Got Turkey Leftovers? Make This Easy, Lemony Slow-Cooker Soup

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Why It Works

  • Turkey wings, plus a mix of white and dark meats, help build the foundation for a flavorful broth.
  • Leftover white or flat, sparkling wine and a lemon half provide a hit of acidity, while fragrant bay leaves, thyme, and a bit of poultry seasoning keep the soup classic.
  • Israeli couscous soaks up the flavor of the broth while maintaining its invitingly chewy texture.

Stuffed with turkey and ready to catch that afternoon nap? Go ahead, but before you hit the sack for the night, throw together this easy turkey, lemon, and couscous soup for pitch-perfect next-day comfort food. And for even more leftover turkey soup variations, check out this turkey and chile verde stew or turkey andouille gumbo.

All this recipe takes is a quick sauté of some chopped mirepoix (carrots, onions, and celery), some chicken or turkey stock, bay leaves, thyme, some lemon, and some leftover wine or—gasp!—flat Champagne. A dash of poultry seasoning and Worcestershire sauce round out the profile of the broth. Throw in some Israeli couscous at the end and you’re ready for lunch.

November 2014

Got Turkey Leftovers? Make This Easy, Lemony Slow-Cooker Soup



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  • 2 cooked turkey wings, including bones and skin

  • 1 1/2 cups cooked turkey meat, preferably dark and light

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped

  • 1 rib celery, finely chopped

  • 1 medium onion (6 ounces; 170g)

  • 2 medium cloves garlic, minced

  • 2 bay leaves

  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme

  • 1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning

  • 1/2 lemon

  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

  • 6 cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken or turkey stock

  • 1 cup (240ml) dry white wine or leftover dry sparkling wine

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 1/2 cup pearl couscous

  • 1/4 cup minced flat-leaf parsley or cilantro

  1. Place turkey wings and meat in the bowl of a slow cooker.

  2. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add carrot, celery, and onion and sauté, stirring often, until vegetables start to soften, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and continue cooking, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute longer.

  3. Transfer vegetables to slow cooker along with bay leaves, thyme, poultry seasoning, lemon, Worcestershire sauce, stock, and wine. Season with salt and pepper, cover and cook on low setting for 6 1/2 hours.

  4. Remove turkey and pull meat from bones. Discard skin and bones and return meat to slow cooker. Add couscous and continue cooking until couscous is tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours longer.

  5. Discard bay leaves, thyme sprigs, and lemon half. Taste and adjust seasonings, if needed. Ladle into bowls, garnish with herbs and serve.

Special Equipment

Slow cooker, Dutch oven

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