Ina Garten’s Turkey Soup is a must-try, extremely popular, easy to prepare, healthy, and adaptable. Some people might even anticipate it more eagerly than Thanksgiving dinner.

Every spoonful is a warm, gratifying symphony of texture thanks to the harmonious combination of tender turkey, nourishing wild rice, carrots, celery, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, and green beans.

The wild rice may be replaced with brown rice, the turkey can be substituted with rotisserie chicken, ground beef, or sausage, and the vegetables can be substituted with whatever you have on hand. The wild rice in this Turkey Rice Soup makes it delicious both fresh and after being reheated in the freezer. You can have a whole meal for two days straight with your leftover Turkey Soup, dinner rolls, and salad.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This Turkey Soup made from Thanksgiving leftovers is like a huge hug from Fall in a bowl. More reasons to fall in love with this Turkey Soup.

• One Pot. You deserve a vacation from the stovetop after all the Thanksgiving preparations you’ve had to do! This leftover turkey soup is prepared entirely in the same vessel as the rice.
• Delicious. The fragrant broth envelops the layers of flavorful turkey, al dente rice, soft vegetables, and complex aromatic flavors that make up this turkey rice soup. The soup’s Italian flavors were carefully chosen to highlight the turkey without overpowering it.
• Pantry-Friendly And Adaptable. This turkey soup recipe requires only a few basic ingredients, most of which you probably already have on hand (including the turkey). Wild rice may be found rather easily, or you can use brown or even white rice as a replacement (instructions included for each). You may use any chicken and vegetables you have on hand, but my favorite is using sweet potatoes, carrots, green beans, and cauliflower.
• Meal-In-One. This turkey rice soup has everything you need for a satisfying meal—protein, vegetables, and rice—and it only takes one pot to prepare. It’s good enough to eat on its own, but you can also serve it with basic accompaniments like a green salad and some crusty bread if you prefer.
• Fantastic Leftovers. Due to the wild rice’s ability to remain al dente for days on end without getting mushy, this turkey soup is perfect for re-heating and enjoying days after it was first prepared.

Ina Garten Turkey Soup Ingredients

The ingredients for this Ina Garten Turkey Soup, made with leftover turkey, are minimal. Adding the broth after sautéing the vegetables and aromatic onions and garlic is the final step in creating an explosive flavor. What You’ll Need

• Turkey. This turkey soup is a breeze to make, thanks to the use of leftover roasted turkey. Roasting only a turkey breast is all that’s required if it’s not Thanksgiving, and it may be done the day of or the day before the soup is made. Vegetable oil, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper, as well as the turkey breast itself, will do the trick here. Kinder’s Flavoring Master Salt (garlic, sea salt, and butter) is another fantastic option for seasoning your turkey breast. I spice up the rub by adding pepper and put it on everything (not a paid endorsement, just a fabulous find). Your roasted turkey breast will blow your mind with its deliciousness.
• Broth. Make sure the chicken stock you use is minimal in sodium so the turkey soup doesn’t turn out salty. Using low-sodium broth also frees us up to add in some flavor-boosting chicken bouillon.
• Bouillon. Bouillon powder, bouillon cubes, or even better than bouillon can be used. Throw in the soup without first dissolving. For every 1.5 cups of broth, 1 1/2 tablespoons of cubes should be crushed and added.
• Onion. One yellow onion, chopped
• Garlic. Four to six garlic cloves, or more if you really like garlic.
• Carrots. Don’t use baby carrots; they lack taste. Carrots will boil for around 30 minutes, so keep your slices rather thick.
• Celery. Furthermore, it must be sliced to a thickness of about half an inch.
• Cauliflower. Don’t leave out the cauliflower. Cauliflower can be substituted with broccoli, but it won’t be the same. Cauliflower should be chopped into small pieces.
• Yam. About 1 pound of sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/2- to 1-inch cubes. Two or three Yukon gold potatoes are a suitable alternative.
• Asparagus. While fresh green beans aren’t my go-to veggie, they provide a nice texture and flavor to this turkey rice soup. I think you’ll really enjoy the added taste and crunch they provide. Green beans, when used fresh rather than canned, have a much better flavor.
• Seasonings. Our soup has just the right amount of seasoning thanks to the addition of dried parsley, dried oregano, dried basil, dried thyme, a bay leaf, salt, and pepper.

