Turkey and Rice Soup is a homemade soup made with plenty of vegetables, long-grain white rice, and turkey. It’s a delicious way to use up any leftover turkey! If you prefer chicken, I also have Chicken and Rice Soup.
Turkey and rice soup is the perfect way to use up leftovers after the holidays. It’s easy to make, customizable, and so comforting on chilly nights. In this comprehensive guide, I’ll share my tips for crafting the best turkey and rice soup, from making stock to simmering the soup and adding fun mix-ins. With my easy recipe, you’ll have steaming bowls of soup ready in under an hour.
Why Make Turkey Soup?
After indulging in a big holiday feast, your fridge is likely packed with turkey leftovers. Turkey soup lets you transform those leftovers into a hearty, satisfying soup that feels like a warm hug in a bowl.
Soup is such a great way to use up turkey because you can utilize both the meat and the bones Simmer the bones to make a deeply flavored homemade turkey stock, which serves as the base for the soup Then, shred or dice the meat and add it to the stock along with vegetables, rice, and seasonings.
Other benefits of turkey soup:
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It’s budget-friendly, allowing you to stretch expensive ingredients like turkey into multiple meals.
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It’s customizable, so you can toss in any veggies, grains or seasonings you have on hand.
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It freezes beautifully for grab and go lunches or quick weeknight meals later.
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It’s kid-friendly and provides lean protein, veggies and whole grains to fuel their growing bodies.
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It’s comforting and restorative, especially when you’re feeling the effects of holiday indulgence!
Now let’s get to the recipe so you can start enjoying bowls of this feel-good soup.
Ingredients
Turkey soup is flexible, but here are some standard ingredients:
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Turkey meat (about 2 cups shredded or diced) – use leftover roasted or smoked turkey
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Turkey bones or carcass
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Onion (1 large chopped)
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Carrots (2 large chopped)
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Celery (2-3 ribs chopped)
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Garlic (2 cloves minced)
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Chicken or turkey stock (6-8 cups)
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White rice (1/2 – 3/4 cup uncooked)
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Fresh parsley (1/4 cup chopped)
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Lemon juice (1-2 Tbsp)
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Salt, pepper and poultry seasoning to taste
How to Make Turkey Stock
The secret to amazing flavor is starting with a homemade turkey stock. Here’s how:
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Place leftover turkey bones/carcass in a large stockpot. Add any skin, necks or giblets if you have them.
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Fill pot with water to cover bones by a few inches. Add a halved onion, 2-3 celery ribs, 2-3 carrots, a few parsley stems, 2 smashed garlic cloves, and a bay leaf.
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Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Let simmer for 3-4 hours, skimming foam as needed. The longer you simmer, the more flavor you’ll extract!
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Strain out the solids – your golden turkey stock is ready to use! Cool completely before refrigerating up to 5 days or freezing.
Cooking the Soup
Once you have your turkey stock, the soup comes together quickly:
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In a large pot, sauté onions, carrots, celery and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until softened, 5-7 minutes.
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Add 6-8 cups turkey stock and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer.
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Stir in rice, shredded turkey, and seasonings like poultry seasoning, salt and pepper. Simmer 20 minutes until rice is tender.
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Stir in lemon juice and chopped parsley right before serving. Add more stock or water if the soup is too thick.
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Ladle into bowls and garnish with extra parsley. Enjoy this soothing soup!
Customize Your Soup
One of the great things about soup is how versatile it is. Play around with add-ins to make it your own!
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Vegetables: Mushrooms, potatoes, sweet potatoes, green beans, spinach, kale, zucchini, pumpkin, etc.
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Herbs/Spices: Rosemary, thyme, sage, red pepper flakes, cumin, paprika, etc.
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Grains: Barley, wild rice, quinoa, farro, pasta orzo.
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Canned beans: White beans, chickpeas or lentils add protein.
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Leafy greens: Spinach, kale, chard add nutrients.
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Fun mix-ins: Stuffing or bread crumbs, shredded cheese, tortellini.
