This healthy Slow Cooker Turkey Wild Rice Soup is as creamy as it is delicious. Packed with layers of flavor from fresh herbs and lemon to Parmesan and seared mushrooms, a bowl of this and you’ll be happily satisfied.

Leftover Turkey Soup

The delicious aftermath of Thanksgiving dinner can sometimes prove to be better than the big meal itself. But when you’ve had your fill of sandwiches, a few fresh ideas are more than welcome.

For us, our leftovers needed a soul-soothing makeover that was not only packed with flavor but also weeknight friendly. And since the holidays tend to be busy, healthy hands-off dinners are essential for getting through the season.

This creamy Slow Cooker Turkey Wild Rice Soup fits the bill. It’s super simple to throw together (most of which can be prepped ahead of time), makes enough to feed a crowd or a few for the week, and is so flavorful you just might find yourself making it all winter long.

And as creamy and luscious as this soup is, it’s also a healthy choice for dinner. Made with whole milk, this stew-like soup is silky-smooth without being ladened down with cream.

vegetables, turkey, herbs, milk, flour and wine measured out a set on a counter

Ingredient Notes

Turkey

We like big shreds of cooked turkey in this recipe, but feel free to give it a quick chop instead. You can also use leftover cooked chicken or, for weeknights throughout the winter, grab a rotisserie chicken and use that!

Milk

Whole milk is the best here, but if you have 2% or 1% that will also work. Then for extra decadence, feel free to drizzle each serving with a splash of heavy cream of half-and-half right before serving. For a dairy-free option, use soy milk or canned coconut milk.

Mushrooms

This soup recipe features large chunks of sautéed mushrooms. We prefer cremini for their texture and heartiness, but feel free to use shiitake or oyster mushrooms. And if you love mushroom soup, then you’ve gotta try our Hungarian Mushroom Soup!

creamy soup with chunks of vegetables and turkey in shallow white bowls with a gold spoon set in them.

Test Kitchen Tip: Parmesan Rinds

Stash your Parmesan rinds! We go through a lot of Parmesan in the test kitchen and when we get down to the tough rind, we toss it in a large zipper-lock bag (with our other rinds) and store them in the freezer.

Why keep the rinds?

Parmesan is full of salty, nutty umami flavor. And so are the rinds! They’re like little flavor bombs that you can drop into soups, stews and sauces to infuse with umami flavor. Right before serving, use tongs to fish out and discard the inedible Parmesan rind. It will be soft and melty, but it should stay together in one, or maybe two pieces. 

Try These Other Leftover Turkey Recipes

creamy soup with chunks of vegetables and turkey in shallow white bowls with a gold spoon set in them.

More Easy Soups to Try

FAQs

Can I make this gluten-free?

To make this soup gluten-free, skip making a roux and instead whisk 2 tablespoons of cornstarch into the warmed milk to make a slurry. Pour the slurry right into the slow cooker and cook 2–5 minutes until thickened. 

Can I make this dairy-free?

To make this soup dairy-free, use unsweetened and unflavored almond milk and vegan butter or olive oil to make the roux. Likewise, use olive oil or vegan butter for sautéing the mushrooms. Lastly, skip adding the Parmesan rind during simmering.

Can I use chicken instead of turkey?

Of course! If you have leftover chicken on hand (or simply prefer chicken over turkey) you can use cooked shredded chicken instead. Just be sure to use the same amount (1 pound or 4 cups).

Can I make this on the stove top in a Dutch oven or large soup pot?

Yes! We haven’t tested this, but we’re sure it will work just fine. Place all of the ingredients from step 1 of the instructions in a large Dutch oven and place over low heat. Cover and cook until vegetables and rice are tender. This can take anywhere between 2 and 4 hours depending on how hot your stove is. Just check the soup occasionally!
Follow the rest of the recipe instructions as written.

