In this house, light, brothy Turkey Pho is the official post-Thanksgiving leftover turkey meal. Shall we get into it?
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What is Turkey Pho?
Turkey Pho is a rich, brothy soup made from simmered leftover turkey bones ladled over rice noodles, turkey meat, and served with fresh vegetables and herb garnishes. It is essentially a modified version of Chicken Pho, a Vietnamese noodle soup, made with a 1:1 substitute of turkey for chicken in the broth and meat, and with whatever vegetables and herbs—traditional or not—that are available to you.
In the late autumn and into winter, certain vegetables and herbs like bean sprouts and Thai basil may or may not be freshly available, so we make do with what we have.
For this recipe, I used thinly shredded cabbage or Brussels sprouts in place of the bean sprouts, a tip I read but can't remember where! Thinly sliced cabbage has the same crisp, crunchy texture and generally neutral flavor as bean sprouts, but is definitely available year-round and in all grocery stores. Brussels sprouts, a different kind of "sprouts!" also works, though they have their own distinctive flavor.
Thai basil is a type of basil that has a purple stem and flowers and it's almost always available as an import in Asian grocery stores or at the height of summer at some local farmers' markets. However, if you don't have access to it, don't worry about it. Your bowl of Turkey Pho will still be "authentic" to you and your Thanksgiving!
Turkey Pho Health Benefits
Depending on your health and dietary needs, Turkey Pho can be part of a healthy lifestyle! The health benefits come from the savory, aromatic stock, the turkey's protein, and all the fresh vegetables and herbs that come alongside each bowl.
As published, this recipe for Turkey Pho is:
- dairy-free
- gluten-free
- refined sugar-free
Some of this of course, depends on how you initially roasted the turkey. If the original roast turkey was brined with sugar, basted with butter, or marinated in any way with ingredients that contain gluten e.g. soy sauce, your Turkey Pho broth will have some degree of these ingredients as well.
Ingredients You Need for Turkey Pho
Here's what you need for the most aromatic, savory, satisfying bowl of Turkey Pho:
- leftover turkey bones and meat
fresh vegetables and herbs:
- onion, 1 for broth
- red onion, ¼ for garnish
- scallions, ½ cup thinly sliced
- ginger, 1 3-inch piece
- garlic, 8-10 cloves
- apple, 1 or Korean pear for natural sweetness
- cilantro, 1 bunch leaves and stems separated
- cabbage or Brussels sprouts, 2 cups finely shredded
- Thai basil, 4 sprigs
- limes, 2
- jalapeño or Fresno pepper, 2
from the pantry/dry:
- rice noodles for pho, 12-16 ounces
- spice bundle: star anise, black peppercorns, coriander seeds, cinnamon stick OR Chinese five spice powder
- fish sauce, 2 tablespoons
- sea salt , plus more to season at the end
- hoisin sauce
- sriracha sauce
What Kind of Noodles are Best for Pho?
Pho is served with rice noodles called bánh phở, which are wider and flat, similar to fettuccine or tagliatelle. They are available both fresh and dried. You may not be able to find rice noodles specifically for pho, but rice noodles labeled for pad thai can work too!
I use brown rice noodles when they are available, or like this.
How Should I Prep Leftover Turkey for Pho?
Remove all the good meat from the bones and save in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The best way to do this I have found, is to just get in there with your hands and start pulling the meat. I wear these gloves when I do it because I am a dumb baby but bare hands is straight up like a g.
Discard skin and other detritus.
If you are making the Turkey Pho right away, proceed with the recipe with the bones. Otherwise, gather them into an airtight container and refrigerate or freeze until you have the time to make it!
Additional Ingredients Notes and Resources
Fish Sauce. I use Red Boat fish sauce, which I have found in the larger Whole Foods markets in my city (Los Angeles). You can always buy Red Boat fish sauce online.
