Creamy Turkey Vegetable Soup

Well, the final Thanksgiving leftovers recipe is here and all you need are those odds and ends vegetables, a little turkey meat and that fabulous turkey carcass. This recipe is more of a guideline than a structured recipe. It lays out the idea for soup making from what you have left in the refrigerator and your pantry. What you need to pay attention to is the ratio of non-starchy vegetables and starchy vegetables. They are balanced so that the carbs are reduced. I have added a couple of options to the recipe and the decision is yours if you want to add them or not. One of them is a little unusual. I used pureed cannellini beans, or white beans, to give the soup a little extra body and protein. The second option is heavy cream in the soup. You can use as little or as much as you like or just skip it altogether and have a very low fat, low carb version that is still absolutely delicious. I hope you enjoy.

Creamy Turkey Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

Turkey Stock:

1 turkey carcass, break the large bone in half
2 carrots, cut into 2 or 3 pieces each

1 large stalk celery, cut into 2 or 3 pieces

1 whole garlic head, cut in half through the middle

1/2 medium onion, peeled with root end left in tact

12 black peppercorns

1/2 tsp. kosher or sea salt

3 sprigs fresh thyme, whole

1/2 cup parsley stems and tops

1 bay leaf

1 tsp. ground sage or 4 fresh whole sage leaves

16 cups (1 gallon) water

Place all of the ingredients into a large stock pot and add the water. Bring to a simmer on high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 1 hour. Let stock cool down enough to handle and strain. Set stock aside to cool about 1 hour and then skim the fat off of the top.

Soup:

2 slices bacon, reserve 1 Tbsp. bacon fat

1 cup carrots, chopped

1 cup celery, chopped

1 cup leeks or onions, sliced

1/2 cup white wine (optional)

1 cup sweet potato, diced

1 cup white potato, diced

1 cup turnips, diced

2 cups nappa cabbage, sliced thin

2 cups eggplant, diced

2 cups cauliflower, diced

4 cups turkey, diced

1 - 15.5 ounce can Cannellini beans, rinsed, drained and pureed (optional)

1 cup heavy cream (optional)

pinch nutmeg (add if cream is used)

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat a large stock pot on medium high heat and add the diced bacon. Cook until brown and crispy. Remove with slotted spoon to paper towel to drain. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat. Add the carrots, celery, leeks and season with salt and pepper if desired. Using a wooden spoon scrape up the brown bits on the bottom of the pot as the vegetables cook. Cook for about 2 or 3 minutes and add the wine if desired. Cook for another minute or two and then add the rest of the vegetables. Pour in the turkey stock and stir well to combine. Increase the heat and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat slightly, partially cover the pot and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Crumble the bacon and add with the turkey.

To puree the cannellini beans, rinse under cool running water and drain well. Place in a blender or the bowl of a food processor. Add a ladle of soup stock and pulse until pureed and smooth. Add back to the soup and stir well. Continue to cook for about 5 minutes and taste for seasoning.

Stir in the heavy cream and nutmeg. Continue cooking soup for another 10 minutes. Taste for seasoning.

Nutrition Facts

Includes All Options

24 - 1 Cup Servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 180.6

Total Fat 9.8 g

Saturated Fat 4.4 g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1.0 g

Monounsaturated Fat 3.7 g

Cholesterol 38.7 mg

Sodium 209.4 mg

Potassium 377.0 mg

Total Carbohydrate 10.7 g

Dietary Fiber 2.3 g

Sugars 0.7 g

Protein 12.6 g