This Leftover Turkey Rice Soup recipe is healthy and a great way to use Thanksgiving leftovers! It's gluten free and made with savory broth.
This Turkey Rice Soup is total healthy comfort food. It's made with leftover turkey, rice, and hearty vegetables like carrots.
I have been on a big-time soup kick lately. Soup is the absolute best thing to eat as the weather gets cold and rainy as its been here in Minnesota. It's hearty and comforting and healthy at the same time.
I love comfort foods of all kinds but some of them can weigh us down with extra calories. Soup is great because you get that comfort food factor. We feel good after eating it AND it's actually good for us.
I love this Leftover Turkey Soup because not only is it great during the holidays it's satisfying all year round.
It takes a little over 30 minutes to make so this soup is quick but tastes like it's been simmering on the stove top for hours!
Jump to:
- How To Make Leftover Turkey Soup
- Can This Soup Be Made With Leftover Chicken?
- Ingredients For Leftover Turkey Soup
- How To Add Flavor To Turkey Soup
- How Long Does Turkey Soup Take To Cook?
- What To Serve With Turkey Soup
- How Long Does This Soup Last In The Fridge?
- Can I Freeze Turkey Soup?
- Leftover Turkey Rice Soup
How To Make Leftover Turkey Soup
I make a lot of soups in my kitchen and this is recipe is among the easiest. One reason this soup is so simple is that it uses leftover turkey - The turkey is already cooked and this cuts down on cooking time.
This Turkey Soup starts with a base of aromatics - Garlic, Onions, Celery, and Carrots. These ingredients provide a delicious fragrant base.
- Mince 6 cloves of garlic, 1 onion (any color), and 3 stalks of celery.
- Chop 4-5 large carrots into rounds (yields 4-5 cups).
Can This Soup Be Made With Leftover Chicken?
Yes!
This soup can be made with leftover chicken if that's what you have on hand. ANY type of leftover turkey or chicken will work - Roasted, slow cooked, baked, or rotisserie turkey or chicken is perfect.
Ingredients For Leftover Turkey Soup
This soup is pretty low-maintenance - It requires no extra trip to the grocery store for fancy ingredients.
Here's what you'll need to make it.
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1 onion (any color)
- 3 stalks celery
- 4-5 large carrots (yields 4-5 cups)
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 7 cups low sodium chicken broth or turkey broth
- 2 gluten free chicken bouillon cubes (can use regular bouillon cubes if not gluten free)
- ¾ cup long grain white rice
- 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
- 3 cups leftover turkey or chicken (chopped)
- ½ tsp. each kosher salt and pepper (split)
How To Add Flavor To Turkey Soup
Once the aromatics are chopped it's time to make the soup!
- Start by heating 2 Tbsp. of olive oil in a cast iron Dutch oven or large heavy-bottomed soup pot to slightly higher than medium.
- Once heated, add the minced garlic, onions, and celery. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the sliced carrots along with ¼ tsp. kosher salt and pepper. Sauté for 5-6 minutes, stirring often.
- Add 7 cups of low-sodium chicken or turkey broth. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a low boil, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.
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How Long Does Turkey Soup Take To Cook?
- After 15 minutes remove the cover from the pot.
- Add 2 gluten free chicken bouillon cubes (or regular if not gluten free), 1 tsp. Italian seasoning, and ¼ tsp. each kosher salt and pepper.
- Dice 3 cups of leftover turkey or chicken into chunks. Add the 3 cups of leftover turkey to the soup.
- Add ¾ cup of long-grain white rice to the soup.
- Stir everything together and return the lid to the Dutch oven. Cook on a low boil for another 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes or so the rice should be softened as well as the carrots. Feel free to cook for an additional couple of minutes if the rice is still hard.
It's important not to overcook this soup as the rice will soak up too much liquid and become soggy.
What To Serve With Turkey Soup
That's seriously all there is to it! This Leftover Turkey Rice Soup is made without a carcass and the fact that the meat is already cooked means cooking time is minimal.
The bouillon cubes and the herbs give it a rich flavor that makes it taste like it took hours to prepare.
I love to serve soup with some crusty bread, crackers, savory scones or homemade biscuits. The rice gives this soup a heartiness so it's nice and filling. But, some warm bread is always a nice addition.
I enjoy eating homemade soups with a sandwich or panini like this lemon basil BLT, chipotle chicken panini, Gouda grilled cheese, or curried chickpea salad sandwiches.
A salad like this marinated tomato salad or minty pea almond salad would be great. Roasted vegetables like Parmesan roasted cauliflower, maple mustard Brussels sprouts, or garlicky green beans make a great side dish as well.
How Long Does This Soup Last In The Fridge?
This Turkey Rice Soup should last 2-3 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge. It's important to remember that rice does soak up liquid as it sits.
Rice can get soggy if it sits too long so I recommend eating it within a day or two of preparation.
You can always add a bit more water or broth to thin it out if needed.
Allow the soup to come down to room temperature before storing in fridge.
Can I Freeze Turkey Soup?
This soup recipe makes a great freezer meal. I love to prepare meals like this, freeze them, and then pull them out on busy nights when I'm too busy to cook.
How To Freeze
- Simply prepare and allow it to come to room temperature.
- Once cooled, place in heavy-duty freezer bags or freezer-safe food containers, and freeze up to 3 months.
- Label the freezer bags with the date before freezing.
How To Thaw
- Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stove top.
- You can also place the frozen soup in a Dutch Oven or heavy-bottomed soup pan, add some water or broth, thaw and reheat on the stove top.
Looking for more leftover turkey recipes? Don't miss these!
Looking For More Healthy Soup Recipes? Don't Miss These!
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Sopa de Lima
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Leftover Turkey Rice Soup
Equipment
- Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1 large onion any color
- 3 stalks celery
- 4-5 large carrots yields 4-5 cups
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 7 cups low sodium chicken broth or turkey broth
- 2 gluten free chicken bouillon cubes or regular bouillon cubes if not gluten free
- 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
- 3 cups leftover turkey or chicken white or dark meat
- ¾ cup long grain white rice
- ½ tsp. kosher salt split
- ½ tsp. pepper split
Instructions
- Mince 6 cloves of garlic, 1 large onion, and 3 stalks of celery.
- Wash, peel (if desired), and chop 4-5 large carrots, making sure they are all relatively the same size to ensure even cooking.
- Cut 3 cups of leftover turkey or chicken meat into chunks.
- Heat a cast iron Dutch oven or large heavy-bottomed soup pot to medium-high. Add 2 Tbsp. of olive oil.
- Once heated, add the garlic, onions, and celery. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the sliced carrots along with ¼ tsp. each kosher salt and pepper. Sauté for 5-6 minutes, stirring often.
- Add 7 cups of low sodium chicken or turkey broth to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a low boil, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.
- Remove the cover and add 2 gluten free bouillon cubes, 1 tsp. Italian seasoning, 3 cups of chopped turkey or chicken, and ¼ tsp. each of kosher salt and pepper. Stir all of these ingredients together.
- Add ¾ cup of long-grain white rice to the soup. Stir, cover, and cook for another 15 minutes or so on a low boil.
- Remove the cover and check to see that the rice and carrots have softened. Once softened, the soup is ready to serve.
- Serve immediately and garnish with fresh herbs such as parsley or chives (optional).
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