Turkey Curry Soup
Thanksgiving has passed and I still had a few leftovers to use. The family ate well the next day and some of the food went off to school with them, but I saved the turkey carcass to make soup. With only a small amount of turkey meat remaining, I made two different soups: a vibrant turkey curry soup and a classic turkey noodle soup. Here I’ll share the curry version I prepared.
This turkey curry soup was exactly what I wanted after a heavy Thanksgiving meal. It’s not hot-spicy but full of bright, layered flavor. The original recipe called for kabocha squash, which I haven’t used before, and my store didn’t have it on that rainy, cold day. I chose sweet potatoes as a substitute because kabocha is described as sweet and firm, and sweet potatoes offer a similar texture and natural sweetness. They worked perfectly.
The broth is a simple, comforting combination of coconut milk and water, boosted with red curry paste and fish sauce. I had about a cup of turkey stock left from the noodle soup I made, so I used that along with water—roughly one cup of stock to three cups of water. If you have more turkey stock, use it; if not, plain water is fine. Using leftover turkey broth enhances the soup, but the coconut and curry keep it flavorful either way.
Start by sautéing the sweet potato pieces in oil and red curry paste so they pick up a little caramelization and curry flavor. Then add the coconut milk, fish sauce, and water or stock and simmer until the potatoes are tender. Stir in shredded turkey at the end and finish the soup with fresh lime juice and a generous handful of chopped cilantro and basil. The result leans Thai in flavor—bright, slightly sweet, and aromatic. It was delicious and disappeared quickly.
I’ll share the turkey noodle soup next, but if you enjoy curry and coconut milk, give this turkey curry soup a try. It’s an excellent, unexpected way to use leftover turkey and offers a refreshing change from typical post-Thanksgiving dishes.
Best, Kelly
Turkey Curry Soup
About four generous servings
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1½-inch pieces
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce
- 4 cups water or turkey stock, or a combination of both
- 1–3 cups shredded leftover roasted turkey
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- Handful of chopped cilantro and basil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan or soup pot. Add the red curry paste and sweet potatoes and cook over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes, stirring, until the potatoes pick up some caramelization. The curry paste may sputter when it hits the oil, so take care.
- Stir in the coconut milk, fish sauce, and 4 cups of water or turkey stock. Scrape up any browned bits, then cover and simmer until the sweet potatoes are tender, about 10–15 minutes.
- Add the shredded turkey, lime juice, and herbs. Season with salt and pepper, tasting and adjusting seasoning as needed.
- Ladle into bowls and garnish with lime wedges, cilantro sprigs, and extra fresh basil.
*Adapted from Food & Wine.
