Turkey-Tomato Soup

This is the kind of soup a home cook makes on a Friday when there’s still leftover turkey in the fridge. Fresh peeled tomatoes, a handful of aromatics, good chicken broth, and shredded turkey meat. That’s the whole move, and it finishes in about 30 minutes.

Sauteing the onion in butter first builds the savory foundation. Cook it past translucent to just beginning to turn golden so you get that deeper caramelized base. Dumping it in raw leaves the soup thinner in flavor.

The bay leaf and thyme steep in the simmering stock with the tomatoes for 20 minutes, which gives the tomatoes time to break down and release their juices into the broth. The pre-cooked turkey joins at the end for a gentle 5-to-10-minute warm-through; any longer and it’ll turn stringy.

Kitchen Tips

• Peel and seed the tomatoes. Skins toughen in broth and turn rubbery; seeds add bitterness.
• Use homemade turkey stock instead of chicken broth if you have it from the Thanksgiving bird. That’s what really makes this soup sing.
• Shred the turkey by hand rather than dicing. Pulled meat absorbs more broth and has a better texture in the bowl.
• Add a Parmesan rind to the simmer for extra umami depth. Fish it out before serving.

Variations

• Stir in a handful of cooked orzo, small pasta, or rice at the end for a more substantial bowl.
• Finish with fresh basil ribbons or a swirl of pesto for a summer-leaning version.
• Add canned white beans and a splash of cream for a heartier, richer soup.