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A bowl of noodle soup in rich turkey pho bone broth, topped with shredded turkey, mushrooms, bok choy, bean sprouts, sliced red chili, and a lime wedge, served with chopsticks on the side.
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5 from 2 votes

Turkey bone broth pho recipe

This turkey bone broth pho is cozy, clean, and full of warm pho aroma. A simple, slow-simmered way to use leftover turkey for a comforting bowl.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time8 hours
Total Time8 hours 15 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Keyword: Turkey bone broth, Turkey pho
Servings: 4 servings
Author: ChihYu Smith

Ingredients

  • 4-5 lb. leftover cooked turkey or chicken with bones/carcass and meat
  • 10 oz yellow onion 1 medium
  • 2 oz. ginger root
  • 1.8 oz garlic cloves 8 large
  • 4 whole star anise pods
  • 1 cinnamon stick 3.25 inch length
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds
  • 6 whole dry shiitake mushrooms
  • 48 oz. chicken stock plus more to reach the 3-liter mark (add water if needed)
  • 2.5 tsp coarse sea salt or to taste
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1.5 tbsp sugar
  • Lime wedges

For serving:

US - Metric

Instructions

  • Remove the meat from the cooked turkey or chicken. Shred it into bite-size strips and keep it in the fridge until serving.
    Shredded cooked turkey in a colorful bowl on the left; on the right, cooked turkey leftovers and bones ready for turkey pho bone broth, stored in clear plastic containers on a wooden surface with sunlight.
  • Peel and dice the onion into 1-inch chunks. Scrub the ginger clean, pat dry, and cut into 1-inch pieces (no need to peel). Peel the garlic cloves and leave them whole.
    Side-by-side images: on the left, raw chopped onion, garlic, and ginger—aromatics essential for Turkey pho bone broth—on a parchment-lined tray; on the right, the same ingredients roasted and browned to enhance their flavor.
  • Warm up the broiler for 5 minutes. Place the onion, ginger, and garlic on a sheet pan. Broil on the middle rack for 5–7 minutes, then rotate and broil the other side for another 5–7 minutes. They should smell fragrant and lightly charred.
  • Press Sauté → Normal on your Instant Pot. Once it says “Hot,” add the star anise, cinnamon stick, and fennel seeds. Dry roast for about 5 minutes, tossing often, until fragrant. Press Cancel.
    A white plate with star anise, cumin seeds, and a cinnamon stick on a wooden table; the same spices are ready to flavor turkey pho bone broth in the bottom of a stainless steel pot.
  • Add the roasted onion, ginger, and garlic to the pot. Add the turkey or chicken carcass, shiitake, and pour in chicken stock until it reaches at least the 3-liter mark. You can top it off with water if needed.
    Side-by-side photos of an Instant Pot: the left shows raw turkey bones, chopped onions, vegetables; the right reveals the ingredients cooked and transformed into a rich turkey pho bone broth.
  • Press Slow Cook → Low for 7–8 hours, or High for 4–5 hours. Don’t open the lid during cooking.
  • Cook the pho noodles in a separate pot according to package instructions. Do this when you’re close to serving.
    A bowl filled with plain cooked white rice pho noodles sits on a wooden surface, brightly lit by natural sunlight, ready to be paired with flavorful turkey pho bone broth.
  • When the broth is done, strain out the carcass and aromatics. Keep the shiitake mushrooms and the clean broth.
    Two side-by-side images: On the left, cooked meat and bones for turkey pho bone broth are being strained over a pot inside an Instant Pot slow cooker. On the right, a hand holds a tablespoon above the pot filled with rich brown broth.
  • Return the broth and mushrooms to the pot. Press Sauté and taste the broth before seasoning. Add salt, fish sauce, sugar, and lime juice —start small and adjust to your taste.
  • Add the bok choy and simmer for 1 minute. Press Cancel.
  • To serve, add the cooked noodles to each bowl first. Then top with the shredded turkey or chicken and a handful of bean sprouts. Ladle the hot broth over everything and serve right away. If you like, add sliced jalapeño, a drizzle of hoisin, or a bit of sriracha with extra lime wedges on the side.
    A bowl of noodle soup with mushrooms, shredded turkey, bok choy, bean sprouts, lime wedges, and red chili in a rich turkey pho bone broth, served with chopsticks and a ceramic spoon on the side.

Video

Notes

  • The shredded turkey or chicken and bean sprouts are added directly to each bowl—not simmered in the turkey bone broth. This keeps the meat tender, the sprouts crisp, and the broth clear and clean.
  • Storage & Reheat: Store the broth on its own and keep the noodles and toppings separate. Reheat the broth and add the noodles right before serving.
  • Spice bags: If you have spice bags, add the roasted onion, ginger, garlic, and dry-toasted spices in separate bags so they’re easy to remove later. Don’t pack them too tightly so the aromatics have room to release their flavor.
  • Best turkey to use: For a clean, pho-style turkey bone broth, use leftover turkey or chicken roasted with lighter, savory seasoning (herbs, citrus, soy-based marinades). These give you a clearer, more balanced broth.
  • Avoid butter-heavy roasts: Turkeys coated with a lot of butter (on and under the skin, plus buttery drippings) aren’t ideal for pho. They tend to make the broth heavy and greasy instead of light and clear.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 144kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1917mg | Potassium: 569mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 9IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 80mg | Iron: 2mg
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