Ingredients
Soup Base
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 1 cup ribs celery, diced
- 1 cup carrots, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 7 cups chicken broth (or substitute with turkey broth or stock)
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 cups leftover turkey, diced or shredded
Pasta
- 1 cup orzo pasta, uncooked
Seasonings
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried sage
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Sauté the vegetables: Heat butter and olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, celery, and carrots; cook for about 5 minutes until they soften. Stir in minced garlic, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, bay leaf, and all dried seasonings, mixing well to coat the vegetables.
- Build the broth: Pour in the chicken or turkey broth and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Add the diced or shredded leftover turkey to the pot. For extra depth of flavor, you can add a Parmesan rind or turkey bones to the broth at this stage.
- Simmer: Reduce the heat to low and simmer the soup uncovered for 15 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together and the turkey to heat through.
- Cook the orzo: In a separate pot, cook the orzo pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain well and reserve for serving; do not add the orzo directly into the soup pot as it will absorb too much broth.
- Serve: To serve, place a portion of the cooked orzo in individual bowls and ladle the hot turkey soup over it. Garnish with fresh parsley or a squeeze of lemon juice if desired for added brightness.
Notes
- Don’t skip cooking the orzo separately! Adding it directly to the soup results in mushy pasta and loss of broth by the next day.
- For a richer soup, toss in a Parmesan rind while simmering. Remove it before serving.
- If you have homemade turkey stock from a turkey carcass simmered with vegetables, use it in place of broth for a deeper flavor.
- The hot sauce adds flavor depth without much heat; omit it if cooking for sensitive eaters or kids.
- Stick to classic mirepoix vegetables or add zucchini, green beans, spinach, or kale. Add sturdy veggies early and delicate greens near the end.
- Substitute pasta with ditalini, small shells, acini di pepe, or egg noodles. For gluten-free, try rice or gluten-free pasta.
- The soup base tastes even better the next day; store soup and orzo separately in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
- Freeze the soup (without orzo) for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight and reheat on stovetop. Cook fresh orzo when serving.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