Korean pear. Traditional pho has some degree of sweetness, usually from the addition of actual sugar in the form of rock sugar, a light brown colored sugar that is literally in the form of a crystal rock. Because we are keeping this Turkey Pho refined sugar-free, we use Korean pear or apple while simmering the broth for natural sweetness. If you like pho sweeter, add about a tablespoon of sugar.
Spice Bundle: star anise, black peppercorns, coriander, cinnamon or Chinese Five Spice. Chinese five spice is an actual blend of, you guessed it, five different spices, sometimes a few more. While the exact blend and proportions vary across homemade recipes and store-bought brands, in general, Chinese five spice comprises: 1) star anise 2) fennel 3) cinnamon 4) cloves, and 5) where much of the variation comes in but usally in the "spicy heat" family like ground ginger, pepper, or Sichuan peppercorns. When I buy a prepared blend, this is one I look for, which has white pepper instead of ginger.
Hoisin Sauce. Hoisin sauce is a rich, velvety fermented soy-based sauce commonly used in Chinese cuisine, both by itself as a finishing sauce or condiment, and as an ingredient in other dishes.
Sriracha Hot Sauce. We all know the sriracha sauce that comes in the rooster bottle with the green top, but that is not the only one. I found a (mostly) organic sriracha sauce by Sky Valley at Whole Foods.
Salt. Salt is an obvious and ubiquitous ingredient. I use this Kosher salt.
All other vegetables, herbs and produce I get from the the regular grocery store.
Substitutions and Variations
This Turkey Pho recipe, as with most soups, is generally forgiving and flexible. In terms of ingredient amounts and ratios, you can eyeball/taste a lot of it. There are a few substitutions you can make to fit the recipe into taste preferences and dietary restrictions.
I have made this recipe many times as presented, as well as with the substitutions and variations as noted below:
Turkey Bone Broth. If you, like me, make gallons of turkey bone broth starting on November 1 and have it, you can skip the leftover bones, use 4 quarts of Turkey bone Broth with the ginger, onions, garlic, pear and spices and just simmer for about 30 minutes! But why waste the bones! USE THE BONES! That is the point!
Rock Sugar or Other Sweetener. Traditional pho uses rock sugar to sweeten the broth, but we are refined sugar-free in this house, and since you most likely have a pear or apple available from Thanksgiving dinner, use it to naturally sweeten the broth. If you'd like to use sugar, use any brown or granulated sugar, starting with 1 tablespoons and adding more to taste.
Fish Sauce. If you don't have access to fish sauce, or have an allergy, you CAN substitute a tiny bit of soy sauce or tamari, but know that this DRAMATICALLY changes the vibe. Fish sauce and soy sauce are used for both salt as well as their flavors, and they differ a lot. Note: some soy sauces and tamari contain gluten, so make sure to read the package label if you are gluten-free.
Noodles. Pho is traditionally served with rice noodles, but if you don't have them, no one is going to call the Pho-lice (pho-police?) if you throw egg noodles, spaghetti noodles, spiralized zucchini noodles, or spaghetti squash in the broth. The real point here is the broth.
How to Make Turkey Pho
Make the Turkey Pho Broth
If you haven't already, separate all the "good meat" from the bones and set aside/refrigerate.
Place leftover turkey bones in a large Dutch oven or stockpot. Fill with tap water and clean off the bones by either shaking the pot or using your hands to stir the bones to bring up loose bits. Drain the rinse water. Repeat, if necessary, until water runs pretty clear.
Fill the pot with 4 quarts cool clean water or more to cover the bones by at least 1-inch. Set the pot over medium-high heat to begin the cooking process while you prepare the aromatics.
Turn on another burner on your gas stove to medium-high. Using a pair of metal tongs (and wearing a heatproof mitt or glove), place the onions and ginger directly on the burner over the flame, turning them occasionally until they are charred black all over, about 10 minutes. If you don't have a gas stove, broil onions and ginger turning occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes until charred on all sides.
