Where would Thanksgiving leftovers be without gravy? In a delicious, simmering vat of homemade Turkey Pozole with hominy, right on top of my stove. Shredded leftover turkey shines in this fragrant and flavorful soup with garlic, onion, ancho chili and oregano. Fresh lime juice and cilantro add a welcome hit of acid. Thanksgiving leftovers never tasted so bold!
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There are two types of Thanksgiving dinner people. Those who are focused on the day-of, and those who concern themselves with the day-after. I can’t blame you if you’re the latter. Whether your leftover sandwiches are hot or cold, something hits different about turkey 12+ hours after it was originally carved and served.
Thanksgiving leftover recipes are now a whole niche classification of cooking, and I happily ride that bandwagon. If you always wind up with more leftover turkey than you can shake a stick at, then you no longer have to rely on those ubiquitous sandwiches (especially since they somehow made it onto actual restaurant menus in the past few years and you can now shamefully get them on demand).
But what about folks who aren’t looking for more traditional trappings when it comes to Round 2? Let’s thank our lucky stars we share a global community of people and cultures and cuisines that we can pull from to celebrate our common human love of friggin delicious food.
That’s where dishes like leftover turkey fried rice and leftover turkey pozole come in.
Turkey Pozole is the Best Way to Use Leftover Turkey!
It should go without saying, but this is a perfectly seasoned, delicious soup that everyone will want to gobble (pun intended) up.
We rank this quick posole with turkey high on the list of leftover recipes for a few reasons.
- First, as mentioned in the previous sentence, it’s easy. Practically a no-brainer compared to the intricate planning needed to get a Thanksgiving turkey into the oven in the first place.
- Second, we like to save this hearty soup for the-day-after-the-day-after, once we’ve had our fill of sandwiches because it doesn’t require a TON of leftover turkey or any particular cuts.
- Third, if you’re looking for a full departure from the Thanksgiving menu flavors you’ve been subject to for the past week, turkey posole will positively get you there.
What is Pozole?
This chunky Mexican soup is traditionally slow cooked with a well-seasoned broth, hominy, and (usually) shredded pork.
There are three types of pozole soup – red, white, and green – that vary depending on the base sauce used to enhance the broth (i.e. red chile vs. green chile vs. no chile). Contrary to what you might think, red pozole does not traditionally call for tomato, but we’ve added it to this recipe because it adds depth to the soup.
Don’t worry if your broth is thin – it’s supposed to be closer to a soup than a stew. Its hardiness comes from the shreds of turkey, hominy and other chunky add-ins.
Why Leftover Turkey?
Historically made with pork – but sometimes with chicken – pozole soup made with Thanksgiving leftovers works really well because turkey tends to fall somewhere between chicken and “the other white meat” when it comes to flavor and texture. It’s a total happy medium meat!
How to Make Leftover Turkey Pozole
This quick and easy version of the traditional slow-cooked Mexican soup makes the most of leftover Thanksgiving turkey. Simmered in an ancho chili-spiced broth, shredded turkey is the perfect seasonal substitute for pork, and gets new life alongside hominy and classic toppings like cabbage, avocado and sliced radish.
- In a dutch oven, saute the onion in olive oil until soft and lightly browned around the edges.
- Add the seasonings and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Add the tomato paste and work into the onions and spices; cook 2 minutes, until the color deepens slightly and to cook off the tinned taste.
- Deglaze the pot with a splash of broth, stirring to “clean” the bottom of the pot and dissolve the tomato paste.
- Add the remaining broth and water, along with the leftover turkey, hominy, salt, and pepper. Give everything a good stir, then add the bay leaf. Simmer 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in fresh cilantro and lime juice, then taste for seasoning – adjust the salt, pepper, lime juice, and/or cilantro until the flavor sings.
- Ladle into bowls and garnish with toppings of choice. Enjoy!
Chef’s Tips!
- Ancho chili powder is made with ancho chilies only. We prefer it over a chili powder blend for its more authentic flavor.
- Take the time to thoroughly incorporate the tomato paste into base blend of vegetables and seasonings – this will eliminate any tinny, canned taste.
- If you’re cooking for sensitive palates, you don’t have to stir in cilantro – reserve it as an individual add-in or garnish.
Toppings!
Like many Mexican-inspired recipes, the toppings make the dish. Don’t mistake pozole for chili or tacos, though – we don’t recommend adding dairy like queso fresco or sour cream.
Fresh produce is the perfect way to balance the warmth of this soup. Consider using:
- Fresh cilantro
- Lime wedges
- Shredded cabbage
- Sliced radishes
- Avocado
Is Turkey Pozole Healthy?
Pozole is definitely a nutritious soup – low in fat and high in protein. Depending on your add-ins, your turkey pozole may boast healthy fats (avocado), vitamin C (lime and radish), and potassium (cabbage). Just note that while hominy is rich in fiber and iron, most of its calories come from carbs.
Did you make this leftover turkey pozole? I’d love to know how it turned out! Leave a comment and a rating below.
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Recipe
Quick Leftover Turkey Pozole
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- Ladle
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium white onion, diced to ½”
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp ancho chili powder
- 2 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp dried oregano, Mexican oregano if available
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 4 c turkey broth, divided
- 4 c water
- 4 c shredded leftover turkey, about 8 oz
- 2 15-oz cans hominy, drained and rinsed
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp ground pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ c chopped cilantro
- 2 tbsp lime juice
Garnishes
- Fresh cilantro
- Lime wedges
- Shredded cabbage
- Sliced radishes
- Avocado
Instructions
- Heat a dutch oven over medium high heat; add the oil and heat until it shimmers. Add the onion, toss to coat in the fat and saute, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned around the edges, 6-7 minutes. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin and oregano and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
- Work the tomato paste into onion mixture; stir frequently for 1-2 minutes until well incorporated and to cook off the canned flavor.
- Pour in ½ c broth to deglaze the pot. Stir and scrape the bottom of the pot until the tomato paste is dissolved and the bottom of the pot is clean.
- Add the remaining broth and the water, as well as the turkey, hominy, salt, and pepper. Give everything a good stir, then add the bay leaf.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to simmer. Cook 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the flavors have melded.
- Remove from heat, remove the bay leaf, and stir in the cilantro and lime juice. Taste for seasoning and adjust the salt, pepper, or lime juice until the flavor sings.
- Ladle into bowls and garnish with toppings of choice. Enjoy!
Notes
- Nutritional information does not account for toppings.
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