Creamy Leftover Turkey Wild Rice Soup

Dealing with leftover turkey after the holidays can feel like a real puzzle. You’ve got pounds of meat sitting in your fridge, and while turkey sandwiches are fine for a day or two, your family starts giving you those “not again” looks pretty quickly.

That’s where this leftover turkey wild rice soup comes to the rescue. It’s hearty and comforting, uses up that turkey in the most satisfying way, and honestly makes your kitchen smell amazing while it’s simmering on the stove.

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What Kind of Turkey Should I Use?

Any leftover turkey will work great in this soup, whether it’s from your holiday bird or deli turkey from the store. Dark meat like thigh and leg tends to stay more tender and flavorful in soup, but white meat from the breast works just fine too. If you don’t have leftover turkey on hand, you can easily substitute rotisserie chicken or even cook some turkey breast specifically for this recipe. Just make sure to shred or cut your turkey into bite-sized pieces so it distributes well throughout the soup and is easy to eat with a spoon.

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Options for Substitutions

This comforting soup is great for using up leftovers and works well with several swaps:

• Wild rice: Don’t skip the wild rice – it’s what makes this soup special! However, if you can’t find it, a wild rice blend or brown rice will work. Keep in mind that regular brown rice cooks faster, so add it about 20 minutes later than you would wild rice.
• Turkey: No leftover turkey? Rotisserie chicken works perfectly here. You can also use leftover chicken from any preparation – roasted, grilled, or even poached.
• Cremini mushrooms: Regular white button mushrooms are a fine substitute, or try baby bella mushrooms for similar flavor. If you’re not a mushroom fan, just leave them out entirely.
• Heavy cream: For a lighter version, use half-and-half or whole milk instead. You can also skip the cream altogether for a broth-based soup that’s just as satisfying.
• Chicken broth: Turkey broth is ideal if you made some from your turkey bones, but vegetable broth works too if you want to keep it lighter.
• Italian seasoning: Mix your own with dried basil, oregano, and thyme, or use poultry seasoning for a more traditional flavor profile.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake with wild rice soup is not cooking the rice long enough – wild rice takes 45-60 minutes to become tender, so don’t rush this step or you’ll end up with chewy, unpleasant grains that can ruin the whole dish.

Another common error is adding the cream too early or letting it boil once added, which can cause the soup to curdle and separate – always stir in the cream at the very end and keep the heat on low.

Make sure to cook your flour mixture (roux) for at least 2-3 minutes after adding it to eliminate any raw flour taste, and if your soup gets too thick while simmering, simply add more broth rather than water to maintain the rich flavor.

Finally, taste and adjust your seasonings at the end since the turkey and broth saltiness can vary, and remember that leftover soup will thicken overnight, so you may need to thin it with extra broth when reheating.

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What to Serve With Turkey Wild Rice Soup?

This hearty soup is pretty much a complete meal on its own, but I love serving it with some warm, crusty bread or dinner rolls for dipping. A simple side salad with mixed greens and a light vinaigrette helps balance out the richness of the creamy broth. If you want to make it even more filling, try pairing it with some buttery biscuits or cornbread. Since this soup is already packed with protein and veggies, you really don’t need much else to make it a satisfying dinner.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate: This hearty soup keeps really well in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. The wild rice will continue to absorb some of the broth as it sits, so you might need to add a splash of extra broth or water when you reheat it. I actually think it tastes even better the next day once all the flavors have had time to meld together.

Freeze: You can freeze this soup for up to 3 months, but keep in mind that the texture might change slightly since wild rice can get a bit mushy after freezing. I like to freeze it in individual portions so I can grab just what I need for a quick lunch. Let it cool completely before transferring to freezer-safe containers.

Warm Up: Heat the soup gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. If it seems too thick, just add some extra chicken broth or water until you get the consistency you like. From frozen, let it thaw overnight in the fridge first, then warm it up the same way.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1100-1300
• Protein: 65-80 g
• Fat: 30-38 g
• Carbohydrates: 130-145 g

Ingredients

For the base:

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
• 3 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp butter
• 3 garlic cloves, minced

For the soup:

• 1/4 tsp italian seasoning (more to taste)
• 3 heaping tbsp all-purpose flour
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup uncooked wild rice
• 2 cups cooked turkey, shredded or diced
• 7 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

To finish (optional):

• 1/2 cup heavy cream or whipping cream

Step 1: Prepare the Vegetables

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
• 3 celery stalks, chopped

Begin by chopping the onion, peeling and chopping the carrots, and chopping the celery.

