Slow Cooker Turkey and Dumplings
No Comments Nov 23, 2023
Updated Jan 07, 2024
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Don’t let that post-holiday turkey go to waste; instead, transform it into a hearty and soul-satisfying Slow Cooker Turkey and Dumplings. This simple yet flavorful soup boasts the convenience of a crockpot, allowing you to set it and forget it. At the same time, the slow-cooking process infuses every ingredient with rich, savory goodness.
You may also like this shortcut recipe for Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings or my recipe for Ham Hocks and Dumplings.
Table of Contents
Why this recipe works
Effortless Elegance: The crockpot brings a touch of sophistication to this recipe. Set it, forget it, and let the slow cooker weave its magic, creating an effortless masterpiece. Making dumpling soup is a wonderful way to use up turkey instead of turkey sandwiches again.
Tender Turkey: Bid farewell to dry turkey! The slow-cooking process ensures the turkey stays incredibly tender, absorbing the savory essence of the aromatic stew.
Fluffy Dumplings: Soft, pillowy dumplings add a delightful texture to the dish, absorbing the stew’s essence while maintaining their distinct character, creating a perfect balance that invites you to savor every bite.
Sharing Joy: There’s an inherent joy in sharing a comforting meal. Whether enjoyed during a family dinner, a gathering of friends, or a solo indulgence, Crockpot Turkey and Dumplings creates an inviting atmosphere beyond the dinner table.
Recipe Ingredients
- Leftover Turkey – After the holiday, place your extra turkey pieces into a ziplock bag and refrigerate for up to 3 days. When you are ready to make this soup, shred the leftover turkey or dice the leftover turkey. Don’t have turkey? Use a rotisserie chicken instead.
- Vegetables – Carrots, celery, onion, and garlic are the standard for turkey and dumplings. These are the same vegetables used in chicken and dumplings and slow cooker split pea soup.
- Broth – You can use store bought chicken broth or turkey broth OR you can use the degrease drippings from your holiday turkey. You can even use a little leftover gravy instead of all chicken broth. Of course you can use chicken stock or turkey stock if you have that on hand.
- Fresh Herbs – Fresh sage and fresh thyme are the perfect flavors for this dumpling recipe. Dried herbs are just fine too.
- Dumpling ingredients – Flour, salt, baking powder, melted butter make for the most tender and fluffy dumplings. You will love the flavor of my homemade dumpling recipe!
Step-by-Step Directions
Step One – Add the vegetables and leftover shredded turkey (or cubed) to the slow cooker.
Step Two – Pour over the chicken broth and add the seasonings.
Step Three – Stir. Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW heat for 6-8 hours or HIGH heat for 3-4 hours. This will allow the flavors to meld together and the vegetables to become tender.
Step Four – Add the flour, baking soda, milk and melted butter to a bowl.
Step Five – Stir with a spatula until mostly combined.
Step Six – Use your hand to combine the dough completely. Don’t over mix.
Step Seven – Form the dough into about 13 dumplings.
Step Eight – Drop rounded spoonfuls of the dumpling dough onto the surface of the soup in the slow cooker, creating evenly sized dumplings. Gently push the dumplings into the soup to cover them with the broth.
Step Nine – Cover the slow cooker and cook on HIGH heat for an additional 1 hour, or until the dumplings are cooked through and puffed up. Keep the lid on the entire hour for optimal results.
What to serve with crockpot turkey and dumplings
- Green Salad: Refreshing mixed greens with cherry tomatoes and cucumber.
- Cranberry Sauce: Sweet and tangy, a classic pairing. Try my Slow Cooker Cranberry Sauce.
- Mashed Potatoes: Creamy comfort to complement the stew.
- Garlic Bread or Biscuits: Perfect for soaking up savory broth.
- Cornbread: A classic with a crumbly texture. Here is my Slow Cooker Cornbread recipe.
- Fruit Salad: A light and sweet balance to the richness of the main course. We love this easy fruit salad recipe.
Recipe FAQs and Variations
Yes, if you want to make the dumpling dough the day before or the morning of you can! Place the dough in a bowl in the fridge and cover tightly.
Instead of the usual vegetables, you can use cubed potatoes, frozen peas, corn, frozen green beans or canned green beans. Other vegetable ideas are mushrooms, bell peppers, butternut squash and leeks! The ideas are endless, feel free to use what you have on hand.
Consume refrigerated turkey and dumplings within 3-4 days. Beyond this time frame, the quality may start to decline, and there is an increased risk of bacterial growth. You don’t want to store it for very long, especially if the turkey is already a few days old prior to making this soup.
Yes, but only a cup will do. It can be very salty. Omit one of the cups of broth.
More Cozy Soup Recipes (with leftover turkey or ham)
- Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup
- Slow Cooker Turkey Brown Rice Soup
- Slow Cooker Turkey Noodle Soup
- Slow Cooker Turkey Chowder
- Slow Cooker 15 Bean Soup
- Slow Cooker Ham and Beans
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Slow Cooker Turkey and Dumplings
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. leftover turkey, shredded or cubed (about 3-4 cups, doesn't need to be exact.
- 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 use oregano)
- salt and black pepper, to taste
For the Dumplings:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 cup whole milk
- 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- In a slow cooker, combine the leftover turkey, broth, chopped onion, sliced carrots, sliced celery, minced garlic, thyme, sage, salt and pepper. Stir well to mix the ingredients together.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW heat for 6-8 hours or HIGH heat for 3-4 hours. This will allow the flavors to meld together and the vegetables to become tender.
- About 30 minutes before the soup is done, add the flour, baking powder and salt to a medium sized bowl and whisk together. Pour in the milk and melted butter and stir until just combined. The dough should be slightly sticky.
- Drop rounded spoonfuls of the dumpling dough onto the surface of the soup in the slow cooker, creating evenly sized dumplings. Gently push the dumplings into the soup to cover them with the broth.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on HIGH heat for an additional 1 hour, or until the dumplings are cooked through and puffed up. Keep the lid on the entire hour for optimal results.
- Once the dumplings are cooked, gently stir the soup to combine the dumplings with the soup.
- Serve the slow cooker turkey and dumplings hot, garnished with fresh herbs such as parsley or thyme. Enjoy!
Sarah’s Notes
- This recipe is a great way to use up leftover turkey after the holidays.
- Feel free to customize the vegetables to your preference. You can add peas, corn, or other veggies of your choice.
- The dumplings will puff up and absorb some of the broth as they cook, resulting in a slightly thick and flavorful soup.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The dumpling may soak up more liquid as they sit, so you may need to add a little more broth when reheating.
- To reheat, simply warm the soup on the stovetop over medium heat until warmed through, stirring occasionally.
- You can add one cup of leftover gravy to the recipe, omit one of the cups of turkey broth.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
