Turkey Soup with Stuffing Dumplings

Serves 6

Creatively using leftovers is one of the highlights of every Thanksgiving weekend and this soup is one of my favorite ways to use everything, from the turkey bones to a surplus of vegetables, herbs, and meat. But the most unusual touch here is making dumplings out of leftover stuffing. Not to pat myself on the back, but I’ve never seen anyone else do this, and I think it’s delicious. This recipe can be adapted for as many leftovers (and family members) as you have on hand after the Thanksgiving meal is done (see the note at the end of the recipe). You can also add barley or wild rice in addition to, or in place of, the dumplings. Because these take much longer to cook, precook them following these instructions.

 

Carcass from a roasted turkey, hacked into large pieces with a meat cleaver or large, heavy knife

1 large carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 large Spanish onion, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 stalk celery, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 large leek, white part plus 1 inch of green, coarsely chopped, and washed well

1 tablespoon black peppercorns

Coarse salt

1 large egg yolk, beaten

Freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs, such as thyme, parsley, or sage, or a combination, plus more for serving, optional

1 cup leftover stuffing

1 cup chopped, leftover turkey

1 cup chopped leftover cooked vegetables such as onion, carrot, or celery, or a combination, optional

 

1. Put the turkey carcass pieces, raw carrot, onion, celery, leek, peppercorns, and 1 tablespoon of salt in a stockpot and add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then lower the heat and simmer for 2 to 4 hours, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface during this time. The soup will be ready after 2 hours, but will intensify in turkey flavor as it continues to simmer. Taste frequently and remove from the heat when you are satisfied.

2. While the soup is simmering, prepare the dumplings. Put the egg yolk in a large bowl and season lightly with salt and pepper. Add the herbs and beat well. Add the stuffing and stir gently but thoroughly to combine. Remove a tablespoon of batter at a time and form it into a ball-shaped dumpling between the palms of your hands. Set on a large plate. Repeat until all the batter has been used. Cover the plate loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.

3. Strain the soup through a fine-mesh strainer set over a large bowl. Discard the solids. If not serving immediately, let cool, cover, and refrigerate overnight.

4. Wipe out the pot and pour the soup into it. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Carefully lower the dumplings into the soup and heat through, about 7 minutes. If desired, add chopped leftover turkey, diced vegetables, or additional chopped herbs during the last 2 minutes of cooking time. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

5. To serve, ladle some soup into each of 6 bowls, making sure to include a few dumplings in each serving.

TO MAKE MORE SOUP

For more soup, add more water before simmering, or add chicken broth to the strained stock in Step 3. For each additional cup of stuffing, add 1 more egg to make the dumplings, and increase the chopped herbs by 1 tablespoon. Add more diced turkey and vegetables as desired.