Instant Pot BBQ Turkey Enchilada Soup: Repurpose Thanksgiving Leftovers Effortlessly

Discover a revolutionary way to transform your Thanksgiving leftovers into a vibrant, flavorful meal with this Instant Pot BBQ Turkey Enchilada Soup! Infused with spicy zest and all your favorite enchilada elements, this soup is destined to become a beloved family classic. Serves 4.

Disclosure: This post has been sponsored by Head Country Bar-B-Q. As always, all opinions are my own.

Year after year, the culinary challenge of Thanksgiving often revolves around one delicious, yet daunting, aspect: the leftovers. While a plate piled high with turkey, stuffing, and mashed potatoes is undeniably comforting on the big day, the thought of eating the same combination for days on end can quickly lose its appeal. This is where creativity in the kitchen becomes essential, and it’s a mission I wholeheartedly embrace.

Especially this year, as we navigate holidays that might look a little different, planning for those post-feast meals feels even more crucial. Whether you’re hosting a grand gathering or a cozy, intimate dinner, one truth remains constant: there will be turkey, and likely, there will be plenty left over. Instead of the usual hostess hat I might put on, this year calls for a smaller, more intimate celebration. What it will look like exactly, I’m still figuring out, even with the holiday just a week away.

Despite the uncertainties, one thing I know for sure is that there will be food – and lots of it. Thanksgiving leftovers aren’t just remnants of a meal; they’re an invitation to culinary adventure. Ever since I launched Cake ‘n Knife, it’s become a cherished annual tradition to devise a fresh, inventive recipe that breathes new life into post-holiday ingredients. While there’s an array of delicious components from the feast, my focus this year is squarely on the turkey. It’s the one ingredient we consistently have in abundance, even if it’s just a modest turkey breast shared between a small group. This year’s innovation? A delightful twist on classic enchilada flavors, reimagined into a comforting soup.

The Delight of Thanksgiving Leftovers: Mastering Culinary Creativity

For many, the leftover turkey from Thanksgiving can feel like a culinary puzzle. While the initial joy of the holiday feast is undeniable, the challenge often lies in finding innovative and delicious ways to repurpose the remaining bounty without simply reheating the same meal. This is where the magic of creative cooking truly shines, and it’s a tradition I’ve enthusiastically embraced since founding Cake ‘n Knife. Each year, I look forward to developing a fresh recipe that transforms those post-holiday ingredients into something entirely new and exciting.

This year, my focus is firmly on the turkey. Regardless of the size of your gathering – whether it’s a grand family affair or a smaller, more intimate setting – leftover turkey is almost always a guarantee. Even if it’s just a modest turkey breast, there will be enough to work with. That’s where this incredibly simple and flavorful Instant Pot BBQ Turkey Enchilada Soup comes into play. It’s designed to be a game-changer for your post-holiday meal planning.

The beauty of using leftover turkey in an enchilada-inspired dish is its inherent richness. Turkey, particularly the white meat, offers a depth of flavor that often outshines chicken, making it a perfect complement to the robust, hearty notes you expect from classic enchiladas. However, traditional enchiladas can be quite time-consuming, involving multiple steps of rolling, saucing, and baking. My goal was to capture all those beloved, comforting enchilada flavors in a much more efficient, one-pot format – a delicious, warm, and inviting soup!

To add an extra layer of deliciousness and a unique twist, I’ve infused this soup with a fantastic BBQ element, transforming it into a “BBQ Turkey Enchilada Soup.” This smart addition allows us to harness the power of readily available pantry staples, most notably the exceptional Head Country Bar-B-Q Sauce. This recipe isn’t just about utilizing leftovers; it’s about crafting a truly unforgettable meal that’s both comforting and exciting, ensuring those Thanksgiving remnants disappear in the most delightful way imaginable.

Why You Need This Instant Pot BBQ Turkey Enchilada Soup In Your Life

This isn’t just another soup recipe; it’s a strategic culinary solution for the post-holiday season, offering a refreshing departure from traditional leftover meals. Here’s why this Instant Pot BBQ Turkey Enchilada Soup is about to become your new favorite way to handle those precious leftovers:

