Creamy Turkey Soup with Brown Rice (Easy One-Pot Recipe)
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Creamy turkey soup with rice is an easy, hearty soup made with tender turkey, brown rice in a savory broth with a creamy finish. It comes together in one pot and cooks mostly hands-off, making it a great option for busy nights. It’s flexible too, you can make it differently every time, depending on what you have. This one that I make when I want to use up holiday leftovers, like turkey, chicken, or ham.
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Recipe Highlights
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 1 Hour
Total Time: 1 Hour 15 Minutes
Serves: 4 – easy to scale – leftovers taste great
Flavor: creamy, savory, lightly herbed
- Most of the cook time is hands-off. After a short sauté, the rice and broth gently simmer.
- It’s a true one-pot meal. Sauté the onions, garlic and vegetables, add the rice and broth, then finish with turkey, cream, and thyme. Fewer dishes always help to keep things easy.
- It’s also budget-friendly when you use leftovers, and soup is a great way to use leftover turkey.
Ingredients You Will Need
- Olive oil, unsalted butter or avocado oil
- Yellow onion
- Carrots
- Chopped mushrooms (cremini, white or any variety)
- Garlic or garlic powder
- Brown rice (white or wild rice also work)
- Turkey broth or stock (vegetable or chicken broth work too)
- Cooked turkey
- Heavy cream or half and half (whole milk or dairy-free work)
- White wine (or substitute with broth)
- Fresh thyme, dried rosemary, bay leaves
- Kosher salt and cracked black pepper
This is one of those meals you easily adjust depending on what you, have so don’t be afraid to experiment.
Missing an ingredient? Find a substitute with the ingredient swap assistant!
How to Make Creamy Turkey Soup
- Sauté the vegetables. Heat the oil, then cook the onion, garlic, mushrooms and carrots for 5 minutes, stirring now and then.
- Add the rice and stock. Cover and simmer for about 35 minutes, gently.
- Check the rice. It should be almost tender, with a little chew left.
- Stir in the turkey. Add the chopped turkey, and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Finish with cream and thyme. Stir in the wine and slowly add the cream about 10 minutes before serving. For a thicker soup, add a cornstarch slurry. The broth should look silky and lightly creamy.
Tips for the Best Creamy Turkey Soup
- For the best texture, keep the heat steady and give the pot a stir now and then, especially once the rice starts softening. That helps prevent sticking and keeps the broth even.
- Before you add the turkey, check the rice, it should be nearly tender but not fully done. It will cook more with the turkey and be soft enough to eat.
- Keep the heat moderate after adding the cream. A gentle simmer is better than a rapid boil.
How to Serve and Use this Turkey Soup
Serve it with:
When it’s time to serve, keep the sides easy. Here are a few suggestions:
- Crusty bread or crackers
- Crisp green salad
- Air-fryer cauliflower bites
Use it for:
- Make it ahead for easy lunches during the week
- Freeze a batch for later
- Serve it with bread or a simple salad for dinner
- Use leftovers as a base for a thicker stew or pot pie filling
Storage Tips
Leftovers are even better the next day. The brown rice keeps soaking up liquid as it sits. If the soup seems thick after chilling, loosen it with a splash of stock as you reheat.
Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. Reheat it gently on the stove or in the microwave until hot. Try not to boil it hard during reheating, especially because of the cream. Slow heat helps the texture stay smooth.
If you love creamy soup dinners, this Instant Pot Cream of Broccoli Soup is another easy option for busy nights.
Ways to Change it Up
This soup is easy to change depending on what you have. Swap the protein, adjust the grain, or tweak the flavor to make it your own.
- Protein: ground turkey, chicken, ham sausage or beans.
- Veggies: celery, spinach, zucchini or whatever you need to use up.
- Carb: pasta, potatoes, white rice, or wild rice.
- Flavor: herbs, garlic, lemon, or a splash of cream
Creamy Turkey Soup Frequently Asked Questions
Chopped cooked turkey breast or a mix of white and dark meat is the best choice. Leftover roasted turkey works especially well because it already has good flavor. Cut the turkey into bite-sized pieces before adding it to the soup
Brown rice works well because it makes the soup hearty and filling. It takes longer to cook than white rice, but it holds its texture well and gives it more body.
Add the cream near the end of cooking and keep the soup at a gentle simmer. Don’t let it boil hard after the cream goes in, because high heat can make the texture break
Store the soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. When reheating, add a splash of stock if needed because the rice will keep soaking up liquid.
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Click on serving size to scale this recipe
Creamy Turkey and Rice Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil or your favorite cooking oil
- 1/2 cup Chopped Onion
- 1/2 cup Carrots roughly chopped
- 2 cloves Garlic diced or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 cup Brown Rice uncooked
- 4 cups Turkey broth chicken or vegetable will also work
- 8 ounces Turkey breast (cooked) diced
- 1/4 cup Heavy cream
- 1 sprig Thyme
- 1/2 cup White wine or an extra cup broth
- 6 ounces Mushrooms chopped, any variety
Instructions
- Sauté the vegetables. Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and carrots. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring now and then, until the onion looks softer and the carrots start to lose their raw edge.
- Add the rice and stock. Stir in the brown rice, then pour in the broth. Cover the pot and let it simmer over medium heat for about 35 minutes. You want a gentle bubble, not a hard boil.
- Check the rice. After the simmer, the rice should be almost tender. It should still have a little chew because it will keep cooking.
- Stir in the turkey. Add the chopped cooked turkey and let the soup simmer for at least 15 minutes. This warms the turkey through and lets it pick up the flavor of the broth.
- Finish with cream and thyme. About 10 minutes before serving, stir in the wine and then gradually add cream and thyme. Let it simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes.
Notes
- For the best texture, keep the heat steady and stir the pot now and then, especially once the rice starts softening. That helps prevent sticking and keeps the broth even.
- Before you add the turkey, check the rice, it should be nearly tender but not fully done. It will cook more with the turkey and be soft enough to eat.
- Keep the heat moderate after adding the cream. A gentle simmer is better than a rapid boil.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and can vary based on cooking methods and ingredients used
Want more easy dinner ideas like this? I put together a simple Mix & Match Dinner Guide to help you get dinner on the table without overthinking it. Get it here!
