Creamy Turkey and Rice Soup
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This week, I’m diving into turkey recipes just in time for the big day! After the Thanksgiving feast, you’ll have plenty of delicious leftovers to turn into amazing new dishes. Today’s recipe is a comforting and creamy turkey and rice soup that’s both tasty and filling, perfect for those post-holiday meals.
This soup is the ideal way to use up leftover turkey (Including the carcass), transforming it into a hearty and satisfying dish. I love adding a sprinkle of dried cranberries to my bowl of creamy turkey and rice soup—the added sweetness pairs wonderfully with the savory flavors. Another great tip: try using some leftover gravy in place of part of the half-and-half for an extra-rich and flavorful twist.
Ingredients to make Creamy Turkey and Rice Soup
- LEFTOVER TURKEY CARCASS
- CELERY SALT
- POULTRY SEASONING
- ONION SALT
- SALT
- ONIONS
- CARROTS
- CELERY
- BUTTER
- ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
- HALF-AND-HALF CREAM
- UNCOOKED LONG GRAIN WHITE RICE
- CHICKEN BOUILLON GRANULES
- PEPPER
- DRIED CRANBERRIES
Instructions for Creamy Turkey Rice Soup
Prepare the turkey stock: Place the turkey carcass in a large soup kettle or Dutch oven. Cover with at least 3 quarts of water and add the celery salt, poultry seasoning, onion salt, and regular salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hour. Remove the carcass and let it cool. Set aside 3 quarts of broth. Remove the cooked turkey meat from the bones and cut it into bite-size pieces, aiming for about 2 cups. Set the meat aside.
Sauté the Vegetables: In the same soup kettle or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onions, carrots, and celery, and sauté until tender.
Thicken the Soup: Reduce the heat and stir in the flour until blended with the vegetables. Gradually add 2 quarts of the reserved broth, stirring constantly. Bring the mixture to a boil, and cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.
Combine and Simmer: Add the heavy cream, cooked rice, salt, bouillon granules, black pepper, and the reserved turkey pieces to the soup. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes. Adjust the thickness by adding any remaining broth as needed (I added about 2 cups for my desired consistency). Taste the soup and add additional poultry seasoning if needed.
Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with dried cranberries if desired. This recipe serves 10-12 people.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use turkey breast instead of a whole turkey carcass?
Yes, you can use turkey breast or any other leftover turkey meat. Simply shred or chop the turkey breast and follow the recipe as instructed, using store-bought turkey of chicken broth if needed.
How should I store leftover soup?
Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for up to 3 days. You can also freeze the soup for up to 2 months. Reheat it on the stove or in the microwave before serving.
Can I use chicken instead of turkey?
Absolutely! You can substitute chicken for turkey in this recipe. Use cooked, shredded chicken and follow the same steps to make a delicious chicken and rice soup.
Can I add other veggies to the soup?
Yes, feel free to customize the soup with additional vegetables like peas, corn, or green beans. Just add them along with the other vegetables and sauté until tender.
Can I use a different type of rice?
Yes, you can use any type of rice you prefer, such as brown rice or wild rice. Keep in mind that different types of rice may require different cooking times, so adjust accordingly.
How do I make the soup thicker or thinner?
To make the soup thicker, you can add a little more flour when sautéing the vegetables, or let it simmer longer to reduce the liquid. To make it thinner, simply add more broth or water until you reach the desired consistency.
Can I use milk instead of half-and-half?
Yes, you can use milk instead of half-and-half , but the soup will be less rich and creamy.
What can I use if I don’t have poultry seasoning?
If you don’t have poultry seasoning, you can use a combination of dried thyme, sage, rosemary, and marjoram to achieve a similar flavor.
For more SOUP recipes like this, try:
- Creamy Turkey Noodle Soup
- Day After Thanksgiving Turkey Noodle Soup
- Turkey and Wild Rice Soup
- Creamy Mexican Turkey Soup
Creamy Turkey and Rice Soup
Real Mom Kitchen
Ingredients
- 1 leftover turkey carcass
- 1 tsp celery salt
- ½ tsp poultry seasoning
- 1 tsp onion salt
- 2 tsp salt
- 3 medium onions chopped
- 2 large carrots diced
- 2 ribs celery diced
- 1 cup butter cubed
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups half-and-half cream
- 2 cups uncooked long grain rice
- salt to taste
- 2 tsp chicken bouillon granules
- pepper to taste
- dried cranberries optional garnish
Instructions
- Place turkey carcass in a soup kettle or Dutch oven and cover with water (at least 3 qts) along with celery salt, poultry seasoning, onion salt, and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 hour. Remove carcass; cool.
- Set aside 3 qt. broth. Remove turkey from bones and cut into bite-size pieces; set aside. You want about 2 cups.
- In a soup kettle or Dutch oven, saute the onions, carrots and celery in butter until tender. Reduce heat; stir in flour until blended. Gradually add 2 qt. of reserved broth.
- Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.
- Add cream, rice, salt, bouillon, pepper, and reserved turkey. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Add any remaining 1 qt of broth to reach desired thickness. I added 2 cups for mine. Taste and if needed add additional poultry season to taste.
- Serve with each bowl with a sprinkle of dried cranberries if desired. Serves 10-12.
Nutrition
Recipe adapted from Allrecipes.com
