Are you looking for an amazing way to use up your leftover turkey? Look no further than turkey rice soup! This hearty and delicious soup is the perfect way to use up all of those extra bits ad pieces of turkey leftovers. With only six ingredients total, you can whip up a soup that is sure to warm you up on a cold winter evening. This soup is not only easy to make, but it’s also nutritious and filling. Plus, it’s a great way to stretch your leftovers and avoid food waste. So next time you have leftover turkey, use it to make a delicious and comforting soup the whole family will love. Also, check out my Lentil Soup – With Vegan Option, Tuscan Sausage and Gnocchi Soup or Chicken Soup with Tri-Color Pasta.
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Key Takeaways:
- Perfect for Leftovers: Turkey Rice Soup is an excellent way to use up leftover turkey, reducing food waste while making a hearty, comforting meal.
- Simple Ingredients: With just six basic ingredients, you can create a nutritious and filling soup that’s easy to make and perfect for a cold winter evening.
- Nutritious & Healing: The combination of turkey, vegetables, and bone broth provides essential nutrients that help boost immunity and reduce inflammation, making it an excellent choice for overall wellness.
- Homemade Stock Tip: Use your turkey carcass and veggie scraps to make homemade stock, adding extra flavor and nutrition to your soup while minimizing food waste.
- Brain and Gut Benefits: The warmth of the soup stimulates endorphin release, promoting comfort and well-being, while its ingredients nourish both your body and gut.
- Comfort Food for the Family: This soup not only nourishes the body but also creates comforting memories, especially for families looking for a heartwarming meal after a long day.
Overview
Turkey Rice Soup is more than just a way to use up leftovers—it’s a soul-soothing, nutrient-packed meal that brings warmth, comfort, and nourishment to your table. Made with just six wholesome ingredients, this simple yet satisfying soup transforms extra turkey meat into a hearty dish the whole family can enjoy. Whether you’re battling cold weather or simply craving something cozy, turkey rice soup checks every box: it’s easy to prepare, rich in flavor, and supports wellness with ingredients like bone broth, vegetables, and lean protein. Bonus? It helps reduce food waste by using not only leftover meat but also the turkey carcass and veggie scraps for homemade stock. From its brain-boosting warmth to its gut-friendly ingredients, this is a meal that heals, comforts, and stretches your groceries further.
SIS Simple is Smart Tip for Turkey Rice Soup
Instead of purchasing broth or soup stock, make your own. This is another great way to use up all of your leftover veggie scraps and the bones and carcass of the turkey. Simply boil all of the leftover parts of the turkey that aren’t edible with carrot peels, celery leaves, onion skins, and cauliflower bones. Click here for step-by-step instructions on how to make homemade stock.
Neuro Nutrition Nugget for Turkey Rice Soup
Have you ever wondered why your “mom” gave you soup when you were feeling under the weather? Mom may not have known there is some fascinating brain science behind her making you a bowl of soup.
The warmth of the soup, combined with the nutrients and flavors, can improve your brain and body. Your gut has its own mini-brain and sends more information up to your brain than you might realize.
The warmth of the soup is incredibly soothing to our bodies. Warmth is a basic human need, and when the warm soup arrives in your gut, it stimulates the release of endorphins in your brain. Endorphins are natural painkillers that help us feel better. This is why when we are sick or feeling down, we reach for a bowl of soup.
The ingredients in the soup can also have an impact on our mood and well-being. Vegetables are packed with vitamins and nutrients that boost our immune system. Bone broth and turkey have healing properties and reduce inflammation in the body.
Lastly, the act of eating the soup can be very comforting, especially when it creates positive memories and associations from childhood. When my kids were young, I would have a bowl of soup ready for them when they got home from school. We would sit down and discuss their day over a bowl of warm, nourishing soup. They recall fondly how a rough day at school somehow felt better after soup and our conversations.
Ingredients for Turkey Rice Soup
- Turkey or Chicken Stock: Use homemade bone stock or purchase bone broth.
- Cooked Rice: Basmati, Jasmine, or brown rice
- Carrots: Raw organic carrots
- Celery: Raw organic celery
- Onion: medium raw organic onion
- Leftover turkey meat from a roasted turkey or turkey breast. Don’t use deli turkey meat.
Step by Step Instructions for Turkey Rice Soup
My secret for perfectly fluffy rice every time is to use a heavy-duty stainless steel saucepan with a lid.
- Bring the salted water to a boil.
- The ratio of rice to water is 1:2. For every cup of rice; you will need 2 cups of salted water.
- Add the rice and turn the burner down to as low as possible.
- Cover the pan with a lid and no peeking for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, remove the pan from the burner and fluff the rice with a fork.
Make the Soup:
- Chop the carrots, celery, and onions into pieces about 1/2 X 1/2 inch depending on how big or small you like the veggies in your soup.
- Saute the onions and celery in a little oil in the frying pan. Saute until the onions are translucent
- Add the Chicken or Turkey Stock (see notes), onions, celery, and carrots to a 3-quart kettle and simmer for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.
- Add the diced turkey pieces and adjust the salt to taste. Bring to a simmer and simmer for three more minutes.
- Add the rice to the soup.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with a fresh warm baguette or a slice of Artisan bread.
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FAQ:
Can I use deli turkey for this soup?
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Turkey Rice Soup
Equipment
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Ingredients
- 1 cup diced leftover roasted turkey
- 1 quart Chicken Stock homemade is best. Use low sodium if purchased.
- 1 medium onion fine diced
- 1 cup carrots chopped 1/4 to 1/2 inch pieces depending on preference.
- 2 stalks celery diced -1/4 to 1/2 inch pieces depending on preference.
- ½ cup Basmati rice white or brown
- 1 cup water
- ½ tsp Salt
- 1 tbsp parsley fresh coarsely chopped
Instructions
Cook The Rice
- Bring the water to a boil, Add the salt
- Add the rice and bring to a simmer. Cover with a lid and move to a burner that is on very low.
- Remove from the heat and set aside.
Make the Soup
- Saute the onions and celery in a little oil in the frying pan. Saute until the onions are translucent.
- Add the Chicken or Turkey Stock, (see notes), onions, celery, and carrots to a 3-quart kettle and simmer for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.
- Add the diced turkey pieces and adjust the salt to taste. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 3 more minutes.
- Add the rice to the soup
- Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with a fresh warm baguette or a slice of Artisan bread.
