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–+ servings
Two orange pumpkin-shaped bowls filled with chicken and noodle soup topped with crackers and parsley.

Leftover Turkey Soup with Orzo

Looking for something delicious to make with all that leftover Thanksgiving turkey? This Creamy Turkey Orzo Soup is one of my favorite ways to use up leftovers!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 12 servings

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 cup carrots sliced or diced (I like using matchstick carrots to make this extra easy.)
  • 16 ounces mushrooms sliced
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 8 cups broth chicken, turkey, vegetable, or a combination will work.
  • 1 1/2 cups orzo
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 2-3 cups cooked leftover Thanksgiving turkey shredded or chopped
  • 2-3 cups fresh spinach
  • 1 cup heavy cream

Method
 

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
  2. Add the diced onion, garlic, carrots, and sliced mushrooms. Sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.
  3. Stir in the salt, black pepper, thyme, Italian seasoning, and oregano.
  4. Cook for another 1–2 minutes. This gives the dried herbs a chance to warm up and become fragrant.
  5. Pour in the broth and add the orzo, frozen peas, and leftover cooked turkey. Stir everything together and bring the soup to a boil.
  6. Once the soup reaches a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for about 10–12 minutes, or until the orzo is tender. Be sure to stir the soup occasionally while it cooks. Orzo can settle on the bottom of the pot and stick as it cooks.
  7. Once the orzo is cooked, stir in the fresh spinach and heavy cream. Continue stirring until the spinach wilts into the soup.
  8. Turn off the heat and let the soup sit for about 10 minutes before serving. The orzo will continue absorbing some of the broth as the soup rests, and the soup will thicken into a creamy, hearty consistency.

Nutrition

Calories: 225kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 14gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 44mgSodium: 923mgPotassium: 392mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 2989IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 49mgIron: 1mg
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