Easy Leftover Turkey Soup Recipe
Leftover Turkey Soup Recipe with rice! Transform your leftover holiday meal turkey into this warm and comforting soup for the soul!
No turkey leftovers? Don’t worry this can be make with leftover chicken too!
Leftover Turkey Soup
This Thanksgiving we cooked a giant 20 pound turkey for 9 of us knowing that we would have turkey left to make sandwiches and also transform into new meals!
Leftover turkey soup was first on my must make recipe list! This soup is light, flavorful, and just the meal you want after a feast.
Not only is this soup tasty, but it’s nutritious too since I used Homemade Slow Cooker Turkey Stock from our leftover turkey bones!
Simmer stock with leftover turkey Add turkey in stockpot Cook in broth, spices and vegetables Add rice (optional) and simmer
Turkey Rice Soup – Ultimate Comfort Food!
If you are brave enough to hit the shopping frenzy this weekend, soup sure will bring you comfort when you arrive back home.
In addition, this soup may quite possibly ward off the cold bug that you can easily get from crowds.
For this soup I added rice, but if you are limiting grains from your diet feel free to leave it out.
Leftover Soup With Rice
I’ve used the following varieties of rice for this recipe and each taste a little different, yet all belly warming delicious!
- White Rice – simmer for about 20 minutes.
- Brown Rice – brown rice needs a longer simmer time, about 30 minutes.
- Wild Rice – additional simmering time needed. Approximately 40 minutes.
Chicken soup is the most recommended soup for it’s healing properties, but I believe the benefits of bone broth applies to any stock!
It’s the broth that is filled with nutrients, especially when it’s made from scratch.
Can you Freeze Turkey Rice Soup?
Absolutely! Here are the steps to freeze the soup:
- Prepare soup and let it cool
- Put in freezer containers, freezer bags or use a vacuum sealer
- Add label with date and name of soup
- Frozen soup can be stored for 2-3 months
- Thaw overnight in fridge when ready to enjoy
Can You Use Prepared Turkey or Chicken Stock?
Yes! If you don’t have homemade turkey stock, then use your favorite brand of prepared turkey or chicken broth.
In addition, ready cooked chicken or turkey can be added in this soup in place of your holiday leftovers.
What to Serve With Turkey Rice Soup
- Low Carb Cheddar Biscuits
- Easy Grain Free Bread Recipe
- Pesto and Parmesan Popover
- Buttery Pull Apart Dinner Rolls
This recipe was originally posted in 2014 and has been updated with new photos and content in 2019.
Leftover Turkey Soup With Rice
Ingredients
- 6-8 cups broth
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 carrots sliced
- 2 celery ribs sliced
- 1 onion diced
- 1 cup rice I used brown
- 2 cups cooked turkey cut in 1/2″ pieces
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot combine broth, thyme, bay leaf, carrots and celery. Bring to a boil, sir in rice, reduce to simmer and cover pot. Simmer 20 minutes for white rice or 30 minutes for brown rice.
- Add the turkey and cook over medium heat for another 7-10 minutes or until rice is cooked.
- Season with salt and pepper to your taste preference.
Nutrition
Disclaimer
Please note that the nutritional information provided are guidelines and may vary based on the brand of products used. For your specific nutritional goals use My Fitness Pal or Verywell Fit recipe calculators. All content within this site is not intended as medical diagnosis or treatment and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical expertise.
PLESE PIN TO YOUR SOUP BOARDS
I’m a new cook her can I use noodles instead of rice and cook the same way to replace the rice . Did this make any sense ? Thank you Mary. Sounds good
Hi Mary! Yes, you can use noodles in place of rice, but the cooking time will be a little shorter depending on the size and thickness. It’ll taste great!
Could you use minute rice if that is all you have?
Sure! It will cook much quicker, but that should be fine.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who buys a big bird for the leftovers. This soup sounds delicious. My husband prefers rice over noodles in my soups too. He would love this.
I fed 7 people for turkey day…two adults and 5 kids ages 7 and under. I made a 12 lb turkey, but clearly, I did not make a big enough one because I am almost out of leftovers…I might just make another simply so I can make this soup! Fab.
Phooey, I just used up the last of our turkey in a tetrazzini! But I bet this would be fabulous with chicken, too 🙂
I would love a steamy hot bowl of your soup. Looks good for the soul in the cooler weather. Take care
This would be my favorite leftover turkey soup. I love rice in soup with good stock and vegetables. This recipe has it all.
Looks like a perfect use for left over turkey!