Thanksgiving Leftover Turkey Pho

I’ll be honest, when it comes to Thanksgiving, I’m most excited for the leftovers. Sure, the big feast is great, but there’s something extra satisfying about transforming all that leftover turkey into something completely new. And for me, that means Turkey Pho, a cozy, aromatic noodle soup inspired by Vietnamese flavors, made with Thanksgiving’s star ingredient.

This Leftover Turkey Pho is light yet deeply flavorful, packed with herbs, rice noodles, and a fragrant broth made from your turkey bones or stock. It’s the perfect way to refresh your palate after all the heavy holiday dishes, and it comes together faster than you’d think.

Ingredients

For the broth:

1 leftover turkey carcass (or about 6 cups leftover turkey stock)

1 large onion, halved

3-inch piece of ginger, sliced

1 cinnamon stick

3 star anise

4 cloves

1 tbsp fish sauce

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp sugar (optional, to balance flavors)

Salt and pepper, to taste

For the bowl:

8 oz rice noodles

2 cups shredded leftover turkey meat

Fresh herbs (cilantro, Thai basil, green onions)

Bean sprouts

Lime wedges

Jalapeño slices or chili oil (optional)1. Layer a slice of beef, carrot, and potato between uncut cabbage leaves.

1. Place the turkey carcass in a large pot with onion, ginger, cinnamon, star anise, and cloves. Add 8–10 cups of water and bring to a boil.

2. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 30–40 minutes, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface.

3. Strain the broth and return it to the pot. Stir in fish sauce, rock sugar , and season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

4. Meanwhile, cook the rice noodles according to package instructions and divide them among serving bowls.

5. Add shredded turkey on top of the noodles.

6. Pour the hot broth over the turkey and noodles.

7. Garnish with herbs, bean sprouts, lime, and jalapeño slices. Serve immediately.

The warming, aromatic broth is perfect for chilly post-Thanksgiving days