Turkey Barley Soup

Turkey Barley Soup is a hearty way to turn leftover turkey into another meal. It's filled with tender turkey, pearl barley, and vegetables simmered in turkey broth with herbs and seasonings.

Leftover turkey soup

Turkey barley soup is one of my favorite ways to use leftover turkey. The turkey is already cooked, so this soup comes together easily with vegetables, broth, and barley.

I use regular pearl barley rather than instant barley. It takes longer to cook, but the timing works well with the carrots so everything becomes tender at about the same time.

This is also a great way to use homemade turkey broth if you have some on hand after cooking a turkey.

If you love barley, you'll want to check out my beef barley soup!

Key ingredients

• Turkey - use up that leftover holiday turkey. You can dice the turkey or add it shredded. If you don't have any turkey, this soup is perfect with chicken too!
• Turkey Broth - make your own or use chicken broth
• Pearl Barley - I used regular pearl barley, not instant pearl barley in this recipe. Pearl barley has its fibrous outer hull removed. It provides a delicious texture to this soup.
• Veggies - Onion, celery, carrots, garlic and tomatoes. You'll use one can of diced tomatoes, drained. I used my home-canned tomatoes, and they are perfect in this soup.
• Seasoning - Dried thyme, rubbed sage, dried rosemary and bay leaves

Making turkey barley soup

• Place olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. When hot, add onions, carrots and celery. Saute for 5-6 minutes until the onions have softened.
• Add garlic and stir for about 30 seconds, just until warm
• Pour in turkey broth, barley and seasonings
• Simmer for 45-60 minutes until barley is cooked through
• Add turkey and simmer for another 5-10 minutes until turkey is heated through
• Garnish with fresh parsley

Recipe tips

• The amount of salt used will vary. I use unsalted turkey broth and sometimes need to add a bit more. I start with one teaspoon and taste the soup just before serving. If needed I add a bit more salt. Adjust to your liking.
• Feel free to add a bit more or a bit less turkey, depending on what you have available.
• Leftover chicken can be used in place of the turkey
• Taste the barley to determine when it is fully cooked. It should be soft, but chewy. If you examine a kernel, you will no longer see any white in the center of the barley.

Serving suggestions

• Homemade dinner rolls
• Easy cheddar biscuits
• Breadsticks

More delicious leftover turkey recipes

• Turkey tortilla soup
• Turkey pot pie - just use turkey instead of the chicken
• Alfredo broccoli bake - make with turkey or chicken
• Turkey wraps

If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop

Check out all my delicious soup recipes!

Turkey Barley Soup

Kathy Berget

Hearty turkey barley soup made with leftover turkey, pearl barley, vegetables, and turkey broth.

5 from 23 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Servings 8 people

Calories 242 kcal

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 1 onion (diced, about 2 cups)
• ▢ 2 stalks celery (diced, about 1 cup)
• ▢ 3 carrots (peeled and diced, about 1 ½ -2 cups)
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• ▢ 3 quarts turkey broth (or chicken broth)
• ▢ 1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes (drained)
• ▢ 1 cup pearl barley (not instant)
• ▢ 2 bay leaves
• ▢ ½ teaspoon rubbed sage
• ▢ ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• ▢ ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
• ▢ 1-2 teaspoons salt
• ▢ ½ teaspoon pepper
• ▢ 3-4 cups leftover turkey
• ▢ ½ teaspoon fresh parsley (garnish, optional)

Instructions

 

• Place olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. When hot, add onions, carrots and celery. Saute for 5-6 minutes until the onions have softened.
  1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 onion, 2 stalks celery, 3 carrots
• Add garlic and stir for about 30 seconds, just until warm
  2 cloves garlic
• Pour in turkey broth, tomatoes, barley, and seasonings
  3 quarts turkey broth, 1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes, 1 cup pearl barley, 2 bay leaves, ½ teaspoon rubbed sage, ½ teaspoon dried thyme, ½ teaspoon dried rosemary, 1-2 teaspoons salt, ½ teaspoon pepper
• Simmer for 45-60 minutes until barley is cooked through
• Add turkey and simmer for another 5-10 minutes until turkey is heated through
  3-4 cups leftover turkey
• Garnish with fresh parsley
  ½ teaspoon fresh parsley

Notes

• The amount of salt used will vary. I use unsalted turkey broth and sometimes need to add a bit more. I start with one teaspoon and taste the soup just before serving. If needed I add a bit more salt. Adjust to your liking.
• Feel free to add a bit more or a bit less turkey, depending on what you have available.
• Leftover chicken can be used in place of the turkey
• Taste the barley to determine when it is fully cooked. It should be soft, but chewy. If you examine a kernel, you will no longer see any white in the center of the barley.

Nutritional Disclaimer:

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.

Nutrition

Calories: 242kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 20gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 64mgSodium: 1688mgPotassium: 384mgFiber: 5gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 3906IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 47mgIron: 2mg

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