Description
This Spicy Soup with Leftover Turkey is a bold, comforting dish packed with flavor and ideal for using up roasted turkey or chicken. Infused with Korean spices like gochugaru and gochujang, and loaded with mushrooms, bean sprouts, and scallions, it’s a warming, hearty soup best served with a side of rice.
Ingredients
- 8 cups turkey/chicken stock (see below for homemade stock)
- 2 cups or more cooked turkey/chicken meat, shredded into bite sizes
- 1 – 2 bunches scallions
- 8 ounces mung bean sprouts
- 5 fresh shiitake mushrooms or 3 soaked dry shiitake mushrooms
- Seasonings:
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons gochugaru (Korean red chili pepper flakes)
- 1 tablespoon gochujang (Korean red chili pepper paste)
- 3 tablespoons guk ganjang (soup soy sauce)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Turkey/Chicken Stock:
- Remains of roasted turkey or chicken
- 1 medium onion, halved and peeled (1/2 if using chicken)
- 1 large carrot, cut into large chunks
- 1 large celery stalk, cut into large chunks
- 5 to 7 garlic cloves
- 1 to 2 bay leaves
Instructions
1. Pull the meat from the bones and shred into thin strips or bite-size pieces.
2. Blanch the bean sprouts for 1 to 2 minutes and drain. Cut scallions into 4-inch pieces. Thinly slice the mushrooms.
3. In a pan, heat the sesame oil over low heat. Add chili flakes and turn off the heat. Stir gently until the oil turns red and the flakes become pasty. Avoid burning.
4. Add meat, bean sprouts, mushrooms, 1 tablespoon soup soy sauce, and garlic to the chili oil mixture. Mix and marinate for 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Bring the stock to a boil in a large pot. Add the marinated meat and vegetables. Stir in gochujang and 2 tablespoons of soup soy sauce. Cook for 5 minutes over medium-high heat.
6. Add scallions and boil for another 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Serve hot with a bowl of steamed rice.
8.
9. For the stock:
10. Remove most of the meat from the turkey/chicken carcass.
11. Place carcass in a large pot filled three-quarters with water. Break up bones if needed. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, skimming foam as needed.
12. Add vegetables and reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 1 to 2 hours.
13. Cool and strain. Skim fat or refrigerate to remove solidified fat before using.
Notes
This soup is an excellent way to repurpose holiday turkey or chicken into a spicy, nourishing meal.
Adjust spice level by using more or less gochugaru and gochujang.
Soup soy sauce (guk ganjang) has a stronger and saltier flavor than regular soy sauce—substitute with caution.
Make stock ahead and freeze it for quicker soup prep next time.