• Unbeatable Flavor Transformation: Bid farewell to boring, rehashed turkey! This soup completely reimagines the flavors, masterfully merging the smoky sweetness of classic BBQ with the rich, spicy, and tangy notes of authentic enchiladas. It’s a truly harmonious flavor explosion that will make you forget you’re even eating leftovers, creating an entirely new culinary experience.
• Effortless Instant Pot Convenience: The Instant Pot is an absolute game-changer for busy home cooks, and this recipe highlights its efficiency perfectly. It drastically cuts down cooking time, allowing you to create a deeply flavorful and complex soup in a mere fraction of the time it would take using conventional stovetop methods. This means minimal effort for maximum reward, making it ideal for busy weeknights or when you’re simply craving something quick and delicious.
• Perfect for Leftover Turkey: This recipe is specifically designed to make the absolute most of your delicious, albeit abundant, leftover Thanksgiving turkey. Instead of getting stuck in a rut with endless turkey sandwiches or repetitive casseroles, you can simply shred or roughly chop your turkey and incorporate it into this vibrant, hearty soup. It’s a creative and highly effective way to stretch your holiday meal further and enjoy your turkey in a fresh context.
• Family-Friendly and Highly Customizable: The bold yet balanced flavors of this soup generally appeal to a wide range of palates, making it a guaranteed hit with the whole family. Furthermore, the soup is incredibly customizable with various toppings, allowing each family member to personalize their bowl to their exact preferences – whether it’s loading up on extra shredded cheese, adding a cooling dollop of sour cream, a spoonful of fresh salsa, or creamy diced avocado.
• Economical and Resourceful: In today’s world, reducing food waste is not only environmentally conscious but also economical. This recipe excels at both by helping you use up leftover turkey and often calling for readily available, budget-friendly pantry staples such as canned black beans, diced tomatoes, and frozen corn. It’s a smart choice that tastes indulgent without breaking the bank.
• Ultimate Comfort in a Bowl: There’s an undeniable, inherent comfort that comes with a warm, savory bowl of soup, particularly during the colder months that follow the holiday season. This BBQ Turkey Enchilada Soup delivers that deep, soul-warming satisfaction with an exciting and flavorful kick, making it the perfect antidote to chilly evenings.

Featuring Head Country Bar-B-Q: The Secret to Unbeatable Flavor

The real magic behind the incredible depth and distinctive flavor of this BBQ Turkey Enchilada Soup largely stems from one exceptional ingredient: Head Country Bar-B-Q Sauce. This isn’t just an ordinary BBQ sauce; it’s a meticulously crafted blend that delivers an authentic, robust taste which consistently elevates any dish it touches. I’ve been perpetually impressed by the superior quality and potent flavor punch packed into every single bottle, making it an indispensable, go-to pantry item in my kitchen.

What truly sets Head Country Bar-B-Q apart from its competitors is its unwavering commitment to providing rich, bold, and genuinely authentic flavors, all at an incredibly accessible price point. Honestly, once you experience the depth and balance of their sauces, other brands simply don’t compare. The consistent, high-standard quality of their entire range of sauces and seasonings has unequivocally crowned them the winner in my culinary judgment.

Head Country Bar-B-Q Hot & Spicy Sauce: A Flavor Punch

For this specific Instant Pot BBQ Turkey Enchilada Soup recipe, my absolute favorite choice is the Head Country Bar-B-Q Hot & Spicy Sauce. Its perfectly balanced heat level, combined with that iconic, rich BBQ flavor profile, introduces a dynamic and exciting layer that makes this soup truly unforgettable. It delivers just the right amount of zest and warmth without ever overpowering the other ingredients, thus ensuring a beautifully harmonious and exhilarating taste experience in every spoonful.

Beyond the Hot & Spicy variety, Head Country offers an impressive and delicious range of other flavors. Their Original sauce provides a classic, perfectly balanced BBQ taste, while the Chipotle option offers a delightful smoky kick. Both of these would also perform wonderfully in this recipe if you prefer a different spice intensity or a slightly varied smoky note. The underlying factor that guarantees success is that signature Head Country quality, which consistently promises to transform and enhance your meal significantly.

This recipe serves as a brilliant and ingenious strategy for keeping those cherished holiday flavors alive and exciting, effectively preventing the all-too-common “leftover fatigue.” You can effortlessly integrate this soup into your post-Thanksgiving meal rotation, and truthfully, it’s so exceptionally good that you might even find yourself purposely roasting extra turkey just to have an excuse to make this soup repeatedly throughout the entire holiday season and well beyond. And for those who prefer a different cooking method, if the Instant Pot isn’t your primary appliance, there’s no need to worry! I’ve thoughtfully included detailed instructions for adapting this versatile recipe for your slow cooker in the comprehensive notes section of the recipe card, ensuring that everyone, regardless of their preferred kitchen gadget, can enjoy this fantastic and comforting meal.

