This Turkey Wild Rice Soup puts leftover turkey to good use with tender vegetables, earthy mushrooms, and hearty wild rice in a savory, herb-seasoned broth. Everything simmers together in one pot, giving the soup plenty of flavor without a sink full of dishes.
Why Wild Rice and Turkey Soup Is Worth Making
- Puts leftover turkey to good use: Instead of another round of reheated Thanksgiving leftovers, diced turkey gets a second life in a hearty soup with plenty of vegetables and wild rice.
- Hearty without being creamy: Wild rice, turkey, carrots, celery, and mushrooms give this soup plenty of substance, while the chicken broth keeps it lighter than cream-based wild rice soups.
- Simple, familiar ingredients: Italian seasoning, garlic, and a little smoked paprika add savory flavor without a long list of spices or complicated ingredients.
Thanksgiving leftovers are great and all, but eating the same reheated plate of turkey and sides gets a little boring after a while. Turning leftovers into soup is a practical way to switch things up, just like with my Ham and White Bean Soup.
This Turkey Wild Rice Soup is a lighter option after a big holiday meal. But if you’ve still got extra turkey to use up and want something a little richer and creamier, my Turkey Pot Pie with Biscuits is another great option to consider.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Avocado oil – Any neutral cooking oil can be used instead.
- Yellow onion – White onion is a good substitute.
- Carrots – No substitutions.
- Celery – No substitutions.
- Button mushrooms – Cremini mushrooms can be used instead.
- Garlic – Fresh minced garlic is best, but 2 teaspoons of jarred minced garlic can be used instead.
- Wild rice – Long grain white rice or brown rice can be used, but the simmer time will differ since these varieties cook faster.
- Turkey broth – Use chicken broth or vegetable broth instead.
- Leftover turkey – Leftover cooked chicken can be used instead.
- Italian seasoning – Use your favorite combination of dried herbs instead.
- Smoked paprika – Regular paprika can be used, but it won’t have the same smoky flavor.
- Salt and pepper – no substitutions.
- Bay leaves – Omit them if you don’t have any.
Mandy’s Top Tip
Wild rice takes longer to cook than most other rice varieties, so check that it’s tender before removing the soup from the heat. If the rice still has a firm center after 30–40 minutes, it needs more time to simmer.
Tips for Success
Sauté the vegetables first – Cooking the onion, carrots, celery, and mushrooms in avocado oil before adding the broth gives the vegetables a chance to soften and develop flavor.
Use fully cooked turkey – This recipe uses leftover cooked turkey, so there’s no need to cook raw meat separately. Dice the turkey into bite-sized pieces so it’s evenly distributed throughout the soup.
Keep the lid on – Cover the pot while the soup simmers to limit evaporation and help the wild rice cook in the broth.
Check the broth consistency – Wild rice absorbs liquid as it cooks, and the soup will thicken as it sits. If it becomes thicker than you’d like, stir in a little additional broth before serving.
How to Make Turkey Soup With Wild Rice
Start by sautéing the vegetables in avocado oil until softened, then stir in the garlic. Add the uncooked wild rice blend, leftover turkey, broth, and seasonings, then cover and simmer until the rice is tender. Remove the bay leaves before serving.
Sauté the veggies.
Simmer.
Add the rice, turkey, broth, and seasonings.
Remove bay leaves and serve.
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More Hearty and Comforting Soups
There’s always room for another good soup recipe; here are a few more to check out.
- Lemon Orzo Chicken Soup
- Hearty Chicken Noodle Soup with Rotisserie Chicken Soup
- Ground Beef Shepherd’s Pie Soup
Did you make this leftover turkey soup? Let me know how it turned out by leaving a comment and ⭐ rating below!
Turkey Wild Rice Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 2 large carrots sliced
- 3 celery stalks sliced
- 8 ounces button mushrooms sliced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup wild rice blend uncooked
- 4 cups turkey broth
- 2 1/2 cups leftover turkey diced
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 bay leaves
Instructions
- Heat the avocado oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and mushrooms. Sauté until the vegetables begin to soften, stirring occasionally.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes, until fragrant.
- Add the uncooked wild rice blend, turkey broth, diced leftover turkey, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and bay leaves. Stir everything together.
- Cover the pot and simmer for 30–40 minutes, or until the wild rice blend is tender.
- Remove and discard the bay leaves before serving.
Notes
- Cooking times can vary depending on the rice blend used. Check that the rice is tender before serving, and keep in mind that blends containing more brown rice or white rice may cook faster.
- Refrigerate: Transfer the cooled soup to airtight containers and refrigerate promptly. Since this recipe uses leftover turkey, consider when the turkey was originally cooked. Refrigerated cooked turkey should generally be used within 3–4 days, so be sure to account for that when determining how long to store the soup.
- Freeze: Store cooled soup in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. Leave some room for expansion and freeze promptly while the leftover turkey is still within its safe storage period. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. The rice may be softer after freezing.
- Reheat: Warm the soup in a pot over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Add a little extra turkey broth if the rice has absorbed too much liquid. Individual portions can also be reheated in the microwave.
Nutriton
Disclaimer: Nutrition information is estimated based on automated calculations and should be considered as an approximation. These estimates are provided as a courtesy. Please use your own brand’s nutritional values to verify accuracy.