Creamy Turkey and Rice Soup is the perfect way to use your leftover turkey after Thanksgiving.
Filled with carrots and celery, this soup is ready in under an hour, and incredibly creamy.
Leftover Turkey Soup is something I look forward to every Friday after Thanksgiving.
The rich broth that is bubbling with the carcass, the hearty carrots, celery, and onions… The creamy rice.
It’s all just so so good.
Growing up, my mom used a recipe called “Williamsburg Turkey Soup.” I’ve adapted that recipe and changed the preparation method.
Your soup will taste AMAZING with Grandma’s Roasted Turkey recipe!
Quick Overview of this recipe:
- You begin by sauteing a load of diced carrots, onions, and celery—what the french call a mirepoix—and saute in a copious amount of butter until incredibly soft and tender.
- This is how the original recipe varies. In the original recipe you make the roux first, then add your vegetables. I prefer tender veggies BEFORE making a roux. But, you do you!
- After your veggies soft and tender, sprinkle in some flour and cook it for a couple of minutes.
- Add in turkey stock (chicken stock works too!) and stir so all the lumps disappear.
- Add in shredded turkey meat, rice, and some seasonings. I like to use poultry seasoning (keeping with the Thanksgiving theme!) Add your rice at this point too!
- Let this simmer for 20 minutes or so and serve to your hungry crowd.
At the very end, just before serving, you pour in an entire can of evaporated milk. You could also use heavy cream if you’ve got it… We’ve always used a can of evaporated milk!
This is an impossibly delicious and comforting soup recipe idea.
Be sure to make plenty and freeze the leftovers for a mid-winter pick me up!
How to Make Creamy Turkey and Rice Soup
1In a large Dutch oven, sauté celery, carrots, and onions until soft.2Turn the heat down to low and cook for 15 minutes. Stirring occasionally.3Add AP flour to your veggies and stir around. Cook for a couple of minutes.4Add in a couple cups of turkey stock, and stir to remove any flour lumps.5Pour 12 cups (3 quarts!) of stock into the pot and stir around.6Add in 2 cups of diced turkey and 1 cup of basmati rice. Stir, put the lid on and simmer!7After 20 minutes, give it a taste.8Just before serving, pour in a full can of EVAPORATED milk. Stir and serve!Check out my other content @sweetpealifestyle on Jumprope.
A few tips:
- Add in an extra teaspoon of Poultry Seasoning to really amp up the Thanksgiving flavors.
- Season with extra salt and pepper if you need to—if your soup doesn’t taste amazing, sprinkle in some kosher salt!
- That’s the difference between a really *GOOD* soup and a not so good soup… SALT.
Which rice is best for soup?
I prefer to use Basmati rice—but, any rice you have on hand will work! Brown, wild, sushi rice, even pre-cooked rice!
How do you make Turkey Stock?
- After you’ve eaten your turkey and pulled the meat from the bones—add the turkey carcass to a BIG stockpot.
- Add in a few carrots, celery, and a halved onion. ((I save all my ends from the celery and onions in a baggie and add those in too!)
- Fill with water, and simmer for several hours.
- I do this immediately after eating—and let it simmer while we play games and eat dessert. The longer you can let it simmer the better!
Can I use Chicken instead of Turkey?
Sure! Change everything about this recipe where it says Turkey, and use chicken!
What kitchen equipment do I need?
I’ve got an Amazon Storefront with all the Thanksgiving Prep Things you need! Check it out!
You’ll need:
- Stockpot
- Dutch Oven
- Chefs knife
- Cutting board
- Wooden spoon
Can you freeze this soup?
Yep! You sure can!
I like to let it cool down to room temperature, and add to Ziploc Freezer bags, freeze flat.
I’ll add the soup to a quart and gallon-sized bags—that way if I need a family meal, I’ll pull the gallon size out, if I need a quick meal for me, I’ll use the quart-sized.
How can I make the frozen soup go further?
Once you thaw your soup, you can add in more sauteed veggies to bulk up the soup if you need it to go farther. You can also add an extra cup of rice + a box of chicken stock.
