Use up your leftover Thanksgiving turkey in this creamy wild rice soup recipe, all done in the slow cooker as a dump-and-set recipe. It’s easy to make, super flavorful, and the kind of cozy, nutritious, and light meal you need after the holidays!
Making a batch of turkey wild rice soup is the tastiest way to use up your leftover slow cooker turkey breast from last night’s Thanksgiving dinner!
If you’re one to host the holidays, you know what it’s like to want the next week off from having to do any more cooking. So, making soups, like leftover turkey noodle soup and this creamy turkey wild rice soup, is an easy way to whip up a meal with very little effort.
It’s made with cooked turkey, a combination of wild rice and long grain rice, plenty of seasonings, aromatics, and a packet of gravy for that extra rich and savory flavor. Everything gets tossed in a crockpot to simmer for hours until you’re ready to eat!
This creamy, flavorful, and ultra-comforting soup works with leftover chicken too. Whichever way you go, it is still a great way to reduce waste and toss in what you’ve got in your fridge!
Slow Cooker Turkey Soup Recipe
Why you’ll love this recipe
- A cozy soup. A cozy bowl of soup that warms you up from the inside out is exactly what you need after the busy holidays.
- One pot meal. Minimal effort and minimal cleanup.
- Flexible ingredients. Use leftover turkey, leftover chicken, or pick up a rotisserie from the store, toss in veggies you’re clearing out of the fridge, and play around with the seasonings.
Helpful Tools
Ingredients
Below is a list of the ingredients you’ll need to gather to make this recipe, why you need them, and possible substitutions. Scroll all the way down for the full recipe card with measurements.
Jump- Cooked turkey: Dice the cooked turkey. Some people like to shred it, so you do what you prefer.
- Mirepoix: The trio of celery, onions, and carrots is known as mirepoix. They are used as a flavor base in all kinds of soup and stew recipes.
- Chicken broth: Use low-sodium chicken stock or turkey stock because the gravy packet will contain salt and we’re adding it as a separate ingredient.
- Turkey gravy packet: When added to the soup, it gives it loads of yummy and familiar “Thanksgiving” flavor, but it also adds a thickness to the soup, making it extra creamy.
- Seasoning: Onion powder, garlic powder, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Rice a Roni: I use the original long grain and wild rice mix without the seasoning packet. Either discard it or save it for something else. Wild rice (which isn’t actually rice at all) has an earthy flavor and chewy texture, so I like that the soup has a bit of traditional rice in there too.
- Heavy cream: To give the broth a creamy consistency.
- Parsley: An optional garnish that makes the soup pop!
How to make Turkey Wild Rice Soup
This section shows you how to make this recipe, with process photos showing the steps to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
Jump- Step One: Add everything but the rice, cream, and parsley into the basin of your crockpot.
- Step Two: Cover with the lid and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours.
- Step Three: One hour before the cook time is up, add the rice and stir. Continue cooking for the remaining hour.
- Step Four: Just before serving, stir in the cream and season to taste. Then, ladle the creamy turkey wild rice soup into bowls, garnish with parsley and enjoy with a basket of fresh baked one-hour dinner rolls or a piece of homemade honey cornbread!
Every slow cooker runs differently. Times given are a general recommendation and should be tested in your own slow cooker and adjusted as needed.
- This recipe is great with both leftover turkey and leftover chicken. Whether from the holidays or weeknight dinner, it all works.
- If using chicken, use a packet of chicken gravy.
- You can also use a cup of regular rice (leftover rice works here work too!).
- White rice cooks faster, so if you’re only using rice, don’t add it in until the last hour or so.
- Toss in whatever veggies you want to clear out of your fridge. Mushrooms, zucchini, diced butternut squash, etc.
Storage & Reheating
How to store leftovers
Keep the turkey soup refrigerated for up to 3 days and stored in an airtight container.
Freezing Instructions
This soup freezes really well. Pour it into a freezer-safe container or freezer bag, releasing as much air as possible. Keep it frozen for up to 3 months.
Reheating Instructions
You can reheat it on the stove or in the microwave.
FAQs
Do I need to sauté the veggies first?
If you’re using already cooked veggies, there’s no need to do anything but toss them right into the slow cooker. If you’re using raw veggies, then it is up to you whether you want to sauté them first. You can, but you don’t have to.
Can you put uncooked rice in soup?
Sure, you can! It’ll cook as the soup cooks. If you’re using white rice, I recommend rinsing it first. If using already cooked rice, add it towards the end; otherwise, you’ll end up with mushy rice.
Need more hearty soup recipes? Try these:
Click here to view my entire collection of soup recipes.
Leftover Turkey Wild Rice Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2-3 cups cooked turkey chopped
- 3 medium carrots diced
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 1 small white onion diced
- 6 cups low sodium chicken stock or turkey stock
- 0.87 ounce turkey gravy packet one envelope – turkey or chicken gravy
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 4.3 ounce Long Grain & Wild Rice Rice A Roni discard the seasoning packet
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- parsley optional for garnish
Instructions
- To the basin of a 6 quart slow cooker, add the cooked turkey, diced carrots, celery, onion, stock, and seasonings.2-3 cups cooked turkey, 3 medium carrots, 2 stalks celery, 1 small white onion, 6 cups low sodium chicken stock, 0.87 ounce turkey gravy packet, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon salt
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours or HIGH for 4 hours.
- One hour before the cook time is up, add the rice to the slow cooker and stir. Replace the cover and continue cooking.4.3 ounce Long Grain & Wild Rice Rice A Roni
- Right before serving, stir in the cream and adjust salt & pepper, if needed.¾ cup heavy cream
- Ladle into bowls, garnish with parsley and serve.parsley
Notes
- You can use leftover turkey or leftover chicken. Or a rotisserie chicken.
- If using chicken, use a packet of chicken gravy.
- If you prefer regular rice, rinse it and add one cup in place of the Rice A Roni.
- Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Soup will freeze well. Freeze in portions and store for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Absolutely amazing recipe. I looked in the fridge this morning really wondering if I wanted leftover turkey sandwiches again. Don’t get me wrong, that’s sort of the point of cooking a bigger than needed turkey for Thanksgiving, but I just wasn’t feeling it. Happened on this recipe on my Alexa and also happened to have all the ingredients (minus the wild rice it calls for. I just subbed regular rice). It turned out amazing!! 10 out of 10! Looking forward to leftovers as well as some other recipes I’ve seen on the site.
I love hearing that, thank you for reporting back!
“This soup is so good!” — That’s my wife’s comment after I surprised her with this crock pot idea a few days after Thanksgiving. A great way to keep the holiday going! Entire family loved it
I’m so glad to hear that, thanks for letting me know! 🙂