Slow Cooker Turkey and Dumplings Soup Recipe
This Slow Cooker Turkey and Dumplings recipe transforms leftover turkey into a comforting, hearty meal perfect for chilly days. Tender vegetables and flavorful herbs simmered in a rich broth are topped with fluffy homemade dumplings, all slow-cooked to meld the flavors beautifully with minimal effort.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 hours
- Total Time: 7 hours 25 minutes
- Yield: 5 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
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
Dumplings Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 cup whole milk
- 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Prepare Slow Cooker Soup: In your slow cooker, combine shredded or cubed leftover turkey, broth, chopped onion, sliced carrots, celery, minced garlic, thyme, sage, salt, and pepper. Stir everything together evenly to blend all the ingredients.
- Cook Soup: Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours. This long, slow cooking allows the flavors to meld and the vegetables to become tender and flavorful.
- Make Dumpling Dough: About 30 minutes before the soup is done, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Add in the milk and melted butter, stirring gently until just combined to create a slightly sticky dough.
- Add Dumplings to Soup: Drop spoonfuls of dumpling dough evenly over the surface of the soup in the slow cooker. Gently press the dumplings so they are submerged under the broth.
- Cook Dumplings: Cover the slow cooker again and cook on HIGH for an additional hour without lifting the lid. During this time, the dumplings will puff up and cook through fully.
- Combine and Serve: Once the dumplings are cooked, gently stir the soup to distribute the dumplings evenly. Ladle into bowls, garnish with fresh herbs like parsley or thyme if desired, and serve hot for a comforting meal.
Notes
- Use leftover turkey from a roast or a store-bought rotisserie chicken for convenience.
- Degrease the turkey drippings before using them as broth to avoid excess fat.
- Do not lift the slow cooker lid during the dumpling cooking process to ensure they rise perfectly.
- For a dairy-free option, substitute whole milk with almond milk and use dairy-free butter.
- Fresh herbs can be swapped out or omitted based on preference or availability.
Keywords: slow cooker turkey and dumplings, leftover turkey recipe, slow cooker soup, comfort food, easy turkey dinner, homemade dumplings