I like to keep the carrot and celery pieces slightly rough for extra texture in the soup.

Step 2: Sauté the Aromatics

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp butter
• chopped onion from Step 1
• chopped carrots from Step 1
• chopped celery from Step 1

In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil and butter over medium-high heat.

Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery to the pot.

Sauté the vegetables for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften and become fragrant.

Step 3: Build the Soup Base

• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 tsp Italian seasoning (more to taste)
• 3 heaping tbsp all-purpose flour
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup uncooked wild rice

Add the minced garlic, Italian seasoning, and flour to the pot with the sautéed vegetables.

Stir well and cook for 1-2 minutes until the mixture is fragrant and the flour is well incorporated.

Slowly whisk in the chicken broth, ensuring the flour dissolves completely with no lumps.

Stir in the uncooked wild rice.

Step 4: Simmer the Soup

• 2 cups cooked turkey, shredded or diced
• 7 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced

Turn the heat to high and bring the soup mixture just to a boil.

Once boiling, reduce the heat to maintain a gentle boil with the lid slightly ajar.

Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

During this time, shred or dice the cooked turkey and slice the cremini mushrooms if not already done.

Step 5: Add Protein and Mushrooms

• cooked turkey from Step 4
• sliced cremini mushrooms from Step 4

Add the prepared turkey and mushrooms to the soup.

Bring the soup just to a boil again, then reduce the heat to simmer with the lid slightly ajar.

Continue to cook for another 15-20 minutes, or until the wild rice is tender.

I like to taste a bit of rice at this stage to check for doneness—it should still have a slight chew.

Step 6: Finish and Season the Soup

• 1/2 cup heavy cream or whipping cream
• salt and black pepper, to taste

Remove the pot from heat and stir in the heavy cream if using.

Season the soup generously with salt and black pepper to taste.

For a richer flavor, I sometimes add an extra pinch of Italian seasoning at the end.

Creamy Leftover Turkey Wild Rice Soup

Delicious Creamy Leftover Turkey Wild Rice Soup recipe with step-by-step instructions.

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Prep Time 19 minutes mins

Cook Time 38 minutes mins

Total Time 57 minutes mins

Servings 4

Calories 1200 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the base:

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
• 3 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp butter
• 3 garlic cloves, minced

For the soup:

• 1/4 tsp Italian seasoning (more to taste)
• 3 heaping tbsp all-purpose flour
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup uncooked wild rice
• 2 cups cooked turkey, shredded or diced
• 7 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
• salt and black pepper, to taste

To finish (optional):

• 1/2 cup heavy cream or whipping cream

Instructions

 

• Begin by chopping the onion, peeling and chopping the carrots, and chopping the celery. I like to keep the carrot and celery pieces slightly rough for extra texture in the soup.
• In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil and butter over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery to the pot. Sauté the vegetables for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften and become fragrant.
• Add the minced garlic, Italian seasoning, and flour to the pot with the sautéed vegetables. Stir well and cook for 1-2 minutes until the mixture is fragrant and the flour is well incorporated. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth, ensuring the flour dissolves completely with no lumps. Stir in the uncooked wild rice.
• Turn the heat to high and bring the soup mixture just to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to maintain a gentle boil with the lid slightly ajar. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. During this time, shred or dice the cooked turkey and slice the cremini mushrooms if not already done.
• Add the prepared turkey and mushrooms to the soup. Bring the soup just to a boil again, then reduce the heat to simmer with the lid slightly ajar. Continue to cook for another 15-20 minutes, or until the wild rice is tender. I like to taste a bit of rice at this stage to check for doneness—it should still have a slight chew.
• Remove the pot from heat and stir in the heavy cream if using. Season the soup generously with salt and black pepper to taste. For a richer flavor, I sometimes add an extra pinch of Italian seasoning at the end.