Leftover Turkey Stew For Two

If you are searching for recipes to use leftover turkey from your holiday meal, you will love this Leftover Turkey Stew recipe. Thick and hearty stew filled with hearty vegetables and tender bits of turkey that will leave you feeling full and satisfied.

Best of all it is a quick and easy recipe that is ready to eat in only 30 minutes! And after a big holiday who couldn’t use an easy recipe like that?

Not to mention that you most likely have the majority of the ingredients already in your kitchen, especially if you just hosted Thanksgiving dinner. Once the turkey, vegetables and seasonings cook in the delicious broth you will have a warm and hearty dinner that was made with minimal effort.

Just like most soup and stew recipes, including our favorite Beef Vegetable Soup, we will start by softening the onions in butter. This will not only allow the onions to release their natural sugars and provide more flavor to the stew, it will also help break down their texture, making them less noticeable in the stew.

Then before adding the turkey and vegetables, the seasonings are added to the hot pot. As they heat the spices will intensify and provide more flavor to the stew.

Then the remaining ingredients are added and left to simmer until the vegetables become nice and tender. However before the stew is ready to be served, a little heavy cream is added to broth.

Then you will have a delicious, creamy stew that was made from leftovers.

What Vegetables Are In Leftover Turkey Stew

When it comes to making stews there some vegetables that are commonly included in the mixture. And this Turkey Stew recipe includes them as well.

Potatoes: Potatoes add a hearty and filling element to turkey stew. They also help to thicken the broth.

Carrots: Carrots add a touch of sweetness and a pop of color to the stew. However, instead of using standard long carrots which are rarely found in kitchens these days, baby carrots are used instead.

Celery: Celery adds a subtle flavor and a slight crunch to turkey stew. And after making Thanksgiving dressing, I always have extra in the house this time of the year.

Onions: Onions add a savory flavor to turkey stew. They also help to caramelize and deepen the flavor of the broth once they soften in the butter.

Garlic: Garlic adds a little more flavor to the broth. However, if you aren’t a garlic lover, you can certainly leave it out.  

Although the above vegetables make up the base of most stews, including this Crock Pot Chicken Stew recipe, there are other vegetables that can be added as well. The most common additions include:

• Green beans
• Peas
• Corn

However, it is easier to add them as frozen vegetables rather than adding them fresh. This will ensure that all the vegetables cook at the same rate, and in under 30 minutes.

The Difference Between Soup and Stew

The main difference between leftover turkey soup and turkey stew is the consistency. Turkey soup is typically thinner and contains more broth, while turkey stew is thicker and more hearty.

That is because stew includes larger vegetables and chunks of meat when compared to standard soup recipes where small diced vegetables and meat are commonly added to the broth.

Another difference between turkey soup and turkey stew is the cooking time. Turkey soup can be cooked relatively quickly, while turkey stew needs to be cooked a little longer to ensure that the larger vegetables become are tender.

In addition, stew recipes often call for heavy cream or some sort of milk product to be added towards the end of the cooking process. This will not only turn the broth creamy it also helps to thicken the stew.

Steps To Make Leftover Turkey Stew

1. Prepare The Turkey and Vegetables – Because this recipe comes together quickly it is important to cut the cooked turkey and raw vegetables before getting started.

2. Saute The Onions & Garlic – In a medium stockpot add the butter. Once it melts, saute the onions until translucent. Then add the garlic and stir until fragrant.

3. Saute The Seasonings – To get the most flavor from your seasonings, saute them in the pot for a minute. You will immediately begin to smell the aroma of the poultry seasoning and rosemary.

This step is also important because you will add the flour here as well. This is what is used as the primary thickener for the broth.

4. Add The Broth, Turkey & Raw Vegetables – Once the flour forms a roux, stir in the broth until the mixture is smooth, then add the turkey and chopped vegetables.

5. Simmer – Let the mixture simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the vegetables are just fork tender.

6. Add The Frozen Vegetables – Now is the time to pull out the bag of frozen mixed vegetables and add them to the hot broth.

7. Pour In The Heavy Cream – Reduce the heat and stir in the heavy cream to thicken the broth and make it nice and creamy.

Leftover Turkey Stew Recipe For Two

*A printable recipe card is located at the bottom of this article which contains the specific measurements, temperatures and cook times. However, continue reading below to learn about more helpful tips about this specific recipe.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 small onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoon flour
• 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups halved baby potatoes halved
• 1 carrot cut into 1″ chunks
• 1 rib celery cut into 1″ chunks
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 1/2 – 2 cups cooked turkey
• 1/2 cup frozen mixed vegetables (corn, peas, green beans), thawed
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• salt & pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS TO MAKE LEFTOVER TURKEY STEW

Heat butter in a medium size pot over medium heat. Once the butter melts add the onions and cook for 3-4 minutes.

Then add the minced garlic to the pot. Stir constantly and saute for 30 seconds – 1 minute, or until fragrant.

Add flour, poultry seasoning and rosemary to the pot and cook for one minute. Then add the chicken broth and whisk until smooth.

Add the potatoes, carrots, celery, and bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.

Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

Add the turkey and frozen vegetables to the pot. Cover and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the cream. Heat for an additional 5 minutes.

Discard the bay leaf and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Serve warm.

Enjoy! Mary

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