Turkey Wild Rice Soup
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This Turkey Wild Rice Soup is the best way to use Thanksgiving leftovers. An easy soup recipe packed with protein and vegetables!
I know we’ve all been there, eating a leftover turkey sandwich for the 3rd day in a row and beginning to get tired of eating the same thing.
With this Turkey Wild Rice Soup, you will actually look forward to those turkey leftovers this Thanksgiving! This recipe has great flavor and is such a good fall recipe to enjoy.
Leftover turkey meat, big pieces of carrots, lots of rice, veggies, and delicious broth! This soup is the perfect comfort food and the ultimate veggie packed, cozy leftover turkey soup!
This soup only requires one pot for all the ingredients. It couldn’t be easier!
If you need other ideas for your leftover turkey, try our Leftover Turkey Soup, Turkey Pot Pie Soup, or our Leftover Turkey Chili, and don’t forget to save your turkey carcass, bones, and scraps for the most flavorful homemade turkey stock you will ever have!
liz’s tips for turkey wild rice soup
- To avoid soggy rice, instead of cooking the rice in the soup, cut the broth down by 1 cup. Add cooked rice to a bowl. Serve soup on top of the rice. This prevents the rice from absorbing broth and turning mushy.
- Always make sure to rinse your rice in cold water before you use it.
- Be sure to use spice cabinet staples, which help amp up the flavor without adding extra calories.
Ingredients
Substitutions
Olive Oil: You can substitute avocado oil, butter, or ghee.
Veggies: Feel free to add more veggies! The more veggies, the more nutrients. You can add chopped zucchini, kale, crushed tomatoes, or spinach to this recipe, too!
Can I substitute white rice for wild rice in soup? Yes, you can substitute white rice in this recipe. The rice may take a little less time to cook, but it will be just as delicious! However, wild rice blend is lower in calories and higher in nutrients than white rice.
Broth: Any broth or stock (broth and stock are the same) can be used in any soup recipe. Turkey Broth, Beef Broth, Chicken Broth, or vegetable broth all work interchangeably. I always use low or no-salt broth.
Vegetarian: You could substitute beans for turkey in this recipe and it would be delicious. You’d also need to sub for vegetable broth.
To Make it Lower Carb: You can substitute wild rice for cauliflower rice.
Chicken: Check out this Chicken Wild Rice Soup or Rotisserie Chicken Soup!
Noodles: If you prefer noodles over rice, try our Leftover Turkey Noodle Soup.
Other Spices: This Peruvian Turkey Soup is a delicious variation of turkey soup!
How to make Turkey wild rice Soup
- Preheat a large pot over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Cook the olive oil, garlic, and onions for 3-4 minutes.
- Add the celery, carrots, mushrooms, black pepper, and dried herbs and cook over low heat for 3-5 minutes.
- Add the remaining ingredients except milk, cover the pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to a simmer for 25-30 minutes or until the rice is cooked.
- Stir in milk and enjoy!
Serving Instructions
This leftover turkey soup is great served on its own or with warm bread or crackers. If you are interested in some other options, try adding green beans, peas, and more vegetables!
A side salad would also be delicious, like a Caesar Salad or Fall Apple Salad.
Storage Options
How long will this last in the fridge? : This will last in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in an airtight container.
Can you freeze soup with rice in it? : You can freeze this recipe for up to 6 months. This soup freezes really well and it’s perfect for freezing when you’re sick of leftover thanksgiving turkey!
We like these containers for freezing.
Reheating: You can reheat this recipe in the microwave or on the stove.
More soup recipes you NEED to try:
Looking for other healthy soups? Check out these Healthy Soup Recipes! Click here to grab our free healthy 30-minute dinner cookbook.
Turkey Wild Rice Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic about 4 cloves
- ½ cup onion diced
- 1 cup celery thinly sliced
- 1 cup carrot sliced in small circles
- 1 cup mushrooms sliced
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 2 teaspoons dried sage
- 1 teaspoons dried rosemary
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 cups cooked turkey cubed
- 1/2 cup wild rice or brown rice
- 5 cups chicken broth or turkey broth, low or no salt
- 1 cup whole milk or unsweetened coconut milk
Instructions
- Take out a large soup pot and preheat over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Add the olive oil, garlic, and onions. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until the onions are translucent.
- Add the celery, carrots, mushrooms, pepper and dried herbs. Cook over low heat for 3-5 minutes or until the vegetables begin to soften.
- Add the remaining ingredients except milk. Cover the pot and bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, lower the heat to a simmer for 25-30 minutes or until the rice is cooked.
- Once cooked, stir in milk.
- Stir often, serve hot and enjoy!!
Video
Very flavorful soup. This soup is my favorite hands down. I was a bit hesitant regarding the coconut milk. I have never made soup with coconut milk. This makes the soup creamy and not overwhelming in flavor. I will share with my extended family and friends. Thank you.
Excellent with white and dark turkey! Left out the mushrooms and used 4.5 cups rather than 5 and a full cup of rice. Also, only had rubbed sage and crushed rosemary for the spices! This was delicious!