How To Make The Best Creamy Turkey Wild Rice Soup (No Heavy Cream)

The Soup That Makes Leftovers the Best Part

The Friday after Thanksgiving, I always have the same problem. A fridge full of turkey, zero desire to cook anything fancy, and a real need for something warm that doesn’t feel like a second holiday feast. That’s when I make this Turkey Wild Rice Soup.

It’s creamy and cozy, full of nutty wild rice, mushrooms, carrots, and plenty of thyme and sage. But there’s no heavy cream. I stir in Greek yogurt at the very end, off the heat, so the soup turns silky and a little tangy without sitting like a brick in your stomach. It’s packed with protein, too, so a bowl actually keeps you full through the afternoon.

No turkey? Rotisserie chicken works perfectly. Let’s make it.

Essential Ingredients and Kitchen Tools

For the Soup Base:

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and 1 tbsp butter (the butter adds that cozy, rich flavor)
• 1 medium yellow onion (diced)
• 2 medium carrots (peeled and diced, about 1 cup)
• 2 celery ribs (diced, leaves saved for garnish)
• 8 oz (225 g) cremini mushrooms (sliced)
• 3 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves and 1 tsp chopped fresh sage (or 1/2 tsp each dried)
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour (or 2 tbsp sweet rice flour for gluten-free)
• 6 cups (1.4 L) low-sodium chicken or turkey broth (homemade turkey stock is a bonus here)
• 3/4 cup (120 g) uncooked wild rice blend (rinsed in a fine strainer)
• 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper (adjust at the end)

For Finishing:

• 3 cups (about 420 g) shredded cooked turkey (white and dark meat both work, or use rotisserie chicken)
• 3/4 cup (180 g) plain Greek yogurt (2% or whole milk, at room temperature)
• 2 packed cups baby spinach or chopped kale
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (wakes up all the flavors)
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Kitchen Tools:

• Large Dutch oven or heavy soup pot (at least 5 quarts)
• Fine mesh strainer (for rinsing the rice)
• Small bowl and a whisk (for tempering the yogurt)

Creamy Turkey Wild Rice Soup

Creamy Turkey Wild Rice Soup with mushrooms, carrots, fresh herbs, and leftover turkey, made silky with Greek yogurt instead of heavy cream. Cozy, high-protein, and made in one pot.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 55 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Course: Lunch

Cuisine: American

Calories: 310

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Soup Base

• 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter
• 1 medium yellow onion diced
• 2 medium carrots diced
• 2 celery ribs diced
• 8 oz cremini mushrooms 225 g, sliced
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 1 tsp fresh thyme 1 tsp fresh sage, 1 bay leaf
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken or turkey broth 1.4 L
• 3/4 cup wild rice blend 120 g, rinsed
• 1 tsp kosher salt 1/2 tsp black pepper

To Finish

• 3 cups shredded cooked turkey or chicken 420 g
• 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt 180 g, room temperature
• 2 packed cups baby spinach or chopped kale
• 1 tbsp lemon juice 2 tbsp chopped parsley

Method

 

1. Brown: Brown the mushrooms in the oil and butter, then cook the onion, carrots, and celery 5 to 6 minutes. Add garlic and herbs for 30 seconds.
2. Thicken: Stir in the flour for 1 minute, then slowly add the broth while scraping the pot.
3. Simmer: Add the wild rice, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer 40 to 45 minutes, until the rice splits.
4. Add turkey: Stir in the turkey and spinach for the last 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaf.
5. Finish: Take the pot off the heat, temper the yogurt with two ladles of hot broth, and stir it in. Add lemon juice, salt to taste, and parsley.

Notes

• Never boil the soup after the yogurt goes in, or it can curdle.
• Rotisserie chicken is a perfect swap for turkey any time of year.
• The soup thickens as it sits. Keep extra broth on hand to loosen it.

Kitchen Shortcut: Use a bag of pre-diced onion, carrot, and celery mix from the produce section. It saves about 10 minutes of chopping.

Pro-Chef Tip: Simmer the leftover turkey carcass with water, an onion, and a bay leaf for 2 hours to make your own stock. It costs almost nothing and gives the soup a much deeper flavor.

Nutrition is an estimate per Serving, About 1 1/2 Cups.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Brown the Mushrooms and Soften the Vegetables

Heat the olive oil and butter in your Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms in an even layer and leave them alone for 3 minutes. They’ll release their water, then start to turn golden at the edges. That browning is where a lot of the deep flavor comes from.

Add the onion, carrots, and celery with a pinch of salt. Cook 5 to 6 minutes, until the onion looks soft and see-through. Stir in the garlic, thyme, and sage for 30 seconds, just until your kitchen smells like Thanksgiving.

Step 2: Thicken and Add the Broth

Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir for a full minute so it loses its raw taste. Pour in about 1 cup of broth first and scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon, then add the rest. Adding it slowly keeps the flour from clumping.

Step 3: Simmer the Turkey Wild Rice Soup

Stir in the rinsed wild rice, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Bring it to a boil, then lower the heat, cover, and simmer 40 to 45 minutes. The rice is done when most of the grains have split open and look a little curly, but still have a pleasant chew.

Add the shredded turkey and spinach for the last 5 minutes, just long enough to warm the meat and wilt the greens. Fish out the bay leaf.

Step 4: Make It Creamy with Greek Yogurt

Here’s a mistake I made the first time: I plopped cold yogurt straight into the bubbling pot. It curdled into grainy little specks within seconds. Not pretty. Now I take the pot off the heat first and let it stop bubbling for a couple of minutes.

Put the yogurt in a small bowl and whisk in two ladles of hot broth, one at a time, until it’s smooth and loose. Then stir it back into the pot. Your Turkey Wild Rice Soup will turn creamy and pale gold. Add the lemon juice, taste for salt, and finish with parsley. On a really chilly day, I serve it alongside my Roasted Butternut Squash Soup for a little soup night at home.

Frequently Asked Questions

Make-Ahead and Storage Tips

• Fridge: Store in airtight containers for up to 4 days. The rice keeps drinking up broth, so the soup thickens a lot overnight. Stir in a splash of broth when you reheat.
• Freezer: For the best texture, freeze the soup before you add the yogurt, for up to 3 months. Yogurt can turn grainy when frozen. Thaw overnight, reheat gently, then stir in fresh tempered yogurt.
• Reheating: Warm over medium-low heat, stirring often, until steaming. Don’t let it boil. In the microwave, use 50% power in 1-minute bursts.

Disclaimer:

Nutrition information is an estimate calculated from the ingredients listed and will vary with the brands and portion sizes you use. Bread for serving is not included. This recipe is shared for general information and is not medical or dietary advice, so please check with your doctor or a registered dietitian if you have specific health needs.