This is the soup I make when the weather turns wet and the fridge holds the last of the holiday turkey. It is warm, uncomplicated, and deeply satisfying. You get a silky, savory broth with tender shreds of turkey, sweet pops of cranberry, and soft, herby stuffing dumplings that soak up flavor like a sponge. It tastes familiar, but it is not just another bowl of leftovers. It is a complete meal that makes people go quiet for a minute while they just breathe and taste.
You do not need special equipment or a big production to pull this off. If you can simmer a pot and stir, you are already most of the way there. The steps are straightforward, and the timing is friendly. Most of the work is simple chopping and shaping dumplings. The rest is letting the pot do its job.
If you have ever wondered what to do with leftover stuffing beyond heating it in the oven, this soup answers that question. The dumplings turn yesterday’s side into soft, savory bites that float on top and then slowly soak in broth. No one has to know they started as leftovers, and you get a pleasant texture contrast without trouble.
Below you will find a complete recipe with equipment, times, a clear ingredient list in U.S. and metric units, and step by step instructions. Before that, I will explain what makes the soup work, which ingredients matter most, how to adjust seasoning, and how to store, freeze, or scale the recipe. If you are in a hurry, you can jump straight to the recipe. If you have a little time, these notes will help you make the most of what you have.
Why This Soup Works
The heart of the soup is good stock. Turkey stock gives you depth that water never will. The aromatics build sweetness and roundness. A small beurre manié, which is just equal parts soft butter and flour worked into a paste, tightens the broth so it feels silky without turning heavy. You end up with body and shine, not glue. The stuffing dumplings bring comfort and a soft chew that is different from noodles or rice. Dried cranberries add a gentle tart sweetness that wakes up the savory base. It is a quiet balance: savory, a touch sweet, and fresh with herbs.
The method is also forgiving. You sauté the vegetables, simmer the broth, stir in the turkey, and cook the dumplings directly in the pot. The dumplings release a little starch as they cook, which blends nicely with the beurre manié to give the broth a smooth finish. If the soup ever feels too thick, you thin it with stock or water. If it feels too light, you add a bit more beurre manié and simmer a few minutes more.
Key Ingredients And Smart Substitutions
Stock
Homemade turkey stock is ideal, but boxed chicken stock works well if that is what you have. Aim for low sodium so you can season to taste. If your stock tastes flat, a small splash of apple cider or a squeeze of lemon at the end brightens the pot without turning it sour.
Turkey
Use any cooked turkey you have. Light meat stays lean and firm. Dark meat brings richness and a softer bite. A mix is best. Chop or shred into bite size pieces so it blends into the soup instead of sitting in chunks.
Aromatics
Onion, carrot, and celery form the base. They sweeten the broth as they soften. Garlic gives the background. If you are short an item, the soup still works. Add a little more of what you have. If you like mushrooms, you can add a cup of sliced mushrooms during the sauté for earthiness.
Herbs And Seasoning
Dried thyme and dried sage fit turkey like a glove. A couple of bay leaves keep the flavors grounded. Salt and black pepper pull it all together. Taste as you go. If your stuffing is strongly seasoned, go gentle at the start and correct at the end.
Beurre Manié
This is a paste of soft butter and all purpose flour kneaded together. You stir a little into the simmering soup to give it a silky, spoon coating feel. It is hard to mess up. Add half, simmer, and see how it looks. Add a bit more if needed. If you have to avoid dairy, you can use a neutral oil and flour roux cooked in a small skillet and then whisked in. The flavor is slightly different but still good.
Stuffing Dumplings
Leftover stuffing is the base. Eggs bind. A little flour and baking powder give lift so the dumplings puff. Fresh parsley brings brightness. If your stuffing is very moist, you may add a spoon or two of flour. If it is very dry, a splash of broth will help it hold together. The dumplings cook right in the soup, which saves time and dishes.
If you do not have stuffing, you can make quick herbed bread dumplings using dry bread cubes, eggs, milk or broth, parsley, and flour. I include that variation below.
Dried Cranberries
They are optional, but I like the sweet tart pop they bring. Use a small amount so they do not take over. You can also use chopped dried cherries if that is what you keep on hand, or skip them entirely for a purely savory bowl.
Technique Notes That Make A Difference
Sweat The Vegetables, Do Not Rush
Give the onion, carrot, and celery at least 8 to 10 minutes in a bit of oil with a pinch of salt over medium heat. Stir now and then. You want them soft and glossy with a little sweetness. Browning is fine in spots, but you do not need a hard sear. This step builds most of the flavor you will taste later.
