Curried Turkey Soup (with Leftover Turkey)

Easy one-pot Mulligatawny-inspired curry turkey soup made with leftover turkey, apples, rice, curry powder, stock, onions, carrots, and celery. It wins over curry skeptics every time.

Curried Turkey Soup with Leftover Turkey
Elise Bauer

This curried turkey soup made with leftover turkey is fashioned on a classic Anglo-Indian curried soup called mulligatawny.

It couldn't be easier to make! You start by cooking some onions, carrots, celery, and yellow curry powder, add stock, apples, rice, cook for a bit, then stir in the chopped cooked turkey.

Drizzle a little cream in at the end. Easy!

Curried Turkey Soup with Leftover Turkey
Elise Bauer

It's also one of the best things I have ever eaten in my life.

My father and my sweetheart, two men who for some weird reason have never learned to appreciate the flavors of Indian cuisine, couldn't stop eating this soup. It was priceless really, looking at the surprise on their faces as they ate the soup and not only liked it, but loved it.

Mulligatawny Curried Turkey Soup with carrots and apples
Elise Bauer

Good Stock Makes Good Soup

As with any soup that relies on a stock for a base, the quality of your stock will determine the quality of your soup. Because we were working with turkey leftovers, we happened to have turkey stock made from the carcass of the turkey that created those leftovers.

You could also use chicken stock. And if you don't have any homemade stock, a product that we use occasionally with good results is Better Than Bouillon.

Curried Turkey Soup (with Leftover Turkey)

Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 35 mins
Total Time 55 mins
Servings 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons butter

  • 2 cups chopped onion

  • 1 cup chopped celery

  • 1 cup chopped carrot

  • 4 teaspoons yellow curry powder

  • 4 cups chicken or turkey stock

  • 1/4 cup raw white rice (we use basmati)

  • 2 green apples, peeled, cored, and diced

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt (may add more to taste)

  • 2 bay leaves

  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

  • 2 cups chopped cooked turkey meat

  • 1/4 cup heavy cream

  • Sour cream or plain yogurt, for garnish

  • Chopped chives, for garnish

Method

  1. Cook the vegetables in butter, add curry powder:

    Melt butter on medium high heat in a large (6 to 8 quart) thick-bottomed pot. Add the onions, celery, and carrots.

    Lower the heat and cook until softened, about 8 to 10 minutes.

    carrots, onion, and celery for curried turkey soup
    Elise Bauer
    bay leaves added to curried soup
    Elise Bauer

    Add the curry powder and cook for a minute or two more.

  2. Add the bay leaves, stock, and rice then simmer:

    Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to maintain a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes.

    add bay leaves, stock, rice to the base for curried leftover turkey soup
    Elise Bauer
  3. Add the chopped apples, salt, and pepper:

    Simmer for another 10 minutes.

    add chopped apples and salt to make curried turkey soup
    Elise Bauer
  4. Add the turkey, simmer and stir in cream:

    Add the turkey and return to a simmer. Stir in the cream. Taste. Add more salt and pepper, if needed.

    add turkey for the curried turkey soup
    Elise Bauer
  5. Serve:

    Serve garnished with a drizzle of yogurt or sour cream that has been thinned with a little water and some chopped fresh chives or parsley.

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
462 Calories
22g Fat
28g Carbs
38g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 462
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 22g 28%
Saturated Fat 9g 44%
Cholesterol 153mg 51%
Sodium 407mg 18%
Total Carbohydrate 28g 10%
Dietary Fiber 4g 16%
Total Sugars 13g
Protein 38g
Vitamin C 10mg 50%
Calcium 107mg 8%
Iron 3mg 15%
Potassium 693mg 15%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.