Creamy Leftover Turkey Wild Rice Soup
This creamy leftover turkey wild rice soup is the perfect recipe to use leftover Thanksgiving turkey for a hearty homemade dinner. Filled with chunks of turkey, chewy wild rice, and an array of vegetables in a creamy broth using simple, whole ingredients. Using leftover turkey is a twist on the classic, original recipe we all love so much.
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Equipment
- 6 qt Dutch oven
- Cutting Board
- sharp knife
- whisk
- ladel
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 cup celery 2 stalk, diced
- 1 cup carrots 2 medium, peeled and diced
- 8 oz mushrooms sliced
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup wild rice
- 3 bay leaves
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 6 fresh sage leaves chop or 1 tsp dried sage
- 1 tsp thyme
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups half and half
- ¼ cup flour
- 3 cup cooked turkey chopped
- 2 tsp salt
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven, add olive oil, minced garlic, and diced onion, and cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes until the onions soften. Next, add the sliced carrots, diced celery, and mushroom slices to the pot. Continue cooking for an additional 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the thyme, sage, bay leaves, black pepper, wild rice, and chicken stock to the pot. Cover and reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook for 45-55 minutes until the rice becomes tender.
- In a small bowl, whisk the half and half with the flour. While whisking, slowly pour the flour milk mixture into the soup. Remove the bay leaves and increase the heat.
- After the rice is done, add the shredded turkey meat and season salt to taste. Let the soup simmer for 7 to 10 minutes to cook the flour and thicken the soup.
Notes
- Don't save turkey for just the holidays. You can usually find frozen turkey breast in the store year-round or buy turkeys from a local farmer, allowing you to make this soup anytime.
- Vary the types of rice in the soup, like a wild rice blend, brown rice, or white rice. Adjust the cooking time according to the rice's cooking instructions.
- For a richer flavor, use heavy cream instead of half and half.
- All stocks will have varying levels of salt, so wait to season the soup with salt until after you add the stock.
- Use shredded chicken for a similar flavor. Cook and shred the chicken breast, chicken thighs, or use leftover rotisserie chicken meat.
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Just like my sourdough bechamel sauce, you can use a 1/2 cup of freshly fed sourdough discard instead of flour to thicken the soup. Whisk a cup of sourdough starter discard into the milk before adding it to the soup. The longer it's been since your last feeding of your sourdough starter, the more sourdough tang it will have. I like to use sourdough discard that has been stored in the fridge and fed within the past 3-4 days.
Can You Freeze turkey Wild Rice Soup
Yes, you can freeze creamy turkey wild rice soup, but it won't be the same as when you first made it. The rice and half-and-half will change after freezing and thawing. The rice can become gummy, and the dairy separates, but the flavor is still delicious. Allow to cool completely and place in a freezer-safe container, allowing room for the soup to expand as it freezes.Can You Make Turkey Wild Rice Soup without Cream or Milk?
You can substitute with your favorite dairy-free milk replacement. Because half and half has such a high fat content compared to milk substitutes, the broth may be thinner and not as creamy. Increase the flour for a thicker soup, starting with a few tablespoons, until the desired consistency is achieved. Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so it should only be used as an approximation.
Nutrition
Calories: 480.4kcalCarbohydrates: 36.9gProtein: 36.7gFat: 21.6gSaturated Fat: 8.9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 7.5gCholesterol: 112.2mgSodium: 1016.1mgPotassium: 1025.7mgFiber: 3.5gSugar: 7.1gVitamin A: 3938.3IUVitamin C: 5.6mgCalcium: 148.7mgIron: 3.8mg
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