Make the most of leftovers and whip up this hearty and crowd-pleasing soup recipe in less than 30 minutes!

Turkey Taco Soup Recipe
Something about a hot bowl of taco soup topped with sour cream and melted cheese hits the spot on chilly autumn and winter days.
This recipe is a smart way to use up turkey leftovers after Thanksgiving, but also the kind of hearty soup you can make year-round with chicken leftovers. It’s so flavorful that you’ll want to enjoy it more than once!
Ingredients for Turkey Taco Soup
I like to fall back on this soup when I have roasted turkey leftovers, but you can also make it with shredded rotisserie chicken if that’s what you have available or don’t want to way until the day after Thanksgiving.
Here’s everything you need to make turkey taco soup:
- shredded turkey: you can also use ground turkey or chicken leftovers.
- taco seasoning: try making this homemade mix. It yields more than a packet and is the bomb.com!
- corn: canned or frozen will work.
- canned green chilis: add a little heat to the soup.
- salsa: a more flavorful option than regular diced tomatoes.
- canned black beans: swap for pinto or your favorite variety of beans.
- chicken broth: make your own broth for even more flavor.
You’ll find the measurements in the recipe card below.
And if it’s not Thanksgiving Day yet, but you’re looking forward to a delicious bowl of soup, grab the recipe below along with your copy of the Giving Thanks: a Thanksgiving Menu. It has over 23 mouthwatering recipes to choose from and a prep guide to help you stay one step ahead.
How to Make Turkey Taco Soup
Start to finish, the soup is ready in less than 20 minutes, but the longer it simmers, the better it tastes. You can even prepare it the day before and let it sit overnight. I’ll show you how below.
Here’s the easy step-by-step:
- Prep
Shred the turkey meat, this is similar to shredding the chicken and you can complete this step a few days in advance. - Sauté
In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the corn, green chilis, and taco seasoning. Cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes. - Simmer
Add the canned black beans, turkey meat, and chicken broth. Stir to combine and simmer for 10 minutes. - Dish up!
All that’s left is to ladle the soup into bowls and top with sour cream, cheese, and tortilla chips.
You can even freeze this soup and reheat it for later!

Want to make this recipe ahead? We can do that too. Once the soup is cooked, allow it to reach room temperature, refrigerate it in the pot or transfer it into airtight containers and store it for up to 4 days.
You can also reheat the soup and pack this for a cozy thermos lunch.
Can You Use Ground Turkey?
Of course, having leftover roasted turkey on hand is seasonal, but ground turkey is something we often keep stashed away in the freezer. And you can make an epic ground turkey chili if that’s what you have. Just make sure it’s defrosted before you start cooking.

More Recipes Using Leftover Turkey
Don’t feel like making a stuffing and turkey sandwich with the leftovers? I get it. Use leftover turkey to prepare a delicious turkey stew, a hearty turkey pot pie soup, or a satisfying turkey noodle soup. These Thanksgiving Eggrolls are also amazing!

Easy Turkey Taco Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 15- ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 15- ounce can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 15- ounce can corn, rinsed and drained
- 3 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1 cup mild salsa
- 15- ounce can petite diced tomatoes
- 2-3 cups shredded turkey
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken or turkey broth
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the beans, corn, and taco seasoning. Brown until the veggies are softened.
- Add the salsa, tomatoes, shredded turkey, and broth. Bring to a boil before reducing the heat and simmering for 20 minutes.
- Remove from heat and serve in bowls topped with sour cream and avocado.
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