Mama Carruthers’ Turkey Soup Recipe

By Patti Werry – Thanksgiving is a controversial holiday in our house,. It is not a stretch to say this turkey soup recipe could have saved my marriage. The issue is that my husband loves Thanksgiving. He loves the meal, the football, the fact that it doesn’t require buying any gifts or wearing a costume. I, on the other hand, put Thanksgiving at the bottom of my holiday ranking. (Halloween is at the top, because of the costume requirement.)

Growing up, Thanksgiving was a long, boring day, waiting for the turkey to cook. We watched my mother, grandmother and aunt angst over trying to make the gravy, while sitting at the kids table with our weird cousins. The turkey always came out dry. The only thing I looked forward to was the stuffing. And my Mama’s Turkey Soup Recipe.

Mama’s Turkey Soup Recipe

This turkey soup recipe is ridiculously easy since it uses many of the same ingredients you buy for your Thanksgiving dinner. It’s also a great way to use up the leftover turkey when you can’t bear the thought of another turkey sandwich.

The delicious flavor comes from using the carcass from your Thanksgiving turkey to make your stock. This is an important step! (In years when we’ve gone to other people’s homes for the holiday I’ve been known to ask my hostess for her carcass!)

Every year I happily prepare the full Thanksgiving dinner for my family. I do this knowing that I will be rewarded for my hard work in a few days when I make Mama’s Turkey Soup recipe.

Ingredients for Turkey Soup Recipe

• 4T butter
• 3-4 large carrots, sliced into bite size pieces
• 4 celery stalks, diced
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1 T poultry seasoning (more to taste)
• 1 T dried sage (more to taste)
• Salt and pepper
• 2 quarts turkey stock – store bought or preferably made from your turkey carcass (see instructions below)\
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 2 cups turkey meat, cut up into bite size pieces or shredded
• 2 cups cooked rice
• 1 cup whipping cream
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions for Turkey Soup Recipe

1. At least a day before, make the stock. (See instructions below)
2. If you haven’t already, cook the rice.
3. Saute onions, carrots and celery in butter and spices over medium heat until the onions are translucent and carrots are cooked through.
4. Add stock and wine to pot, and add cooked turkey and rice, stir to combine.
5. Mix in whipping cream, salt and pepper.
6. Adjust spices to taste.
7. Serve!

To Make Turkey Stock

Put the turkey carcass and the giblets, neck and any other bones or odds and ends leftover from the turkey in a large stock pot with a couple of carrots, several stalks of celery and a yellow onion cut in quarters. Throw in a bay leaf and a generous shake of salt and pepper.

Cover with water, bring to a boil and let simmer for several hours until any meat left on the bones falls off and the stalk smells amazing. I let mine simmer most of the day, adding water as needed to keep the ingredients immersed.

Cool sightly and remove the solids with tongs and/or a slotted spoon. Using a fine strainer to remove any thing else, pour the stock into another pot. Cool completely and refrigerate, preferably overnight. When you’re ready to use the stock, skim the fat off the top. The stock is ready for your soup!

Looking for More Recipes?

If this Turkey Soup recipe sounds good, here’s a recipe that might pique your interest:

Comforting Recipe for Italian Sausage Stew