Slow Cooker/Instant Pot Leftover Turkey Soup

Thanksgiving means leftover turkey. Use your leftover turkey to make a simple soup: turkey & noodle/zoodle or turkey & rice, slow cooker or Instant Pot!

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Here you will find technically 5 recipes that use leftover turkey meat: slow cooker or electric pressure cooker turkey noodle soup, slow cooker or electric pressure cooker turkey zoodle soup, slow cooker or electric pressure cooker turkey & white rice soup, slow cooker or electric pressure cooker turkey & brown rice soup, and slow cooker or electric pressure cooker turkey & cauliflower rice soup.

Leftover Turkey Meat

For me personally I found 1/2 pound of leftover meat to be too little meat and 1 full pound of meat to be too much. 3/4 pound was the perfect amount. You can use up to a full pound of meat in this recipe without having to make any adjustments.  Of course this recipe will work leftover chicken as well.

Turkey & Rice Soup

There are a few differences with cooking the rice depending on if you’re using white rice, brown rice, slow cooker or electric pressure cooker. Basically if you’re using an electric pressure cooker (Instant Pot), the rice goes in at the beginning with the rest of the ingredients however  there is a difference in cook time.  If you’re cooking brown rice in the Instant Pot, the cook time is 20 minutes however if you’re using white rice the cook will be 5 minutes. White rice cooks a lot faster in the pressure cooker. If you’re using the slow cooker, the brown rice goes in at the beginning with the rest of the ingredients however if you’re using white rice, it’s added the last hour of cook time. If you’re keeping things low-carb by using cauliflower rice, it’s stirred in the last 15-30 minutes of cook time.

turkey noodle soup

Other leftover turkey recipes you might enjoy:

Slow Cooker Leftover Cajun Turkey & Sausage Soup

Slow Cooker/Instant Pot Turkey Corn Chowder

Slow Cooker Low Carb Turkey Tetrazzini

Turkey Noodle OR Zoodle Soup

Noodle or zucchini zoodles? I suggest you use what fits your dietary needs at the moment. If you’re eating paleo, whole30, or low-carb then you will need to use zoodles. If not, go ahead and use your favorite pasta noodle. Whether you’re using pasta or zucchini, you will add them the last few minutes of cooking. This is the case whether you’re using your slow cooker or electric pressure cooker.

Don’t want to make soup? No problem. If you aren’t going to use your leftover turkey meat for soup or another recipe, simply bag it and freeze it. You can store cooked turkey in your freezer for up to 3 months.

Slow Cooker/Instant Pot Leftover Turkey Soup

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★★★★

3.7 from 3 reviews

• Author: Shannon Epstein
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x

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Ingredients

• 1/2 to 1 pound leftover turkey, diced or shredded
• 8 ounces uncooked rice (brown or white), uncooked cauliflower rice, uncooked pasta or 2 medium-size uncooked zucchinis, cut into spaghetti like strands
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 4 cups water
• 1/3 cup onion, diced
• 2 celery stalks, sliced
• 2 medium-size carrots, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tbsp oil (for pressure cooker)

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Instructions

Slow Cooker

WITH RICE

1. Brown rice: add all the ingredients to the slow cooker. Stir gently. Cook HIGH 3-4 hours or LOW 6-8 or until rice is tender.
2. White rice: add all the ingredients to the slow cooker except the uncooked white rice. Stir to mix well. Cook HIGH 2-3 hours or LOW 4-6. Stir in rice and cook an additional hour or until rice is tender.
3. Cauliflower rice: add all the ingredients to the slow cooker except the cauliflower rice. Stir to mix well. Cook HIGH 2-3 hours or LOW 4-6. Stir in rice and cook an additional 15-30 minutes or until rice is tender.
4. Remove bay leaves before serving.

WITH NOODLES OR ZOODLES

1. Add all ingredients EXCEPT for the noodles/zoodles into the slow cooker. Stir to mix well.
2. Cook HIGH 3-4 or LOW 6-8.
3. Add preferred pasta noodles or zucchini zoodles into the slow cooker. Cook on HIGH an additional 10-20 minutes or until pasta or zucchini is tender.
4. Remove bay leaves before serving.

Electric Pressure Cooker (Instant Pot)

WITH RICE

1. Turn on the pressure cooker and select sauté. Once hot add oil to the pot.
2. Add celery, carrots, and onions and cook for a 5-7 minutes or until vegetables are soft. Add garlic and cook an additional minute. Turn off the pressure cooker.
3. Add broth & water and deglaze the bottom of the pressure cooker by scraping all the bits off with a wooden spoon.
4. Stir in the turkey, rice, salt, thyme, rosemary, and pepper.  Add bay leaves.
5. Close lid and seal valve. Set high pressure and cook for 5 minutes for white rice and 20 for brown rice. If using cauliflower rice, do not add yet.
6. Natural release pressure for 10 minutes then manually the remaining pressure.
7. If using cauliflower rice:  turn the pressure cooker to saute and add the cauliflower rice. Cook 3-5 minutes or until cauliflower rice is tender to your liking.
8. Remove bay leaves before serving.

WITH NOODLES OR ZOODLES

1. Turn on the pressure cooker and select sauté. Once hot add oil to the pot.
2. Add celery, carrots, and onions and cook for a 5-7 minutes or until vegetables are soft. Add garlic and cook an additional minute. Turn off the pressure cooker.
3. Add broth & water and deglaze the bottom of the pressure cooker by scraping all the bits off with a wooden spoon.
4. Stir in the turkey, salt, thyme, rosemary, and pepper. Add bay leaves.
5. Close lid and seal valve. Set high pressure and cook for 5 minutes. When done cooking, natural release pressure for 10 minutes then manually the remaining pressure.
6. Turn the pressure cooker to sauté and stir in the uncooked noodles or zoodles. Cook 3-5 minutes or until pasta or zucchini is tender.
7. Remove bay leaves before serving.

I used a 6-quart slow cooker (or Instant Pot) for these soups.

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