Turkey and Wild Rice Soup
Homemade turkey stock and the addition of cream transforms this Turkey and Wild Rice Soup into a more filling meal.
By Yankee Magazine|Jan 01 2018|
Turkey and Wild Rice Soup
Photo Credit: Howard L. PuckettHomemade turkey stock and the addition of cream transforms this Turkey and Wild Rice Soup into a more filling meal. The flavors continue to develop, making the soup even better the next day. We love the flavor of wild rice, but 2 cups of cooked white rice works well, too.
Yield
9 cups of soup
Total Time
20 minutes
Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
2 carrots, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1-1/2 quarts Turkey Stock (or canned chicken broth)
1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups cooked chopped turkey
2 cups cooked wild rice
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
In a Dutch oven or stockpot, melt butter. Add celery, carrots, and onion; cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat 5 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly, 5 minutes. Add turkey stock and bring mixture to a boil.
Add salt and pepper; reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Add turkey, rice, cream, and parsley; cook until soup is thoroughly heated–do not boil.
I made this soup (with chicken instead) for a church pot luck. It was fantastic! The cream gives it a nice touch.
This was absolutely excellent. I used fresh thyme in place of the parsley and it was outstanding! I don’t make too many soups but this I will make again.
This is the third time I have made this soup and it is terrific from the very first day! If you prefer a lighter-calorie version, you can substitute half of the butter for a lighter “heart-smart” butter. Also, you can substitute half-and-half for the heavy cream, or part of it being milk. It is quite difficult to mess it up, because the stock is so hearty. Dairy-free would also be fine as well. Best advice, take time to make the stock and really let it simmer for 5 hours. It’s all very easy and rewarding. Enjoy. It also freezes well and is a perfect antidote for a chilly, rainy day.
Eight years later, this is still my go-to with a carcass!
Annually, on Thanksgiving night, the turkey carcass gets tucked into my freezer until a chilly weekend presents. It then becomes the star ingredient for this heartwarming & satisfying soup.
The 2-day process of this recipe — which is not actually time-consuming, but requires one to mind the stove — is a cozy ritual.
When ready, it is a joy to give this nourishing gift made with love to the Thanksgiving Day host!