This easy homemade turkey noodle soup is a comforting classic that's full of rich flavor, and perfect for using holiday leftovers.

As much as I love the whole Thanksgiving spread, I might love the leftovers even more!

For me, there is no other way to do it than to make a huge bird (try this extra-juicy upside-down turkey!), because there's nothing better than having all that extra meat on hand for sandwiches, soups, and so much more. This easy homemade turkey noodle soup is one of my favorite uses for leftover turkey.

The ultimate way to make this soup is with homemade turkey broth, which is easy to make with a roasted turkey carcass. But in a pinch, I have definitely used store bought chicken broth on more than one occasion!

If you do want to make your own broth, I've included some instructions for making your own homemade turkey broth at the bottom of this post!

How to Make Turkey Noodle Soup Step by Step

Thinly slice a large carrot and a stalk of celery. Chop one medium onion.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a 5 quart soup pot or dutch over over medium heat. Add the onion, celery and carrot and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes until just tender.
Add two chopped garlic cloves and cook, stirring, for one more minute.

4. Add about 6-8 cups of turkey stock, depending how chunky you like your soup. You can always start with less and add more at the end.

5. Add a ½ teaspoon each of dried thyme and oregano, and one bay leaf. Stir to combine. Raise the heat to medium high and bring to a boil.

6. Add 8 ounces of egg noodles or pasta shapes, and continue cooking until noodles are tender (follow the indication on the package for time).

7. While the noodles are cooking, chop up about 2 cups of cooked turkey.

8. Stir into the soup after the noodles are cooked.

9. Add a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten up the flavor a bit, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve hot and garnish with chopped parsley if you like.

How to Make Turkey Broth

It's so easy to make delicious homemade turkey broth or stock, and it makes SUCH a difference. I promise your soups will never be the same again. You can use it anywhere you would normally use chicken broth, but I always save some for this easy turkey noodle soup.

To make turkey broth

Put the entire turkey carcass into a large stock pot, breaking some of the bones so everything fits nicely into the pot.
add some quartered onions, carrots and celery. You can also add some herbs like sage, parsley or thyme. Don't worry if you're missing a thing or two, just put in what you have. If you made some sausage and apple stuffing, you probably have plenty of stuff on hand for this.
Add enough water to the pot to cover the turkey carcass. Depending on the size of your turkey and pot, you should be able to get at least 4 quarts of water in there.
Bring the stock to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat, cover the pot, and simmer for about 2-3 hours.
Remove and discard the carcass. Line a colander with cheesecloth and strain the broth. Let it cool and skim the fat off the top. Turkey broth can be frozen for up to 6 months.

This is such an easy soup to make and loved by everyone. If you don't have leftover turkey, you can of course, use store bought chicken stock and chopped cooked chicken for a super simple and classic chicken noodle soup.