Easy Turkey Rice Soup is the kind of cozy, low-effort meal that hits the spot after a big holiday. It’s warm, soothing, and comes together fast. When the fridge is full of leftovers and you’re craving something simple. Perfect for when you’re curled up on the couch or feeding a crowd, this soup brings comfort without the fuss.
In the fall there is nothing better than warm comforting soup. I love to serve my family Creamy Hamburger Soup and my One Pot Lasagna Soup as the temperature gets chilly.
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Why this Leftover Turkey Rice Soup Recipe is a Keeper
This recipe is quick, easy and is perfect for leftover Thanksgiving turkey. Plus, it’s really easy to customize the flavors. It is one of the reason we have loved this soup.
- 15 Minute Meal: Make the soup in only minutes with this recipe for leftover turkey.
- Easy Ingredients: All found in the fridge. Use chicken or turkey for the win!
- Making Homemade Soup: Warm and hearty soup that everyone will love on a cold day.
- Adaptable: Can make it with almost any veggies or starch. Use brown rice or wild rice mix for this recipe or no rice if you want or make a chicken and wild rice soup.
Can I Substitute the Grain in the Turkey Soup?
Sure. Make this soup without rice by using barley, cauliflower rice, farro or even chick pea rice. If you are a fan of chicken noodle soup you can even add your favorite prepared noodle.
Pro Tip to Freeze this Soup
Freeze the soup without the rice, or use pre-cooked rice and plan to add extra liquid when reheating.
Ingredient Notes for Turkey and Rice Soup
This turkey with rice soup recipe uses easy, fresh ingredients that pack a punch of flavor.
Get the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions in the recipe card below.
- Turkey: Use leftover cooked turkey. You could also use cooked chicken breast or leftover rotisserie chicken.
- Turkey Stock: I prefer to use homemade turkey stock or turkey broth with the shredded turkey meat, but you could also use chicken stock or chicken broth.
- Rice: Feel free to use long grain white rice or noodles in this turkey rice soup with leftovers.
Variations and Substitutions – Try Turkey Wild Rice Soup
This recipe for leftover chicken or turkey and wild rice soup is so easy to change up. I like to experiment with ingredients to make different varieties. Try using leftover cooked chicken if you have no turkey from thanksgiving.
- Vegetables: Add mushrooms (sauté them first), peas, corn, chopped potatoes, or diced zucchini. Add softer veggies (like peas or spinach) toward the end.
- Type of Rice: Use wild rice blend, brown rice, or a blend, but increase the simmer time accordingly (30-50 minutes).
- Aromatics: Use leeks or shallots instead of or in addition to onion.
- Creamy Soup: Stir in milk, half-and-half, or heavy cream at the very end to warm through, or whisk in 1-2 tablespoons of flour with the oil/butter to create a thicker base (roux).
- Flavor Boost: Add a pinch of turmeric for color/health, or nutritional yeast for a cheesy, savory depth.
Special Equipment Needed for Leftover Turkey Soup
This recipe is super simple in the fact that you really only need one piece of kitchenware.
- Large Dutch Oven: Be sure you have a large Dutch oven or stock pot to make this leftover turkey and rice soup.
How to Make Turkey and Rice Soup
This recipe comes together in just 2 quick and easy steps. This recipe is so good, it’s a great one to save for when you have plenty of turkey leftovers.
Get the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions in the recipe card below.
- Add Soup Ingredients: In a large stock pot, add the turkey, stock, dried dill, minced garlic, diced carrots, celery and onion, bay leaf and All Purpose Seasoning.
- Let Boil and Add Rice: Bring everything to a boil, then let simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the soup and add the rice or noodles and ladle soup into bowls.
Prep Ahead Suggestions to Make Leftover Turkey Rice Soup
Since this recipe is already super easy, there are only a couple things you can do ahead of time.
- Chop Veggies: Chop the onion, carrots, and celery ahead of time (this is called a mirepoix) and store them in an airtight container in the fridge. This makes the 20-minute cook time even more realistic.
- Cook the Rice Separately (Recommended): If you plan to freeze the soup or save a large batch for a few days, cook until rice is tender separately and add it to individual bowls just before serving. This prevents the rice from absorbing all the broth and turning mushy/thickening the soup.
Alternate Cooking for Homemade Soup
This chicken and wild rice recipe is best in a pot or Dutch oven, but you can also make it in a crock pot or pressure cooker.
