Instant Pot Leftover Turkey Soup (ready in 30 Minutes)

Turn holiday leftovers into a cozy, protein-packed weeknight soup—fast, flavorful, and family-approved in half an hour.

You’ve got a fridge full of turkey and exactly zero motivation. Good news: this is your 30-minute exit ramp from leftover fatigue. Think rich, herb-laced broth, tender veggies, and slurpable noodles that taste like you actually planned ahead. No marathon simmering, no fancy techniques—just honest, powerful comfort that hits on the first spoonful. If you can sauté and press a button, you can cook like a legend tonight.

What Makes This Recipe Awesome

• Ready in 30 minutes: Sauté, set, and finish—dinner lands on the table fast without babysitting a pot.
• Max flavor, minimal effort: A quick pressure cook pulls serious depth from aromatics, herbs, and any leftover gravy (FYI, that’s a flavor rocket).
• Leftover transformer: Dry turkey becomes silky and juicy once it swims in hot, seasoned broth.
• One pot = fewer dishes: Sauté, pressure cook, and simmer noodles right in the Instant Pot.
• Flexible and forgiving: Use whatever veggies you’ve got, swap noodles for rice or cauliflower, and tweak herbs to your vibe.
• Budget-friendly: You’re turning scraps into a craveable meal for a crowd.
• Balanced comfort: Plenty of protein, reasonable carbs, and loads of veggies. Blanket-in-a-bowl energy without the food coma.
• Kid-tested, adult-approved: Mild flavors with an option to boost spice for the heat lovers.

Shopping List – Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil (or butter)
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 ribs celery, diced
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced (optional but delish)
• 1½ teaspoons poultry seasoning (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme + ½ teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed)
• 2 bay leaves
• 8 cups low-sodium chicken or turkey broth
• 3 cups cooked turkey, shredded or chopped
• 1½ cups uncooked wide egg noodles (or 1 cup orzo/ditalini)
• 1 cup frozen peas (or corn)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice (fresh, for brightness)
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Optional flavor boosters: ½ cup leftover gravy, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, pinch red pepper flakes

Let’s Get Cooking – Instructions

1. Prep the Instant Pot: Set to Sauté (Normal). Add olive oil. When hot, add onion, celery, and carrots. Cook 3–4 minutes, stirring, until the onions start to soften.
2. Garlic + mushrooms: Stir in garlic and mushrooms. Sauté 1–2 minutes until fragrant. If anything sticks, deglaze with a splash of broth and scrape up the brown bits—those are flavor gold.
3. Season it: Add poultry seasoning (or thyme/rosemary), bay leaves, a generous pinch of salt, and black pepper. Stir to coat the veggies in the spices.
4. Load the pot: Add cooked turkey, broth, and any optional boosters like leftover gravy or Worcestershire. Stir well. Taste the liquid—it should be well seasoned now, not later.
5. Pressure cook: Lock the lid. Set to High Pressure for 5 minutes. It will take ~8–10 minutes to come to pressure.
6. Quick release: When the timer beeps, quick-release immediately. Carefully open the lid. Fish out and discard the bay leaves.
7. Add noodles + peas: Stir in egg noodles and frozen peas. Switch back to Sauté (Normal) and simmer 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until noodles are tender.
8. Finish: Stir in lemon juice and parsley. Taste and adjust salt/pepper. If the broth tastes shy, add another splash of lemon, a pinch of salt, or a dash of Worcestershire.
9. Rest and serve: Let the soup sit 3–5 minutes to marry flavors. Ladle into bowls and serve hot. Optional: top with extra parsley or cracked black pepper.
10. Pro tip: If you prefer firmer noodles, cook them separately on the stove and add to each bowl, then pour the hot soup over.

Keeping It Fresh

Refrigerate leftovers in airtight containers for 3–4 days. The noodles will keep soaking up broth as they sit, so don’t panic if tomorrow’s bowl looks thicker.

For best texture, store noodles separately if you plan to keep the soup more than a day. Cook them fresh and add to each serving as you reheat.

Want to freeze? Freeze without noodles for up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave, then add freshly cooked pasta, rice, or cauliflower rice.

Soup too thick on Day 2? Add a splash of broth or water while reheating to loosen it back up. Easy fix.

Nutritional Perks

• High in protein: Turkey brings serious muscle fuel without heavy calories.
• Veggie-packed: Carrots, celery, onions, and peas = fiber, vitamins, and color.
• Smart carbs: Use egg noodles, or swap for orzo, wild rice, or cauliflower rice to match your goals.
• Light but satisfying: About ~220 calories per 1½-cup serving (estimate), with ~22g protein, ~22g carbs, and ~6g fat. Numbers vary by brand.
• Low dairy, easy to adapt: Entirely dairy-free unless you add cream. Simple to make gluten-free.