Healthy Slow Cooker Turkey Wild Rice Soup

5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 20 minutes
Yield 10 –11 cups
Category Soup
Cuisine American
Author Lauren Grant of Zestful Kitchen

Description

This healthy Slow Cooker Turkey Wild Rice Soup is as creamy as it is delicious. Packed with layers of flavor from fresh herbs and lemon to Parmesan and seared mushrooms, a bowl of this and you’ll be happily satisfied.

Ingredients

Soup

  • 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth or turkey stock, divided
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 2 cups carrot chunks
  • cups celery chunks
  • 1 cup diced onion
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
  • 1 cup dry wild rice, rinsed
  • 1 bunch fresh thyme, divided
  • 1 Parmesan rind, optional
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • 1 sprig fresh sage
  • 2 dried bay leaves

Mushrooms

  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • 1 pound cremini mushrooms, stemmed and quartered

Roux

  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups whole milk, warmed
  • 1 pound shredded turkey or chicken, about 4 cups
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 lemon, zested and cut into wedges

Instructions

Soup

  • Combine broth, wine, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, rice, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme, and Parmesan rind in a 6-quart slow cooker or crock pot; season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper.
  • Tie three sprigs thyme, sage sprig, and bay leaves together with kitchen twine, add to slow, cover, and cook on low 5–6 hours until vegetables and rice are tender. Discard Parmesan rind and herb bundle.

Mushrooms

  • Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a sauté pan over medium-high. Stir in mushrooms and 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, season with salt and pepper, and cook until liquid has released and evaporated and mushrooms are brown, 7–8 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to a bowl.
    sauteed mushrooms in a saute pan

Roux

  • In now empty pan, melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat for the roux. Whisk in flour and cook until fragrant and golden brown, about 2 minutes. In a steady stream, slowly whisk in milk and cook until thickened and creamy, about 4 minutes.
    roux in a saute pan
  • Add roux to soup.
    roux poured into a stock-based soup in a slow cooker
  • Add sautéed mushrooms (save a few for garnish), turkey, parsley and 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest. Thin soup with additional broth as desired.
    creamy soup with chunks of vegetables and turkey in a white slow cooker
  • Cook until heated through, 5–10 minutes; season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with lemon wedges.
    creamy soup with chunks of vegetables and turkey in a white slow cooker

Notes

For the ultimate Thanksgiving leftover soup, reserve the turkey carcass to make homemade turkey stock.
If you don’t have fresh thyme, you can use dried instead. Use 1 ½ teaspoons in the soup and ½ teaspoon for the mushrooms.

Nutrition

Serving: 1¾ cupCalories: 500kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 36gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 102mgSodium: 1045mgFiber: 5gSugar: 10g
Like this? Leave a comment below!I love hearing from you and I want to hear how it went with this recipe! Leave a comment and rating below, then share on social media @zestfulkitchen and #zestfulkitchen!
creamy soup with chunks of vegetables and turkey in shallow white bowls with a gold spoon set in them.

Pin This Recipe

Love this recipe and want to save it? Pin this recipe!

Pin This Recipe
Get Zestful in Your Inbox
The latest Zestful Kitchen recipes, tips and insights to your inbox.

This recipe article was originally published on November 28, 2017.

Share it with the world

Pin

About The Author

Lauren Grant is a professional culinary food scientist, food writer, recipe developer, and food photographer. Lauren is a previous magazine editor and test kitchen developer and has had work published in major national publications including Diabetic Living Magazine, Midwest Living Magazine, Cuisine at Home Magazine, EatingWell.com, AmericasTestKitchen.com, and more.

Learn More

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

How many stars would you give this recipe?




Comments

  1. Turkey wild rice soup is one of my favorites this time of year and your recipe especially looks delicious! Love the idea of cozying up with a bowl of this and a glass of red wine 😉

  2. You are a good recipe writer. You think ahead for your readers. I was thinking of how much dried thyme to replace fresh and scrolling along, you thought of that already….but you forgot about the dried sage…how much dried for fresh? Thank you so much!

  3. 5 stars
    Yum – followed step-by-step, which I rarely do. I usually cook by intuition, but this came out so good it was a big hit will definitely cook again.