Autumn Wild Rice Soup with Turkey

This Autumn Wild Rice Soup recipe is made with mushrooms, carrots, and leftover turkey or chicken. It's made in a Dutch oven and dairy free!

This Wild Rice Soup is perfect during the cool fall months, or anytime, really. It's made with hearty and healthy ingredients and is totally warming.

There's something so comforting about a big pot of soup simmering away on the stove top. This one is made with earthy vegetables like carrots and mushrooms, along with some leftover turkey or chicken and wild rice.

It's a great way to use up leftover turkey from Thanksgiving. I love a healthy soup like this one after binging on casseroles, mashed potatoes and gravy during the holidays.

This wild rice soup is broth-based and prepared without cream or dairy, so the flavors of the ingredients really shine through. It's made in a Dutch oven on the stove top and is super easy to throw together.

This recipe makes a big batch of soup, which can be portioned out for meal prep and enjoyed throughout the week, or frozen and eaten at a later date. It's versatile and makes for a great hearty and healthy meal!

Jump to:

• Is Wild Rice Soup Healthy?
• How To Sauté Mushrooms For Soup
• Which Mushrooms Are Best For Soup?
• How To Make Wild Rice Soup
• Prepare The Turkey For The Soup
• How Long Does Turkey Wild Rice Soup Take To Cook?
• Can I Sub Any Of These Ingredients?
• What To Serve With Wild Rice Soup
• Can I Freeze This Soup?
• How Long Does It Last In The Fridge?
• Autumn Wild Rice Soup with Turkey

Is Wild Rice Soup Healthy?

Wild rice itself is a super healthy ingredient on its own.

It should be stated that wild rice is not actually rice, but rather a 'water grass seed' that consists of a grain that is harvested from 1 of 4 varieties of aquatic grasses that grow in bodies of shallow freshwater.

It's popular in northern areas of the United States like Minnesota, the Great Lakes region, and Canada. Wild rice is low in fat, gluten free, and high in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

I love to add wild rice to any number of dishes from casseroles to stuffing to salads. One of the best ways to enjoy it, though, is in soups.

Many wild rice soup recipes are laden with butter, dairy, and cream, which tends to negate the healthiness factor. To keep this soup on the healthy side, I left out the dairy and loaded it with vegetables.

Ingredients For Autumn Wild Rice Soup

Here's what you'll need to whip up a batch of this soup.

• 6 cloves Garlic
• 1 Onion
• 2-3 stalks Celery
• 4-5 large Carrots
• 1 8 oz. package Mushrooms
• 4 Tbsp. Olive Oil (split)
• ¾ tsp. Kosher Salt (split)
• ½ tsp. Pepper (split)
• 1 cup Wild Rice
• 7 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
• 4 cups Leftover Turkey or Chicken
• 4-5 sprigs Fresh Thyme (or ½ tsp. Dried Thyme)
• 1-2 sprigs Fresh Rosemary (or ½ tsp. Dried Rosemary)

How To Sauté Mushrooms For Soup

Mushrooms provide great flavor to any dish and that is especially true when it comes to soups. The key to getting the most flavor out of mushrooms is to saute them with some salt and pepper before adding them to the soup.

When the mushrooms are sauteed in butter or oil, along with salt and pepper it helps to draw the liquids out of them, creating a rich and flavorful broth.

Adding raw mushrooms to soup won't do much for the overall flavor of the soup and may result in a bland flavor and rubbery texture.

The mushrooms tend to firm up when sauteed and creates a great flavor in even the most basic varieties of mushrooms.

1. Start by wiping any dirt from the mushrooms with a dry towel or paper towel.
2. Cut the mushrooms into even slices.
3. Heat a cast iron Dutch oven or large heavy-bottomed soup pot to medium on the stove top and add 2 Tbsp. olive oil. Once the oil is heated, add the sliced mushrooms, along with ¼ tsp. each kosher salt and pepper.
4. Sauté the mushrooms on medium-low heat for 10 minutes or so, stirring occasionally. The mushrooms should cook down a bit and become fragrant.
5. Remove the mushrooms from the pot and place them in a bowl to set aside.

Which Mushrooms Are Best For Soup?

The great thing about this recipe is that you can use any variety of mushrooms you like.

I grabbed an 8 oz. package of cremini mushrooms from the grocery store, but you can feel free to use a more flavorful variety like Portobello, shiitake, oyster, chanterelle, or porcini if you prefer.

How To Make Wild Rice Soup

The rest of the ingredients may be prepared while the mushrooms are sautéed in the Dutch oven on the stove top.

I find that mushrooms work best in soup when first sautéed and then added back into the pot right before the soup is finished cooking, so as not to overcook them, which will prevent them from becoming mushy.