Add the charred onions, charred ginger, smashed garlic, Korean pear or apple, cilantro stems, and spices to the pot. Bring the pot back to a simmer, cover with a small vent, and cook for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Remove large bones to make straining easier. Pour the remaining contents of the pot through a mesh strainer into another large pot. Discard bones and solids. Stir in fish sauce, taste, and if needed, season with sea salt.
If turkey is cold from the fridge, bring the Pho Broth to a simmer, drop the turkey in the pot to heat through. Strain the turkey out to place individual bowls.
Make and Assemble Turkey Pho Bowls
Cook rice noodles according to package. Divide cooked noodles among 4 soup bowls.
Ladle 2 cups of broth into each bowl over noodles.
Top the bowls with turkey, a handful of sliced onions, sliced green onions, and cilantro leaves.
Serve immediately with garnishes.
Pro-tip: If you want to make an ultra fast Turkey Pho with just the leftover meat, simmer turkey bone broth or even chicken stock with the charred onion, ginger, Korean pear, cilantro stems, and spices for about 30 minutes and then proceed with arranging the bowls.
How to Serve and Eat Pho
Despite what some "experts" or social media may declare—e.g. "don't squirt sriracha directly into the bowl!" and "must place noodles with chopsticks into spoon!"—there is no one single "right way" to serve and eat a bowl of pho. Especially when Turkey Pho is already bucking quite a bit of tradition by using a VERY American ingredient.
It is best to use recipes and how-tos as a general guideline, and in the Thanksgiving spirit of old world traditions in new places, enjoy your pho with ingredients that are available to you, and fit your personal taste and dietary requirements.
That being said dot dot dot
There are some helpful things that can make the experience a little richer!
- Use both the spoon and your chopsticks to bundle the noodles into the spoon and dip the spoon into the bowl to get some of the broth to make the perfectly slurpable little bite
- Squeeze of lime juice directly into the bowl brightens the broth and adds some welcome tartness
- Use sriracha and hoisin as "dips" for the meat and vegetables for maximum heat and flavor concentration.
- Add the sprouts to the bowl a little at a time to maintain the crisp texture (my personal preference). However, if you prefer the sprouts to soften, go right ahead and drop them all into the steaming hot bowl immediately and snuggle them into the broth to "cook" a little.
- Tear herbs and stir into the bowl to flavor the broth, but you can also just place a sprig or two into each spooned bite to keep the herbs fresh
Advance Prep, Leftovers, and Storage
Leftover Pho with noodles and all the garnishes already added doesn't keep well. However, you can store extras as separate components.
How Long Can You Keep Turkey Pho Broth in the Refrigerator? You can store leftover Turkey Pho broth in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three (3) days. I like to use large mason jars with sealing plastic lids. Re-heat in a pot on the stovetop. Cooked pho noodles will last 1 day.
How Long Can You Freeze Turkey Pho Broth? You can freeze Turkey Pho Broth in an airtight container or plastic zipper bags for three (3) months. Re-heat in a pot on the stovetop with a splash or two of water or broth so the frozen soup doesn't burn before thawing out.
Here are a few ways to freeze Turkey Pho Broth:
- The way that works best for how I maintain my freezer is ladling bone broth directly into freezer-safe quart-sized bags, squeezing out all the air, sealing, and laying flat in the freezer until the broth freezes. Then I stand them up and line them up like thin books on a bookshelf. If you're looking to reduce single-use plastic, these are re-usable ziptop bags.
- Use large format ice cube trays to freeze any Broth into ½-cup or 1-cup servings, pop out the frozen cubes, and throw into a freezer-safe bag.
- Yes, you can put glass mason jars in the freezer. Just make sure to leave at least 1½-inch of air space at the top of the jar and freeze with the lid lightly closed. Once, the bone broth is frozen completely, you can close the lid completely. Make sure the keep the jars on freezer shelves that will hold the jars in place.
Tools and Equipment
As I always say, you don't need any special equipment to make Turkey Pho. You can simply use a knife and cutting board to slice the vegetables. However, that doesn't mean there are a couple of gadgets and tools that might make it easier to get your Turkey Pho from board to bowl, and you probably have/need a lot of them already from cooking Thanksgiving dinner!