Season In Layers
Start with a light hand because both stock and stuffing carry salt. Add a teaspoon of salt to the vegetables to help them soften and taste like something. Taste again after the stock simmers. Taste again after the dumplings cook. Adjust at the end when everything is in the pot and the liquid has reduced a bit.
Add Beurre Manié In Stages
Stir in half, simmer for 5 minutes, and check the body. You are looking for a gentle sheen and a broth that lightly coats a spoon. If you want thicker, add another spoonful and simmer again. It is easier to add more than to thin a soup that got too tight.
Keep The Simmer Gentle
Once the dumplings go in, keep the pot at a steady but gentle simmer. A rolling boil can break dumplings apart. A lidded pot helps hold a steady simmer and keeps moisture from evaporating too fast.
Shape And Chill Dumplings
Form small dumplings about the size of a rounded tablespoon or a walnut. Chill them for 15 minutes on a sheet pan while the soup simmers. Chilling helps them hold shape when they hit the heat.
How To Fit This Soup Into Your Week
You can spread the work. Make the stock a day or two ahead. Mix and shape the dumplings in the morning and keep them chilled. The soup itself comes together in about an hour, most of it hands off. Leftovers hold well for three days and reheat nicely on the stove over low heat with a splash of water or stock.
This also freezes well if you freeze the soup without dumplings. The dumplings are best cooked fresh in the reheated broth or frozen separately on a sheet pan and then bagged. They cook straight from frozen in a few extra minutes.
Flavor Variations
- Add a handful of chopped kale or Swiss chard during the last 10 minutes for a green note.
- Stir in a half cup of frozen peas right before serving for bright sweetness.
- Replace half the turkey with cooked white beans for a heartier bowl.
- Swap dried cranberries for diced roasted butternut squash for a mellow, sweet bite.
- Finish with a spoon of chopped fresh herbs, like parsley or chives, for freshness.
- Add a small splash of cream at the very end if you want a richer finish. Keep it modest so the soup stays balanced.
Make It Gluten Free Or Dairy Free
- Gluten free: use a gluten free flour blend for the beurre manié and for the dumplings. Check your stuffing. If it is not gluten free, make the quick breadless dumpling variation with cooked rice and egg instead, or use a gluten free bread stuffing base if you have it.
- Dairy free: replace the butter in the beurre manié with neutral oil and make a small stovetop roux. The soup will be a touch less glossy, but the body is similar.
Troubleshooting
- Soup too thin: add another teaspoon of beurre manié, simmer 5 minutes, and check again. Repeat as needed.
- Soup too thick: add warm stock or water a quarter cup at a time. Stir and taste for salt after thinning.
- Dumplings fall apart: they were too wet or the simmer was too vigorous. Next time add another tablespoon of flour to the dumpling mix and keep the pot at a gentle simmer.
- Soup tastes flat: add a small squeeze of lemon or a teaspoon of apple cider. Taste for salt. Also check that your herbs are fresh. Old dried herbs lose punch.
Storage And Reheating
Cool the soup quickly. Store in covered containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat slowly over low to medium heat until hot. Add a splash of water if it tightened in the fridge. If you plan to freeze, freeze the broth and turkey without dumplings for up to 3 months. Reheat to a simmer, mix a fresh batch of dumplings, and cook them right in the hot soup.
Scaling The Recipe
This recipe scales up and down easily. To serve a crowd, double everything and use a large 8 to 10 quart pot. To cook for two, halve the ingredients, use a 4 quart pot, and keep the dumplings small so they cook evenly. The simmer times stay about the same. Taste for seasoning at the end and adjust.