And don’t forget garnishes! A drizzle of olive oil or sprinkle of chili oil, chopped parsley, scallions, or squeezes of lemon juice provide brightness.
Serving Suggestions
There are lots of ways to serve up your turkey and rice soup:
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Keep it simple with crusty bread for dipping.
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Make it a meal with a side salad or sandwich.
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Top with fun garnishes like chopped avocado, crispy bacon, or shaved parmesan.
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Swirl in pesto or harissa for a flavor boost.
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Serve with homemade biscuits, crackers or cornbread.
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Top with croutons or oyster crackers for crunch.
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Grate in fresh ginger or stir in coconut milk for Thai flavors.
Freezing Instructions
Like many soups, turkey and rice soup freezes extremely well for busy weeknights later. Here are a few tips:
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Cool soup completely before freezing. Transfer to freezer bags or containers, leaving 1-inch headspace.
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Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in fridge before reheating.
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Stir in extra broth/water when reheating as soup will thicken.
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For better texture, cook rice separately then add when reheating soup.
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Freeze broth and turkey meat separately from veggies for easier reheating.
If you have relevant Questions about “how to make turkey and rice soup” or any suggestions kindly put down in the comments.
How to Store Turkey and Rice Soup
If you have any leftover soup, let it cool before storing it in an airtight container. It will last up to 4 days in the refrigerator. Portion out servings for quick and easy lunches!
Turkey and Rice Soup
Just because this is a homemade soup does not mean you need hours to prepare it! In fact, it is easy to put together, and with the holidays upon us, a perfect way to use up any leftover turkey you may (and probably will) have. Yes, it is a broth-based soup, but still hearty enough to be enjoyed as a meal.
Turkey: Leftover turkey from your Thanksgiving menu, anyone? If so, you have to make this soup! Since the turkey has already been cooked, it’s so easy to add.
Vegetables: I used yellow onion, carrots, and celery in the soup. Of course, you could add your favorite vegetables like corn or peas, too. Frozen vegetables that have been thawed could also be added.
Broth: Since this is a turkey and rice soup, I used turkey broth. If you don’t have any on hand, you could use chicken broth or even chicken stock. However, the flavor will be different.
Rice: The cooking times were based on adding long-grain white rice to the soup. If you were to substitute brown rice, the cooking time may differ.
Dried Herbs: In this recipe, I used dried basil and dried oregano. If you only have fresh on hand, you will use about three times the amount of dried. So, add about 3 teaspoons of fresh basil and 1 1/2 teaspoons of fresh oregano.
How to Make Turkey and Rice Soup!
FAQ
Do you cook rice before adding to soup?
How do you add rice to soup without it getting mushy?
Can you cook rice in soup instead of water?
What is turkey soup made of?
How long does it take to make Turkey and rice soup?
Simple yet hearty and oh-so comforting, this easy turkey and rice soup is made with turkey and white rice, is so easy to prepare, and is ready in under 30 minutes! The perfect way to stretch leftover turkey meat into extra meals, too. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat.
Can you make Turkey rice soup from a turkey breast?
This is a no carcass turkey soup, so it works whether you’re using meat from a whole bone-in turkey or just a turkey breast. Because this soup cooks so quickly, I recommend chopping the onion, celery, carrots, and garlic before turning on the stove to keep things streamlined. If you want to mix it up, try one of these turkey rice soup variations!
How do you cook a turkey thighs in a soup?
Add cooked rice and reserved turkey meat to soup; season with salt and pepper. Cook until rice and turkey meat are warmed through, about 5 minutes. You can use turkey meat instead of a carcass. Roast legs or thighs in the oven, then continue with instructions for the stock.
How do you cook a turkey wing soup?
Add the turkey meat, wing stock, onion powder, parmesan rind (if using) and fresh parsley. Bring the soup to a boil and stir in the rice. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook (stirring occasionally) for 15 minutes. Use a pair of tongs or slotted spoon to fish out the parmesan rind and discard. Add the peas and simmer 5 minutes.