By Becky Hardin
Published Nov 17, 2025
Turkey Wild Rice Soup is the ultimate cozy comfort food for chilly autumn and winter days. It’s creamy, hearty, and brimming with flavor, making it the perfect way to give leftover Thanksgiving or Christmas turkey new life. With tender turkey, nutty wild rice, and a rich, savory broth, every spoonful feels like a warm hug on a cold evening.
5-Star Review
“This was so good! Perfect for holiday leftovers or just a cold day comfort food! Saving recipe to make many more times!” – Lisa Marie
If you’re anything like me, you probably ended up with more turkey than you know what to do with after Thanksgiving. Sure, I love a good sandwich, but turning those leftovers into a big pot of turkey wild rice soup feels so much more rewarding. It comes together easily in just over an hour, has layers of flavor from the classic mirepoix, fresh thyme, a splash of white wine, and rich chicken broth, and becomes extra cozy when finished with a swirl of cream. It’s the kind of comforting bowl I look forward to all season long. If you prefer chicken, try this chicken wild rice soup recipe instead!
Tips for Beginners
- Keep the rice from getting mushy . If you plan to freeze the soup, cook the rice separately and stir it in just before serving. This keeps the grains firm instead of breaking down.
- Thicken it up . For a heartier, creamier soup, try adding a cornstarch slurry, making a quick roux, or simply stirring in extra cream at the end.
- To thin it out. After cooking, if the soup is too thick, stir in an additional 1 cup of broth.
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 2 tbsp unsalted butter (¼ stick)
- ▢ 2 tbsp olive oil
- ▢ ½ yellow onion diced
- ▢ 3 carrots peeled and chopped
- ▢ 1 rib celery diced, optional
- ▢ 1 cup dry wild rice or a wild rice blend
- ▢ ¼ tsp baking soda*
- ▢ 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- ▢ ½ cup dry white wine a good, drinkable wine
- ▢ 4-5 cups low-sodium chicken broth or turkey broth, divided
- ▢ 1½ tsp kosher salt
- ▢ ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ▢ 1 cup heavy cream make dairy-free with coconut milk
- ▢ 3 cups cooked turkey chopped or shredded
Video
Instructions
- Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat and add butter and oil. 2 tbsp unsalted butter, 2 tbsp olive oil
- Add onion, carrots, celery and dry rice. Cook 6-8 minutes or until the vegetables have softened and the rice begins to pop. Stir often. ½ yellow onion, 3 carrots, 1 rib celery, 1 cup dry wild rice
- Add baking soda, thyme and wine. Cook 1 minute, stirring often. ¼ tsp baking soda*, 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, ½ cup dry white wine
- Add 4 cups broth, salt and pepper and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to a low simmer and cover. Cook, covered, 30 minutes. Check the rice and if it isn’t softened, cook an additional 10 minutes with the lid on. 1½ tsp kosher salt, ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper, 4-5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- Remove the lid, add cream and turkey and cook 30-60 minutes or until the soup reduces and thickens. (If the soup is too thin, whisk in 2 tablespoons flour or cornstarch that has been mixed with ¼ cup cold heavy cream. Bring just to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook until soup has desired consistency. If soup is too thick, add an additional 1 cup broth.) 1 cup heavy cream, 3 cups cooked turkey
- Season, to taste, with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Becky’s Tips
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make Turkey Wild Rice Soup Step by Step
Sauté the Veggies and Rice: Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat and add 2 tbsp of unsalted butter and 2 tbsp of olive oil. Add ½ of a diced yellow onion, 3 peeled and chopped carrots, 1 diced rib of celery, and 1 cup of dry wild rice. Cook for 6-8 minutes, or until the vegetables have softened and the rice begins to pop. Stir often.
Add the Wine: Add ¼ tsp of baking soda, 1 tbsp of fresh thyme leaves, and ½ cup of dry white wine. Cook for 1 minute, stirring often.
Cook the Soup: Add 4 cups of low-sodium chicken broth, 1½ tsp of kosher salt, and ½ tsp of ground black pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer and cover. Cook, covered, 30 minutes. Check the rice and if it isn’t softened, cook an additional 10 minutes with the lid on.
Add the Cream and Turkey: Remove the lid, add 1 cup of heavy cream and 3 cups of leftover turkey, and cook for 30-60 minutes or until the soup reduces and thickens. (If the soup is too thin, whisk in 2 tbsp flour or cornstarch that has been mixed with ¼ cup cold heavy cream. Bring just to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and cook until the soup has the desired consistency. If the soup is too thick, add an additional 1 cup of broth.) Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Variations on Turkey and Wild Rice Soup
This soup is super versatile. Feel free to get creative:
- Different meat: If you don’t have turkey on hand, shredded chicken works well. I often use a rotisserie chicken when I want to make it outside of the holidays.
- Lighten it up : Skip the cream altogether and use additional broth for a lighter, brothier version that’s still full of flavor.
- Boost the flavor : A few sprigs of fresh thyme, a bay leaf while it simmers, or a splash of white wine can add wonderful depth and make the soup taste like it simmered all day.
- Change vegetables: Switch up the veggies depending on what you have on hand. Sometimes I’ll toss in chopped broccoli for extra heartiness, or stir in peas or green beans for a pop of color and sweetness.
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover turkey wild rice soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat in a saucepan set over medium-low heat or in the microwave in 30-second increments until warmed through.
I do not recommend freezing this soup, as it will take on a grainy texture as it thaws.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this hearty leftover turkey soup with some skillet bread for dipping and a kale Caesar salad to make you feel extra healthy after the holiday.
More leftover turkey recipes to try
Turkey Noodle Soup
Leftover Turkey Casserole
Thanksgiving Quesadilla (Turkey Quesadilla)
Turkey Croquettes
Our Turkey Wild Rice Soup recipe was originally published 11/09/21. It was retested, reworked, and republished to be better than ever 11/17/25.
Turkey Wild Rice Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter (¼ stick)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ yellow onion diced
- 3 carrots peeled and chopped
- 1 rib celery diced, optional
- 1 cup dry wild rice or a wild rice blend
- ¼ tsp baking soda*
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- ½ cup dry white wine a good, drinkable wine
- 4-5 cups low-sodium chicken broth or turkey broth, divided
- 1½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup heavy cream make dairy-free with coconut milk
- 3 cups cooked turkey chopped or shredded
Instructions
- Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat and add butter and oil. 2 tbsp unsalted butter, 2 tbsp olive oil
- Add onion, carrots, celery and dry rice. Cook 6-8 minutes or until the vegetables have softened and the rice begins to pop. Stir often. ½ yellow onion, 3 carrots, 1 rib celery, 1 cup dry wild rice
- Add baking soda, thyme and wine. Cook 1 minute, stirring often. ¼ tsp baking soda*, 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, ½ cup dry white wine
- Add 4 cups broth, salt and pepper and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to a low simmer and cover. Cook, covered, 30 minutes. Check the rice and if it isn’t softened, cook an additional 10 minutes with the lid on. 1½ tsp kosher salt, ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper, 4-5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- Remove the lid, add cream and turkey and cook 30-60 minutes or until the soup reduces and thickens. (If the soup is too thin, whisk in 2 tablespoons flour or cornstarch that has been mixed with ¼ cup cold heavy cream. Bring just to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook until soup has desired consistency. If soup is too thick, add an additional 1 cup broth.) 1 cup heavy cream, 3 cups cooked turkey
- Season, to taste, with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