More Instant Pot Inspirations for Your Kitchen

If you’ve recently discovered the incredible convenience and transformative power of your Instant Pot, you’re undoubtedly eager to explore more of its culinary capabilities! This pressure cooker is far more than just a soup maker; it’s a versatile powerhouse that can effortlessly whip up a wide array of incredible dishes with minimal fuss and impressive speed. It’s the perfect tool for modern home cooks looking to save time without compromising on flavor or quality. Here are some other fantastic Instant Pot recipes to inspire your next kitchen adventure, each guaranteed to become a new favorite in your cooking repertoire:

• Instant Pot White Cheddar Mac and Cheese: Indulge in the ultimate comfort food that’s unbelievably creamy, intensely cheesy, and ready to enjoy in mere minutes. This recipe is perfect for busy weeknights when you crave something satisfying and quick.
• Instant Pot BBQ Short Rib Tacos: Elevate your taco nights with tender, succulent, fall-off-the-bone short ribs, richly infused with smoky BBQ flavor. The Instant Pot makes achieving this level of tenderness incredibly easy.
• Instant Pot Chipotle Chicken Tacos: Prepare incredibly flavorful, perfectly shredded chicken with a zesty, smoky chipotle kick. This versatile chicken is ideal for quick and easy tacos, burritos, or as a topping for salads.
• Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes: Achieve perfectly smooth, creamy, and fluffy mashed potatoes in record time, freeing up valuable stovetop space and making holiday meal prep (or any meal prep!) significantly easier.

Essential Tools and Ingredients for This Recipe

Crafting a truly delicious meal is always made easier and more enjoyable when you have both the right tools at hand and a selection of quality ingredients. For this delightful Instant Pot BBQ Turkey Enchilada Soup, here’s a comprehensive breakdown of everything you’ll need to ensure a smooth cooking process and, more importantly, a spectacularly flavorful outcome:

**Key Ingredients:**

• Head Country Bar-B-Q Sauce: As previously emphasized, this is arguably the star ingredient, providing that signature smoky, tangy, and slightly sweet backbone to the soup. While I passionately advocate for the Hot & Spicy sauce for its exhilarating kick and depth, rest assured that their Original or Chipotle varieties are also exceptionally good choices. They offer fantastic flavor profiles if you prefer a milder taste or a more pronounced smoky nuance. The rich, balanced taste of Head Country consistently makes all the difference in this recipe.
• Leftover Turkey: This recipe presents the ultimate, most ingenious way to repurpose your holiday bird. Whether shredded into fine strands or roughly chopped into bite-sized pieces, your leftover turkey will beautifully absorb all the wonderful, complex flavors of the simmering soup, transforming into something entirely new.
• Enchilada Sauce: This crucial component provides the authentic, savory, and slightly tangy foundation for the “enchilada” aspect of our soup. You have the flexibility to choose your preferred heat level – whether mild, medium, or hot – ensuring the soup perfectly matches your family’s taste preferences.
• Aromatics (Onion & Garlic): The unsung heroes of nearly any great savory soup, these aromatics form the essential building blocks of flavor. When carefully sautéed, they create a deep, savory, and aromatic base that sets the stage for the rest of the ingredients.
• Chicken Broth: Serving as the primary liquid base for our soup, chicken broth adds essential moisture and enhances the overall savory depth. Opting for a low sodium version is a smart choice, allowing you to control the total saltiness of the finished dish precisely.
• Canned Black Beans, Petite Diced Tomatoes, & Frozen Corn: These vibrant vegetables contribute significantly to the soup’s texture, visual appeal, and provide additional layers of fresh flavor, making the soup incredibly hearty, satisfying, and nutritionally balanced. Always remember to thoroughly rinse and drain your canned beans before adding them!
• Spices (Cumin & Dried Oregano): These classic Tex-Mex spices are indispensable. They dramatically enhance the authentic enchilada profile and infuse the dish with a comforting, earthy warmth, tying all the flavors together beautifully.
• Fresh Cilantro: A generous addition of fresh herbs brightens up the entire soup, offering a burst of fresh, herbaceous flavor that cuts through the richness. Don’t forget to reserve some extra for a vibrant garnish!

**Essential Equipment:**

• Instant Pot (or Slow Cooker): This is the star appliance for preparing this recipe! I personally find my Instant Pot Ultra 6 Qt to be exceptionally versatile and user-friendly. However, if you prefer the convenience of the “set-it-and-forget-it” method, a slow cooker works equally well with just a few minor adjustments (detailed thoroughly in the recipe card’s notes section).
• Chef’s Knife and Cutting Board: These fundamental kitchen tools are necessary for efficiently prepping your onion, garlic, and any other fresh ingredients. Investing in a good quality knife set, such as the Wusthof Knife Set, can make all your chopping tasks significantly easier and more enjoyable.
• Wooden Spoon & Scraper: An indispensable utensil for stirring your ingredients, particularly during the initial sautéing phase. The flat edge of a good wooden spoon is excellent for scraping up any delicious browned bits that may stick to the bottom of the Instant Pot insert. This vital step helps prevent a “burn” warning and, more importantly, reincorporates concentrated flavors back into your soup.

