Mexican Style Leftover Turkey Soup

Leftover turkey, swimming in chicken broth, with diced tomatoes, corn, coconut milk, and jalapenos makes for a delicious and hearty Mexican Style Leftover Turkey Soup. An easy way to repurpose your Thanksgiving leftovers into a flavorful soup.

The leftovers are coming my friends. And as much as I enjoy a turkey sandwich, I love creating new recipes that repurpose those coveted holiday leftovers into new meals. What a great way to save some money, and eat well.  

Mexican Style Leftover Turkey Soup

I’m sure you’ll agree there’s nothing worse than a fridge full of Thanksgiving leftovers that go uneaten for days. Not everyone seems to have the same amount of enthusiasm for the leftovers as they did for Thanksgiving dinner. But I bet if you serve them a bowl of turkey soup with Mexican flavors they’ll be none the wiser you are using leftovers. 

Turkey Soup

Whether you use leftover Thanksgiving turkey or any leftover turkey meat (or even leftover chicken!), this tasty soup is a great way to ensure nothing goes to waste.  This great soup is one of my favorite ways to clean out the fridge after Thanksgiving. Even if you don’t serve the soup right away, you can make up a batch and stash it in the freezer to eat at a later date. 

If you love this leftover turkey soup recipe, you are sure to love these too: Turkey Pasta Bake,  Turkey Noodle Soup, or these Turkey Salad Sliders. 

Turkey Soup Recipe

This Mexican style leftover soup takes just a few minutes to prepare so you can easily pull it together the day after Thanksgiving for a light lunch. Grab all your leftover vegetable sides or make a green salad and you’ll have a satisfying lunch everyone can enjoy.

I wouldn’t wait too long after Thanksgiving to prepare the soup as cooked turkey only lasts a few days in the fridge. If you don’t think you’ll prepare this soup within a few days, it’s best to place the turkey in the freezer. You can always thaw it another time to make this delicious soup. 

Ingredients for Homemade Turkey Soup

For complete ingredients and instructions scroll to the bottom of this post for the full printable recipe. 

• Olive oil – Extra virgin olive oil is best but any kind will work. 
• Onion – I used a white onion, diced, but any kind of onion is okay.
• Garlic – Fresh cloves garlic, minced, add the best flavor but jarred can also be used. 
• Spices – I used a combination of garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, chili powder, dried oregano, paprika, salt and black pepper. 
• Chicken broth– Choose a low-sodium chicken broth if you want to adjust the amount of salt. Turkey stock also works wonderfully.
• Cooked turkey – Use cooked shredded turkey.
• Diced tomatoes – Diced tomatoes add some chunkiness to the soup.
• Canned jalapeños – Jalapeño pepper, chopped, add a touch of spice. 
• Corn – I used a can of corn, drained, but frozen also works well. 
• Coconut milk – Coconut milk makes for a creamy Mexican turkey soup. For a richer soup use full fat coconut milk. 
• Fresh cilantro – Fresh cilantro,  chopped, ups the Mexican flavor profile. If cilantro isn’t your thing use parsley instead. 

 Optional Toppings:

• Cheddar cheese – Use grated cheddar cheese or look for a Mexican-inspired cheese like Monterey Jack cheese.
• Green onion – Sprinkle some chopped green onions in the soup.
• Avocado– Add creaminess with some diced avocado.
• Lime wedges – Serve the soup with lime wedges so your guests can squeeze a touch of fresh lime juice into their bowl.
• Cilantro – Add extra cilantro as a garnish. 

How to make Mexican Turkey Soup

This flavorful soup comes together in about 20 minutes. 

Place a large pot over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the onions and cook until translucent. Next, add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.

Then, add the spices and continue to cook for another minute.

Toss in shredded or cubed turkey and add in the chicken stock.

Next, add in tomatoes, corn, jalapeños, and coconut milk. Stir to combine.

Allow soup to simmer on medium heat for 15 minutes.    

Finally, stir in the cilantro and serve with your favorite toppings. 

Once the turkey soup has cooled to room temperature, store it in an airtight container or a re-sealable plastic bag. It’s always a good idea to label the container with the date and contents. The soup can be refrigerated for up to 3-4 days. 

You can also freeze the leftovers for up to 3 months. If freezing in a Ziploc bag, leave some space at the top for the soup to expand and lay the bags flat in the freezer. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat on the stovetop or microwave. 

To quicken the thawing process you can place the bag or container in cold water changing the water every 30 minutes or so until the soup is thawed.  Note leftover turkey soup that has been left at room temperature for more than 2 hours should be thrown away to ensure food safety.

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If you love this easy leftover turkey soup make sure that you don’t lose it! Pin it to your favorite Pinterest recipe board before you go!

