This turkey and rice soup consists of diced turkey, colorful vegetables and tender rice, all simmered together in a homemade broth. A comfort food classic that’s also a great way to use up leftover turkey!
I always roast an extra large turkey for the holidays so that there will be plenty of Thanksgiving leftovers to enjoy in the days to come. I use my leftover turkey meat in dishes such as cheesy turkey casserole, creamy turkey tetrazzini and this delicious turkey rice soup.
Turkey and rice soup is the ultimate dinner offering on a cold day, and it’s a great way to use up odds and ends of vegetables that you have on hand!
Table of Contents
Turkey Rice Soup Ingredients
This recipe has two components: the broth and the soup itself. To make turkey broth, you’ll need a leftover turkey carcass, vegetables, plenty of fresh herbs like thyme and parsley, and a variety of seasonings.
The soup contains the turkey broth, diced turkey, herbs, onion, carrot, celery, butter, garlic, salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, long grain rice and fresh parsley.
How Do You Make Turkey And Rice Soup?
Start by preparing the turkey broth. Place the turkey carcass, vegetables and seasonings into a large pot and add water. Let the mixture simmer for 3-4 hours. Strain the solids out of the broth. Next, melt butter in a pot and add onions, carrots and celery. Cook until the vegetables are tender. Add the turkey, seasonings and broth and bring everything to a simmer. Stir in cooked rice, then sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Tips For The Perfect Dish
- This recipe includes directions on how to make homemade turkey broth. If you want to skip this step to save time, or are not using leftover turkey, feel free to use store bought chicken broth or turkey broth instead.
- The recipe calls for dried Italian seasoning, which is a blend of herbs such as basil, parsley, thyme and oregano. This herb mix is readily available in most grocery stores.
- It is fine to prepare your turkey and rice soup in advance. Make the recipe as directed, but omit the rice. Refrigerate the soup for up to 3 days. Add the cooked rice into the soup when you reheat it. You can also store the soup base in the freezer for up to 2 months in an airtight container.
- Serve your soup with a side of garlic knots and a wedge salad for a complete meal.
Quick Tip
This soup is best when served immediately, as the rice will continue to absorb the broth over time.
Recipe FAQs
It is best to cook rice before you add it to soup. If you do not pre-cook the rice, it will absorb all the broth of the soup, and also become soft in texture from the excess liquid.
You can freeze turkey and rice soup, but I recommend leaving out the rice if you’re planning to freeze it. Add the rice back in when you reheat the soup. This will prevent the rice from soaking up too much broth and getting soft. Turkey rice soup will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 2 months.
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Flavor Variations
This soup is fabulous as-is, but you can also add other ingredients to customize the flavors to your tastes.
- Protein: You can easily use diced chicken instead of turkey. Or try ground turkey instead of cubed turkey for a different flavor.
- Vegetables: Feel free to add extra veggies to your soup. Some good options include zucchini, kale, sweet potatoes, mushrooms or green beans.
- Flavorings: Add some extra flavor to your broth with additional fresh herbs such as dill or chives. Lemon juice adds a little zing, or kick things up with a splash of hot sauce.
- Grains: Instead of white rice, you can use brown rice, wild rice blend, other other cooked grains such as farro, quinoa or barley.
This turkey and rice soup is a must-make after the holidays. It has the perfect blend of flavors and textures, and is sure to warm you up on a cold day.
More Leftover Turkey Recipes
Turkey Noodle Soup
5 hrs 25 mins
Turkey Salad Recipe
16 mins
Turkey Roll Ups
11 mins
Turkey Soup Recipe
5 hrs 20 mins
Turkey Pasta Carbonara
30 mins
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Turkey and Rice Soup
Ingredients
For the broth
- 1 turkey carcass
- 1 medium onion peeled and quartered
- 2 medium carrots peeled and cut into 3 inch pieces
- 3 stalks celery with leaves, cut into 3 inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 4 sprigs fresh parsley
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 6 cloves garlic
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons salt
For the soup
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 cup carrots peeled, halved lengthwise and sliced
- 3/4 cup celery thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons garlic minced
- 4 cups diced cooked turkey
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 6 cups turkey broth
- 2 cups white rice cooked
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Instructions
For the broth
- Place the broth ingredients in a large pot. Cover with cold water (at least 10 cups).
- Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Cook for 3-4 hours, skimming the surface occasionally.
- Pour the broth through a fine sieve into a container. Reserve 6 cups of broth for the recipe and save the rest for another use.
For the soup
- Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, carrot and celery and cook for 5-6 minutes or until just vegetables are just softened. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the turkey, Italian seasoning and broth to the pot, along with salt and pepper to taste.
- Bring to a simmer. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
- Add the rice. Cook for another 5 minutes or until the rice is warmed through.
- Sprinkle with parsley, then serve.
Notes
- This recipe includes directions on how to make homemade turkey broth. If you want to skip this step to save time, or are not using leftover turkey, feel free to use store bought chicken broth or turkey broth instead.
- It is fine to prepare your turkey and rice soup in advance. Make the recipe as directed, but omit the rice. Refrigerate the soup for up to 3 days or freeze it for up to 2 months. Add the cooked rice into the soup when you reheat it.
