The yearly challenge in the days after Thanksgiving is how to tastefully reinvent all the leftovers hogging up the room in your fridge. One of the easiest meals to turn leftover meat into is soup. I was feeling creative and wanted to see what I could come up with using my "inventory reduction" method. I already had everything on hand with the exception of the spinach - which I thought would complete the "Christmasy" look of the soup. This was the first time we had tried tortellini in soup, but the kids all loved it and asked for a second bowl! There is just something decadent about the delicate cheesy noodle pillows that are tortellini... Bonus - it was REALLY quick to make!
Turkey Tortellini Soup
2 T. Butter
1 Large onion, chopped
3 Cloves of garlic, minced
2 ½ Quarts chicken broth
2 Cups chopped Leftover Thanksgiving turkey (or however meaty you want it)
1 Pint grape or cherry tomatoes (cut into thirds)
1 Package frozen cheese tortellini (I used 19 oz.)
6 oz. Fresh spinach (or however much you want)
1 tsp. Italian Seasoning
½ tsp. Black pepper
Grated Parmesan Cheese
Melt butter in soup pot, saute onion until tender, add
garlic and cook for an additional minute.
Pour in the chicken broth, chopped turkey, and tomatoes and bring to a boil.
Add tortellini and cook for about 3-4 minutes. Reduce heat and add spinach, Italian Seasoning, and pepper. Cook for another minute, just until spinach has wilted. Remove from heat and serve topped with grated Parmesan cheese.
In an alternate universe...
My ham leftover go to is Wild Rice Soup. We have tried lots of different versions of Wild Rice Soup and keep coming back to this recipe smash up I created years ago! This soup is a little more of a labor of love than the tortellini soup, but well worth the wait! I typically double the recipe and freeze the second batch - wonderful to have on hand during the winter.
Melt some butter and saute some chopped up green onions...
some mushrooms...
and carrots...
until lovely and golden!
Stir in 1/3 cup flour and cook for a couple minutes...
it will be thick and bubbly.
Then stir in some chicken broth...
add in your leftover Thanksgiving ham...
and cooked wild rice...
then add some half and half and heat through. Serve topped with some green onions, bacon bits, and The Pioneer Woman's Buttered Rosemary Rolls....YUMMM!
Wild Rice Soup
2 C. Cooked wild rice
6 T. Butter
4-5 Green onions, chopped, separated
1 C. Carrot, shredded
1 (8-oz.) Carton fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/3 C. Flour
4 C. Chicken broth
1 C. Ham, diced (or however meaty you want it)
1/4 tsp. Black pepper
1 C. Half and half (or milk)
Bacon bits
Cook wild rice according to the package instructions so that you end up with approximately 2 cups of cooked rice (I've learned through experience they DO NOT all cook the same). Meanwhile, in a soup kettle, melt the butter over medium heat and saute 3 of the chopped onions, shredded carrots, and sliced mushrooms until tender - about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook another 2-3 minutes until thick and bubbling. Slowly add in the chicken broth while continuing to stir. Cook until slightly thickened. Reduce heat to low and add in the ham, pepper, and cooked wild rice. Cover and simmer until ham is heated through. Add the half and half and heat through - do not boil! Serve garnished with the reserved onions and bacon bits.
Side note - you can totally make this soup by substituting pre-sliced fresh or canned mushrooms, cooked, cubed ham, shredded carrots, canned wild rice...all of it - and still make the same thing.
The other great thing about this soup is that if you want it thinner you can always add more half and half, milk, or chicken broth to thin it out. It will get thicker as it sits or if you freeze it.
ENJOY!
