Description
This Creamy Turkey Wild Rice Soup is a hearty, comforting bowl of goodness perfect for using up leftover turkey. Featuring a rich blend of sautéed vegetables, savory herbs, and a luscious cream finish, this soup combines tender turkey, shredded carrots, and a quick-cooking wild rice blend simmered to perfection in flavorful chicken bone broth. It’s a satisfying dish ideal for chilly days and can be made on the stovetop or in a slow cooker for convenience.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables and Herbs
- 3 cups celery, chopped
- 2 large onions, chopped
- 8 large carrots, shredded
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- more fresh herbs, to garnish
Proteins and Dairy
- 4 cups leftover cooked turkey, a mixture of dark and white meat
- 1 & 1/2 cups cream
- 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
Dry Ingredients
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1 & 1/2 cups quick-cooking wild rice blend (a mix of long grain white rice, wild rice, brown rice, and Thai rice)
Liquids and Seasonings
- 4 (31-oz) jars Zoup! Chicken Bone Broth (15 cups)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon dried poultry seasoning
- juice from 1 large lemon (1/4 cup), or to taste
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the mirepoix: In a very large stock pot, melt 1/2 cup butter over medium heat. Add 3 cups chopped celery (including leaves) and 2 large chopped onions. Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1 teaspoon dried poultry seasoning. Sauté for 13-14 minutes until onions are translucent, stirring occasionally.
- Add garlic: Stir in 4 minced garlic cloves and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Create the roux: Sprinkle 1/2 cup all-purpose flour over the vegetables and stir continuously for 1 minute to cook the flour.
- Incorporate broth: Slowly add 15 cups chicken bone broth while stirring constantly to prevent lumps, blending the mixture smoothly.
- Add herbs: Toss in 5 sprigs of fresh thyme and 1 bay leaf, stirring gently.
- Prepare carrots: Peel and shred 8 large carrots using a food processor or cheese grater for ideal texture.
- Cook carrots: Add shredded carrots to the pot, increase heat to high, cover, and bring to a boil. Watch carefully to prevent boiling over.
- Add turkey and simmer: Once boiling, add 4 cups of leftover cooked turkey (dark and white meat mix preferred). Reduce heat to a low simmer with gentle bubbles. Simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes until carrots are tender.
- Cook wild rice: Stir in 1 1/2 cups quick-cooking wild rice blend. Bring back to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Cook for 15-30 minutes until rice is tender.
- Add cream and lemon: Lower heat to very low. Stir in 1 1/2 cups cream and 1/4 cup lemon juice to brighten flavor. Adjust lemon juice to taste, starting with less if preferred.
- Flavor with fresh herbs: Chop and stir in 1 teaspoon rosemary, 1 tablespoon sage, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Turn off heat.
- Season and finish: Remove thyme stems and bay leaf. Add salt and pepper to taste, approximately 1 additional teaspoon salt depending on the saltiness of leftovers. Stir gently.
- Serve: Ladle soup into bowls, garnish with extra fresh herbs and a drizzle of cream if desired. Enjoy warm.
Notes
- The wild rice blend used includes long grain white rice, wild rice, brown rice, and Thai rice. Quick-cooking blends typically cook in about 20 minutes, but if using all wild rice, anticipate 45-50 minutes cooking time.
- You can substitute cooked chicken in place of turkey if preferred.
- This soup freezes beautifully; store leftovers in airtight containers or ziplock bags for up to 3 months.
- For a slow cooker adaptation, follow steps through making the roux, then transfer mixture to slow cooker, adding broth, herbs, and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours. Add carrots, turkey, and rice according to the slow cooker instructions and continue cooking as directed.
Keywords: Creamy turkey soup, wild rice soup, leftover turkey recipe, comfort food, fall soup, creamy wild rice soup