This delicious Turkey Orzo Soup is the best way to use up any leftover Thanksgiving turkey! It’s cozy and comforting, but also really easy and light enough after a big holiday dinner.
It comes together with fresh veggies and that tender orzo pasta, but you can use any type of pasta really. And if you crave this orzo soup year-round like I do, it works perfectly with chicken as well.
The last thing I want to make after Thanksgiving is another big meal, therefore easy ways to repurpose leftovers is the way to go! I always have leftover turkey, which is great for my turkey orzo soup! It comes together in under 30 minutes with minimal prep.
This leftover turkey soup is made with lots of fresh veggies and light broth, similar to my rotisserie chicken noodle soup. And if you’re in the mood for something creamier, try my Creamy Turkey Wild Rice Soup!
And trust me on this, you’ll want to serve this turkey orzo soup with a fresh squeeze of lemon juice! It adds amazing flavor and brightness, which is what also makes my lemon chicken orzo soup so good!
Jump to:
Why I Love This Recipe
- Perfect for leftovers. Whether it’s with leftover turkey or chicken, this is a super versatile soup recipe.
- Light and so flavorful. Fresh veggies and a simple broth make this leftover turkey soup filling without feeling heavy. A splash of the lemon and fresh herbs brighten up the soup!
- Quick and easy. So simple and effortless, just what you need after a big holiday spread or even busy weeknights.
Ingredient Notes
Below, I included a few ingredient notes from recipe testing that you might find helpful, plus a few ideas for substitutions.
- Leftover turkey or chicken: Shredded or chopped. Turkey breast or dark meat work great here. Leftover or rotisserie chicken work great too.
- Onion, celery and carrots: This is what I use, but feel free to add any veggies. Other great options are zucchini or green beans.
- Minced garlic, fresh thyme, dried Italian seasoning: These aromatics and herbs build the base that gives the turkey orzo soup so much flavor.
- Better Than Bouillon: This really amplifies flavors like no other! I use the Better Than Bouillon “roasted chicken base.”
- Chicken broth: Rich and savory base for the soup that ties the flavors together.
- Orzo pasta: My favorite pasta to cook with! You can also use ditalini, rotini, or anything similar.
- Fresh lemons and Italian parsley: A fresh squeeze of lemon juice at the end plus fresh parsley make all the difference!
- Olive oil, salt and pepper
As always, ingredient quantities from this leftover turkey orzo soup are listed in the recipe card down below!
How to Make Turkey Orzo Soup
Let me show you how quick and easy it is to make my turkey orzo soup, along with a few helpful tips!
Step 1: In a large pot over medium heat, heat a few tablespoons of olive oil. Sauté onions, carrots, and celery until softened, about 8 minutes.
Step 2: Add fresh minced garlic, fresh thyme and dried Italian seasoning. Cook for another 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Then, add about 2 teaspoons of Better Than Bouillon.
Step 3: Next, stir in chicken broth and bring to a simmer. If you’d like, you can add a cup of water to make the broth a bit less concentrated.
Step 4: Add the shredded turkey meat. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 5: Once it comes to a boil, stir in the orzo pasta and simmer for 12-15 minutes or so until the orzo is tender or cooked to taste, with the lid partially covered. Once ready, stir in freshly chopped Italian parsley.
Step 6: Serve your turkey orzo soup with more parsley for garnish, and my secret ingredient: a squeeze of fresh lemon juice!
Tips for Success
- Serve with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice! Along with fresh parsley, it adds so much flavor and a pop of brightness that I absolutely love.
- Feel free to swap the turkey for chicken. Both work really well.
- Use a good quality chicken broth, or homemade broth if you have that. It’s the foundation of the soup, so the richer the flavor, the better the final result.
- Adding a teaspoon or two of Better Than Bouillon adds incredible flavor in addition to all the aromatics. Highly recommended!
- Cook with the lid partially covered. This will prevent the liquids from spilling over, which can happen when cooking pasta.
- Cook orzo until al dente or a little longer if you want the pasta softer. Also, the orzo will continue cooking with the remaining heat just a little more.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, absolutely. Leftover or rotisserie chicken work really well as a direct substitution.
Aside from orzo, small or short pasta is great, such as ditalini, acini di pepe and rotini are great here. Egg noodles are great too!
Absolutely! Green beans, zucchini, spinach, or kale are a few of my favorite add-ins.
Storage, Freezing and Reheating
Storing: Let the soup cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.
Freezing: This turkey orzo soup freezes so well. Once cooled, it will freeze well for up to 3 months. I’d recommend portioning out the soup into Souper Cubes or smaller freezer-friendly resealable bags.
Reheating: Reheat over the stovetop, adding a splash of broth to loosen it up. You can also reheat directly from frozen in a medium pot over steady medium-low heat.
More Cozy Soups
Love orzo? Try my Broccoli Cheddar Orzo and Lemon Chicken Orzo! They are great quick and easy recipes.
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Leftover Turkey Orzo Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 stalks celery, diced
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- Olive oil - for sauteeing
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves - roughly chopped
- ½ teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons Better Than Bouillon - Chicken Base flavor, to taste
- 6 to 7 cups chicken broth - plus more as needed
- 1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
- 3 cups shredded cooked turkey meat - or leftover chicken
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Chopped Italian parsley
- Lemons - for serving
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven or pot, heat a few generous drizzles of olive oil over medium heat. Sauté onions, celery, and carrots until softened, about 8 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic, thyme, and Italian seasoning. Cook for another 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Then, stir in 2 teaspoons of Better Than Bouillon chicken base.
- Add the chicken broth and bring to a low boil.
- Then, add the shredded turkey (or chicken) and orzo pasta. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for about 12-15 minutes, with the lid partially covered, until the orzo is cooked to your liking. Tip: The orzo will continue cooking with the residual heat, so you can turn off the heat once it's al dente.
- Remove from heat. Stir in a handful of freshly chopped Italian parsley to taste.
- To serve, garnish with more parsley on top and serve with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice – it adds brightness and flavor to the soup. Enjoy!
Notes
- Cook with the lid partially covered to prevent any spilling when cooking the pasta.
- You can either shred or chop the turkey. Both turkey breast or dark meat work great here – just make sure to fully debone.
- Highly recommended: Serve with fresh parsley and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice!
- To preserve the texture of the orzo, cook until just al dente since it will continue cooking with the residual heat from the hot broth.
- Storing: Let the soup cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.
- Freezing: Once cooled, freeze for up to 3 months in containers or bags.
- Reheating: Add a splash of broth when reheating over the stovetop, to loosen it up. You can also reheat from frozen in a medium pot over steady medium-low heat.
- Leftover shredded turkey: Shredded chicken or rotisserie chicken
- Orzo: Ditalini, acini di pepe, rotini, egg noodles
- Vegetables: Spinach, kale, zucchini, green beans
- Seasonings: Fresh or dried herbs.
Jan says
Can this be frozen with the cooked orzo? Or should it be added when thawed.