Stock Pot. I use a very large stock pot by this cookware company. It has a heavy bottom and easy-to-hold handles. Any large pot that fits the ingredients will do.
Dutch Oven. If you'd like to make the investment into a Dutch oven, this large oval Dutch oven is the one I use all the time.
Chef's Knife. This is my workhorse chef's knife, slightly more pricey than others, but definitely worth it. I have had it for more than 10 years and use it every day.
Vegetable Peeler. I have both a Y-peeler and regular swivel peeler. Both of them have an easily grippable, non-slip handle.
Extra large, sturdy wooden cutting board. This is the extra large, very sturdy i.e. doesn't slip around, cutting board that I use every day.
Onion Goggles. There are goggles specifically designed for use as "onion goggles" in the kitchen, but why not go ahead and get full-on professional grade safety goggles (amazon) or these that fit like glasses with legs (homedepot) that you can also use when you're in the garage building a bookshelf or something.
Stainless steel tongs to fish out a bouquet garni or transfer larger ingredients between pots and bowls.
FAQ
Rice noodles are traditional for pho.
Yes, of course you can make Turkey Pho without leftover bones! You can either BUY just turkey necks and parts, which many stores will have around Thanksgiving time for people who want to make broths, stocks, and gravy, or you can use 4-6 quarts of prepared turkey bone broth or chicken stock.
Store leftover Turkey Pho broth only in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three days, or in the freezer for three months. Turkey Pho that has the cooked noodles already in it does not store well.
Yes! Highly recommend freezing the broth only for those future Don't-Feel-Like-Cooking days. Freeze Turkey Pho broth in an airtight container or plastic zipper bags for three months. Cooked noodles don't freeze well.
What Else to Serve for a Turkey Pho Dinner
A steaming bowl of Turkey Pho with filling-but-light rice noodles, turkey as protein, and all those vegetables is an entire meal in and of itself, but if you want to make it a party, here are some snacky appetizer-y things you can also serve before or alongside:
Turkey Pho Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 set leftover roast turkey bones and 1½ to 2 pounds leftover turkey thinly sliced or shredded
Turkey Pho Broth
- 4-6 quarts cool filtered water
- 1 onion halved and root end cut off
- 1 3-inch piece fresh ginger
- 8-10 cloves garlic peeled and lightly crushed
- 1 Korean pear or apple seeded and cut into eight wedges
- handful cilantro stems leaves reserved for garnish
- 1 spice bundle: 1 star anise, 1 tablespoon black peppercorns, 1 tablespoon coriander seed, 1 cinnamon stick OR 1 tablespoon Chinese five spice powder
- 2 tablespons fish sauce plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon sea salt plus more to taste
Turkey Pho Bowls
- 1 12-16 ounces package dried rice noodles
- ½ red onion thinly sliced and soaked in ice cold water for 10 minutes
- ½ cup thinly sliced scallions
- ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
Garnishes
- 2 cups bean sprouts, shredded cabbage, or whatever crispy crunchy fresh vegetables are leftover from Thanksgiving
- 8-10 sprigs Thai basil
- 2 limes cut into wedges
- 2 jalapeño or Fresno peppers sliced
- Hoisin sauce
- sriracha hot sauce
Instructions
Make Leftover Turkey Pho Broth
- Place leftover turkey bones in a large Dutch oven or stockpot. Fill with tap water and clean off the bones by either shaking the pot or using your hands to stir the bones to bring up loose bits. Drain the rinse water. Repeat, if necessary, until water runs pretty clear.
- Fill the pot with 4-6 quarts cool clean water, or whatever is enough to cover the bones by at least 1-inch. Set the pot over medium-high heat to begin the cooking process while you prepare the aromatics.