Let’s Make Instant Pot BBQ Turkey Enchilada Soup: Step-by-Step!

Step 1: Sauté the Aromatics

Begin your culinary journey by activating the Sauté function on your Instant Pot. Add the olive oil to the inner pot and allow it a moment to heat up until it glistens. Once hot, introduce your finely chopped onion and sauté for approximately 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and becomes beautifully translucent. This initial step is profoundly crucial for establishing a robust and flavorful base for your soup. Next, stir in the minced garlic and continue cooking for just another 30 seconds to 1 minute, ensuring it releases its intoxicating, fragrant aroma. Exercise caution here to avoid burning the garlic, as burnt garlic can quickly impart a bitter taste to your entire dish. Once the aromatics are fragrant and tender, turn off the Instant Pot’s Sauté function to prepare for the next step and to facilitate proper deglazing.

**Pro Tip for Instant Pot Users:** The deglazing step, which follows, is absolutely vital for a successful Instant Pot recipe! Any browned bits of food that remain stuck to the bottom of the pot after sautéing can potentially trigger a dreaded “burn” warning during the pressure cooking cycle. By adding a liquid and thoroughly scraping the bottom, you not only prevent this issue but also ensure all those delicious, caramelized flavors are infused back into your soup, enhancing its depth and complexity.

Step 2: Pressure Cook for Perfection

Now, it’s time to unite all the vibrant flavors and allow them to meld under pressure. Pour in the low sodium chicken broth, the rich enchilada sauce, and your chosen Head Country Bar-B-Q Sauce into the Instant Pot. Using your sturdy wooden spoon, make certain to thoroughly scrape up any and all browned bits that might be clinging stubbornly to the bottom of the Instant Pot insert – this is your final defense against a “burn” warning and your ultimate opportunity to add layers of intense flavor. Subsequently, add the fresh cilantro, the rinsed and drained black beans, the petite diced tomatoes, the frozen corn, fragrant cumin, and aromatic dried oregano. Give everything a good, thorough stir to ensure all ingredients are evenly distributed and well combined. Secure the lid firmly in place, ensuring the sealing ring is properly seated. Set the Instant Pot to cook on High Pressure for a precise 10 minutes. Once the cooking cycle is successfully completed, perform a manual (quick) release of the pressure by carefully turning the valve to the venting position.

Step 3: Add the Star: Leftover Turkey

With the pressure safely released, carefully and cautiously remove the lid from your Instant Pot. Gently stir in your shredded or roughly chopped leftover turkey. The potent residual heat radiating from the freshly cooked soup should be more than sufficient to warm the turkey through quickly and efficiently. However, if your turkey pieces are notably larger or were particularly cold, you might opt to leave the Instant Pot on its “Warm” setting for an additional 3 to 5 minutes to ensure the turkey is heated evenly and thoroughly. Finally, taste the rich, bubbling soup and meticulously adjust the seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper to your personal preference, if desired.

Serve your comforting and flavorful Instant Pot BBQ Turkey Enchilada Soup immediately, accompanied by an exciting array of your favorite toppings. This is precisely where you can truly personalize each bowl, transforming it into a unique culinary creation for every family member!

Soup Inspiration Galore!

Are you consistently on the hunt for delicious, soul-warming, and comforting soup recipes, especially as the crisp weather of autumn transitions into the chill of winter? This Instant Pot BBQ Turkey Enchilada Soup is truly just one fantastic option among a myriad of possibilities to warm you from the inside out and satisfy your deepest comfort food cravings. If you find yourself yearning for even more creative, incredibly flavorful, and deeply satisfying soup ideas, you have undoubtedly arrived at the perfect destination! I invite you to thoroughly explore my comprehensive and ever-growing soup recipes page for a wide and diverse array of recipes. This curated collection caters to virtually every taste, dietary preference, and seasonal occasion. From robust, hearty stews that are meals in themselves to light, aromatic broths perfect for a quick lunch, you are absolutely sure to discover your next beloved meal there. Dive in, get inspired, and ignite your culinary creativity to effortlessly create even more delightful, soul-nurturing soups for yourself, your family, and your friends!

