Description
This comforting Slow Cooker Turkey and Dumplings recipe transforms leftover turkey into a hearty and flavorful soup. Slow-cooked with fresh vegetables and aromatic herbs, it features tender, fluffy dumplings cooked right in the broth, making it perfect for a cozy family meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Ingredients
- 2 lbs. leftover turkey, shredded or cubed (about 3-4 cups)
- 6 cups turkey or chicken broth (can use leftover turkey drippings that have been degreased)
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
- 3 celery ribs, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp. fresh thyme leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried
- 1 tbsp. fresh sage chopped, or ½ teaspoon dried (can substitute with oregano)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Dumpling Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 cup whole milk
- 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Combine Ingredients: In the slow cooker, add the shredded or cubed leftover turkey, broth, chopped onion, sliced carrots, sliced celery, minced garlic, thyme, sage, salt, and black pepper. Stir well to evenly mix all ingredients.
- Slow Cook the Soup: Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours. This slow cooking process allows the flavors to meld and the vegetables to become tender and flavorful.
- Prepare Dumpling Dough: About 30 minutes before the soup has finished cooking, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Pour in the milk and melted butter, stirring gently until just combined to form a slightly sticky dough.
- Add Dumplings: Drop spoonfuls of the dumpling dough evenly onto the surface of the soup in the slow cooker. Gently push the dumplings down so they are covered by the broth.
- Cook Dumplings: Cover the slow cooker again and cook on HIGH for an additional hour, keeping the lid closed the entire time. The dumplings will puff up and cook through during this time.
- Finish Soup: Once the dumplings are fully cooked, gently stir the soup to incorporate the dumplings and distribute them evenly throughout.
- Serve: Ladle the turkey and dumpling soup into bowls and garnish with fresh herbs like parsley or thyme if desired. Serve hot and enjoy a comforting bowl of homemade goodness.
Notes
- Make sure to degrease the turkey drippings if using them as broth to avoid a greasy soup.
- Fresh herbs can be substituted with dried herbs, but reduce the quantity to one-third if using dried.
- Do not lift the slow cooker lid while the dumplings are cooking to ensure they puff up properly.
- If leftover turkey is not available, cooked chicken or store-bought roasted turkey can be used as substitutes.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend and check baking powder is gluten-free.
