Leftover Thanksgiving Soup – A Simple One-Pot Fix for Holiday Extras

Most people wake up the day after Thanksgiving with the same issue: too many containers and not enough shelf space. This leftover Thanksgiving soup fixes that. It folds dark-meat turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, corn pudding, carrots, onion, and celery into one warm bowl.

A Straightforward Idea

This recipe works because those leftovers already carry seasoning and depth. When simmered together, they form a thick, stew-like soup. The counterintuitive part is that the more “side dishes” you add, the better it tastes. The dairy from the potatoes, the vegetables from the green bean casserole, and the stock from the turkey blend into something closer to a chowder than a broth.

Ingredients

• 2 cups chopped dark-meat turkey
• 1 cup leftover stuffing
• 1 cup mashed potatoes
• 1 cup green bean casserole
• 1 cup corn pudding
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 6 cups chicken or turkey stock
• Salt and pepper
• Optional: thyme, parsley, or a pinch of poultry seasoning

Instructions

1. Warm a large pot over medium heat with a small amount of butter or oil.
2. Sauté onion, carrot, and celery until softened, about five minutes.
3. Add turkey and stir to heat through.
4. Pour in the stock and bring to a light boil.
5. Stir in mashed potatoes, stuffing, green bean casserole, and corn pudding.
6. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
7. Season with salt, pepper and herbs.

Tips

• Add more stock if the soup gets too thick.
• To thicken, add a spoonful of mashed potatoes or stuffing.
• The soup freezes well.

Why This Works

Holiday leftovers are often eaten cold or reheated as-is. Turning them into a single soup cuts waste and creates a balanced meal. The starch and dairy act as natural thickeners, while the vegetables provide structure. The result tastes planned rather than improvised.

Leftover Thanksgiving Soup

Serving Size:

Serves 6-8

Time:

30 minutes

Difficulty:

Simple

Ingredients

• 2 cups dark-meat turkey, chopped
• 1 cup stuffing
• 1 cup mashed potatoes
• 1 cup green bean casserole
• 1 cup corn pudding
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1 onion, diced
  2 celery stalks, diced
• 6 cups stock
• Salt and pepper
• Optional herbs

Directions

1. Sauté carrot, onion and celery.
2. Add turkey.
3. Add stock and bring to a boil.
4. Stir in leftovers.
5. Simmer 20 minutes.
6. Season and serve.