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This turkey bone broth recipe is a great way to use up leftover turkey bones and vegetable scraps after Thanksgiving dinner. Just add water and some seasonings for a comforting turkey broth you can strain and store for future use.
Your Thanksgiving turkey was a hit, and now you’re making all the classic leftover turkey recipes—turkey salad for easy lunches, turkey pot pie with biscuits for dinner, or even a slow cooker chicken stew (with turkey swapped for chicken!).
But what about the leftover bones and vegetable scraps? Hang on to them and make a nourishing turkey broth that can be used in many different recipes!
Homemade turkey bone broth is the perfect base for cozy fall dinners. Use it in place of chicken broth for pumpkin chili, butternut squash soup, or green bean casserole for a rich, comforting flavor.
Why You’ll Love Homemade Turkey Bone Broth
- Uses Up Leftovers: Make the most of your Thanksgiving dinner (like this orange-glazed turkey) by using the leftover turkey carcass and vegetable scraps to make a rich broth that can be used in many different ways!
- Many Health Benefits: This homemade broth has amino acids and collagen that support your immune system and overall joint health (Source). It’s a nourishing, gut-healthy ingredient to have prepared for the flu and cold season.
- Simple to Make: This recipe is easy to throw together with what you already have at home. Leftover bones, optional fresh vegetables, and seasoning are all that’s needed!
- Budget-Friendly: Making your own broth is an easy way to stretch Thanksgiving leftovers with a nourishing base for many other recipes.
Ingredients
Find the full list of ingredients, amounts, and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Turkey Carcass: Use any bones from the leftover carcass, as well as any turkey meat or connective tissue that’s still on the bones. You can also include the wings for a more gelatinous texture. I throw everything into the pot, including the skin and any leftover juice from cooking. I also follow this same process after making an easy roast chicken.
- Vegetable Scraps: Onion, carrots, and celery are great for making a delicious turkey bone broth, but you can toss in whatever vegetables or scraps you have at home. This recipe is really adaptable for whatever you have in the fridge. Bell peppers, red onions, and cilantro are other options that make a flavorful broth.
- Seasonings: Adding some fresh herbs like parsley, rosemary, oregano, or bay leaves gives the homemade turkey broth a deep, rich flavor—the perfect base for soups, casseroles, and all your favorite comfort food recipes.
Equipment
- Large Stock Pot
- Slow Cooker (Optional)
- Instant Pot (Optional)
- Fine Mesh Strainer
How to Make This Turkey Bone Broth Recipe
Here are the step-by-step instructions for making homemade bone broth. The photos show how to make this turkey bone broth recipe in an Instant Pot, but I’ve also included instructions for making it on the stove top or in a slow cooker.
Instant Pot
Step 1: Place the carcass, all veggies, and all seasonings in the pot. This is a similar recipe to my Instant Pot Bone Broth recipe, which I regularly use for chicken.
Step 2: Fill the water to the top of your fill line in the pot. Put the lid on, set the valve to “sealing,” and cook on low pressure for 240 minutes.
Step 3: Let the pot manually release the pressure by turning the valve to “venting,” or you can do a natural release.
Step 4: Strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer and store in jars in the fridge for 4 days or freeze for up to 6 months. Discard solids.
Slow Cooker
Place the carcass, all veggies, and all seasonings in the slow cooker basin. Fill the pot with water to just cover all the bones or fill all the way to the top.
Put the lid on and cook on low for 18-24 hours. Strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer and store in jars in the fridge for 4 days or freeze for up to 6 months. Discard solids. This process is the same way I make my slow cooker chicken broth.
Stove Top
In a large pot, place the carcass, all veggies, and all seasonings in a large stock pot or Dutch oven. Fill the water to cover all the bones or most of the way to the top.
Put the lid on and cook on the lowest heat for 18-24 hours. Strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer and store in jars in the fridge for 4 days or freeze for up to 6 months. Discard solids.
To encourage turkey bone broth to gel, add the turkey wings or add a few chicken feet to the pot. You can also add less water, or increase the cooking time.
How to Store
Store in jars in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 6 months in freezer-safe containers. If freezing in jars, be sure to use freezer-safe wide-mouth jars, and leave enough headspace at the top of the jars for expansion.
Tips
- If you have leftover turkey wings, be sure to add those to the pot as well. This will help get the thickest and most gelatinous bone broth. If you don’t have wings, you can also use chicken feet to help the bone broth to gel.
