When you need a delicious way to use up Thanksgiving leftovers, this effortless turkey and rice soup checks all the boxes.
Leftover Turkey and Rice Soup
This stovetop turkey and rice soup is my favorite way to use up leftover turkey from Thanksgiving, as well as those last few carrots, onion, and celery I needed to make roasted carrots and savory sausage stuffing.
After cooking in bulk for family and friends, what’s not to love about a delicious soup that you feel good about eating, and that’s almost hands-free? I call it perfection!
Ingredients
The stars of this soup are shredded roasted turkey and white rice (or any variety). For a delicious flavor, you’ll also add onion, carrots, celery, and garlic, along with dried thyme and bay leaf (you can swap them for poultry seasoning or Herbs de Provence). And chicken stock, of course! Soups made with stock have a richer broth, but regular chicken broth from the carton works too.
Other vegetables to include
If you have more veggies on hand, you can add them. A few other favorites are green peas, diced cauliflower, chopped spinach, and green beans.
How to Make Turkey and Rice Soup
I like to chop the veggies and shred the leftover turkey meat a few days ahead to save time. Once these items are ready, cook the veggies in a soup pot until softened. Add the liquid, and once it boils, add the rice and turkey. Cook for 25-30 minutes until the rice is tender.
Should Rice Be Rinsed?
Rinsing rice before cooking removes any surface starch and prevents it from getting gummy. Since we are adding it to a soup and not using it as a side or in a stir-fry, rinsing isn't necessary.
How to Store
Allow the soup to cool down to room temperature and refrigerate it in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. Before reheating the soup in the microwave or on the stove, add some water or broth, as rice tends to absorb liquid.
If you freeze this soup, the rice will become mushy. For better results, freeze the soup without the rice and add it when reheating.
More Ways to Use Leftover Turkey
This classic soup isn't the only idea for leftover turkey; you can also use it to make turkey pot pie soup, turkey chili, and this turkey stew. Or you can swap for chicken in this healthy chicken salad.
Easy Turkey and Rice Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 medium carrots, chopped
- ½ cup chopped celery
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme or poultry seasoning
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 32 ounce containers chicken stock
- 1 cup of water
- 1 cup white rice
- 2 cups shredded cooked turkey
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large soup pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, celery, thyme, and bay leaf. Cook and stir until the veggies are soft, about 5 minutes.
- Add the chicken stock and water. Bring to a boil. Add the rice and turkey meat, stir and cook over medium-low heat until the rice is tender about 25 to 30 minutes.
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Nancy J Rogers says
Made this today for lunch. Came out fantastic. So flavorful and delicious. So easy too. Thank you for the recipe.