- Turn on another burner on your gas stove to medium-high. Using a pair of metal tongs (and wearing a heatproof mitt or glove), place the onions and ginger directly on the burner over the flame, turning them occasionally until they are charred black all over, about 10 minutes. If you don't have a gas stove, broil onions and ginger turning occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes until charred on all sides.
- Add the charred onions, charred ginger, smashed garlic, Korean pear or apple, cilantro stems, and spices to the pot.
- Bring the pot back to a simmer, cover with a small vent, and cook for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
- Remove large turkey bones to make straining easier. Pour the remaining contents of the pot through a mesh strainer into another large pot. Discard bones and ginger, onion, and pear solids. Stir in fish sauce, taste, and if needed, season with sea salt.
Assemble Leftover Turkey Pho Bowls
- Cook rice noodles according to package. Divide cooked noodles among 4 soup bowls.
- Ladle 2 cups of broth into each bowl over noodles. Top the bowls with re-heated turkey, a handful of sliced onions, sliced green onions, and cilantro leaves.
- Serve immediately with garnishes, hoisin, and sriracha
Food for Afterthoughts
I have relaxed my neck to let my head fall forward, holding my bangs back away from my eyes, face deep down into the bowl; I have slurped and sucked and slurped and sucked and slurped and sucked up noodles; I have grasped the bowl with two hands, tilted it up toward my face and noisily lapped up broth; I have let the boiling hot burn hit the back of my throat; I have swallowed the broth in a single, spice-filled gulp, then wiped the tiny glittering splashes of pink-tinged oh-me-so-spicy brothy gloss dripping down my chin with the back of my hand.
I have.
In more than one location. On more than one occasion.
However, I am not ready to expose all my filthy little pho-ho secrets to you just yet.
But I am going to share a recipe with you!
StickyGooeyCreamyChewy says
I'm so jealous! What I wouldn't give to have a place like this around here. I'm drooling just looking at the pictures!
Anonymous says
santouka is the king. everything else i've tried pales in comparison. this might be blasphemy to some ramen freaks but ridiculously better than daikokuya in downtown LA's little tokyo and more recently in the OC.
an even greater blasphemous comment might be that jonathan gold doesn't know what he's talking about (re. daikokuya)... or he just hasn't tried santouka.
akatsukira says
>(what are those yellow stringy batons?)
If it's thin, yellow and stringy, probably golden straw mushrooms aka enokitake. If it's chewy and about an inch across, probably young bamboo.
I love Santouka! A trip to Mitsuwa is not the same without their ramen; I'm the same and have never found the desire to visit the other stalls (not that they're bad; just the lure of good ramen is too much). Plus, they use my favourite childhood fishcakes: naruto!
Doowite says
Mitsuwa on Centinela: where you can actually find Asian guys with white girls... on occasion. "Shio" her how u luv her, RT!
sarah j. gim says
sgcc: isn't that piece of pork just obscene?
anonymous: you can swear, curse, talk trash about me, call me names, even make vicious racist, offensive, slanderous comments...
but don't ever take The JGold's name in vain. ;)
akatsukira: i've never seen enoki mushrooms in the ramen at santouka.
by "stringy," i think RT might have meant "fibrous." if you look at the photo of the spicy miso, you can sort of see the beige-colored slices or "batons" as RT calls them. i think you're right - they taste like subtly pickled bamboo to me.
doowite: rice on white? what is this world coming to?
Anonymous says
Ann Arbor blows.
U says
So, I'm assuming that everyone here has seen Tampopo?
sarah j. gim says
anonymous michigan hater: i {heart} you.
u: u will smack me, won't you? i even went to the ramen place when it was tampopo before it was santouka, blogged about it, talked about how i should watch the movie, and STILL HAVE NOT SEEN IT.
ok, maybe i will go rent it tonight.
KirkK says
You have great timing....today was Santouka's grand opening of their San Diego store!
jkru says
I whole heartedly agree with the hating on Michigan. Besides, I don't think you need an excuse to say that the Wolverines suck if it's always *true*!
