Soup season continues with this ‘souper’ easy allergy-friendly Soup made from your holiday leftovers. It’s a delicious way to use up the good food you made for friends and family that’s now languishing in your fridge. Thank you Allergy Dragon for creating this recipe for the Allergy Force Community. Besides warming our family’s hearts {and stomachs!}, it helps us waste less and save more. Brilliant!

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“Now is no time to think of what you do not have. Think of what you can do with what there is.”

—Ernest Hemingway

What do you do when life gives you leftovers? Make Soup! Here’s what I do when life gives me leftovers from the holidays.

But first….what if I have no leftovers?? What if you have nothing left over but the Bones? Whether they’re from that giant turkey you roasted, or the beef or pork roasts you poured love into making — do not throw them out! Instead, make them into Broth.

And if you are Vegan or Vegetarian, you can still make delicious Broth without Bones! Just make it from Veggies. Get the recipes…

Basic Broth Recipe

Ingredients

• Whatever Bones are leftover from roasting with whatever Meat remains on them
• Whatever Veggies are leftover from prepping or from your feast
• Celery, Onions, Carrots, and Garlic for flavor (*See tips)
• 2 to 3 Bay Leaves
• Salt to taste (1 to 3 teaspoons)
• Approx. 4 to 8 cups Water (*See tips)

Let’s get started!

1. Fill your pot with the leftover Bones, Veggies, Salt and Bay Leaves, then cover with the Water.
2. Bring to a full boil, then lower the temperature to low-medium.
3. Cover with a lid and allow it to gently simmer for at least 4 to 6 hours. (*See tips)
4. Taste the Broth and decide if you need to adjust the salt.
5. Then strain the Broth. First remove the large pieces of bone or vegetables with a spoon or tongs. This step will reduce the amount of splash when you strain the hot Broth. Next, pour the Broth through a strainer to strain out the smaller bits and pieces. Do this very carefully as it will be piping hot and splashes and spills can burn you and any helpers.

Tips*

1. Prepping the Veggies: No need to slice the Veggies in any special way. You can even toss them into the pot whole if you like. They’re added for flavor and will be removed at the end.

2. Broth Yield: If you make the Broth just from Veggies, it will yield more liquid than if it’s made from Bones alone.

3. Using a Crock-Pot: You can make the Broth in a large crock-pot, too. Just toss all the ingredients in the crock-pot and cook on low for 10 to 12 hours

Now, Onto the Leftovers!

Super Easy Allergy-Friendly Leftover Soup

(Serves approximately 4 to 8)

Ingredients

• ½ to 1 pound (ideally) of your leftover Meat of choice: roasted Turkey, Chicken, Pork, Beef, or no Meat at all
• 8 to 10 cups of Broth
• 1 to 2 cups of uncooked Rice, Quinoa or Potatoes (optional)
• 1 Onion peeled and diced
• 2 or more Celery stalks, chopped
• 1 to 2 Carrots, peeled and chopped
• I also toss in: Any leftover cooked Veggies I have, like Green Beans or Mushrooms — even the ones in casseroles with just little bits leftover — plus any leftover Stuffing because it adds great flavor and texture.
• 1 teaspoon each of rubbed (aka ground) Sage, Thyme and Rosemary.
• 2 Bay Leaves
• ½ to 1 teaspoon of Black Pepper
• Salt to taste

Let’s Get Started

1. In a large pot, add the Meat, Stuffing, all the Veggies (even Casserole remnants), Sage, Thyme, Rosemary, Bay Leaves and Black Pepper
2. Next, add the Broth until it fully covers everything in the pot. (*See tips)
3. Stir the ingredients and bring to a medium boil.
4. Keep it at a medium boil for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Skim off any foam that rises while it boils. (*See tips)
5. Add Salt to taste. (*See tips)
6. Next add in the (optional) Quinoa, Rice or Potatoes and bring back to a boil for 5 minutes.
7. Lower the heat, cover and allow to simmer 15 to 20 minutes more until the (optional) Quinoa/Rice/Potatoes are cooked.
8. Taste and add any additional Salt or Pepper, to taste.

 

Leftover Soup as Soup Season Continues for the Holidays!

Tips*

1. Waste Not. Want Not. I made the soup in the image above after work and tossed in leftover chicken, onion, carrots, bok choy, sweet potatoes plus the herbs listed in the ingredients. It was delish!

2. Supplementing Homemade Basic Broth: The Soup’s liquid measurements are approximate since the Soup will vary depending on the leftovers you add and your dietary restrictions. Homemade Veggie Broth will yield more liquid than bone Broth when all is said and done, but may not yield the 8 to 10 cups suggested for this Soup recipe. To make up any shortfall of homemade Broth, you can use any leftover Broth you have on hand, or just use water. You can even use store bought broth in a pinch.

3. Using a Crock-Pot: If a crock-pot’s your thing, you can make the Soup in a crock-pot. Toss all the ingredients into a 5-quart crock-pot. Mix them together. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.

4. A Word re: Salt to taste’: It’s easy to overdo salt and once added it can’t be undone. I suggest that you taste test the Soup periodically and carefully adjust your salt as you go. Much depends on the leftovers you add, too — if they’re more salty or less salty.

 

The big idea behind this warm and filling Soup is wasting less so you save $$$. What we love about it is you can make it 100 times and it’ll be different (& tasty) every time, depending on the leftovers you use. It’s your perfect solution to the hungries on a cold day!

Bon appetit!

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In case you didn’t know, I hold classes 1 to 2 times a month and you can find the schedule of upcoming classes here. The classes are offered in person and via zoom. If you’ve registered, you’ll be able to access a recording after the class to review the lesson. I can also teach individual custom classes virtually.

I invite you to come learn with me.

 

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Chef Martha Morgan (aka Allergy Dragon) is a specialty diet and allergy chef who shares tips, tricks and best recipes from almost 30 years of professional cooking experience.

About the Author: Chef Martha provides support in the kitchen to everyone with food allergies, food intolerances, and specialty diets. Her expertise includes providing a full range of cooking guidance in the kitchen from technique, to finding safe products, to handling those new products, to creating (or re-creating as the case may be) recipes. Connect with Allergy Dragon at her website and on social media on Instagram (@allergy_dragon), Facebook (@allergydragon), Twitter (@AllergyDragon), and LinkedIn , and follow Allergy Dragon on YouTube.

Images: Courtesy of Allergy Dragon