Turkey pot pie soup takes everything you love about classic pot pie and turns it into an easy, comforting soup. It's packed with turkey, vegetables, and a creamy broth that tastes like home.
This recipe is perfect for using leftover turkey, especially after the holidays. Pair it with pie crust crackers (bonus recipe below) or biscuits for a simple, satisfying meal.
What's great about this recipe
- This soup comes together with simple steps and everyday ingredients, making it great for lunch or a weeknight dinner.
- It turns leftover turkey and basic pantry ingredients into a satisfying, budget-friendly meal.
- Mild flavors, tender veggies, and a creamy broth make this a hit with both kids and adults.
Ingredients you'll need
🍗 Turkey - Use cooked boneless, skinless turkey, either diced or shredded. White meat gives the soup a mild flavor, while dark meat adds a deeper, more robust taste.
🥕 Vegetables - Onion, carrots, and celery create the classic soup base and add plenty of flavor. Fresh garlic adds depth, and frozen peas bring color and a familiar pot-pie touch.
🧈 Dairy - Butter and whole milk (or half-and-half) are used to make a simple white sauce that gives the soup its creamy texture.
🥣 Pantry - Chicken broth forms the base of the soup, while all-purpose flour helps thicken it.
🧂 Seasoning - Dried thyme, rosemary, salt, and black pepper season the soup simply and complement the turkey and vegetables without overpowering them.
📖 See the recipe card for quantities and preparation.
How to make turkey pot pie soup
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the onions, carrots, and celery. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper, cook for 1 minute, stir often.
- Add the chicken broth to the pot and stir well. Raise the heat, bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes, stir occasionally.
- Add the cooked turkey, cover, and continue cooking for 15 minutes. Keep it over medium-low heat; it should return to a simmer after a few minutes.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook 2 minutes, stirring often. Whisk in the milk until smooth. Cook 4-5 minutes; once it simmers, reduce the heat to medium-low and stir often. Remove from the heat.
- Add the white sauce to the soup and stir vigorously until fully incorporated.
- Add the peas, stir, and keep the soup over medium-low heat. Cover and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Taste and add salt if needed. As a reference, we added ¼ teaspoon to ours. Serve and enjoy.
Easy Pie Crust Crackers
Some say the best part of pot pie is the crust, and I agree. These simple pie crust crackers are a great way to bring that same flavor to this soup.
Ingredients
1 refrigerated pie crust (from a standard 2-pack)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Unroll one pie crust and lay it flat on a cutting board.
- Use small biscuit cutters, vegetable or cookie cutters to cut out shapes, or use a sharp knife to cut square pieces.
- Arrange the pieces on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Take the tip of a paring knife or a small cocktail fork and dock the pieces (lightly prick them) to help prevent puffing as they bake.
- Bake for 5-8 minutes, or until golden. Let cool before serving; they will continue to crisp as they cool.
Recipe tips and notes
- Use low-sodium ingredients if you're sensitive to salt. Choose low-sodium broth and unsalted butter. You can always add salt at the end if needed.
- Do not leave the sauce unattended. Milk and cream can boil over quickly.
- Defrost the peas first. Letting them warm slightly before adding prevents them from cooling down the soup.
- Simmering store-bought broth with the sautéed vegetables, then with the turkey, gives the soup a more "homemade" taste. Take the time to let the flavors develop.
Storing and reheating
Refrigerate: Store the soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Freeze: To freeze, cool the soup completely and transfer it to an airtight, freezer-safe container. Leave 1-2 inches of space at the top to allow for expansion. Label and date the container, then freeze for 2-3 months.
Reheat: Stovetop - Warm the soup in a covered saucepan over medium-low to low heat, stirring occasionally, until it reaches at least 165°F. Microwave - Transfer to a microwave-safe bowl and cover loosely. Heat on high in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until hot.
Food Safety: As per USDA recommendations, do not leave cooked food out for longer than two hours, or for more than one hour if the ambient temperature is above 90°F. Reheat leftovers to an internal temperature of at least 165°F. For more information on food storage and safety guidelines, visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture and foodsafety.gov.
If you find yourself with more leftover turkey on hand, here are a few great ways to use it. Try a classic turkey tetrazzini, or make turkey and rice casserole for a simple, comforting dinner. For more soup options, turkey barley soup is warm and satisfying, and turkey lentil soup is a wholesome choice that always hits the spot.
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📖 Recipe
Turkey Pot Pie Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 medium Onion finely diced
- 2 Carrots sliced into rounds or half rounds (about 1 cup)
- 2 Celery Ribs sliced
- 3-4 Garlic Cloves minced
- ¼ teaspoon Dried Thyme
- ⅛ teaspoon Dried Rosemary
- ¼ teaspoon Salt plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 4 cups Chicken Broth
- 12-14 ounces Cooked Turkey skinless, boneless, cut into small cubes or shredded
- ½ cup Frozen Peas defrosted (cook about half the time suggested on the package)
- 2 tablespoons Butter
- 2 tablespoons All-Purpose Flour
- 1 cup Whole Milk or Half-and-Half
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the onions, carrots, and celery. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine and cook for 1 minute, stirring often.
- Add the chicken broth to the pot and stir while gently scrapping any bits off the bottom of the pot.
- Raise the heat to medium-high and bring the soup to a boil (about 3-4 minutes). Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Keep the liquid at a gentle simmer, adjusting the heat as needed.
- Add the cooked turkey, cover, and continue cooking for 15 minutes. Keep it over medium-low heat; it should return to a simmer after a few minutes.
Make the White Sauce
- While the soup cooks, melt the butter in a small or medium saucepan over medium heat. When it's melted and foamy, add the flour and stir until fully incorporated.
- Cook the mixture for 2 minutes, stirring almost constantly, to cook out the raw flour taste.
- Slowly add the milk while whisking. Stir until the sauce is smooth. Continue cooking for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once it begins to simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low and stir often.
- Do not leave the sauce unattended. Milk and cream can boil over quickly.
- Take the sauce off the heat and give it a stir every so often while the soup finishes simmering.
Finish the Soup
- Add the white sauce to the soup and stir vigorously until fully incorporated.
- Add the peas, stir, and keep the soup over medium-low heat. Cover and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Taste and adjust the salt as needed. As a reference, we added ¼ teaspoon to ours.
Notes
- White or dark meat both work. White meat gives the soup a milder flavor, while dark meat adds a more robust turkey taste. Use whichever you prefer or mix the two.
- Use low-sodium ingredients if you're sensitive to salt. Choose low-sodium broth and unsalted butter. You can always add salt at the end if needed.
- Defrost the peas first. Letting them warm slightly before adding prevents them from cooling down the soup.
- Simmering store-bought broth with the sautéed vegetables, then with the turkey, gives the soup a more "homemade" taste. Take the time to let the flavors develop.
- We serve the soup with little pie crust crackers. You'll find the recipe in the post if you'd like to make them, too.
Nutrition
The nutritional information above is computer generated and is only an estimate. There is no guarantee that it is accurate. This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.
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