The Recipe
Required Equipment
- 6 quart heavy pot with lid
- Cutting board and knife
- Wooden spoon or heat safe spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Small bowl for beurre manié
- Mixing bowl for dumplings
- Sheet pan or plate for chilling dumplings
Prep Time
- Active prep: 25 minutes
- Simmer and cooking time: 45 minutes
- Total time: about 1 hour 10 minutes
Yield
- Serves 8 as a main course
Ingredients
For The Soup
- Olive oil, 1 tablespoon
- Yellow onion, 1 large, diced small, about 2 cups
- Carrots, 2 medium, diced small, about 1 cup
- Celery, 2 ribs, diced small, about 1 cup
- Garlic, 3 cloves, minced
- Low sodium turkey or chicken stock, 8 cups
- Cooked turkey, shredded or chopped, 3 cups, about 12 ounces
- Dried thyme, 1 teaspoon
- Dried sage, 1 teaspoon
- Bay leaves, 2
- Fine salt, 1 to 1.5 teaspoons to start, plus more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, 0.5 teaspoon
- Dried cranberries, 0.5 cup, optional
- Lemon wedge or apple cider, optional, for finishing
Metric
- Olive oil, 15 milliliters
- Yellow onion, 300 grams
- Carrots, 130 grams
- Celery, 100 grams
- Garlic, 15 grams
- Stock, 1.9 liters
- Cooked turkey, 340 grams
- Dried thyme, 1 gram
- Dried sage, 1 gram
- Bay leaves, 2
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper, 2 grams
- Dried cranberries, 60 grams, optional
Beurre Manié
- Unsalted butter, softened, 3 tablespoons
- All purpose flour, 3 tablespoons
Metric
- Unsalted butter, 42 grams
- All purpose flour, 24 grams
Stuffing Dumplings
- Leftover stuffing, 4 cups, crumbled if needed
- Eggs, 2 large
- All purpose flour, 0.5 cup, plus 1 to 2 tablespoons if needed
- Baking powder, 1 teaspoon
- Fresh parsley, chopped, 2 tablespoons
- Turkey stock or water, 2 to 4 tablespoons as needed
- Fine salt and black pepper, a pinch each, only if your stuffing is very mild
Metric
- Leftover stuffing, 520 grams
- Eggs, 2 large
- All purpose flour, 60 grams, plus up to 15 grams if needed
- Baking powder, 4 grams
- Fresh parsley, 6 grams
- Stock or water, 30 to 60 milliliters
- Salt and pepper to taste if needed
Preparation Instructions
- Start The Base
Set a 6 quart pot over medium heat. Add olive oil. When it shimmers, add onion, carrot, and celery with a small pinch of salt. Cook, stirring now and then, until the vegetables are soft and glossy, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. - Season And Simmer
Stir in dried thyme and dried sage. Add bay leaves. Pour in the stock. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook 15 minutes. Taste the broth and add salt and pepper as needed. If you plan to use dried cranberries, stir them in now so they have time to plump. - Add Turkey
Stir in the shredded turkey. Keep the simmer gentle and cook 10 minutes more so the turkey warms through and the flavors meld. - Make The Beurre Manié
While the soup simmers, mash the softened butter and flour together in a small bowl with a spoon until no dry flour remains. It should look like a soft paste. This will thicken the soup later. - Mix The Dumplings
In a mixing bowl, combine the leftover stuffing, eggs, flour, baking powder, and parsley. Use your hands or a spoon to blend. If the mixture feels dry and crumbly, add stock or water a tablespoon at a time until it holds together when squeezed. If it feels very sticky, add a tablespoon of flour. Taste a small pinch. If your stuffing is quite mild, add a small pinch of salt and pepper. Do not overwork. You want the mixture just cohesive. - Shape And Chill
Scoop rounded tablespoon portions and roll into balls about 1.5 inches wide. Set on a plate or sheet pan. You should get 20 to 24 dumplings. Chill in the fridge for 15 minutes while the soup continues to simmer. This helps them hold shape. - Thicken The Broth
Stir half the beurre manié into the simmering soup in small bits. Stir well so it dissolves. Simmer 5 minutes. Check the body. You are looking for broth that lightly coats a spoon. If you want thicker, add another spoonful of beurre manié and simmer again. Save any remaining paste in case you want a final small adjustment after the dumplings cook. - Cook The Dumplings
Bring the soup back to a steady but gentle simmer. Carefully lower in the chilled dumplings one by one. They will float as they cook. Cover the pot and maintain a gentle simmer for 12 to 14 minutes. Check one dumpling by cutting in half. It should be set through with no raw flour taste. If needed, cook 2 minutes more. - Final Seasoning
Taste the broth. Add salt and pepper if needed. If the flavor feels a little heavy, finish with a small squeeze of lemon or a teaspoon of apple cider. Remove bay leaves. - Serve
Ladle soup into warm bowls, making sure each bowl gets a few dumplings and turkey. Serve hot.
