Description
This Turkey & Stuffing Dumpling Soup is a comforting and hearty dish that creatively uses Thanksgiving leftovers. It combines tender turkey pieces and flavorful stuffing dumplings simmered in a savory turkey stock with fresh vegetables and herbs. Perfect for chilly days and a delightful way to minimize food waste while enjoying classic holiday flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Base
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow or white onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, chopped
- 2 ribs celery, chopped
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
- 8 cups turkey stock
- Salt and pepper to taste
Dumplings
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cups leftover stuffing
Finishing
- 2 cups leftover turkey, chopped or shredded
- 1-2 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- Additional fresh thyme or parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Sauté Vegetables: In a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Add the diced onion with a pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté for 4-5 minutes until slightly softened. Add chopped celery and carrots with another pinch of salt and pepper, and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for 6-8 minutes until vegetables are tender and onions translucent but not browned.
- Add Garlic and Thyme: Stir in minced garlic and thyme leaves. Sauté for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Simmer Soup Base: Pour in 8 cups of turkey stock and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover the pot and reduce heat to a simmer. Let it cook for 15-20 minutes to meld flavors and soften vegetables.
- Prepare Dumplings: While the soup simmers, whisk 2 eggs in a bowl, then add ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, and ⅓ cup flour. Stir to combine. Fold in 2 cups leftover stuffing gently, making sure the mixture is combined without overworking.
- Adjust Seasoning: Taste the soup and add more salt and pepper if needed.
- Add Dumplings to Soup: Increase the heat to medium to bring the soup to a stronger simmer. Using a tablespoon or by hand, scoop or roll the stuffing mixture into balls about the size of slightly smaller than golf balls. Drop them gently into the simmering soup. Cover and cook for 3-4 minutes until dumplings float and are cooked through with no raw egg taste.
- Finish Soup: Remove the cover, stir in chopped or shredded turkey and roughly 1 tablespoon chopped parsley. Flip the dumplings gently to coat. Reduce heat to a low simmer and cook for an additional 5 minutes until the turkey is heated through.
- Serve: Ladle soup into bowls and serve hot. Garnish with extra fresh thyme or parsley if desired.
Notes
- This soup is ideal for using Thanksgiving leftovers, especially turkey and stuffing, making it a festive and waste-free meal.
- Make sure not to overwork the dumpling mixture to keep the texture light and tender.
- If leftover stuffing is very moist, you may need to add a bit more flour to help the dumplings hold together.
- Use homemade turkey stock for best flavor, or a high-quality store-bought version.
- Adjust salt and pepper according to your stuffing’s seasoning to avoid over-salting.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 430
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 1643 mg
- Fat: 19 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 27 g
- Cholesterol: 122 mg
