Leftover Turkey Stew

This healthy Leftover Turkey Stew is made in a Dutch oven and packed with hearty vegetables like potatoes and carrots in a savory broth!

One of the best things about Thanksgiving and holidays in general are all of the delicious meals that can be prepared with the leftovers. When it comes to leftover turkey, one of my favorite ways to use it up is to make a big batch of this Turkey Stew.

The smell of turkey roasting in the oven reminds me of the holidays. I love roasted turkey served with a pile of mashed potatoes, gravy, and green bean casserole served during Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter, but I also love all of the dishes that can be prepared with the leftovers.

Soups and stews are a great way to utilize leftover turkey. They're healthy, flavorful, most of the ingredients are ones we've already got on hand, and they're made in one pot.

This turkey stew is made in a Dutch oven on the stove top with either white or dark roasted turkey, potatoes, carrots, and peas that's simmered in a savory broth thickened with corn starch.

It's flavored simply with garlic, onions, and celery along with some Italian seasoning. This turkey stew is naturally gluten free and dairy free.

Jump to:

• What's The Difference Between A Soup And A Stew?
• Ingredients For Leftover Turkey Stew
• Which Turkey Is Best For Stew?
• Can I Use Leftover Chicken Instead Of Turkey?
• How To Make Turkey Stew
• How To Thicken Stew
• How To Make A Slurry
• What To Serve With Leftover Turkey Stew
• How Long Does Turkey Stew Last In The Fridge?
• Can It Be Frozen?
• Leftover Turkey Stew

What's The Difference Between A Soup And A Stew?

Soups and stews are similar in that they are both made with a combination of meat, fish, and vegetables cooked in broth.

Soup is generally made with more broth or liquid than stew, giving it a thinner consistency.

Stews are generally cooked for a longer period of time over lower heat and are often thicker in texture, with the consistency being more like gravy.

A stew may be served over things like mashed potatoes or polenta while soups are often served alone in a bowl. Stews also tend to be heartier and more filling.

Ingredients For Leftover Turkey Stew

Here's what you'll need to make it.

• 6 cloves Garlic
• 1 Onion (white or yellow)
• 3-4 stalks Celery (yields 1 cup chopped)
• 4-5 large Carrots (yields 3 cups chopped)
• 4-5 Red Potatoes (or Yukon gold potatoes) (yields 4 cups diced)
• 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• 5 ½ cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth or Turkey Broth (split)
• 1 cup Frozen Peas
• 2 Gluten Free Chicken Bouillon Cubes (or regular chicken bouillon cubes if not gluten free)
• 1 tsp. Italian Seasoning
• ¼ cup Corn Starch (or arrowroot powder)
• 3 cups Leftover Turkey or Chicken Meat (chopped) (light or dark meat)
• 2 tsp. White Wine Vinegar
• ½ tsp. each Kosher Salt and Pepper (split)

Which Turkey Is Best For Stew?

This recipe calls for turkey or chicken that is already cooked. Feel free to use roasted turkey or chicken, grilled chicken, rotisserie chicken, or smoked turkey if you like.

The fact that the meat is already cooked helps to cut down on the overall cooking time of this recipe.

The leftover turkey or chicken is may be diced into chunks or shredded if you prefer. You can use white meat, dark meat, or a combination of both to make this stew.

The meat is added at the end of the cooking time, so that it doesn't become overcooked and rubbery.

Can I Use Leftover Chicken Instead Of Turkey?

Absolutely!

This recipe can be made with leftover chicken instead of turkey if that's what you have on hand! Both are equally delicious.

Rotisserie chicken is a great shortcut ingredient.

How To Make Turkey Stew

It's easy to think that making stew is a laborious process which involves hours tending to a pot boiling on the stove top but that's not the case here. This stew is ready in under an hour and because the meat is already cooked the process is simplified.

This stew is made with minced garlic, onions, and celery that are sauteed in olive oil, which provides a great base of flavor.

It's also got diced potatoes, carrots, and peas that are simmered until tender. Once the stew is almost ready, a cornstarch slurry is poured into the pot, which helps to thicken the stew.

The whole thing is brightened up with the addition of some white wine vinegar.

