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Leftover Turkey Orzo Soup

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If you have leftover turkey from Thanksgiving, you will want to make this Leftover Turkey Orzo Soup.

This year for Thanksgiving, we had SO MUCH TURKEY. We fixed 3 different breasts and normally, we don't have a lot left over. This year, however, we did have quite a bit, so I had to be inventive with recipes.

That is how I came up with this Leftover Turkey Orzo Soup.

Leftover Turkey Orzo Soup

I've worked hard over the years teaching myself how to take leftovers and reinvent them into something new. One of those reasons is because my son hates leftovers. I always had to be strategic in creating new recipes to get him to eat when he was growing up. It has also taught us how to use up things and not waste them.

My husband loves when I make dishes like these! So let me tell you where the idea came from.

Leftover Turkey Orzo Soup

I used my Chicken Orzo Soup is the base for this recipe. It is pretty much the same, except I added a lot more dill and some other delicious veggies.

Leftover Turkey Orzo Soup

The thing that I love about Orzo pasta is that it adds a great texture and bite to a soup without overpowering the soup as spaghetti noodles would.

Leftover Turkey can be used in so many ways! In our family, we make dishes like my Turkey Tetrazzini and more.

What really sets this soup apart and makes it taste so amazing is the fresh lemon and dill mixed with the chicken broth. There is nothing like that flavor in my opinion.

It's my favorite taste in the world.

What is your favorite way to use up leftover turkey during the holidays?

Yield: 8 servings

Leftover Turkey Orzo Soup

Leftover Turkey Orzo Soup

This soup comes together quickly and will help you use up that leftover turkey from Thanksgiving!

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 large Vidalia Onion
  • 4 carrots
  • 2 TBSP olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 3 cups leftover turkey, diced or shredded
  • 3 boxes of Chicken Broth
  • 1 1/2 cups orzo pasta, dried
  • 2 lemons
  • 2 TBSP dried dill (or more to taste)
  • salt and pepper for seasoning

Instructions

  1. Peel onion, slice, and dice. Peel carrots, and then slice them in half lengthwise, and then dice them up along with the onion. Place the 2 TBSP of olive oil in a soup pot and add onions and carrots to the pot.
  2. Sauté for 5 minutes on medium heat.
  3. Mince garlic cloves and add them to the pot, sauteeing for 2 minutes. 
  4. Add broth, and dry pasta. Bring the soup to a simmer and then allow it to cook for about 10 minutes. 
  5. Add in cooked turkey and cook for about 5-7 minutes more. Test the orzo pasta for doneness before turning off the heat. Add in the lemon juice and dried dill. Add salt and pepper to taste
  6. Taste the soup. You should be able to taste both the dill and lemon. You can add more if you would like.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 222Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 57mgSodium: 503mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 2gSugar: 4gProtein: 18g

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Gabi

Monday 17th of December 2018

What's not to love about these vegetarian pizza pinwheels? Just 3 ingredients, perfect for baking in batches and to surprise your guests.

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