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Thanksgiving leftovers! Last year, I made a turkey cranberry flatbread. In addition to the turkey and dumpling soup I made yesterday, I still might make one more thing for this year’s Thanksgiving leftover edition.
This recipe is similar to my grandmother’s chicken & dumpling soup recipe. You wouldn’t really need to do anything except switch the turkey stock and turkey with chicken to make the chicken version. It’s still not 100% Grandma’s, but pretty close!
I made this in my large Le Creuset dutch oven. You could definitely make this in a slow cooker, so I provided a slow cooker version of the recipe, too.
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Turkey & Dumpling Soup
A new take on my grandmother’s chicken and dumpling soup, and a great way to use leftover Thanksgiving turkey.
Servings: 8 people
Equipment
- Dutch oven or slow cooker
Ingredients
Soup
- 1 lb cooked Turkey pulled into pieces
- 1 leek chopped, see this tutorial from The Kitchn if you haven’t worked with leeks
- 3 ribs celery chopped
- 1 large onion diced
- 3 carrots chopped
- 1 bunch fresh thyme tied together with cooking twine
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp all purpose salt-free seasoning
- 1 tbsp kosher salt plus more to taste as needed
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp Maggi liquid seasoning (substitute Worcestershire if you can’t find the Maggi)
- 2 quarts turkey or chicken stock
- 12 oz beer
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp cold water
Dumplings
- 1½ cups all purpose flour
- 6 eggs
- Pinch kosher salt
Instructions
Stovetop Method
- Place all soup ingredients except for the turkey and cornstarch + water into a large pot. tir to combine and bring to a boil.
- Reduce to a simmer, and simmer covered for at least an hour, stirring occasionally.
- After it’s simmered for at least an hour, taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
- Discard the thyme bundle.
- Add the turkey to the soup.
- Place dumpling ingredients in a medium to large mixing bowl.
- Combine with a fork until everything is incorporated together. The dumpling dough should be pretty thick.
- If you’d like to thicken the soup a bit, but is the time to do so. Combine cornstarch and cold water. Bring the soup back to a boil. Slowly pour in the cornstarch and water mixture, while stirring constantly.
- If you skipped the step to thicken the soup, bring the soup back to a boil now. Drop heaping tablespoons of dumplings into boiling soup. They will rise to the top when they’re cooked, but stir occasionally in case one or two stick to the bottom of the pot.
- Serve once all of the dumplings are cooked. You can also reduce the heat back to low and cover until you’re ready to serve. The dumplings will hold up well for a long time if you’re not quite ready to eat.
Slow Cooker Method
- Place all soup ingredients except for the turkey and cornstarch + water into the sow cooker. Stir to combine.
- Cook on high for 1 hour. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
- Discard the thyme bundle.
- Add turkey to the soup.
- If you’d like to thicken the soup, now is the time to do so. Combine the cornstarch and cold water. Pour into the soup, stirring constantly.
- Place dumpling ingredients in a medium to large mixing bowl. Combine with a fork until everything is incorporated together. The dumpling dough should be pretty thick.
- Drop heaping tablespoons of dumplings into the soup. Cook for 1 more hour.
- The dumplings will rise to the top when they’re cooked, but stir before serving in case a couple get stuck to the bottom. Serve once all of the dumplings are cooked and veggies are tender. If the dumplings are done and the veggies are tender, but you aren’t ready to serve yet, reduce the slow cooker to warm until serving. The dumplings will hold up well while waiting.
Notes
This soup keeps incredibly well in the refrigerator and the freezer, making it a great make ahead and reheat recipe.