Avoid These Mistakes

• Skipping the deglaze: Those browned bits equal flavor. A splash of broth and a quick scrape make a big difference.
• Pressure-cooking noodles: They’ll turn mushy fast. Add pasta after pressure and simmer on Sauté.
• Underseasoning the broth: Taste before pressure. Adjust salt and herbs early so the broth has backbone.
• Forgetting the quick release: Natural release adds time and can over-soften veggies. Quick release for best texture.
• Going wild with salty add-ins: Broth, gravy, and Worcestershire all bring salt. Start with low-sodium broth and season at the end.
• Adding dairy pre-pressure: Cream or milk can curdle under pressure. Stir it in after cooking if you go creamy.
• Using huge turkey chunks: Shred or chop bite-size so every spoonful eats clean and reheats evenly.
• Ignoring acid: A squeeze of lemon wakes everything up. Flat broth? Add acid, not more salt (IMO).

Alternatives

• Gluten-free: Swap egg noodles for gluten-free pasta, brown rice, or quinoa. Cook grains separately and add to bowls to avoid mush.
• Low-carb: Skip pasta and stir in 2 cups cauliflower rice after pressure. Simmer 2–3 minutes on Sauté.
• Creamy turkey soup: After pressure, stir in ½–1 cup half-and-half or evaporated milk. Thicken with a cornstarch slurry if you want it luxe.
• Wild rice version: Pressure wild rice separately (or use a pre-cooked pouch) and add to the soup after pressure. Wild rice takes longer than 30 minutes if cooked in-soup.
• Greek lemon-orzo twist: Use orzo, add extra lemon, dill, and a touch of garlic. Finish with egg-lemon (avgolemono) if you’re feeling fancy.
• Tex-Mex vibe: Add cumin, chili powder, corn, black beans, and finish with lime and cilantro. A little chipotle? Yes, chef.
• Stovetop or slow cooker: Stovetop: simmer 20–25 minutes, then add noodles until tender. Slow cooker: low 4–5 hours, stir in noodles for last 20–30 minutes (cook separately for best texture).

FAQ

Can I use chicken instead of turkey?

Absolutely. Any cooked chicken works—rotisserie, roasted, or leftovers. The method stays the same and the timing doesn’t change.

How do I prevent soggy noodles in leftovers?

Cook noodles separately and add them to each bowl before serving. If you already added pasta to the pot, store soup and noodles in separate containers and combine on reheat. FWIW, egg noodles swell a lot overnight.

Can I add raw turkey?

You can, but this recipe is designed for cooked leftovers. If using raw turkey pieces, cut into small chunks and pressure cook 7–8 minutes. Always confirm doneness before serving.

What if my turkey is frozen?

Frozen cooked turkey is fine. Add it straight in; the pot will take a bit longer to come to pressure, but 5 minutes under pressure is still plenty. Shred any large pieces after cooking.

How can I make the soup thicker?

Two easy options: stir in a cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water) while simmering on Sauté, or blend a cup of the soup and return it to the pot. Both give body without making it heavy.

Is this recipe dairy-free and gluten-free?

It’s dairy-free as written if you don’t add cream. For gluten-free, use GF noodles or rice and confirm your broth is certified gluten-free.

Can I use brown rice or wild rice in 30 minutes?

Not realistically when cooked in-soup. Pressure cook those grains separately or use a quick-cook pouch, then stir into the finished soup. That keeps your timeline tight and textures on point.

What herbs work best if I don’t have poultry seasoning?

Use dried thyme, rosemary (crushed), and a pinch of sage. Fresh parsley at the end adds brightness. Bay leaves are non-negotiable—they add depth fast.

How do I scale the recipe for a smaller Instant Pot?

If you have a 3-quart pot, halve everything and keep the timing the same. Just don’t exceed the max fill line, especially once you add noodles.

Can I add leftover gravy?

Yes, and it’s a secret weapon. Stir in up to ½ cup before pressure cooking for richer body and extra turkey flavor. Reduce added salt accordingly.

My Take

This is the kind of “why don’t we always cook like this?” recipe—fast, flexible, and way more satisfying than another turkey sandwich. The Instant Pot does the heavy lifting, the lemon and herbs keep it bright, and the noodles make it feel like a hug. You take tired leftovers, add a few pantry moves, and suddenly you’ve got a legit weeknight win. Keep this formula handy, because when the holidays end and the fridge is stacked, this soup is the move.