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
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
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
This post was originally published in 2017, and updated with new tips in November 2020.
Beth H
Hi Kristen,
I love the idea and look of this recipe and can’t wait to try it! I wonder if you think I could use plain Greek yogurt in place of, and in the same quantity as, the cream cheese?
Thanks for any thoughts!
Beth
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Beth! The issue with adding yogurt to the soup is that it may curdle, to prevent this, you'll need to temper the yogurt to avoid curdling. Add a small amount of warm-but-not-boiling soup to a bowl, whisk in the yogurt, then add the mixture back into the soup. Hope that helps.
Beth H
That helps tremendously!!! Thanks for getting back with me and I’m off to give this a try!
Beth H
This turned out great—thanks Kristen! Love this recipe as an alternative to turkey noodle soup for using up leftover turkey!
Karla
This recipe was delicious!!! Super quick and very easy! Thank you so much! I will definitely be making this one again 👍🏼
Kristen Chidsey
I love hearing you enjoyed Karla! Thank you for sharing!
Jacqueline Scott
Most delicious soup I have ever made and super easy.
Kristen Chidsey
I love hearing you enjoyed Jacqueline! Thanks for sharing your review.
Linae Bouche
If you've got leftover turkey, you should have a leftover turkey carcass and should make your own turkey bone broth.
Kristen Chidsey
That is of course a great idea Linae. You can follow my instructions for chicken stock to make turkey broth if you desire.
Beverly Dieker
Excellent. I used dried great northern beans because that is all I had. I made it in an instant pot. I cooked the beans in the instant pot first then followed the instant pot instructions above for the soup. I only had one can of 10 oz can of rotel tomatoes so I add that and two 14.5 ounce cans of tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano. I used 4 chicken bullion cubes with 3.5 cups of water for my chicken stock. I had 6oz. of cream cheese open so I just added all of that at the end. Be sure to stir after adding the cream cheese so it melts. I wanted my bowl a little more spicey so I add some Frank's hot sauce to my bowl of soup. I put shredded pepper jack cheese and diced avocado on top of my bowl of soup. Also put Asian style crunchy noodles on the top. Delicious
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Beverly! I am so so glad you enjoyed so much! I love topping this soup with tortilla chips, so I can see how the Asian noodles would be delicious!
Nanners
Hi, This does sound like a great soup! I’m excited to try it. Have you ever made it without the green peppers? I am not a fan of green peppers in soups, salads or chili as I feel it takes over and that’s all you taste. I’m wondering if a little celery would be a good substitution? Thanks for your thoughts.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi there! It will be great without the pepper! I would just omit and not replace with celery. EnjoY!
Dino White
Delicious flavor. Really good.
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad you enjoyed Dino 🙂
Connie
Just finished dinner and now we have a new after-Thanksgiving tradition! Everyone loved it especially my husband who told me twice that he really liked it. I did have a problem getting the cream cheese to melt even though I took it out of the fridge when I started cooking the soup. Do you use the brick style cream cheese or the stuff in the tub?
I have tried several of your IP recipes and have had wonderful success. Such a blessing to have so many simple, delicious recipes in one place! Thank you!!
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Connie! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe so much and my other Instant Pot recipes. That makes my heart so happy 🙂 As for the cream cheese, I use a brick--but at these cooler temperatures I would doubt it would soften in just 20 minutes. I like to have it out for several hours. A quick work around is the place the brick (still wrapped in foil) in warm water while the soup is cooking. Hope that helps.
Laura
If I want to use uncooked black beans (as opposed to canned beans), do I need to cook them in the instant pot before adding to the soup?
Kristen Chidsey
Yes, Laura I would. Here is my recipe for cooking beans in the instant pot. I hope you enjoy.
Kim
Followed instant pot receipe, have chunks of cream cheese, not smooth or creamy at all.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Kim! I am sorry your soup was not smooth. In the future it would help to chunk up your cream cheese and let it get to room temperature.
Tim
I made this recipe. I added cheese and a little corn starch slurry to add just a bit of body. I chopped cloves fresh and loved the soup. Great taste and flavor.
Kristen Chidsey
That sounds delicious Tim! Thank you for sharing your modifications.