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5.0 from 6 votes

Turkey Noodle Soup (A Christmas Leftover Recipe)

A flavor-packed dish made with leftovers from a Christmas dinner, this turkey noodle soup is nutritious and very simple to prepare.

Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
35 mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese

Ingredients

For the broth
  • 1 carcass of a cooked turkey or chicken
  • 4 lices ginger
For the noodles
  • Dried noodles, either wheat-based or rice-based about 80g per serving (see note 1)
For the seasonings (measurement for each bowl)
  • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon black rice vinegar
  • ¼ teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 pinch white pepper or ground Sichuan pepper
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic 
For the toppings
  • Cooked turkey or chicken, coarsely shredded bring to room temperature if chilled
  • Cooked vegetables, e.g. brussels sprouts, carrots, green beans, asparagus, etc. bring to room temperature if chilled
  • Preserved mustard stem (Zha Cai), finely chopped or pickled radish, kimchi, etc. (Optional)
  • Scallions and/or coriander, finely chopped
  • Chili oil to taste

Instructions

Prepare the broth
    Cup of Yum
  1. Put the carcass in a pot. Add ginger and enough cold water to cover the carcass. Bring to a full boil then cover with a lid. Leave to simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. Pass the broth through a sieve and discard the solid bits.
Cook the noodles
  1. Five minutes before the broth is ready, start cooking the noodles. In another pot, bring plenty of water to a full boil. Add noodles and cook them following the instructions on the package (See note 2).
Assemble the bowls
  1. While waiting, add all the ingredients for the seasonings to each serving bowl. Pour in the broth then add the drained noodles. Place the toppings over the noodles: shredded turkey/chicken, cooked vegetables, preserved mustard stem, and scallions/coriander. Drizzle chili oil over.

Notes

  • You may also use fresh noodles, either shop-bought or homemade. Check out my recipes for Hand-pulled Noodles, Knife-cut Noodles and Machine-Made Ramen Noodles.
  • You may also use fresh noodles, either shop-bought or homemade. Check out my recipes for Hand-pulled Noodles, Knife-cut Noodles and Machine-Made Ramen Noodles.
  • It’s not recommended to cook the noodles in the broth as you don’t want to make the broth starchy.
  • It’s not recommended to cook the noodles in the broth as you don’t want to make the broth starchy.