In most households the day after Thanksgiving is known as Black Friday, a day filled with shopping. At my parents’ home the day after Thanksgiving is soup day. My father makes the most incredible soup using the leftover turkey from Thanksgiving and it is something we look forward to every year.
This year I attempted to make stock from scratch using a brined turkey. It was an epic fail. I have made stock from scratch dozens of times, but I had never used a brined turkey to make the stock. The result was a bitter stock with an unpleasant aftertaste. It wasn’t salvageable. I used store-bought stock instead. The moral of the story here is that if you brine your turkey, don’t bother trying to make stock from the bones.
However, if you do not brine your turkey, I recommend making stock from scratch. It is as simple as simmering the turkey bones in a large pot of water with celery, onion, carrot, and some seasonings. You can find instructions here.
The secret to a really great turkey soup is to add the leftover gravy to the soup. It adds a richness to the flavor of the soup. The thing this soup is that you can add all your favorite vegetables. Broccoli, green beans, barley, and kale would be great additions to the recipe.
You will need:
3 (48 ounce) cartons of Chicken Stock or Broth
Leftover Gravy (as much as you have)
3 cups diced Turkey
2 tablespoons Butter
3 cloves Garlic
1 small White Onion
8 ounces sliced Mushrooms
1 cup sliced Carrot
1 cup chopped Celery
1 cup Frozen Chopped Spinach (water squeezed out)
1 can Whole Kernel Corn
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 (9 ounce) package of Cheese Tortellini
Salt and Pepper
Step 1:
Finely chop the onion.
Step 2:
Melt the butter in the bottom of a large soup pot over medium heat. Then add the garlic. Let simmer for 2 minutes. Then add the onion and the mushrooms. Lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté for 7-8 minutes, until the onions and mushrooms are slightly caramelized.
Step 3:
Add the broth and gravy and bring to a simmer.
Step 4:
Once the broth comes to a simmer, add the carrots and celery. After 15 minutes add the spinach, corn, turkey, and Parmesan.
Step 5:
Once the soup returns to a bubble, add the tortellini. Serve once the tortellini is fully cooked.
This soup freezes very well, I usually eat half within days of preparing it, and I freeze the other half.
