. Serve it up on a snow day, a rainy afternoon, or any evening when you need a warm hug in a bowl.
Everything You Need To Make This Recipe Without Stress
This recipe relies on simple, readily available ingredients, many of which you might already have on hand, especially after a holiday feast. The beauty of it is how easily you can customize it with what’s in your pantry and fridge.
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 cups cooked turkey, shredded or diced
- 8 cups chicken broth or turkey broth
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 cup chopped yellow onion
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup wide egg noodles
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
- Salt to taste
For the turkey, any leftover cooked turkey will work perfectly. White meat, dark meat, or a mix of both will provide excellent flavor and texture. If you don’t have homemade chicken or turkey broth, store-bought low-sodium broth is a great substitute. Feel free to use frozen chopped vegetables if you’re looking to save even more time on prep; just be sure to adjust the cooking time slightly if they are added frozen. For the herbs, dried herbs are convenient, but if you have fresh herbs on hand, you can use about three times the amount of fresh herbs compared to dried for a more vibrant flavor.
Time Needed From Start To Finish
This slow cooker recipe is designed for minimal hands-on time, making it incredibly convenient.
Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 3-4 hours on high, or 6-8 hours on low Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes to 8 hours 15 minutes (depending on cook setting)
The majority of the time is hands-off cooking, allowing you to focus on other tasks while your delicious soup simmers to perfection.
How To Make It Step By Step With Visual Cues
Making this comforting turkey noodle soup in your slow cooker is incredibly straightforward. Follow these simple steps for a perfect bowl every time.
- Prepare Your Vegetables: Start by washing and chopping your carrots, celery, and onion into roughly 1/2-inch pieces. Uniform pieces will ensure even cooking.
- Combine Ingredients in Slow Cooker: Place the shredded or diced cooked turkey into the slow cooker pot. Add the chopped carrots, celery, and onion over the turkey.
- Add Liquids and Seasonings: Pour in the chicken or turkey broth. Sprinkle in the dried thyme, dried rosemary, and black pepper. Add the bay leaf to the pot. Stir everything gently to combine.
- Set and Cook: Cover the slow cooker with its lid. Cook on the “low” setting for 6-8 hours, or on the “high” setting for 3-4 hours. The vegetables should be tender when done.
- Introduce the Noodles: About 30 minutes before you plan to serve, remove the bay leaf from the soup. Add the wide egg noodles to the slow cooker and stir them into the hot broth.
- Finish Cooking Noodles: Continue to cook for another 15-20 minutes, or until the noodles are tender but still have a slight bite (al dente). Avoid overcooking the noodles, as they can become mushy.
- Taste and Adjust Seasoning: Carefully taste the soup and add salt as needed. Remember that broths can vary in sodium content, so it’s best to adjust at the end.
- Garnish and Serve: Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Garnish each serving with a sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley for a burst of color and fresh flavor.
Easy Variations And Serving Ideas That Fit Real Life
This turkey noodle soup is wonderfully versatile, allowing for many delicious adaptations. For a heartier soup, consider adding a cup of frozen peas or corn during the last 30 minutes of cooking. If you like a little kick, a pinch of red pepper flakes can be added with the other seasonings. You can also experiment with other vegetables like diced potatoes (added at the beginning with the other veggies) or spinach (stirred in at the very end until wilted).
For serving, a warm, crusty bread or a side of crackers is always a welcome addition for dipping. A simple green salad with a light vinaigrette makes for a complete and balanced meal. To make it kid-friendly, you can use smaller pasta shapes like ditalini or alphabet pasta instead of wide egg noodles. Kids often enjoy dipping grilled cheese sandwiches into their soup, making it a fun and familiar meal. For a more elegant presentation, a swirl of pesto or a dollop of crème fraîche can elevate the soup for guests.
Common Slip-Ups And How To Avoid Them
Even with a simple slow cooker recipe, a few common mistakes can impact the final dish. One frequent error is overcooking the noodles. Egg noodles cook relatively quickly, and if added too early or cooked for too long, they can become mushy and absorb too much broth, leaving you with less liquid. To avoid this, always add the noodles during the last 15-30 minutes of cooking, just until they are tender.
Another common issue is not seasoning adequately. While broth contains some salt, it’s crucial to taste the soup at the end and adjust the salt and pepper. Different broths have varying sodium levels, and the vegetables and turkey will absorb some seasoning. Don’t be afraid to add a little more salt until the flavors truly pop.
Finally, overfilling the slow cooker can lead to spills and uneven cooking. Ensure there’s at least an inch or two of space between the liquid level and the rim of the slow cooker to allow for simmering and expansion. Following these simple tips will help ensure your turkey noodle soup turns out perfectly every time.
How To Store It And Make It Ahead Without Ruining Texture
This turkey noodle soup is fantastic for meal prepping and stores beautifully, though there are a few considerations to keep the noodles from getting too soft.
Storing Leftovers: Allow the soup to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. For longer storage, you can freeze the soup for up to 2-3 months. If you plan to freeze it, it’s best to cook the noodles separately or add them just before serving after thawing and reheating, as frozen and thawed noodles can sometimes become mushy.
Reheating: To reheat, gently warm the soup on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave until heated through. If the soup has thickened too much in the refrigerator, you can add a splash of extra broth or water to reach your desired consistency. If you froze the soup without noodles, add freshly cooked noodles to the reheated broth for the best texture.
Making Ahead: You can prepare the base of the soup (turkey, vegetables, broth, and seasonings) in the slow cooker without the noodles. Cook as directed, then let it cool and store it in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to serve, reheat the soup base and then add and cook the noodles fresh. This method ensures perfectly textured noodles every time, making it ideal for busy schedules.
Questions People Always Ask Before Making This Recipe
Can I use raw turkey instead of cooked? This recipe is specifically designed for leftover cooked turkey. If you only have raw turkey, you would need to cook it separately first (e.g., by boiling or roasting) and then shred or dice it before adding it to the slow cooker.
What if I don’t have egg noodles? You can substitute other small pasta shapes like ditalini, elbow macaroni, or even broken spaghetti. Just be sure to add them at the end of the cooking process and adjust the cooking time according to package directions until they are tender.
Can I add other vegetables? Absolutely! This soup is very adaptable
FAQs
- Can I make these ahead? Yes—prep ahead, refrigerate, then serve when ready.
- How long do leftovers last? Store covered in the fridge for 3–4 days for best texture.
- Can I adjust sweetness? Yes—add more or less sweetener to taste.
- Can I change the fruit? Yes—swap strawberries for blueberries, raspberries, or sliced banana.
