Turkey Wild Rice Soup is an easy, creamy, cozy soup recipe for autumn and winter. This turkey soup is a great way to use up any leftover turkey after Thanksgiving or Christmas. So much flavor!
Table of Contents
Turkey Wild Rice Soup
This creamy turkey and wild rice soup recipe is one of my favorite ways to use up leftover turkey after holidays!
If you’re like me, you probably cooked way too much turkey for Thanksgiving, and now you’re looking for some ways to use it up. You can always default to a sandwich, but this leftover turkey soup is so much better!
Soups are a great way to make a hearty meal with little effort, which is definitely what’s needed after cooking for the holidays. Everything here is cooked in one pan, and it’s the ultimate comfort food!
Why You’ll Love this Leftover Turkey Soup Recipe:
- CREAMY: This turkey soup comes out super creamy, which is oh so comforting!
- LEFTOVER-FRIENDLY: Not only can you use up leftover turkey to make this soup, but you can also save leftover soup in the fridge or freezer for later.
- HEARTY AND DELICIOUS: The turkey, rice, and veggies combined here make for a super cozy meal that is plenty filling.
This turkey wild rice soup is sure to please! Cook up a batch with extra turkey, serve with some crusty bread, and save any extra in the fridge.
What can I make with leftover turkey?
Every year I try to come up with new and tasty ways to use up leftovers from Thanksgiving or Christmas. This year I opted for this hearty and filling turkey wild rice soup to make the most of the roasted bird.
If you need more inspiration, be sure to check out these other leftover turkey recipes too!
Turkey Soup Ingredients
- Turkey: Use any cooked turkey in this recipe. White or dark meat works fine.
- Wild Rice: Start with uncooked wild rice, or a wild rice blend. Other types of rice will work as a substitute, but it might affect cooking times.
- Broth: Use a low-sodium turkey or chicken broth.
- Veggies: This soup calls for carrots, celery, and onions. Substitute different veggies if desired, but again, it could affect cooking time.
- Heavy Cream: This is what makes this turkey rice soup SO creamy.
- Baking Soda: This makes such a difference!
Check the recipe card below for the full ingredients list!
How to Make Turkey Wild Rice Soup
Be sure to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions!
- Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat and add butter and oil.
- Add onion, carrots, celery and uncooked wild rice. Cook until the vegetables have softened and the rice begins to pop.
- Add baking soda, thyme and wine, and cook.
- Add broth, salt and pepper, and bring mixture to a boil.
- Simmer and cover, then cook for 30 minutes. (Check the rice and if it isn’t softened, cook an additional 10 minutes with the lid on.)
- Remove the lid, add cream and turkey and cook 30-60 minutes or until the soup reduces and thickens.
- Use the tops below to adjust consistency (make it thicker or thinner) if necessary.
- Season to taste, with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Enjoy!
Tips!
- After cooking, if the soup is too thick, stir in an additional 1 cup of broth.
- If the soup is too thin, add flour or cornstarch to thicken.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3–4 days.
- Adding baking soda to the soup breaks down the tough rice fibers and reduces cooking time, so don’t skip it!
- If you don’t have leftover turkey, don’t worry. You can make some for this recipe any way you like, just make sure it’s fully cooked before adding it into the soup.
- Watch the video to see the step-by-step recipe in action!
All the Tips and Tricks
How to Cook Thanksgiving Turkey!
EVERYTHING you need to know for Thanksgiving entertaining.
Creamy Turkey Rice Soup
I love how rich and thick this leftover turkey and wild rice soup is! It’s perfect to enjoy on a chilly fall or winter evening. This recipe will yield 8 hearty servings, so it’s perfect if you have guests staying over. Like all good soups, this also freezes well so it’s a great way to stock up your freezer.
Cooking the wild rice is part of the process in this one-pot recipe. So the rice will get some cooking time before the rest of the ingredients are added in to make the soup.
First, make sure you are using regular/uncooked rice and not a par-boiled rice (like instant rice). If the rice still comes out soggy, it probably soaked up too much liquid by cooking in the soup for too long.
You can keep cooked turkey in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days. That’s why I like to use it up in recipes like this, so it doesn’t go to waste!
You can use any kind of turkey you have. Just make sure it is fully cooked BEFORE adding it into the soup. I think turkey breast works best, but you can use any meat from a whole turkey too.
Of course not! If you want to make this soup any time of year (not just post-holiday), you can cook turkey just to use in this recipe. I recommend this Instant Pot Turkey Breast recipe.
