Name: Leftover Turkey Pho
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Cuisine: asian
Ingredients: 8 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth; 1 cinnamon stick; 4 cloves; 2 star anise; 1 garlic clove, minced; 2 teaspoons fresh minced ginger; ½ – 1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce; ½ tablespoon fish sauce; 8 ounces rice noodles, small or medium size; 2 cups chopped or shredded turkey; 2 thinly sliced green onions; Bean sprouts; Cilantro; Basil; Green onion; Lime wedges

Jump to Recipe

Overhead shot of leftover turkey pho in a bowl with chopsticks, topped with fresh herbs, a lime wedge and star anise

What can I do with Thanksgiving leftovers?

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and now that we’ve covered our favorite side dishes like green bean casserole, stuffing and scalloped potatoes, I figured it was time to start thinking about what to do with those turkey leftovers.

After a few days of reheated Thanksgiving dinner, you are going to want to try something different with all that leftover turkey. You can really only eat so many turkey sandwiches. This leftover turkey pho is a great change of pace and an easy way to use up those leftovers.

How long is leftover turkey good for in the fridge? You should only keep your turkey in the fridge for 3 – 4 days, but don’t worry, you can always freeze it. When you’re ready to make this turkey pho, just thaw it in the fridge the day before.

More Asian-inspired takeout recipes: easy Thai basil chicken / quick peanut noodles / Chinese chicken and broccoli / Asian chicken wraps

25 recipes to FALL for this season

Get ready to fall in love with chilly weather and shorter days with fresh new recipes for autumn!

Overhead shot of leftover turkey pho in a bowl with chopsticks next to it, topped with fresh herbs, a lime wedge and star anise, extra bowls of soup and herbs in the background

Simply Whisked is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Here’s what you’ll need to make this leftover turkey pho recipe:

45 degree angle shot of leftover turkey pho in a bowl with chopsticks next to it, topped with fresh herbs, a lime wedge and star anise, extra bowls of soup and herbs in the background

How to make leftover turkey pho

Prepare your broth. Put your chicken broth in a large stockpot or Dutch oven with ginger, garlic, anise, cinnamon, cloves, Sriracha and fish sauce. Bring the pot to a boil.

Add rice noodles and cook them for the length of time indicated on the package. You will want to add the rest of your ingredients with about 2 minutes left in the cooking time.

Add the turkey, bean sprouts and green onion. This will get them to the proper temperature and ready to eat when the noodles are ready, without letting the noodles get overcooked. If you over cook them, they’ll still be ok, but they will start to break apart.

closeup of Overhead shot of leftover turkey pho in a bowl with chopsticks next to it, topped with fresh herbs, a lime wedge and star anise, extra bowls of soup and herbs in the background

What toppings are traditionally served with pho?

Pho is traditionally served with different toppings that allow for customization. A few must haves include: cilantro, basil, and bean sprouts. Green onions, Thai chili peppers and lime are also great options. If you don’t have Thai chili peppers on hand, a little extra Sriracha would be another option. Either way, the toppings don’t make or break the soup – the most important thing is the broth.

I normally to put my bean sprouts in the soup itself (like I did in my rotisserie chicken pho), but this time I left them off entirely because I wasn’t in the mood. To me, the best part of this soup is the fresh herbs and the flavors of the broth.

closeup shot of leftover turkey pho in a bowl with chopsticks next to it, topped with fresh herbs, a lime wedge and star anise, extra bowls of soup and herbs in the background

More turkey recipes: