This light and creamy turkey wild rice soup is the ultimate comfort food, especially when you’re looking to transform leftover turkey into something truly special. It’s a hearty yet surprisingly light dish that comes together beautifully in your slow cooker, making it perfect for busy weeknights or relaxed weekends.
Imagine a bowl of warm, savory goodness, rich with tender turkey and earthy wild rice, all swimming in a velvety broth. This recipe delivers exactly that, turning simple ingredients into a satisfying meal that the whole family will adore.
Table of Contents
- What You’ll Love About This Quick And Easy Recipe
- Everything You Need To Make This Recipe Without Stress
- Time Needed From Start To Finish
- How To Make It Step By Step With Visual Cues
- Easy Variations And Serving Ideas That Fit Real Life
- Common Slip-Ups And How To Avoid Them
- How To Store It And Make It Ahead Without Ruining Texture
- Questions People Always Ask Before Making This Recipe
Creamy Turkey Wild Rice Soup (Slow Cooker)
- Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes to 8 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 servings 1x
Description
This light and creamy turkey wild rice soup is the ultimate comfort food, especially when you’re looking to transform leftover turkey into something truly special. It’s a hearty yet surprisingly light dish that comes together beautifully in your slow cooker, making it perfect for busy weeknights or relaxed weekends. Imagine a bowl of warm, savory goodness, rich with tender turkey and earthy wild rice, all swimming in a velvety broth. This recipe delivers exactly that, turning simple ingredients into a satisfying meal that the whole family will adore.
Ingredients
Instructions
1. Prepare Your Vegetables: Start by chopping your onion, dicing your carrots, and slicing your celery. Uniform pieces will ensure even cooking.
2. Combine Ingredients in Slow Cooker: Place the shredded or diced cooked turkey, rinsed wild rice blend, chopped onion, diced carrots, and diced celery into your slow cooker.
3. Add Liquids and Seasonings: Pour in the chicken broth and water. Add the dried thyme, dried sage, a good pinch of salt, and a generous grind of black pepper. Stir everything gently to combine.
4. Slow Cook to Perfection: Cover your slow cooker and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours. The soup is ready when the wild rice is tender and the vegetables are soft.
5. Create the Creamy Finish (Optional Thickening): If you prefer a thicker soup, in a small bowl, whisk together the 2 tablespoons of flour with 1/4 cup of cold water until smooth. Stir this slurry into the hot soup.
6. Stir in the Cream: Pour in the heavy cream and stir well. If you added the flour slurry, allow the soup to cook for another 15-20 minutes on high, or until it has thickened to your desired consistency.
7. Taste and Adjust: Taste the soup and adjust the seasonings if needed. You might want a little more salt, pepper, or even a dash more thyme.
8. Garnish and Serve: Ladle the warm soup into bowls and garnish with fresh chopped parsley before serving.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 3-4 hours on high, or 6-8 hours on low
- Category: soup
- Method: slow cooker
- Cuisine: american
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
Keywords: turkey, wild rice, soup, slow cooker, comfort food, leftover turkey, creamy, easy, hearty, winter
What You’ll Love About This Quick And Easy Recipe
This recipe is a true winner for so many reasons. First, it’s incredibly practical, designed specifically to give new life to leftover turkey. No more wondering what to do with that extra poultry after a holiday meal! It’s also incredibly forgiving and perfect for beginner cooks, as the slow cooker does most of the heavy lifting. The “set it and forget it” nature means you can prep it in the morning and come home to a delicious, ready-to-eat dinner. It’s a fantastic choice for families because it’s packed with flavor but mild enough for even picky eaters. Serve it as a comforting weeknight dinner, a warm lunch, or even as part of a casual buffet when you need something substantial but not too heavy.
Everything You Need To Make This Recipe Without Stress
Gathering your ingredients is the first step to a smooth cooking experience. This recipe uses common pantry staples and fresh vegetables, ensuring you won’t need to hunt for obscure items. The beauty of this soup lies in its simplicity and the way each component contributes to a rich, satisfying flavor profile.
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 cups cooked turkey, shredded or diced
- 1 cup wild rice blend, rinsed
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (optional, for thickening)
- 1/4 cup cold water (if using flour)
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
When it comes to substitutions, feel free to adapt to what you have on hand. If you don’t have a wild rice blend, plain wild rice works just as well, though cooking times might vary slightly. For the broth, vegetable broth can be used if you prefer, or if you’re out of chicken broth. Don’t have fresh parsley? A sprinkle of dried parsley at the end will still add a nice touch of color and flavor. If you want to make this soup a little lighter, you can swap out the heavy cream for half-and-half or even evaporated milk, though the texture will be slightly less rich.
Time Needed From Start To Finish
This slow cooker recipe is fantastic for its minimal hands-on time, allowing you to get other things done while dinner cooks itself.
Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 3-4 hours on high, or 6-8 hours on low Total time: 3 hours 15 minutes to 8 hours 15 minutes (depending on slow cooker setting)
How To Make It Step By Step With Visual Cues
Preparing this creamy turkey wild rice soup is incredibly straightforward. Follow these steps for a delicious and comforting meal.
