Homemade Turkey Noodle Soup from the Carcass

When a turkey carcass barely fits in the stockpot, the waterline matters: the bones need to sit under the water so the broth can draw flavor from the whole frame. I start with a gentle simmer, not a hard boil, and let the pot do its quiet work while the kitchen fills with that familiar savory smell. This homemade turkey noodle soup from the carcass turns a leftover 12- to 14-pound turkey into eight generous servings, with shredded turkey and wide egg noodles in a broth built right from the bones.

The vegetables go in twice, and each batch has a different job. The quartered onion, chunked carrots, and celery flavor the broth, then get strained out; fresh diced vegetables cook in butter and stay in the finished soup. I like that little distinction because it gives the broth time to develop without leaving soft, overcooked vegetables in every spoonful. Add the noodles only near the end, and they’ll be tender without taking over the pot.

What you get is a clear, savory broth with tender vegetables, plenty of turkey, and noodles that still have a little structure. It’s the kind of soup that makes a carcass feel like the best part of the turkey.

Why the Egg Noodles Wait Until the Broth Is Finished

The noodles need only a short simmer, while the broth needs hours. Keeping those jobs separate protects both: the turkey carcass gets time to flavor the water, and the egg noodles go into a broth that’s already strained and seasoned. If noodles simmer from the start, they’ll turn soft long before the stock is ready.

There’s another payoff to adding them after the vegetables are tender. You can taste the broth before the noodles go in and adjust the salt without trying to judge seasoning through a mouthful of pasta. Then the noodles cook right in the finished soup and pick up some of that turkey flavor.

Egg noodles keep absorbing broth as the soup sits, so the texture changes in the refrigerator. For a pot you plan to serve and finish right away, cook them in the soup for the tender, homestyle texture. If you want more control over noodle texture in each bowl, the separate-noodle variation below is a useful option.

How the Carcass, Two Vegetable Cuts, and Egg Noodles Shape This Soup

• Turkey carcass — This is the foundation of the broth; water alone won’t give you the same turkey flavor and body. A carcass from a 12- to 14-pound turkey fits the recipe’s proportions. You don’t need pristine bones, but do use a stockpot large enough to cover the carcass with water.
• Onion, carrots, and celery — The larger pieces flavor the stock and are discarded after straining; the diced batch cooks in butter and gives each bowl vegetables with some shape. Cutting them in the two sizes is worth the extra knife work. Ordinary yellow onions and everyday carrots and celery are just right here.
• Cooked shredded turkey — The shredded turkey adds substantial meat beyond whatever you pick from the carcass after straining. Leftover roasted turkey works well for this ingredient; shred it so it distributes through the broth rather than sitting in large chunks.
• Bay leaves and whole peppercorns — They lend a quiet, rounded background to the long-simmered stock. Whole peppercorns are easy to strain out, and standard grocery-store bay leaves are fine; keep them whole so you can remove them with the other solids.
• Wide egg noodles — Their broad shape makes each spoonful feel like a proper bowl of soup, and they cook quickly at the end. For a gluten-free adaptation, use gluten-free wide noodles instead; the package timing is a better guide than the standard egg-noodle simmer because gluten-free brands vary.

Build the Broth First, Then Finish the Soup in the Same Pot

Let the Carcass Simmer Gently

Put the carcass, cold water, quartered onion, chunked carrots and celery, bay leaves, and whole peppercorns into an 8-quart stockpot. Add water if needed so the carcass is covered, then bring everything to a boil over high heat and skim the foam from the surface. Lower the heat, partially cover the pot, and simmer gently for 2 to 3 hours. Look for small bubbles breaking the surface now and then, not a hard rolling boil.

Strain the Stock and Pick the Meat

Set a large heatproof bowl beside the pot before you lift anything; hot broth is heavy, and having the bowl ready makes this step calmer. Strain the broth into the bowl, then discard the bones and cooked vegetables. Check the carcass for any remaining meat, pick it off, and add it to the shredded turkey. Pour carefully and watch for small bone fragments as the solids separate.

Soften the Freshly Diced Vegetables in Butter

Melt the butter in the same stockpot over medium heat, then add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion starts to soften and the vegetables look glossy rather than raw and dry. Don’t rush this part by turning up the heat; the goal is to soften the vegetables, not brown the onion. Using the stockpot again leaves you with one less pan to wash.

Simmer the Turkey and Add Noodles Last

Return all the strained broth to the pot and add the shredded turkey, kosher salt, and ground black pepper. Bring it to a simmer and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until the diced vegetables are tender when pierced. Stir in the wide egg noodles and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes, checking for tender noodles before they lose their shape. Taste the broth and add more salt if it needs it.

Two Practical Ways to Adapt This Turkey Noodle Soup

Questions That Come Up When Making Turkey Soup from a Carcass

Homemade Turkey Noodle Soup from the Carcass

Homemade turkey noodle soup starts with a gently simmered broth made from a leftover turkey carcass. Tender vegetables, shredded turkey, and wide egg noodles make this a hearty way to use holiday leftovers.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 3 hours hrs 31 minutes mins

Total Time 3 hours hrs 51 minutes mins

Servings: 8 servings

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Calories: 260

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 turkey carcass from a 12- to 14-pound turkey
• 12 cups cold water plus more as needed to cover the carcass
• 1 yellow onion large, quartered
• 2 carrots medium, cut into chunks
• 2 celery ribs cut into chunks
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• 2 cups cooked turkey shredded
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 yellow onion medium, diced
• 2 carrots medium, diced
• 2 celery ribs diced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
• 0.5 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 8 ounces wide egg noodles

Equipment

• 1 8-quart stockpot

Method

 

1. Place the turkey carcass, cold water, quartered onion, chunked carrots and celery, bay leaves, and whole black peppercorns in an 8-quart stockpot; add more water if needed to cover the carcass.
2. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, skimming off any foam.
3. Reduce the heat to low, partially cover the pot, and simmer gently for 2 to 3 hours.
4. Strain the broth into a large heatproof bowl and discard the bones and cooked vegetables.
5. Pick any remaining meat from the carcass and add it to the shredded turkey.
6. Melt the butter in the same stockpot over medium heat.
7. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
8. Return all the strained broth to the pot and add the shredded turkey, kosher salt, and ground black pepper.
9. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
10. Stir in the wide egg noodles and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes, until the noodles are tender.
11. Taste the soup and add more salt if needed.

Notes

For the best leftovers, store the soup in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days; the noodles will continue to absorb broth as it sits. Freeze for up to 3 months, though the noodles may soften when reheated. For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free wide noodles.