This creamy leftover turkey and wild rice soup is the perfect flavor and veggie-packed healthy recipe to use your leftover turkey!
Hello hello! Boy, do I have a recipe for you today! I know that everyone looks forward to traditional Thanksgiving recipes, but as you know, I look forward to the leftovers the most!
You guys know I love my leftover turkey enchiladas, but not everyone can get on board with Mexican food when they are in a winter wonderland. I get that. Instead, you might prefer a big bowl of hot creamy, delicious soup that still has all the fall flavors and pairs perfectly with your leftover cornbread or cornbread stuffing.
My family is OBSESSED with my crockpot chicken and wild rice soup, so I decided I’d make a turkey version. In my chicken version, I use a whole chicken cooked in the slow cooker as the soup base, then remove the chicken, shred it, and add it back in. But, in this version, I’m assuming you cooked your turkey already and don’t want to spend all day cooking AGAIN.
And yes, I know Thanksgiving for many, many people is going to look a lot different this year. I know tons of people who have canceled their travel plans or are under stay at home orders. For us, we will only have three people (partially due to covid and partially because we’re expecting a new niece or nephew right after the holiday), and therefore I will not be cooking. We’re ordering because three people is not enough to cook for when I’m preggo, ya know? I am making my own stuffing though because I like it better than anywhere else, but that’s it. Although, I did have Mr. Hungry order extra turkey, so we can have fun with the leftovers.
Thanksgiving will look different this year, but I have to remember how much I have to be grateful for. Focusing on the positive doesn’t come naturally to me, but I work at it every day, and that’s all I can do. I think we’ve all been tested this year, right? And when I get overwhelmed, it helps me remember I’m not the only one overwhelmed, missing family, and wishing the situation to end. Just about everyone I know feels something similar, so we all press on trying to show as much love and respect for others as we possibly can.
For me, respecting others, as both a Mom and as a person, has been hard this year because I feel like all of a sudden, the decisions of others directly impact me in a way they might not have before. I’ve learned I can’t control others. I can only react, and the only control I have is the way I react. It’s been a struggle, to say the least, but we press on, right?
And even if our holidays look different this year, the food can still be everything we hoped for. You might be surprised to hear me say this (since I’m a Dietitian and all), but food has been a central part of celebrations and gatherings since the dawn of time. And if we’re not gathering or gathering in a limited capacity, we can still have a shared experience in the food. We can still talk about what we ate, ordered, and made with the loved ones we are missing. We can feel the comfort and the joy in the food, that’s normal and should be celebrated. We’ve lost so much this year, don’t take the joy of food away from yourself this year. Embrace it, cherish it, and be thankful for it.
That’s all, now don’t forget to tag me if you make my delicious soup!
Healthy Leftover Turkey And Wild Rice Soup
Equipment
- Stock Pot
- Large Sauce Pan
Ingredients
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 stalk celery
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 6 carrots chopped
- 3 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 tsp poultry seasoning
- 1 cup wild rice blend
- 4 cups chicken broth* or turkey-broth
- 4.5 cups water
- 3-4 cups Turkey
- 1/2 cup butter or ghee or vegan butter
- 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour or gluten-free 1:1 flour
- 2 cups milk I used original almond milk, any kind of plant-based or cow's milk will work
- 1/2 cup chopped parsley optional garnish
Instructions
- Chop onions finely and mince garlic. Using a mandolin or slicer attachment of a food processor, slice the celery and carrots very thin.* (See Notes)
- To a large stockpot, add oil, onions, and garlic on medium-high and saute for 5 minutes until translucent and tender. Add in celery and saute for 2 minutes, then add carrots and saute for 2 minutes.
- Add the broth, water, seasoning, and rice to the pot. Bring to a boil and then cover the stockpot with the lid and simmer for 45 minutes. Add in your leftover turkey.
- Make the roux (non-dairy option included):In a large saucepan on medium-low heat, add 1/2 cup butter or vegan butter (I used miyokos) and melt. Next, whisk in the flour with the butter. Once it's thoroughly mixed, add a little bit of milk (1/3 to 1/2 cup) at a time, whisking to incorporate before you add more milk. Continue this process of adding 1/2 cup milk until everything is mixed together with a smooth consistency.
- Now add your roux to the soup and stir to incorporate.
- Garnish soup with parsley.
Notes
Nutrition
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