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This turkey wild rice soup recipe is hearty, wholesome, and the perfect way to use up leftover turkey after the holidays.
With a rich turkey bone broth base, plenty of vegetables, and a blend of wild rice, this leftover turkey soup is warm, filling, and makes a complete meal on its own. The best part? It’s simple enough for a weeknight but comforting enough for a Sunday dinner.
After making my Orange Glazed Whole Turkey, turn the Thanksgiving leftovers into cozy meals the whole family will enjoy—like a savory Turkey Pot Pie, a fresh Turkey Salad, creamy Turkey Tetrazzini, or this flavorful turkey rice soup. It’s an easy way to stretch your holiday leftovers into several satisfying meals.
Why You’ll Love This Turkey Wild Rice Soup Recipe
- Great use for turkey leftovers: It’s a great way to repurpose leftover Thanksgiving turkey into a completely new dish.
- Nutritious and filling: Wild rice, bone broth, fresh herbs, and vegetables make this a balanced, hearty meal.
- Perfect for freezing: Unlike some creamy soups, this one freezes well for easy meal prep.
- One pot meal: This easy leftover turkey soup recipe is convenient because it’s cooked in one pot.
Equipment
Ingredients
Find the full list of ingredients, amounts, and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Here are a few key ingredients you’ll need:
- Turkey bone broth – The flavorful base that makes this soup rich and nourishing. Instead of relying on grocery store broth, you can use your turkey carcass to make your own homemade turkey stock in the Instant Pot or in the slow cooker. Or, you can also use chicken stock if that’s what you have on hand.
- Wild rice blend – Adds hearty texture and nutty flavor.
- Shredded turkey – Ideal for using up leftovers from a holiday bird.
- Carrots, celery, and onion – Classic soup vegetables that bring depth and balance.
- Fresh parsley and oregano – Brighten the flavor with a fresh herbal note.
How to Make Turkey Wild Rice Soup
Here are the step-by-step instructions for making turkey wild rice soup.
Step 1: In a large soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery, and onions and sauté until softened, about 5-6 minutes. They will finish cooking with the rice later so it’s okay if the carrots are still firm.
Step 2: Add the broth, rice, parsley, oregano, salt, and pepper and let the soup come to a simmer over medium-high heat.
Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and let the rice cook. This will take about 40-45 minutes. Add the turkey once the rice is cooked and remove from heat.
Step 3: Serve warm with rolls or bread (Oatmeal Dinner Rolls, Easy Sourdough Bread, Sourdough Biscuits, or Homemade French Bread would be perfect).
How to Store
- Store leftover soup in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat in a pot on the stove or covered in the microwave. Because it’s made with bone broth, once cold this soup will firm up a lot into a soft gelatin-like consistency but will become a normal soup consistency once reheated.
- Unlike chicken noodle soup, you can freeze this turkey rice soup. Freeze in an airtight container for up to 2-3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and warm in a pot or in the microwave.
Recipe Tips
- It’s a good idea to taste the soup before adding salt. Every broth is going to be slightly different in saltiness.
- You can use butter instead of olive oil if you’d prefer.
- You can add a few more carrots to add more veggies if you’d like or add up to 1 more cup of turkey for more protein.
- You can use 100% wild rice instead of a blend or use brown rice instead.
- It’s always a good idea to rinse your rice before cooking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Using a delicious homemade turkey broth, and adding classic herbs and spices can help make your turkey soup taste amazing.
Yes, this soup stores well in the fridge for up to 4 days. The rice will continue to absorb liquid, so you may want to add a splash of broth or water when reheating.
Absolutely! This recipe freezes beautifully for up to 2–3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat on the stove.
Yes, leftover shredded chicken (or rotisserie chicken) works perfectly in place of turkey if that’s what you have on hand.
More Soup Recipes
- Turkey Bone Broth
- Easy Pumpkin Chili
- Cabbage Roll Soup
- Slow Cooker Chicken Stew
- Crockpot Taco Chicken Chili
If you make this recipe and enjoy it, please leave a 5-star recipe rating and let me know! Thank you so much!
Turkey Wild Rice Soup
Equipment
- Stockpot or Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups carrots, chopped
- 1 cup celery, diced
- 1/2 cup onion, diced
- 8 cups turkey bone broth
- 3/4 cup wild rice blend, rinsed
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
- 1 teaspoon fresh chopped oregano, or 1/4 teaspoon dried
- 1/4 teaspoon salt , plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, coarse
- 3 cups shredded turkey
Instructions
- In a large soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery, and onions and sauté until softened, about 5-6 minutes. They will finish cooking with the rice later so it’s okay if the carrots are still firm.
- Add the broth, rice, parsley, oregano, salt, and pepper and let the soup come to a simmer. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and let the rice cook. This will take about 40-45 minutes.
- Add the chicken once the rice is cooked and remove from heat.
- Serve warm with rolls or bread.
Notes
- You can make your own homemade turkey broth for this soup, or you can substitute chicken broth.
- It’s a good idea to taste the soup before adding salt. Every broth is going to be slightly different in saltiness.
- You can use butter instead of olive oil if you’d prefer.
- You can add a few more carrots to add more veggies if you’d like or add up to 1 more cup of turkey for more protein.
- You can use 100% wild rice instead of a blend or use brown rice instead.
- It’s always a good idea to rinse your rice before cooking.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat in a pot on the stove or covered in the microwave. Because it’s made with bone broth, once cold this soup will firm up a lot into a soft gelatin-like consistency but will become a normal soup consistency once reheated.
- Unlike chicken noodle soup, you can freeze this turkey rice soup. Freeze in an airtight container for up to 2-3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and warm in a pot or in the microwave.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
