Use up leftover turkey with this Turkey Butternut Squash Soup. You only need a handful of ingredients to make a comforting and healthy meal in 20 minutes!
Do you guys have lots of leftover turkey? Have no idea what to do with it?! Well I got ya covered with this easy paleo and Whole30 friendly turkey butternut squash soup. Growing up my mom always made a leftover turkey soup after Thanksgiving. My sister actually requests it to this day. Her version has corn and I believe she cooks it in the crockpot and it’s delicious, but I wanted to put my own spin on one.
In typical Kelly fashion, I added kale for some greens. I also used butternut squash noodles for a fun spin. It makes it kind of like chicken noodle soup, but with leftover turkey and butternut squash instead. Other than that, I kept it super simple. Sometimes the most simplest of recipes are the most comforting! It’s great for after the holidays when you are feeling like you have had one too many pieces of pumpkin pie. No shame in that, but prioritizing making some healthy meals to have easy access to after the holidays or a vacation always make me feel so much better.
Turkey Butternut Squash Soup (Paleo/Whole30)
The beauty of this leftover turkey soup is that it’s so so easy. You only need 10 ingredients and it comes together in under 20 minutes. The holidays are a crazy busy time for people and after making food for hours on end for Thanksgiving, I’m sure the last thing you want to do it cook. Or at least that would be me haha! Simple, basic ingredients are where it’s at – this is what you need:
- leftover turkey (I used turkey breast, but dark and light meat will work)
- kale
- butternut squash noodles
- onion
- broth
- garlic
- ginger
- oil
- lemon juice
- salt and pepper
We start off by sautéing the onions in a large soup pot. Once they are softened, we add the ginger and garlic and let it go for another minute or two. Next just add the rest of the ingredients (except the lemon juice) and stir to combine. Cover with a lid and let everything heat up, about 5-10 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and you have your leftover turkey butternut squash soup in about 20 minutes.
I used veggie broth, but you can definitely use chicken or even homemade. You could also substitute sweet potato noodles for the butternut squash if that is what you have on hand. This leftover turkey soup is really so simple and customizable. I loved it so much we (aka mostly me) ate it in about 2 days. It’s just so simple but so comforting at the same time.
This leftover turkey soup is also great for meal prep. Make a batch after Thanksgiving and store it in the fridge for the week for a quick and healthy meal. While I haven’t tried it, I would think it would be able to be frozen and then defrosted for busy weeknights. You can also change it up each night if you are feeling bored. I added hot sauce and quinoa to it the next day to add more flavor, but you could add some rice (cauliflower or white), more veggies, and fresh herbs.
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Turkey Butternut Squash Soup (Paleo/Whole30)
ingredients
- 8 cup vegetable broth
- 4 cups leftover turkey, shredded (1 pound)
- 4 cups packed kale, roughly chopped (140 grams)
- 1 package Cece's Noodle Co. Butternut Squash Noodles (or 4 cups butternut squash noodles/300 grams)
- 2 cups diced onion (240 grams)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- salt and pepper, to taste
- optional garnishes: lemon juice, parsley, red pepper flakes
instructions
- In a large stock pot over medium heat, add oil and let it get hot, about 30 seconds. Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes until softened, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and ginger and sauté for another minute until fragrant.
- Add broth, turkey, kale, butternut squash, and salt and pepper and stir to combine. Cover with a lid and cook for 5-10 minutes until heated through and hot. Stir in lemon juice. Serve with chopped fresh parsley or toppings of choice.
notes
nutrition
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Dad says
Kell can’t wait till the 23rd to make some
Kelly says
We need more leftover turkey!!