The week after Thanksgiving seems to be the time that every google search is basically “What do I do with all this turkey?!” I find myself in the same position, not wanting to waste any but also tired of the same old turkey leftover recipes.
This year I decided to invent something new by starting with a few tried and true recipes and then adjusting them with new ingredients and spices. This Italian Turkey Soup is the result of that experiment and I am happy to say it’s a keeper!
The base of this recipe is 6 cups of turkey broth. I used this recipe from Food Network to make the broth. I then put it in the fridge for 1 day to cool and skimmed the fat off the top. That made a great foundation for this soup.
Ingredients
- 3 cloves of garlic chopped into small bits
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 Tbs olive oil
- 1 Tbs Italian Seasoning
- 1/2 Tbs Dill
- 1 Tbs Thyme
- 1 Tsp Salt
- 1 Tsp Pepper
- 6 cups of Turkey broth
- 2 cups chopped turkey
- 15 oz can white Navy Beans (rinsed)
- 2 cups Orecchiette pasta
Place an empty dutch oven on medium heat and allow it to heat up. You will want it hot so when you place the olive oil into the bottom you can then immediately add the garlic and begin cooking – this will keep the oil from smoking.
Stir your garlic regularly so that it does not burn or stick – only about 1 minute – just enough to release the oils and aroma.
Add in the carrots, celery, and onion and stir so that they are all coated with the olive oil.
Next add in the Italian Seasoning, Dill, Thyme, Salt, and Pepper. Stir so that the spices are coating all of the vegetables – continuously stirring for 3-4 minutes so that the vegetables are softened and no spices burn or stick to the bottom of your pan.
Add 6 cups of broth, the chopped turkey, and the bay leaves. Bring to a low slow boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, cover the pan and allow to simmer for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally to keep anything from sticking to the bottom.
Add 1 cup of water and return the soup to a low slow boil. Then add the orecchiette and beans. Boil for 12-15 minutes, stirring frequently, until past is cooked.
This soup keeps nicely in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