Is This Turkey Soup Gluten Free?

Yes! This Turkey Soup does not include any gluten-containing ingredients at all.

Can I Use Vegetable Broth Instead?

I do not advocate veggie broth since it does not have the chicken taste which complements the overall meal. That doesn’t mean you can’t use veggie broth, but it does mean the soup will not taste as satisfyingly savory.

How To Make Ina Garten Turkey Soup

• Melt butter and olive oil in a large Dutch oven/soup pot over medium-low heat. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the onions, carrots, and celery; cook until the onions are cooked, about 5 minutes. Sauté the garlic for 30 seconds.
• Combine the wild rice, sweet potatoes, bouillon, all spices, bay leaf, and chicken broth in a mixing bowl. (If your saucepan isn’t large enough to hold all of the broth, add the rest with the cauliflower after part of the stock has evaporated.) Cover the soup and come to a simmer, then remove the lid, leaving approximately a one-inch gap in the middle. After 20 minutes, add the green beans to the soup. Continue to cook, uncovered, for another 10-15 minutes, or until the rice is practically al dente.
• Continue to boil for 5 minutes, or until the cauliflower is cooked and the rice is al dente, after adding the shredded turkey and cauliflower. If you want a less “chunky” soup, add more stock. If needed, season with extra salt and pepper (will depend on your turkey).

What To Serve With Turkey Soup?

Including protein, vegetables, and grains, this turkey rice soup is a balanced meal. You may either call it a meal now or serve it with some of these extras.

• Bread. A winning combination is a bread and soup. To complement your bowl of turkey soup, bake up a batch of crusty bread, sweet cornbread, dinner rolls, parmesan breadsticks, garlic bread, pesto pull-apart bread, or a huge loaf of either.
• Salad. Fresh, crisp salads like wedge salad with blue cheese ranch, cucumber tomato salad, apple salad, pear salad, roasted butternut squash salad, or an autumn salad go well with this turkey soup dish made from leftovers.
• Fruit. In my opinion, soups are always improved by the addition of a colorful, fresh fruit salad. Try something as basic as grapes, melons, etc. Or, try a fruit salad dressed in honey-lime vinaigrette, a winter fruit salad dressed in honey lime poppy seed vinaigrette, or a berry salad dressed with honey mascarpone.

Can I Use Fresh Herbs?

Infusing the broth with flavor from the get-go, dried herbs are my herb of choice in the soup itself. You may use fresh herbs, but you will require three times the amount of fresh herbs to dried herbs. In order to preserve their flavor, fresh herbs should be added at the very end of cooking.

Can I Use Frozen Vegetables?

Absolutely! Frozen veggies are a nice shortcut in this Turkey Rice Soup. Add the veggies for the last 15 minutes – no need to thaw.

Recipe Variations

The versatility of this turkey rice soup from leftovers makes it a real winner. Use it as inspiration to create something unique using any materials you have at hand.