If you leftover soup, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for 3-4 days.
The baking soda helps to break down tough fibers in the rice, which means the soup will cook a little bit faster.
Yes! If you want to make a batch of this soup with leftover turkey, and save it for longer, just pop it in the freezer. It will keep up to 3 months.
If you prefer chicken, try this chicken wild rice soup recipe instead!
Everyone will love this creamy turkey wild rice soup recipe. It’s so easy and delicious, and the ultimate post-holiday comfort food!
Be sure to check out these other comforting soup recipes!
- Bacon Cheeseburger Soup
- Broccoli and Cheese Gnocchi Soup
- Cheesy Potato Soup
- Swedish Meatball Soup
- BEST Chicken Soup
- Turkey Chili
If you make this leftover turkey soup recipe be sure to upload a photo in the comment section below or leave a rating. Enjoy!
Turkey Wild Rice Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ large yellow onion, diced
- 3 carrots peeled and chopped
- 1 rib celery diced, optional
- 1 cup uncooked wild rice or a wild rice blend
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda *see Note
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- ½ cup dry or semi-dry white wine a good, drinkable wine
- 4-5 cups unsalted chicken or turkey broth divided
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3 cups cooked chopped or shredded turkey white and dark meat
Instructions
- Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat and add butter and oil.2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Add onion, carrots, celery and uncooked rice. Cook 6-8 minutes or until the vegetables have softened and the rice begins to pop. Stir often.½ large, 3 carrots, 1 rib celery, 1 cup uncooked wild rice or a wild rice blend
- Add baking soda, thyme and wine. Cook 1 minute, stirring often.¼ teaspoon baking soda *see Note, 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, ½ cup dry or semi-dry white wine
- Add 4 cups broth, salt and pepper and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low (simmer and cover. Cook, covered, 30 minutes. Check the rice and if it isn’t softened, cook an additional 10 minutes with the lid on.1½ teaspoons kosher salt, ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 4-5 cups unsalted chicken or turkey broth
- Remove the lid, add cream and turkey and cook 30-60 minutes or until the soup reduces and thickens. (If the soup is too thin, whisk in 2 tablespoons flour or cornstarch that has been mixed with ¼ cup cold heavy cream. Bring just to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook until soup has desired consistency. If soup is too thick, add an additional 1-cup broth.)1 cup heavy cream, 3 cups cooked chopped or shredded turkey
- Season, to taste, with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
- Use a chicken or turkey broth with no added salt, or low-sodium.
- After cooking, if the soup is too thick, stir in an additional 1 cup of broth.
- If the soup is too thin, add flour or cornstarch to thicken.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3–4 days.
- Adding baking soda to the soup breaks down the tough rice fibers and reduces cooking time, so don’t skip it!
- If you don’t have leftover turkey, don’t worry. You can make some for this recipe any way you like, just make sure it’s fully cooked before adding it into the soup.
Nutrition Information
Made it exactly per recipe. The color was a bit darker than photos, but the aroma that filled the house was heavenly. Used only the dark leftover turkey meat that no one generally eats in my family. Perfect use for it. BEST SOUP I’VE EVER MADE! Can’t wait to make it again!
Thanks for sharing, Nina!
Loved this recipe! I didn’t have white wine, added more homemade broth. Also added a cup of butter sauteed mushrooms and a bit of red pepper flakes. Delicious!
Sounds amazing!
My husband and I really loved this easy recipe! I added some garlic and rosemary and it was delicious! Thank you:)
Thanks for sharing with us, Grace!
This soup is amazing & easy to make! I followed the recipe exactly; with the exception I used jasmine rice vs. wild rice. Perfect for leftover Turkey!
Looks absolutely delicious, Lesa!
This was so good! Perfect for holiday leftovers or just a cold day comfort food! Saving recipe to make many more times!
Thanks for sharing, Lisa!
Used leftover smoked turkey from the freezer, really good and easy to make!
That looks amazing, Heather!
What should I put instead of wine?
More broth.
This was SOOOOO good!!! I even pureed a small amount so I could feed it to my son and he ate so much (and makes mama happy because he is getting his vegetables). I will definitely be making this again and again, and again!!!
That’s great, Tanis!
My new favorite fall/winter soup! Full of flavor and filling. I made in the crockpot added shredded rotisserie chicken in place of Turkey. Delicious!
What a great substitue!
This was so good. I added garlic and some rosemary. Perfect for dried out leftover turkey lol.
Sounds amazing!