1. Start by mincing 6 cloves of garlic and 1 onion (any color).
2. Mince 2-3 stalks of celery.
3. Wash and scrub 4-5 large carrots. Feel free to peel the carrots if you like. Cut the carrots into even slices.
4. After the sautéed mushrooms are removed from the stove top, add 2 more Tbsp. olive oil to the soup pot.
5. Add the minced garlic, onions, and celery. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Add the sliced carrots, along with ¼ tsp. each kosher salt and pepper. Sauté for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
7. Add 1 cup of wild rice to the pot and sauté for 1 minute.
8. Add 7 cups of low sodium chicken broth, along with another ¼ tsp. kosher salt, 4-5 sprigs of fresh thyme and 1-2 sprigs of fresh rosemary to the pot (can sub ½ tsp. each of dried thyme and rosemary if preferred). Stir until combined.
9. Bring to a boil, reduce to a low simmer, and cover.

Feel free to use 1 tsp. Italian seasoning in place of the fresh or dried thyme and rosemary if you prefer.

Prepare The Turkey For The Soup

This recipe calls for turkey or chicken that is already cooked. It's a great way to use up leftover Thanksgiving turkey or leftover roast chicken that you may have on hand.

Feel free to use rotisserie chicken, grilled chicken, or even smoked turkey if you like.

The turkey is added at the end of the cooking process, so that it does not become overcooked and rubbery.

1. Cut 4 cups of leftover cooked turkey or chicken into chunks, removing any pieces of skin or bones that might be present. Discard any skin, bones, or pieces of cartilage.
2. Feel free to cut the turkey or chicken at any time during the cooking process and set aside until ready to use.

How Long Does Turkey Wild Rice Soup Take To Cook?

Wild rice is a fantastic ingredient, but it does take awhile to fully cook on the stove top.

After the soup has been brought to a boil and then reduced to a simmer, it takes roughly 45 minutes to cook, covered, on the stove top.

The diced turkey and sauteed mushrooms are added after the wild rice has become tender and the carrots softened.

1. After 45 minutes or so, the wild rice should be tender (but not mushy) and the carrots softened (but not mushy).
2. Remove the lid and add 4 heaping cups of diced leftover turkey or chicken, along with the sauteed mushrooms and any liquid from the mushrooms.
3. Stir all of the ingredients until combined and simmer for another 5 minutes or so.
4. Remove the thyme and rosemary sprigs before serving.

Can I Sub Any Of These Ingredients?

Yes!

This Autumn Wild Rice Soup recipe is versatile and can be adjusted according to your tastes.

How To Make The Soup Vegetarian

To make this soup both vegetarian and vegan, simply omit the cooked turkey or chicken and swap the low sodium chicken broth for low sodium vegetable or mushroom broth.

You may need to adjust the salt levels if you leave out the meat, as roasted meat contains salt.

How To Make Wild Rice Soup Creamy

You can certainly add some dairy if you prefer a creamier soup.

To make the soup creamy, add ¾ cup of heavy cream near the end of the cooking process and stir until combined.

You can also use full-fat coconut milk if you like a creamy soup, but prefer it without the dairy.

You can even add some chopped leafy greens like kale or Swiss chard near the end of the cooking process for some extra texture and flavor.

What To Serve With Wild Rice Soup

This turkey wild rice soup is hearty and certainly may be enjoyed on its own. Feel free to garnish it with fresh herbs of choice for some extra color and flavor.

Homemade soups are great served with some warm crusty bread, biscuits, cornbread, or dinner rolls.

Sandwiches are perfect paired with soups. Some of my favorites include this Italian grilled cheese sandwich, curried chickpea salad, and chipotle chicken panini.

Love soup? Check out these recipes!

• Dutch Oven Chicken Noodle Soup
• White Bean Kale Soup
• Chunky Vegetable Soup
• Lentil Sausage Soup
• Roasted Carrot Ginger Soup
• Harvest Vegetable Soup
• Hearty Lentil Soup

Can I Freeze This Soup?

Yes!

Soups like this Autumn Wild Rice Soup make a great freezer meal.

How To Freeze

1. Prepare the soup as directed and allow it to come to room temperature before transferring to the freezer for storage.
2. Once the soup has cooled, transfer to a freezer-safe container or heavy-duty freezer bag, label with the date, and store up to 3 months in the freezer.

How To Thaw

1. Transfer the frozen soup to the fridge 24 hours before serving and allow to thaw.
2. Place the thawed soup in a pot and warm until heated through. Feel free to add more water or broth if you like.
3. If adding heavy cream to the soup, do so after the soup has thawed. Dairy tends to separate in the freezer and it's best to add right before serving.

How Long Does It Last In The Fridge?

Any leftover soup should last 3-4 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge.

Be sure to allow the soup to cool completely before transferring to the fridge for storage.

Love wild rice? Check out these recipes!

• Instant Pot Wild Rice
• Fennel Wild Rice Stuffing
• Wild Rice Chicken Salad
• Fall Harvest Wild Rice Salad

Looking for more leftover turkey recipes? Don't miss these!

• Turkey White Bean Soup
• Leftover Turkey Stew
• Turkey Rachel Sandwich
• Turkey Rice Soup

Looking For More Hearty Soup Recipes? Don't Miss These!

Turkey Lentil Soup

Smoked Sausage Vegetable Soup

Chicken, Kale and Rice Soup