• Substitute Barley For Rice. If I don’t have any wild rice on hand, I make beef and barley soup, which has a wonderful, hearty texture thanks to the barley. Pearl rice, like wild rice, has to be simmered for 30 minutes to get out the best flavor.
• Substitute Lentils For Rice. Substitute 1 cup of lentils, either brown or green, that have been thoroughly cleaned, for the wild rice, and continue simmering for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the lentils are soft but still retain their form.
• Substitute Quinoa For Rice. To enhance the protein content, cook a quarter cup of quinoa in water until it’s tender, about 25 minutes.
• Substitute Pasta For Rice. Substitute small pasta shapes for rice, like micro penne, orzo, ditalini, or small shells. Pasta should be added in the final 8-10 minutes of cooking time and should still have a bit of a bite to it after being removed from the fire, as it will continue to cook somewhat. In place of rice, you may use fresh cheese tortellini that has not been cooked. Keep a tight eye on your tortellini because they only need a few minutes in the oven.
• Chicken Thighs. Once the chicken thighs have been seared and removed from the saucepan, the vegetables can be sautéed and the chicken and stock can be added back in. After 12 minutes, shred the chicken and return it to the broth along with the cauliflower.
• Rotisserie Chicken. If the soup recipe asks for turkey, substitute 2 1/2 cups of shredded chicken instead.
• Ground Beef, Ground Turkey Or Italian Sausage. Crumble the meat and brown it with the onions, carrots, and celery.
• Sausage. To serve, brown some kielbasa, Polish sausage, or chicken sausage and set it aside. Cut into bite-sized pieces and return to the soup to boil with the liquid and veggies.
• Potatoes. Substitute waxy potatoes for sweet potatoes, such as red potatoes, Yukon, new potatoes, or fingerlings. Waxy potatoes don’t lose their form even when cooked at high temperatures for long periods of time since they don’t absorb moisture.
• Corn. Sweet corn may be used straight from the can or thawed directly from the freezer.

How To Store Turkey Soup?

In The Fridge:

Wait for the Turkey Soup to reach room temperature before covering and storing it in your Dutch oven or transferring it to a container with a tight-fitting lid. Turkey soup may be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

In The Freezer:

Turkey soup may be frozen without losing flavor or texture if you let it cool completely first, then transfer it to a freezer-safe container or bag. You may even use plastic sandwich bags for each serving. Squeeze out any extra air and label to avoid freezer burn. It is safe to freeze turkey soup for up to three months.

To Make Ahead:

Although relatively easy to make, this turkey rice soup does involve some chopping of veggies. Chopping veggies in advance may save you time in the kitchen. You can do this the day before, the night before, or even only hours before you want to prepare them. Since the onions, carrots, and celery are added at the end of the meal, you should keep the sweet potatoes, green beans, and cauliflower in their own containers.

To Reheat:

• Stove. Large quantities can be reheated for about 10 minutes over low heat with stirring.
• Microwave. Place portions in microwave-safe containers and cover with a paper towel or microwave-safe lid to reheat. Stir after 2 minutes in the microwave and continue cooking for 30 seconds if necessary.
• Crockpot. Put the soup in a slow cooker and heat it for a few hours on low. The time required will be proportional to the amount of soup still in the pot.

My Personal Recipe Tips

• Don’t Skip Mirepoix. In this recipe for turkey soup, the traditional trinity of sautéed vegetables—carrots, onions, and celery—in butter and olive oil takes center stage. They’re the “holy trinity” of cooking because they add a dimension of taste that can’t be found anywhere else. You shouldn’t skip this step unless you really can’t get your hands on any of the required items.
• Vegetable Size. Because of the lengthy simmering period, the carrots and celery should be chopped at least 1/2 inch thick. If you don’t want mushy veggies, avoid cutting them too finely.
• Customize Vegetables. You can use whatever vegetables you have on hand in addition to the mirepoix or experiment with different combinations. Vegetables and fruits like corn, zucchini, cabbage, spinach, etc., would be tasty. Note that most veggies only need 10 minutes of cooking time; for specifics, please refer to the directions I’ve provided in the “Variations” section.
• Get The Wild Rice Nice And Firm. Rice should still have some bite to it after 5 minutes of cooking with the cauliflower added since it will continue to absorb moisture.
• Consistency. Turkey rice soup may be made less “chunky” by adding more stock at the end of cooking.

Try More Recipes:

• Ina Garten Italian Wedding Soup
• Pioneer Woman Taco Soup

Ina Garten Turkey Soup Nutrition Facts

Amount Per Serving

• Calories 105.5
• Total Fat 1.2g
• Saturated Fat 0.3g
• Cholesterol 31.4mg
• Sodium 16.3mg
• Potassium 87.3mg
• Total Carbohydrate 14.7g
• Dietary Fiber 0.1g
• Sugars 0g
• Protein 8.5g
• Vitamin A 0.3%
• Vitamin C 0.7%
• Calcium 0.8%
• Iron 5.1%

Nutrition Facts Source: Source