- Put everything leftover in the pot you are using to cook.
- You are most likely not going to need salt if your turkey was seasoned well. I would not add salt until it is done and you’ve tasted it.
- The amount of water will vary depending on how large your Crock Pot/Instant Pot is. I add all the ingredients into my pot and then fill it to nearly the top or fill line of my pot.
- This recipe is very versatile, and you can use old and wilted veggies or scraps. Basically, any vegetable you have in your fridge will be fine to add to this recipe. Bell peppers, red onions, sweet onions, green onions, cilantro, etc.
- Your broth will taste slightly different based on the seasonings used when cooking the turkey. If you had any sort of spicy or red seasonings on your turkey, your broth will be more pink or orange in color.
- If your water evaporates too much while slow cooking or cooking on the stove, you can add more as it cooks.
Yes, turkey bones make amazing bone broth! A leftover turkey carcass makes a flavorful and collagen-rich broth.
You can easily make this turkey bone broth recipe on the stovetop, in a slow cooker, or in an Instant Pot. I’ve included instructions for how to do all three in this blog post.
To encourage turkey bone broth to gel, add the turkey wings or add a few chicken feet to the pot. You can also add less water, or increase the cooking time.
More Soup Recipes
- Cabbage Roll Soup
- Sausage Potato Kale Soup
- Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
- Slow Cooker Chicken Stew
- Crock Pot Taco Chicken Chili
If you make this recipe and enjoy it, please leave a comment with a 5-star recipe rating and let me know! Thank you so much!
Turkey Bone Broth Recipe
Equipment
- Instant Pot optional
- slow cooker optional
- Stock pot or Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 1 turkey carcass
- 3 carrots
- 3 celery stalks
- 1 onion, cut in half
- 1 bulb of garlic, cut in half (or 10 peeled and cut in half pieces of garlic)
- ½ bunch of parsley, optional
- 1 sprig of rosemary, optional
- 1 sprig of oregano, optional
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns, (or add up to a tablespoon)
- About 10-12 cups of water, *see note
Instructions
Instant Pot
- Place the carcass, all veggies, and all seasonings in the pot. Add water to the top of the fill line in the pot. Put the lid on, set the valve to "sealing," and cook on low pressure for 240 minutes. After the cooking time is up, let the pot manually release the pressure by turning the valve to "venting," or you can do a natural release. Strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer, discard solids, and store in jars in the fridge for 4 days or freeze for up to 6 months.
Slow Cooker
- Place the carcass, all veggies, and all seasonings in the slow cooker basin. Add water to cover all the bones or all the way to the top. Put the lid on and cook on low for 18-24 hours. Strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer, discard solids, and store in jars in the fridge for 4 days or freeze for up to 6 months.
Stove Top
- In a large stock pot or Dutch oven, add the carcass, all veggies, and all seasonings. Add water to cover all the bones or most of the way to the top. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, skim off any foam that has risen to the top, and cook on low, uncovered (while still allowing the broth to simmer) for 6-24 hours. Strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer and discard solids. Store in jars in the fridge for 4 days or freeze for up to 6 months.
Notes
- If you have leftover turkey wings, be sure to add those to the pot as well. This will help get the thickest and most gelatinous bone broth. If you don’t have wings, you can also use chicken feet to help the bone broth to gel.
- You are most likely not going to need salt if your turkey was seasoned well. I would not add salt until it is done and you’ve tasted it.
- *The amount of water will vary depending on how large your Crock Pot/stock pot/ Instant Pot is. I add all the ingredients into my pot and then fill it to nearly the top or fill line of my pot.
- This recipe is very versatile, and you can use old and wilted veggies or scraps. Basically, any vegetable you have in your fridge will be fine to add to this recipe. Bell peppers, red onions, sweet onions, green onions, cilantro, etc. I usually keep a bag in the freezer filled with leftover vegetable bits for stock.
- Your broth will taste slightly different based on the seasonings used when cooking the turkey. If you had any sort of spicy or red seasonings on your turkey, your broth will be more pink or orange in color.
- If your water evaporates too much while slow cooking or cooking on the stove, you can add more as it cooks.
- You can also add 1-2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar before cooking, as I’ve mentioned in my Instant Pot Bone Broth recipe.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Love your cooking, have been cooking the same!
Thank you, Valentina!