1. Start by mincing 6 cloves of garlic and 1 onion (I recommend a white or yellow onion).
2. Chop 3-4 stalks of celery (yields 1 cup chopped).
3. Wash, scrub, and dry 4-5 red or Yukon gold potatoes. Dice the potatoes into chunks (yields 4 heaping cups diced potatoes).
4. Peel and slice 4-5 large carrots (yields 3 cups chopped carrots).
5. Chop or shred 3 cups of cooked turkey or chicken.
6. Place a cast iron Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed soup pot on the stove top and heat to medium-high. Add 2 Tbsp. olive oil to the pot.
7. Once heated, add the minced garlic, onions, and celery to the pot. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring often.
8. Add the chopped carrots along with ¼ tsp. each of kosher salt and pepper. Sauté for 5-6 minutes, stirring often.
9. Pour 5 cups of low sodium chicken broth or turkey broth to the pot and stir until combined. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a low boil, cover, and cook for 10 minutes.
10. After 10 minutes, add the diced potatoes, 1 cup of frozen peas, 3 cups of diced or shredded leftover turkey or chicken, 2 gluten free chicken bouillon cubes (or regular chicken bouillon cubes if not gluten free), 1 tsp. Italian seasoning, and another ¼ tsp. each kosher salt and pepper to the pot and stir until completely combined.
11. Bring to a boil once again and then reduce to a low boil. Cover and cook for another 15 minutes.

The potatoes and carrots should be softened, but not mushy toward the end of the cooking time.

How To Thicken Stew

Potatoes contain a natural amount of starch that will thicken the stew a bit but it's best to make a slurry to help thicken it even more.

A slurry is simply a mixture of water or any liquid such as broth and a starch that is stirred until combined and added to the stew near the end of the cooking time.

It helps to thicken the broth and creates a thicker consistency. This slurry is made with either chicken broth or water and corn starch. Arrowroot powder or tapioca starch may be used in place of corn starch.

How To Make A Slurry

It's super easy to make a slurry and takes no time at all.

1. Simply combine ½ cup of low sodium chicken or turkey broth (or water) along with ¼ cup of corn starch in a small bowl. Stir until completely combined with a small whisk or fork.
2. Add the corn starch slurry to the stew a bit at a time, stirring slowly. Continue until the stew reaches your desired consistency.
3. Allow the stew to continue cooking for a few minutes.
4. The last step is to add 2 tsp. or white wine vinegar. Add the vinegar and give it one last stir.

The vinegar adds a little brightness as stew is generally heavy so I recommend not skipping this step. You can also use red wine vinegar or lemon juice in place of white wine vinegar.

Do not use malt vinegar if you are gluten free as it contains gluten.

What To Serve With Leftover Turkey Stew

Once the Leftover Turkey Stew has reached your desired consistency and flavor, it's ready to serve. It can be enjoyed on its own or garnished with freshly minced herbs such as parsley or chives (optional).

I always love a slice of warm, crusty bread, dinner rolls, gluten free cheese scones, or homemade biscuits with any type of hearty soup or stew such as this one.

It's great with a grilled cheese sandwich like this pesto grilled cheese, Italian grilled cheese, Gouda chicken grilled cheese, or chipotle chicken panini for dipping.

For a lighter pairing, these roasted green beans, Parmesan roasted cauliflower, or Brussels sprouts are great options, as is a green side salad or arugula salad.

Love soup? Check out these recipes!

• Slow Cooker Chicken Potato Soup
• Ham and Potato Soup
• Dutch Oven Chicken Noodle Soup
• Split Pea Ham Soup
• Root Vegetable Soup

How Long Does Turkey Stew Last In The Fridge?

Any leftover turkey stew will last a 3-4 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Make sure to allow it to cool completely before transferring to the fridge for storage.

Can It Be Frozen?

The great thing about dishes like this is that they make great freezer meals. This is perfect when you want to use up that leftover turkey but aren't planning to eat it right away.

How To Freeze

1. Simply prepare according to the recipe instructions and allow it to come to room temperature before transferring to the freezer for storage.
2. Once cooled, place in heavy-duty freezer bags or airtight freezer-safe food containers, and freeze up to 3 months.
3. Label with the date before freezing.

How To Reheat

1. Transfer the stew to the refrigerator and allow it to thaw overnight.
2. Reheat the stew in a soup pot on the stove top.
3. You can also place the frozen soup in a Dutch Oven or heavy-bottomed soup pan, add some water or broth, thaw and reheat on the stove top.

Love stew? Check out these recipes!

• Classic Hearty Beef Stew
• One Pot Chicken Stew
• Vegetable Stew

Looking for more leftover turkey recipes? Don't miss these!

• Leftover Turkey Rice Soup
• Autumn Wild Rice Turkey Soup
• Turkey Rachel Sandwich
• Turkey White Bean Soup

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Leftover Turkey Salad

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