Southwest Turkey Soup

Looking for the best Leftover Turkey Soup Recipe? This Southwest Turkey Soup is just what you need. Made with a creamy, spicy broth, leftover turkey, corn, and black beans, this Turkey soup is full of flavor and simple to make.

This hearty turkey soup is a delicious way to transform leftover turkey or even chicken. And the best part--it tastes NOTHING like Thanksgiving! It is the perfect way to change up those leftovers into something new and delicious. 

When it comes to Thanksgiving. I am always swimming in leftovers! It really doesn't matter how many last-minute guests we invite or how hungry we are, we always make WAY too much food.

And I love that! Part of my love of Thanksgiving comes from the anticipation of Thanksgiving leftovers.

From leftover Turkey Sandwiches to turning leftover Sweet Potato Casserole into Sweet Potato Waffles to this Southwestern Turkey soup, I love recreating leftovers into something new and delicious.

This leftover turkey soup is creamy and spicy and full of chunks of shredded turkey. It is a bit like Tortilla Soup in its flavor profile, yet just a bit heartier. And this soup is incredibly easy to make.

Notes on Ingredients

• Turkey: I prepare this soup with leftover Roast Turkey or leftover Instant Pot Turkey Breast. But of course, you can make this soup using leftover Rotisserie Chicken or leftover shredded chicken.
• Stock: Use chicken stock or if you happen to have made turkey stock, that works great in this recipe.
• Cream Cheese: Use room temperature cream cheese so that it easily blends into the soup. You can also opt to omit the cream cheese to keep this soup dairy-free as well.

Step-by-Step Directions

This turkey soup is incredibly easy to make, thanks to the fact we are starting out with leftover turkey. And it is versatile as well. You can adapt the spices and ingredients based on what you have at your house. It can also be made on the stove, in the slow cooker, or in the Instant Pot.

Step One: Saute Peppers and Onions

To develop flavor, saute a minced onion and diced green pepper in a bit of oil until just softened.

You can do this in a small saute pan on the stove if planning to prepare the soup in the crockpot, using the saute function on an instant pot, or in a large heavy-bottomed stock pan if preparing the soup on the stove.

Step Two: Combine Ingredients.

In the slow cooker, the inner pot of the instant pot, or to the stock pan, add the peppers, onions, cooked turkey, corn, black beans, seasonings, stock, and Rotel tomatoes.

Step Three: Cook

• Slow Cooker Directions: Cook high for 4 hours or low 6 hours.
• Instant Pot Directions: Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes with a natural pressure release.
• Stove-Top Directions: Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 20-30 minutes.

Step Four: Add Cream Cheese

To make this soup creamy, and to tame the heat a tad bit, cream cheese is added at the end and cooked just until melted through.

• Slow Cooker Directions: Add in cream cheese and cook on low for 30 minutes.
• Instant Pot Directions: Add cream cheese into the cooked soup and close the lid and let sit for 5 minutes. Stir to combine.
• Stove-Top Directions: Add the softened cream cheese to the soup and stir until melted and combined. This should only take a few minutes.

Recipe Tips and Modifications

• I choose to use black beans in this Spicy Turkey Soup, but you can certainly use pinto beans or kidney beans.
• If you have leftover corn from Thanksgiving, use that--if not, just add in frozen corn or even drained canned corn (with no salt added.)
• Be sure to add cream cheese right at the end of the cooking process, to prevent it from curdling.
• This Southwestern Turkey Soup is delicious topped with corn chips, cilantro, and even shredded cheese if you are feeling so inclined.
• Turkey Soup will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in a sealed container. Because of the cream cheese, this soup does not freeze well.

More Leftover Turkey Recipes

• Turkey Tetrazzini
• Copycat Panera Roasted Turkey Sandwich
• Turkey Club Wrap
• Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey Quesadilla
• Thanksgiving Egg Rolls

I hope that you enjoy transforming your turkey into this delicious Southwest Soup. If you give it a try, be sure to leave a comment below. 

Southwest Turkey Soup

Use up leftover turkey (or chicken) in this easy, creamy Mexican style hearty soup.

4.73 from 22 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Mexican

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 4 hours

Total Time: 4 hours 5 minutes

Servings: 8

Calories: 430kcal

Author: Kristen Chidsey

Ingredients

• ▢ ½ tablespoon oil
• ▢ 1 green pepper diced
• ▢ 1 onion diced
• ▢ 4 cups chicken stock
• ▢ 2 cups leftover chopped turkey
• ▢ 1 cup leftover corn
• ▢ 4 cups black beans (or 2 16 ounce cans, drained)
• ▢ 2 15 ounce cans diced rotel tomatoes
• ▢ 2 tablespoons Taco Seasoning
• ▢ 4 ounces cream cheese softened

Cook ModePrevents your screen from going dark while preparing the recipe.

Instructions

Slow Cooker Instructions

• Heat skillet over medium heat and heat ½ tablespoon oil in pan. Add in onion and green pepper and saute for 5 minutes. 
• Transfer sauteed veggies to slow cooker and add in stock, beans, corn, seasonings, turkey, and tomatoes.
• Cook on high 4 hours or low 6 hours. 
• Add in cream cheese and cook on low for 30 minutes. Stir well after 30 minutes. Serve with desired toppings.

Stove Top Directions

• Heat large stock pan over medium heat and heat ½ tablespoon oil in pan. Add in onion and green pepper and saute for 5 minutes. 
• Bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. 
• Once veggies are softened, add in chicken stock, beans, corn, turkey, spices and tomatoes. 
• Stir in cream cheese and heat through. Serve with desired toppings.

Instant Pot Directions

• Heat Instant Pot to saute. Add in oil, onions, and peppers and allow veggies to soften, 3-5 minutes. Turn Instant Pot OFF.
• Pour Stock into Instant Pot and scrape up any browned bits on bottom of inner pot.
• Add in tomatoes, beans, corn, seasonings, and turkey and seal instant pot. 
• Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes. 
• Allow pressure to release naturally.
• Once pressure releases, remove lid and add in cream cheese. Place lid back on pressure cooker for 5 minutes (just to heat through). Stir well and serve. 

Notes

• If you aren't a fan of Turkey, use leftover Rotisserie Chicken.
• I choose to use black beans in this Spicy Turkey Soup, but you can certainly use pinto beans or kidney beans.
• If you would like to make this leftover Turkey Soup dairy-free, omit the cream cheese.
• If you have leftover corn from Thanksgiving, use that--if not, just add in frozen corn or even drained canned corn (with no salt added.)
• Be sure to add cream cheese right at the end of the cooking process, to prevent it from curdling.
• This Southwestern Turkey Soup is delicious topped with corn chips, cilantro, and even shredded cheese if you are feeling so inclined.
• Store this soup in an airtight container for 3 days in the fridge (using cooked turkey that is no more than 2 days old.)

Nutrition

Calories: 430kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 54g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 124mg | Sodium: 671mg | Potassium: 1010mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 395IU | Vitamin C: 14.5mg | Calcium: 73mg | Iron: 3.4mg

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This post was originally published in 2017, and updated with new tips in November 2020.