- Slow Cooker: Sauté the vegetables on the stovetop first for flavor, then transfer them to the slow cooker. Add broth, seasonings, and the turkey. Cook on Low for 4-6 hours or High for 2-3 hours (add pre-cooked rice in the last 30 minutes).
- Instant Pot: Sauté vegetables using the “Sauté” function. Add the broth, turkey, and uncooked rice. Cook on high pressure for 5-8 minutes (depending on the rice type), followed by a quick pressure release.
Store, Reheat and Use Leftover Delicious Soup
- Store: Airtight container in the refrigerator. Lasts up to 3-4 days. Be aware the rice will soak up liquid.
- Freeze: Cool the soup completely, then store it in a freezer-safe container. Lasts up to 3 months.
- Reheat: Reheat over medium heat until simmering. You will almost certainly need to add extra broth or water when reheating, especially if the rice was stored in the soup. taste the soup and add seasoning as needed.
- Leftover Soup: Stir in sour cream, cheese, and frozen veggies into leftover turkey wild rice soup. Pour into a baking dish, top with breadcrumbs, and bake until bubbly.
- Stuffed Peppers: Mix soup with shredded cheese to thicken the soup, and spoon into halved bell peppers. Bake until tender.
- Savory Hand Pies: Thicken soup with flour or mashed potatoes, then spoon into pie dough or puff pastry and bake until golden.
- Rice Bowl Remix: Strain out broth and serve the turkey-rice mixture over sautéed greens or roasted veggies with a drizzle of dressing.
Common Questions to Make This Recipe
Either! It’s great way to use up leftover turkey meat, both light and dark to make this leftover turkey soup recipe.
If you need to thicken the broth, you can make a cornstarch or flour slurry to stir in. Mix 1 Tablespoon of water with1 Tablespoon of cornstarch or flour.
Expert Tips for Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey
This soup is the perfect way to use thanksgiving leftovers. I use rice instead of potatoes. Use long grain and wild rice for a healthy swap.
- Use High-Quality Broth: The flavor of your broth (turkey or chicken) is the foundation of the soup. If using store-bought, opt for low-sodium so you can control the salt level. Even better: make your own stock from the leftover turkey carcass!
- Rinse the Rice for Clear Broth: If you prefer a thinner, clearer, or “brothier” soup, rinse your uncooked rice before adding it. This removes surface starch. For a thicker, heartier, or creamier consistency, do not rinse the rice.
- Taste and Adjust Seasoning at the End: Broths vary wildly in salt content. Wait until the very end, once the rice and turkey are heated through, to taste and add additional salt, pepper, or herbs.
- Add Acid for Brightness: A squeeze of fresh lemon juice (about 1 teaspoon per batch) or a dash of sherry added at the end brightens the flavor of the soup immensely.
- Serve With: Serve the turkey breast comforting soup with Rosemary Butter Rolls, Stove Top Stuffing or Christmas Tree Brownies.
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Homemade Turkey Rice Soup
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Ingredients
- 4 cups Turkey stock, prepared
- 2 cups Turkey, shredded
- 2 Carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 stalks Celery, diced
- 1 Onion, diced
- 1 Bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon All Purpose Seasoning
- ½ teaspoon Dried dill
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- 2 cups Rice, or noodles, prepared
Instructions
- Add stock, turkey, carrots, celery, onion, bay leaf, All Purpose Seasoning, dried dill and garlic to a stock pot.
- Bring to a boil. Then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add prepared noodles or rice and serve.
Christina’s Notes
- Add Fresh Herbs: Fresh parsley, thyme, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice or garnish with your favorites.
- Variation Tip: Try adding kale or fresh spinach to your soup.
- Rice: Buy your favorite rice at your local take out Chinese restaurant, add the rice for a quick cooked rice option.
- Smoked Turkey: Want more flavor? Use leftover smoked turkey.
- Scale the recipe: Simply adjust the serving size in the recipe card and the ingredients will update automatically.
- Make your own All Purpose Seasoning: When a recipe calls for All Purpose Seasoning, you can use my homemade All Purpose Seasoning recipe or substitute salt and pepper to taste.
- Meat doneness: I always use a meat thermometer to test for doneness when cooking meat.
- Use unsalted butter: I use unsalted butter so I can control the salt level in the recipe.
- Preheat the oven: Unless otherwise noted, always preheat your oven before baking.
For more helpful information about this recipe, such as variations, substitutions and other pro-tips, check out the blog post.