This Leftover Turkey Soup with rice and fresh vegetables is easy to make and full of flavor. The easiest way to use up your Thanksgiving leftovers!
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Why This Recipe Works
After a whole day of cooking the Thanksgiving feast, it is nice to know we will have leftovers that I can use to make simple dinners for days. Like this Leftover Turkey Soup with Rice. It's delicious and comforting! This soup is a family favorite around here, especially with our kids. We like a break from noodles once in a while, but feel free to use wide egg noodles in this recipe, in place of rice.
Ingredients:
- leftover turkey meat: I used a mix of white and dark;
- butter and olive oil: my favorite combo for sauteing vegetables;
- vegetables: carrots, celery, onion, and garlic is the classic combo;
- stock: I used my turkey stock made from the leftover carcass
- herbs: thyme, rosemary or a poultry mix;
- rice: I used white long grain.
How to make Leftover Turkey Soup?
- Start by chopping vegetables.
- Heat up oil in a soup pot.
- Add rice and toast for 3 to 4 minutes, or until you notice some grains turning light brown. Remove it onto a plate and set aside.
- Add butter to the pot and melt.
- Add veggies and saute until the onion is almost translucent.
- Add herbs and stir in. Saute for 1 minute. This activates the dry herbs.
- Add rice back in and add the stock.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the rice is done. Stir often.
- Remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper.
- Serve.
What to serve with turkey soup?
I like to serve soups with baguettes, croutons, or focaccia. A grilled cheese sandwich, garlic bread and dinner rolls make a great side too!
Recipe FAQs:
Yes! To cook this turkey soup in a slow cooker, saute rice and veggies in a skillet, then add everything to your crockpot. Set the timer to 5 hours on LOW setting or 3 hours on the HIGH setting.
Absolutely! If you prefer noodles, I recommend adding 1 and 1/2 cups of wide egg noodles to the soup and cooking it until they are done.
Place completely cooled soup in freezer-safe containers or bags and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw out in the fridge and heat up in a soup pot. Add more stock if needed.
Any leftovers should be stored in the fridge, for up to 5 days. The rice will most likely absorb more liquid so you may need to add more stock to the soup during reheating.
More recipes with turkey:
If you like this recipe and make it, let me know in the comments below! Don't forget to rate it if you enjoyed it!
Leftover Turkey Soup with Rice
Ingredients
- 2 cups leftover turkey meat
- ½ cup long-grain white rice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 3 carrots chopped
- 3 celery stalks chopped
- 1 small onion chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 teaspoons poultry herbs: thyme rosemary
- 6 cups turkey chicken or vegetable stock
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Heat up oil in a soup pot, over medium heat.
- Add rice and toast for 3 to 4 minutes, or until you notice some grains turning light brown. Remove it onto a plate and set aside.
- Add butter to the pot and melt.
- Add veggies and saute until the onion is almost translucent.
- Add herbs and stir in. Saute for 1 minute. This activates the dry herbs.
- Add rice back in and add the stock.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the rice is done. Stir often. Add turkey and cook for a few more minutes.
- Remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper.
- Serve.
Notes
- Any leftovers should be stores in the fridge, for up to 5 days. The rice will most likely absorb more liquid so you may need to add more stock to the soup during reheating.
- Please note, that the nutrition value can vary depending on what product you use. The information below is an estimate. Always use calorie counter you are familiar with.
Annabelle says
Made this with brown rice and it was incredible! Thanks for the recipe
Beth says
This looks so delicious and perfect for this weather we've been having here! I can't wait to make this!
Jen says
Thank you for giving me slow cooker instructions too. Sometimes I just feel like tossing it all in and going about my day. Pinning this for after Thanksgiving.
katerina says
mmm..this turkey soup is so hearty and delicious! Perfect for fall!