Optional Quick Dumpling Variation Without Stuffing
If you do not have leftover stuffing, use this simple mix:
- Dry bread cubes, 4 cups, about 200 grams
- Warm milk or stock, 0.75 cup, 180 milliliters
- Eggs, 2 large
- All purpose flour, 0.5 cup, 60 grams
- Baking powder, 1 teaspoon, 4 grams
- Fresh parsley, 2 tablespoons, 6 grams
- Fine salt, 0.5 teaspoon, 3 grams
- Black pepper, 0.25 teaspoon, 1 gram
Combine bread cubes and warm milk or stock. Let sit 5 minutes until softened. Mix in eggs, flour, baking powder, parsley, salt, and pepper. Shape, chill, and cook as in the main recipe. These dumplings are lighter and less herby than stuffing dumplings, but they take to the soup very well.
Serving Size
- About 8 servings
- Plan on 2 to 3 dumplings per bowl
Nutritional Information Per Serving
Estimated values for 1 of 8 servings with 2 to 3 dumplings, using the main recipe with dried cranberries:
- Calories: about 360 to 420
- Protein: about 20 to 25 grams
- Carbohydrates: about 35 to 45 grams
- Fat: about 12 to 16 grams
- Fiber: about 3 to 4 grams
- Sodium: varies widely based on stock and stuffing salt. Expect about 700 to 950 milligrams if using low sodium stock and moderately seasoned stuffing.
These are estimates only. Exact numbers depend on your stock, turkey cuts, and the makeup of your stuffing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make the dumplings ahead?
Yes. Shape them, set on a sheet pan, and chill up to 24 hours loosely covered. For longer storage, freeze until firm, then bag. Cook from frozen in simmering soup. Add 2 to 3 minutes to the cooking time.
Can I skip the beurre manié?
You can. The soup will be a bit lighter and more brothy. If you want some body without butter, whisk 2 teaspoons of cornstarch into 2 tablespoons of cold water and stir that in at a simmer. Let it cook a minute or two to clear.
Can I use chicken instead of turkey?
Yes. The method is the same. The flavor will be milder. A small extra pinch of dried sage helps bring back some of that holiday profile.
How do I keep the dumplings from getting soggy in leftovers?
Store dumplings in one container and broth in another if you can. When reheating, add dumplings to hot soup and warm gently. If stored together, the dumplings soak up more broth, which some people like. Either way is fine.
What if my stuffing has sausage or nuts?
That is fine. Sausage makes a heartier dumpling. Nuts add pleasant texture. Taste the dumpling mixture before adding salt, since sausage can be salty.
Cook’s Notes From An Oregon Kitchen
Rainy afternoons define the season here. This soup fits those days. It is not flashy, and that is part of its charm. The aromatics soften and smell sweet. The stock lifts little curls of steam. You stir in the turkey and watch the broth turn slightly opaque. Dumplings bob to the surface and wait. If the windows fog a little, you are on track.
Use what you have, and let the soup be relaxed about it. If your stuffing is heavy on herbs, the dumplings will taste robust. If it is mostly bread with a few onions, they will be mild and you can lean a touch more on thyme. If your stock is strong, thin it a bit. If it is mild, simmer a few minutes longer. Good soup cooking is mostly small choices like that, tasted out in the moment.
When the soup is done, let it sit off heat for 5 minutes before ladling. That brief rest lets the bubbles settle so the broth clears a little and the dumplings firm. It also gives you a moment to warm the bowls. Hot bowls keep soup at its best, especially on cold nights.
If you plan to set this on a larger holiday table, try it as a first course in small bowls with one dumpling and a few shreds of turkey. If it is dinner on its own, give each person three dumplings and a generous ladle of turkey and vegetables. A simple green salad on the side and you are set.
Leftover Strategy
If you have a stack of small containers after the holiday, this recipe helps you build a plan. The stock uses the carcass and bits. The soup body uses the last good cup of turkey. The dumplings use the stuffing that no one reached for at lunch. Dried cranberries often hang around after baking projects and work well here. The soup is a way to clear space while eating well.
Final Taste Check
Before you serve, taste one more time. You should get savory warmth from turkey and stock, a soft sweetness from vegetables, a gentle herb note that does not shout, and a broth that briefly coats the spoon. The dumplings should be tender, not dense, and they should hold together when nudged with a spoon. If that is what you taste and see, you are ready to eat.
Recipe Summary At A Glance
- Warm, silky turkey soup with stuffing dumplings and optional dried cranberries
- Beurre manié gives body without heaviness
- Straightforward method, friendly timing, flexible ingredients
- Serves 8, holds for 3 days, freezes well without dumplings
Enjoy the bowl. It is a simple way to turn what you have into something you want.
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