Leftover Turkey Soup

By: Kristen Baer

Servings: 12 cups

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Thanksgiving season is just around the corner, and that means leftovers are back,  especially an abundance of turkey leftovers.  I have a recipe in store that will not only revolutionize your usual leftover turkey meal process but also  keep you warm when the cold weather begins to set in.

This recipe is not only nutritious but makes sure you’re staying environmentally-friendly in the kitchen! With the addition of hearty vegetables such as carrots, green beans, celery, spinach, and herbs, this dish satisfies your taste buds through the explosion of complimentary flavors. To name some of the few health benefits, “spinach’s bioactive compounds work against anti-cancer, anti-obesity, hypoglycemic, cancer, obesity and cardiovascular disease“ (Lasya, C. S. 2022). The inclusion of carrots also promotes a healthy heart (Tufts 2015),providing you with vitamin C, which is known to “help the body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals,“ (Dauqan 2017). Plus, carrots are not the only source of vitamin C in this recipe, thyme  “has one of the highest antioxidant levels among herbs…[and]... is packed with minerals and vitamins essential for optimum health” (Dauqan 2017). The earthey, savory thyme creates an aroma that emulates the smells of the holiday season. Having all of these ingredients jam-packed into a small bowl ensures that you will be satiated with the flavors of Thanksgiving.

Ingredients:

  •     2 tbsp. olive oil

  • 2 carrots, thinly sliced

  • 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced

  • 1 small onion, chopped

  • 1 cup of green beans

  • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

  • 3 Tbsp of all-purpose flour

  • 8 cups of chicken stock 

  • 1 Tbsp of chopped fresh rosemary

  • 2 tsp kosher salt, adjust to taste

  • 1/2 tsp of dried thyme

  • 1/2 tsp of dried oregano

  • 1/2 tsp of ground black pepper

  • 3/4 cups of uncooked orzo pasta, or pasta of choice

  • 3 cups of chopped cooked turkey 

  • 2 cups of packed baby spinach leaves

  • 1/4 cups of fresh lemon juice, optional

  • Ground black pepper to taste

     

 Instructions

  1. Heat the oil in a large pan on the stove top over medium-high heat.

  2. Add the carrots, celery, onion, and green beans then sautee for 7 minutes or until vegetables begin to soften. 

  3. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute, then stir in the flour. 

  4. After the flour is added, stir constantly for 2 minutes.

  5. Slowly stir in the stock, rosemary, salt, thyme, oregano and black pepper and bring to a boil. 

  6. Stir in the orzo, I used soup pasta, and reduce the heat to medium so that the soup lightly boils and cook for 8-10 minutes (until the pasta is tender). 

  7. Add the turkey, spinach, and lemon juice and cook until the spinach begins to wilt. 

  8. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.



 

 Reference List:

Dauqan, E. M. A. (2017). Medicinal and Functional Values of Thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.) Herb. Journal of Applied Biology and Biotechnology. Retrieved October 21, 2022, from https://jabonline.in/ 

Lasya, C. S. (2022). Spinach and its health benefits: A Review - thepharmajournal.com. The Pharma Innovation Journal . Retrieved October 21, 2022, from https://www.thepharmajournal.com/archives/2022/vol11issue8S/PartP/S-11-8-47-875.pdf

Tufts University. (2015). Are you seeing all the health benefits of carrots? . ProQuest. Retrieved October 20, 2022, from https://www.proquest.com/openview/789297d15d02f380b66f3a3d3fd93755/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=30886


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