Turkey rice soup is a creamy cheddar broth that’s fast to make on a weeknight and beyond delicious for the entire family.
Using leftover turkey to make new recipes makes you look forward to seconds.
This turkey rice soup will blow you away with the flavor. You’ll have creaminess in every bite with hints of cheddar and herbs.
If you’re short on time this is a great soup for the weeknights because it’ll only take about 45 minutes from start to finish.
Let me show you step by step how it’s done.
How To Make Turkey Rice Soup
Ingredients needed for the soup
- Leftover turkey
- Onion
- Garlic
- Celery
- Carrots
- Italian seasoning
- All-purpose flour
- White rice (you can use wild rice, brown or any rice you like. Only adjust cooking times.)
- Heavy cream
- Cheddar cheese
- Lemon
Important tips before starting the recipe
- If you choose to switch the rice, be sure to read the directions on how long to cook the rice.
- For the cheddar cheese be sure to buy the block cheese and not the pre-shredded. The pre-shredded has a non-caking agent that will not allow the cheese to melt properly together for the soup. Simply cut the block into cubes if you do not own a cheese grater.
Making the turkey rice soup recipe
- First, chop the celery, dice the onion, rinse the rice and mince the garlic. For your leftover turkey, remove the bones and chop the meat as well. You can also use shredded chicken for the recipe.
- In a large pot on medium high heat add a little oil and toss in the onions and celery. When they both become fragrant and soft add in the garlic. Now, when you start noticing brown bits of garlic from cooking add in the flour and lower the heat to medium.
- Mix the flour in with the ingredients. When the bottom of the pot becomes dry you can add in about 1/4 cup of broth to cook the flour a little. After about 15 seconds of cooking the flour add in the chopped turkey and the carrots.
- Then, while stirring slowly pour in the chicken broth and water. Add in the Italian seasoning. Raise the heat to bring the pot to a simmer.
- Once the pot is simmering, turn the heat to low and add in the rice. Give everything a good stir and put a lid on the pot. Cook the rice for 20 minutes covered. After 20 minutes turn off the heat and remove the pot from the hot eye.
- Next, add in the heavy cream, cheddar cheese and juice the lemon. Give everything a stir then add salt and pepper to taste before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Do you cook rice first before adding it into soup?
No you do not have to cook the rice first but you do need to rinse the rice before cooking. In this turkey rice soup recipe the rice is cooked right in the soup and unlike pasta it doesn’t suck up all the liquid. If you overcook it though you will have mushy rice.
What the best rice for soup?
It doesn’t matter, personal choice. I like white rice but wild rice is very popular with turkey soup as well. What is important is you get the right cooking times and you add the appropriate amount of extra water to allow the rice to cook.
Great soup and turkey recipes to add to your list
Follow Sugarless Crystals on Pinterest & Instagram for all my recipes!
Turkey Rice Soup
Ingredients
- 1 pound turkey, chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 ribs celery, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 3/4 cup water
- 8 ounce frozen sliced carrots (or 1 large chopped carrot)
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 cup white rice, dry
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese block, grated or cubed
- 1 lemon, squeezed (sub with 1 TB apple cider vinegar)
- salt & black pepper to taste
Instructions
- First, chop the celery, dice the onion, rinse the rice and mince the garlic. For your leftover turkey, remove the bones and chop the meat as well. You can also use shredded chicken for the recipe.
- In a large pot on medium high heat add a little oil and toss in the onions and celery. When they both become fragrant and soft add in the garlic. Now, when you start noticing brown bits of garlic from cooking add in the flour and lower the heat to medium.
- Mix the flour in with the ingredients. When the bottom of the pot becomes dry you can add in about 1/4 cup of broth to cook the flour a little. After about 15 seconds of cooking the flour add in the chopped turkey and the carrots.
- Then, while stirring slowly pour in the chicken broth and water. Add in the Italian seasoning. Raise the heat to bring the pot to a simmer.
- Once the pot is simmering, turn the heat to low and add in the rice. Give everything a good stir and put a lid on the pot. Cook the rice for 20 minutes covered. After 20 minutes turn off the heat and remove the pot from the hot eye.
- Next, add in the heavy cream, cheddar cheese and juice the lemon. Give everything a stir then add salt and pepper to taste before serving.