FAQs 

• How long is leftover turkey good for soup? It is best to use leftover turkey for soup within 3-4 days. 
• Can I make soup with week week-old turkey? To be on the safe side, it is best to make the soup soon after you eat your turkey meal. Since leftover turkey will keep for 3-4 days you want to be able to cook and eat your soup within this time. If you aren’t going to make the soup within a few days, it’s best to freeze your leftover turkey as soon as possible and then defrost it when you want to make the soup.
• Why is my turkey soup so bland? If you find your turkey soup is bland you may need to add more spices, a squeeze of lemon juice, or additional toppings. 
• How do you thicken turkey soup broth? You can thicken up your soup by adding a slurry which is a combination of cornstarch and water or you can fill the soup with lots of vegetables, fresh herbs, and toppings. 

Substitutions

Remember that when it comes to making substitutions in recipes, you don’t need to be afraid to get creative and use ingredients that suit your personal taste and dietary preferences. Make it your own!

• If you don’t have any turkey you can use rotisserie chicken. Or use black beans or pinto beans for a hearty vegetarian soup. Make sure to use vegetable broth if you go the vegetarian route. 

• Substitute turkey stock or turkey broth for the chicken broth for more turkey flavor.

• Instead of diced tomatoes use enchilada sauce. 

• Use Haly & Half or heavy cream in place of the coconut milk.

Tips & Tricks

• For a spicy turkey soup and a little kick, add cayenne pepper, chili powder, poblano pepper, or green chilies. 

• Serve the soup with a side of tortilla chips, crispy tortilla strips, or a few flour tortillas. 

• Prepare the soup in your crock pot. After you cook the garlic and onions, transfer all of the ingredients to a slow cooker and let it simmer on low for 4 hours. 

• Add a dollop of sour cream to each bowl before serving for even more creaminess. 

• Throw in a bell pepper to add some color and crunch to the soup. 

• Stir in a packet of taco seasoning to enhance the Mexican flavor. 

More Soup Recipes to Love

• Cream of Reuben Soup (pictured above)

• French Sauerkraut Soup

• Creamy Chicken Parmesan Soup

• Cabbage Roll Soup

• Hamburger Soup With or Without Noodles

• Easiest Lasagna Soup

Recipes that Re-Purpose Holiday Leftovers

No matter what you find leftover after a big holiday meal, I have a solution and a recipe that will make those leftovers as epic as the meal was when you first enjoyed it. Check out this Round-up of Holiday Leftovers Recipes. 

This Mexcian-style leftover turkey soup is a delicious way to ensure your Thanksgiving turkey leftovers don’t go to waste. It comes together in just a few minutes so you can get out of the kitchen and take advantage of Black Friday shopping. 

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Print Recipe

Mexican Style Leftover Turkey Soup

Leftover turkey, swimming in chicken broth, with diced tomatoes, corn, coconut milk, and jalapenos makes for a delicious and hearty Mexican Style Leftover Turkey Soup. An easy way to repurpose your Thanksgiving leftovers into a flavorful soup.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Total Time30 minutes mins

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American/ Mexican

Keyword: easy leftover turkey soup, homemade turkey soup, leftover turkey for soup, leftover turkey soup, leftover turkey soup ideas, leftover turkey turkey soup, Mexican turkey soup, spicy turkey soup, turkey soup, turkey soup recipe, without noodles, without rice

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 294kcal

Author: Michaela Kenkel

Equipment

• Lodge 6 Quart Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven. Classic Red Enamel Dutch Oven (Island Spice Red)
• AmazonBasics Enameled Cast Iron Covered Dutch Oven, 6-Quart, Blue
• Stainless Steel Stock Pot with Lid, 8-Quart
• Herb Scissors 
• 12-Piece Black Sharp Knife Set with Covers, Cutting Board and Sharpener

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion diced
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 3 cups cooked turkey shredded
• 1 can 14 ounces diced tomatoes, drained
• 1/2 cup canned jalapeños chopped
• 1 can 15.25 ouncecorn, drained
• 1 can 13.5 ounces coconut milk
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro chopped
• Optional Toppings:
• Cheddar cheese
• Green onion
• Avocado
• Lime wedges
• Cilantro

Instructions

• Place a large pot over medium heat and add the olive oil.
• Add the onions and cook until translucent.    
• Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds then add the spices and continue to cook for another minute.                                                         
• Add the stock, tomatoes, corn, jalapeños, coconut milk, and shredded turkey. Stir to combine.
• Allow soup to simmer for 15 minutes.
• Stir in the cilantro and serve with your favorite toppings. 

Notes

Once the turkey soup has cooled to room temperature, store it in an airtight container or a re-sealable plastic bag. It’s always a good idea to label the container with the date and contents. The soup can be refrigerated for up to 3-4 days. 

You can also freeze the leftovers for up to 3 months. If freezing in a Ziploc bag, leave some space at the top for the soup to expand and lay the bags flat in the freezer. Thaw in the fridge overnight and then reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave. 

To quicken the thawing process you can place the bag or container in cold water changing the water every 30 minutes or so until the soup is thawed.  Note leftover turkey soup that has been left at room temperature for more than 2 hours should be thrown away to ensure food safety.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 294kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 967mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g