RT says
Wow, "VIP?" I've made the big time! =D Thanks Sarah! I guess I have to forgive your blasphemy about Wolverines. This time, at least. And no, 'frequent' is not a bold assumption; TDL is a daily visit for me (along with about two dozen other websites).
By the way, I made an error that I just caught (sorry Sarah!): the sizes are small, regular, and large; the photo captioned "shio me the money' is of the regular.
akatukira: yes, fibrous is a much better word.
Anonymous, jkru: Your jealousy is so transparent. =)
lillian says
Ooh! RT that looks amazing. And don't listen to the Michigan haters, 'Hail! to the victors valiant'! :-D
George says
The fibrous stuff is indeed, bamboo shoots. It's called menma.
Tarie says
Where can I get some of that santouka ramen?! I am a ramen whore, too. Whereeeeeeeeee? Ok, calm down, Tarie. You are IN ASIA. This shouldn't be too hard... Thank you, Sarah, for sharing! I hope you had a fabulous weekend. :o)
adventure.N.introspection says
Why is it in LA-LA land, some of the best food has the worst ambiance? Some of the best Mexican food is in hidden holes-in-the-wall where you're not sure you're in the right place. I have to go back and try Santoku again as I only had a sip from the person I was eating with. I still remember goint to Sushi Nozawa, and being blown away by the sushi but thinking that atmosphere was a little lacking. Even though J. Gold can be off on his review at times, he encourages all of LA to go out and try something new. I'd still take J. Gold over I. Virbila (I Vilify as I like to call her) ANY DAY, ANYWHERE.
Anonymous says
To RT and all the ramen lovers, you must partake of the Ramen Festival that Mitsuwa hosts every year (rameniac has reviews of past years and a heads up for future events). I love Santouka, but I was lucky enough to taste some of the guest ramen from northern Japan in Torrance a few months back, and man-o-man, it's practically ruined me for anything else. I suppose I will only find solace in a trip to Japan...
jen maiser says
I was *just* craving Santouka so badly today. Unfortunately, I'm not in LA right now. Someone please have a bowl for me.
Rayfil Wong says
I just went to try Santouka three weeks ago. I read about it from Rameniac.
As a food writer in San Francisco, the best ramen place we have up here is Santa Ramen.
Santouka resmembles ramen I had in Tokyo.
the-paulk says
is it weird to be turned on as much by your description of ramen as eating it?
Santouka's been one of my favorite spots since it opened at the Torrance Mitsuwa.
I-want-to-slurp-with-Sarah says
I share the-paulk's reaction....
This undoubtably says much more about me than it does about you/r blog posting, but, to put it quite crudely:
Sarah, this post gave me a raging hard-on. The opposite of 'cooked noodle'. I mean, huge, hard and incessant.
You are clearly talented. And I am hopelessly smitten.
Write an entire book like this post and you'll become rich and famous.
:*
Dazzie says
I like it with purple, have you people tried ramen with purple? Well, try it it tastes yummy! All the celebrities are having it like Paris Hilton and it was on Oprah Winfrey too because of it's great taste, alone and with everything else. Not that I like Paris Hilton or anything... It has a strong anitoxidant punch of 7 fruit juices and as we know anioxidants help fight anti-aging and cancer so you know... I thought may be you people would like to try slurping ramen with something....go ahead and try it and please let me know :)
Dazzie says
Sorry that was Premature ageing :)
Dazzie says
hey sorry people in case you want to check out...i'll be waiting for your comments, whether you like it with ramen or not.
Fred says
I have tried Purple and I love it. It has such a unique taste and by that I mean a really good taste :o)
I know that you can buy Purple at GNC stores but when I went on line to the website at http://www.drinkpurple.com they have an area that tells you where they have distribution.
Ramen and Purple sounds a little strange together but they probably thought that about chocolate and peanut butter at one time. :o)
See ya
Fred
Anonymous says
Yummy, looks a bit like Kim Chi Chigue, no?
Those pictures made my mouth water.
Bruce
Westside Apartments