I don’t know about y’all, but I get pretty sick of Thanksgiving leftovers by the Saturday after, especially turkey. There are only so many turkey sandwiches I can eat. Granted, they’re delicious. But, I need some variety.
Rooted in Tradition
In my most recent article, I wrote about how I started new traditions for our family Thanksgiving all the way back in 2006. I also began another tradition for leftovers that year: turkey tortilla soup. I lived in Phoenix, Arizona for 16 years, and Mexican food is comfort for me. Tortilla soup is no exception. It’s heartwarming and cozy.
Turkey Tortilla Soup: Origin Story
Although the exact origin is unknown, it comes from the Mexico City region of Mexico. This soup is made with chicken broth combined with roasted tomatoes, chiles, onion, garlic, and fried corn tortilla strips. It is also known as “Sopa Azteca” (Aztec soup); it is theorized that the soup came about in prehistoric times and evolved with the blending of Spanish and Indigenous cultures.
Recipe Notes
Authentic tortilla soup does not typically have meat, so it can be either vegan or vegetarian if you substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth and leave off dairy-based toppings.
I lean towards a protein-based diet and like to add either shredded chicken, or in this case, leftover turkey. I also make my own turkey bone broth from the discarded bones of the smoked turkey my husband makes every year. It’s wildly delicious and extremely easy! I like to add black beans and chopped veggies to my soup base to make it heartier and more filling, but these are completely optional and will not detract from the soup if you don’t add them in.
Turkey Tortilla Soup
This is going to seem like a lot of steps and a lot of work. I promise you though, it’s not. Ideally, you can make it in one pot. And if you make your own turkey broth (recipe below), you can prepare that a day or two before making the soup. You can also use canned items in place of fresh to cut down on prep time — it will taste just as delicious.
Equipment:
- Instant Pot, slow cooker, or large pot
- Blender
- Medium or large frying pan (optional)
Ingredients:
- 2 quarts turkey bone broth or chicken broth (homemade or store-bought)
- 1 1/2 lbs fresh tomatoes cut in half or 2 28 oz. jars canned tomatoes
- 1 white or yellow onion split in half (half for roasting, the other half diced for the soup mixture)
- 1 – 2 whole fresh poblano or jalapeño peppers (can be halved and seeded for less heat)
- 2 whole garlic cloves plus 2 minced
- Shredded leftover turkey
- 1 16 oz can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 cup each chopped onion, carrot, celery (optional)
- Tortilla strips or chips (homemade or store-bought)
- Oil for frying
- Toppings: sour cream, shredded cheese, cilantro, avocado
Directions:
Set oven to broil setting. Place tomatoes (if using fresh), 1/2 of the onion, 2 garlic cloves, and chile(s) on a parchment-lined baking sheet and broil until veggies are soft and slightly charred, approximately 10-15 minutes depending on your oven. Once roasted, transfer to your blender, add enough broth to cover the veggies and blend on high until completely smooth.
Transfer contents from blender to stock pot, Instant Pot, or slow cooker, add remaining broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer. Add shredded turkey, minced garlic, black beans, and chopped veggies (if using), and allow to simmer until veggies are cooked through.
Serve while hot and top with sliced avocados, shredded cheese, sour cream, chopped cilantro, and of course, the tortilla strips or chips, and enjoy!
Homemade Turkey Bone Broth
What You’ll Need:
- Discarded turkey bones
- 3-4 fresh carrots washed and unpeeled, roughly chopped
- 3-4 fresh celery ribs washed and roughly chopped
- 1 medium yellow or white onion, peeled and quartered
- 4-6 whole garlic cloves peeled and roughly smashed or chopped
- Fresh or dried herbs to your liking
- Salt & Pepper to your liking
- Water
I like to use my Instant Pot to make broth, as it’s a much quicker process. I try to get as many of the bones into the pot as possible, then add the veggies, herbs, garlic, salt, pepper, and water. I usually have quite a bit of fresh thyme, rosemary, and sage from the other recipes I’ve made for Thanksgiving, so this is a great way to use them up and reduce waste.
If using an Instant Pot, I typically do about 30 minutes on the soup setting and let it slow release. Once the broth is done, discard bones and veggies, strain broth into a large bowl or container, allow to cool, then transfer to mason jars or a large storage container until you need to use it for your tortilla soup!
