Leftover Turkey Orzo Soup

5 from 18 votes

Turn leftover Thanksgiving turkey into a delicious homemade turkey orzo soup! This easy recipe uses a turkey carcass to make flavorful homemade broth with orzo, carrots and spinach.

Prep Time10

Cook Time2 30

Course: Dinner Entree, lunch

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 243kcal

Cost: $5

Ingredients

1 turkey or chicken carcass (with some meat left on)
water about 8 cups
2 carrots, chopped
2 cups frozen spinach
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 ½ cups dried orzo

Instructions

Put the turkey or chicken carcass in a large pot and fill with water. Break in half if necessary to fit in the pot. Cook on medium high heat until water comes to a boil. Bring heat to low and simmer covered for 2 hours.
Remove carcass from pot and let cool for 10 minutes. Strain the broth and add about 8 cups back to the pot. Remove meat from the bones and discard skin and bones. Measure 2 cups of shredded turkey and add to the broth along with the carrots and spinach. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Turn heat onto medium and bring mixture to a boil. Add orzo and dried basil. Cook for 10 minutes or until orzo is tender. Season with more salt and pepper to taste.

Notes

The longer the turkey soup sits, the thicker the soup will be as the orzo will absorb the broth.

Nutrition