Published 11/22/2022 • Updated 11/30/2022
Creamy Turkey Wild Rice Soup
There’s something about a steaming bowl of warm, creamy soup that just gets you all warm and fuzzy inside. Creamy broth, savory veggies, aromatic herbs and spices, tender turkey, and a hearty wild rice blend make this turkey wild rice soup the ULTIMATE comfort food. Turkey wild rice soup is our favorite go-to when cooking for the holidays, as it doesn’t take up any oven space. Got turkey leftovers? This soup will take care of it. Just whip it up the day after a holiday, adding any leftovers you see fit for a tasty, no-waste meal.
Main Ingredients
Turkey Meat: You can’t have turkey wild rice soup without juicy, tender turkey! You can even use leftover Thanksgiving turkey if it’s that time of the year. You can use either white or dark meat, and you’ll need about 3 cups, shredded. Leftover-Friendly: Turkey wild rice soup makes the perfect leftover turkey soup recipe. So don’t waste any turkey and make this yummy soup! It’s also super easy to store for later. Hearty Soup: The turkey, wild rice, and veggies come together to make for a cozy meal that will fill you right up. Veggies: Veggies play a big role in this delicious soup. Here’s what you need:
yellow onionbella mushroomsbutternut squashcarrotscelerypeas
Wild Rice: Wild rice adds a level of sustenance and heartiness that other types of rice simply cannot compete with. It also pairs SO well with the rich and creamy broth. Yum! Spices/Broth: We used a homemade turkey broth flavored with a spice bundle of thyme and rosemary that is out of this world! Don’t have turkey broth? Any broth will do!
How to Make Turkey Wild Rice Soup
This hearty wild rice and turkey soup is one for the books! It’s great as a leftover turkey recipe or a simple, comforting meal at home. The BEST part is combining all the elements together at the end and watching the soup come to life. (I’m hungry just thinking about it.) Happy cooking!
COOK RICE
First, boil a pot of salted water and add 1 cup of rice. Turn the heat to a simmer and cook the wild rice for about 45 minutes. When the rice is cooked, strain and set aside.
COOK VEGGIES
Heat a large pot or Dutch oven with olive oil over medium/high heat. Then add your diced onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add the chopped mushrooms and salt and toss, allowing the mushrooms to cook for another 5 minutes. Next, add the garlic, butternut squash, carrots, and celery to the pot. Season with salt and pepper and cook for about 4-5 minutes so the squash caramelizes with the other veggies.
ADD HERBS & TURKEY
Create an herb bundle of thyme and rosemary and place it in the pot. Pour your broth and one cup of whole milk over the veggies and stir. Bring to a gentle boil. Then, add the turkey to the pot and reduce the heat to a simmer for approximately 5 minutes.
MAKE YOUR ROUX
Grab a separate saucepan and heat over medium heat. Add butter and allow it to melt. Then add the flour and whisk until combined. Let it cook for 1 minute before pouring the remaining milk into the pan. Whisk until it becomes a thick roux.
COMBINE & MIX
Now it’s time to bring everything together! Scrape your roux into the large pot containing all the other ingredients and whisk until there are no more lumps. Then add in the peas and cooked rice and mix. Simmer for 5-10 minutes until the soup begins to thicken.
REST & enjoy!
Remove the pot from the heat and take out the herb bundle. The soup will need to rest for about 10-15 minutes, but you can rest it longer if you like a thicker consistency. Enjoy your easy turkey soup!
How to Make a Roux
No need to be intimidated by the roux in this soup! You’ll whip it up no problem while the rest of your soup cooks to perfection in these 4 easy steps. Plus, there is no cornstarch involved!
How to Cook Wild Rice – 2 Ways!
We walk you through. the two easiest ways we like to cook wild rice HERE, and you can choose between:
Instant Pot wild riceStove top wild rice
Another method if you’re looking for quick and easy is to buy a packet of already cooked wild rice. Most major grocers carry it, and it truly does make this portion of the recipe easy peasy.
Recipe Substitutions
Turkey: This turkey soup is perfect for leftover Thanksgiving turkey, but should you not have any extra turkey on hand, you can absolutely use a store-bought rotisserie chicken or shredded chicken breasts instead. Veggies: This soup is made with Thanksgiving leftovers, so feel free to add your favorites. We used butternut squash, peas, and carrots. You could add any of your favorite leftovers as well! Broth: Any broth works, but we prefer to use our homemade chicken or turkey broth!
How to Store Wild Rice Soup
Got leftovers? Here are a few storage tips to follow to make sure your soup lasts for as long as possible! Homemade Turkey Stock Refrigerator: Transfer the soup into a glass container and seal tightly. Refrigerate for up to 5 days.
HOW TO FREEZE Turkey WILD RICE SOUP
Turkey Recipes
Smoked Turkey LegsGround Turkey ShellsLeftover Turkey SoupLeftover Turkey SaladJuicy Turkey BurgersUltimate Smoked Turkey