- Prepare Your Vegetables: Start by chopping your onion, dicing your carrots, and slicing your celery. Uniform pieces will ensure even cooking.
- Combine Ingredients in Slow Cooker: Place the shredded or diced cooked turkey, rinsed wild rice blend, chopped onion, diced carrots, and diced celery into your slow cooker.
- Add Liquids and Seasonings: Pour in the chicken broth and water. Add the dried thyme, dried sage, a good pinch of salt, and a generous grind of black pepper. Stir everything gently to combine.
- Slow Cook to Perfection: Cover your slow cooker and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours. The soup is ready when the wild rice is tender and the vegetables are soft.
- Create the Creamy Finish (Optional Thickening): If you prefer a thicker soup, in a small bowl, whisk together the 2 tablespoons of flour with 1/4 cup of cold water until smooth. Stir this slurry into the hot soup.
- Stir in the Cream: Pour in the heavy cream and stir well. If you added the flour slurry, allow the soup to cook for another 15-20 minutes on high, or until it has thickened to your desired consistency.
- Taste and Adjust: Taste the soup and adjust the seasonings if needed. You might want a little more salt, pepper, or even a dash more thyme.
- Garnish and Serve: Ladle the warm soup into bowls and garnish with fresh chopped parsley before serving.
Easy Variations And Serving Ideas That Fit Real Life
This turkey wild rice soup is incredibly versatile and can be adapted to suit various tastes and occasions. For a kid-friendly twist, consider adding a handful of frozen peas or corn during the last 30 minutes of cooking for extra color and sweetness. You can also offer a side of crusty bread or crackers for dipping, which kids often love.
If you’re looking to boost the vegetable content, feel free to toss in some chopped mushrooms, spinach (stirred in at the very end until wilted), or even diced potatoes along with the other vegetables. For a touch of smoky flavor, a pinch of smoked paprika can be a wonderful addition.
This soup makes a fantastic main course on its own, but it also pairs beautifully with a simple green salad with a light vinaigrette. For a more substantial meal, serve it alongside a grilled cheese sandwich or a warm, buttered dinner roll. On a chilly evening, a bowl of this creamy soup is pure comfort.
Common Slip-Ups And How To Avoid Them
Even simple recipes can have common pitfalls. Knowing what to watch out for can help you achieve perfect results every time.
One common mistake is overcooking the wild rice. While wild rice takes a while to cook, leaving it in the slow cooker for too long can make it mushy. Always check for tenderness around the lower end of the cooking time range. Another slip-up is not rinsing the wild rice. Wild rice, like many grains, can have a starchy coating that can make your soup cloudy. A quick rinse under cold water before adding it to the slow cooker will prevent this.
Over-salting is another frequent issue. Remember that chicken broth already contains sodium, so start with a conservative amount of salt and adjust at the very end after the soup has cooked and flavors have melded. It’s always easier to add more salt than to fix an overly salty dish. Lastly, if you’re using the flour slurry to thicken, make sure to whisk it thoroughly with cold water before adding it to the hot soup. Adding flour directly to hot liquid can create lumps, which nobody wants in their creamy soup!
How To Store It And Make It Ahead Without Ruining Texture
This turkey wild rice soup is excellent for meal prepping and storing. Once cooled completely, transfer the soup to airtight containers. It will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
To reheat, gently warm the soup on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through. You can also microwave individual portions. If the soup has thickened too much in the fridge, you might want to add a splash of chicken broth or water while reheating to reach your desired consistency.
For longer storage, this soup freezes beautifully. Allow it to cool completely, then transfer to freezer-safe containers or heavy-duty freezer bags, leaving a little headspace as liquids expand when frozen. It can be stored in the freezer for up to 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. The wild rice might be slightly softer after freezing and thawing, but the flavor will still be wonderful.
Questions People Always Ask Before Making This Recipe
Q: Can I use uncooked turkey in this recipe? A: This recipe is designed for cooked turkey. If using uncooked turkey, you would need to cook it through before adding it to the slow cooker, or adjust the cooking time significantly to ensure it’s fully cooked.
Q: Do I have to use a wild rice blend, or can I use just plain wild rice? A: You can definitely use plain wild rice. The cooking time might vary slightly, but it will still work well.
Q: What if I don’t have heavy cream? A: You can substitute heavy cream with half-and-half or even evaporated milk for a slightly lighter soup, though the texture won’t be quite as rich.
Q: Can I make this soup vegetarian? A: Absolutely! Omit the turkey and use vegetable broth. You can add extra vegetables or a can of drained and rinsed cannellini beans for added protein.
Q: How can I make this soup thicker without flour? A: For a gluten-free option, you can mash a portion of the cooked wild rice and vegetables against the side of the slow cooker with a spoon, or blend a small
FAQs
- Can I make these ahead? Yes—prep ahead, refrigerate, then serve when ready.
- How long do leftovers last? Store covered in the fridge for 3–4 days for best texture.
- Can I adjust sweetness? Yes—add more or less sweetener to taste.
- Can I change the fruit? Yes—swap strawberries for blueberries, raspberries, or sliced banana.