Slow Cooker Alternative for This BBQ Turkey Enchilada Soup

While the Instant Pot is celebrated for its unparalleled speed and efficiency, there are undeniably times when the relaxed convenience of a slow cooker is simply preferable. This method allows flavors to gradually meld and deepen over several hours with minimal active supervision, making it a perfect choice for busy days. The excellent news is that this incredibly flavorful BBQ Turkey Enchilada Soup can be effortlessly adapted for your slow cooker, transforming it into an ideal “set-it-and-forget-it” option for those hectic days when you desire a delicious, comforting dinner waiting for you as soon as you walk through the door.

**Here’s how to prepare this delightful soup in a slow cooker:**

1. Sauté First (Crucial for Flavor!): Even with slow cooking, an initial sauté is vital for flavor development. In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté for about 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it’s beautifully softened and fragrant. This step is absolutely crucial for building the foundational deep flavor base, which will significantly enhance the final taste of your soup, even after hours of slow cooking.
2. Add Garlic: Stir in the minced garlic and continue cooking for an additional 30 seconds to 1 minute, until its intoxicating aroma is released. Be mindful not to burn the garlic. Remove the skillet from the heat.
3. Combine Remaining Ingredients: Carefully transfer the sautéed onion and garlic mixture into your slow cooker insert. Now, add all the remaining soup ingredients: the low sodium chicken broth, enchilada sauce, Head Country Bar-B-Q Sauce, chopped cilantro, rinsed and drained black beans, petite diced tomatoes, frozen corn, cumin, and dried oregano. **It is important to emphasize: Do not add the cooked turkey at this stage!** Give everything a good, thorough stir to ensure all ingredients are well combined and evenly distributed.
4. Slow Cook: Secure the lid onto your slow cooker and cook on the HIGH setting for 3 hours, or alternatively, on the LOW setting for 6 hours. The longer, gentler cooking time associated with a slow cooker allows all the individual flavors to truly meld, deepen, and concentrate, resulting in a more complex and satisfying soup.
5. Incorporate Turkey: During the final 30 minutes of cooking if you’re on the HIGH heat setting (or during the last hour if cooking on the LOW heat setting), stir in your shredded or chopped leftover turkey. Re-cover the slow cooker and continue cooking until the turkey is thoroughly warmed through and completely infused with the rich, aromatic flavors of the soup.
6. Serve: Before serving, taste the soup and make any necessary adjustments to the seasonings, such as adding salt and pepper, to suit your preference. Then, ladle the rich, comforting soup into bowls and serve generously with all your favorite toppings. Sit back, relax, and savor the deep, comforting flavors you’ve created with minimal fuss!

Instant Pot BBQ Turkey Enchilada Soup

The simplest and most flavorful way to use up your leftover Thanksgiving turkey: an incredible Instant Pot BBQ Turkey Enchilada Soup!

Prep Time:
5 minutes mins

Cook Time:
15 minutes mins

Total Time:
20 minutes mins

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Equipment

• Utility Cutting Board
• Wusthof Knife Set
• Wooden Spoon & Scraper
• Instant Pot Ultra 6 Qt

Ingredients

Soup

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 medium yellow onion chopped
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1 15 oz can enchilada sauce mild, medium, or hot!
• 1/4 cup Head Country Hot & Spicy BBQ Sauce
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro plus more for garnish
• 15 oz can black beans rinsed and drained
• 14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes
• 2 cups frozen corn
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 16 oz shredded or roughly chopped leftover turkey

Toppings

• Shredded cheddar cheese
• Chopped green onion
• Chopped cilantro
• Diced or sliced avocado
• Sour cream
• Tortilla chips

Instructions

• Add olive oil to Instant Pot insert and set to Sauté. Once the oil is hot, add onion and cook until softened, about 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Turn Instant Pot off.
• Stir in chicken broth, enchilada sauce, and Head Country Hot & Spicy BBQ Sauce. Be sure to use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits of onion that may have stuck to the bottom of the insert. Add cilantro, beans, tomatoes, corn, cumin, and oregano. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on High pressure for 10 minutes. Quick release pressure manually when done.
• Keep on Warm setting and stir in turkey. The turkey should heat up after you stir it in, but if it’s still cold, let it sit on the Warm setting for up to 5 minutes until warmed through. Taste and season with salt and pepper to taste, if desired.
• Serve in bowls with your favorite toppings!

Notes

Slow Cooker Instructions: Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add onion and cook until softened, about 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in garlic and cook for about 30 seconds to 1 minute until fragrant. Add this mixture to the slow cooker insert with remaining ingredients, except for the turkey. Cook on High for 3 hours or Low for 6 hours. In the last 30 minutes of cooking on High heat (or last hour for Low heat), stir in turkey, cover, and continue cooking. Serve!

Cuisine: American

Category: Instant Pot