The perfect cozy and creamy slow cooker soup recipe packed with wild rice, vegetables, and tender turkey.
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Slow Cooker Turkey Wild Rice Soup
Not much is as cozy as a bowl of warm soup. And even better when it practically makes itself, meaning an easy and comforting meal within minutes.
This recipe for slow cooker turkey and wild rice soup is one of my absolutely favorites. It’s filled with tender vegetables and fluffy wild rice. Rather than chicken, which has a tendency to be chewier in my opinion, I love using turkey in its place. This is the perfect recipe to make if you find yourself with ample leftover turkey (perhaps around Thanksgiving?). Read on to learn this super simple recipe that takes just minutes to prepare.
Ingredients in Turkey Wild Rice Soup
The ingredients for this tasty soup are rather straightforward. A handful of vegetables and aromatics, broth, a grain, and a protein.
Here’s what you’ll need to make it!
- Carrots
- Celery
- Onion
- Garlic
- Wild Rice
- White Wine
- Chicken Broth
- Mushrooms
- Turkey
- Heavy Cream (or half and half)
How To Make Turkey and Wild Rice Soup
Making a slow cooker soup must be one of the easiest things to do in the kitchen. All you have to do is combine all the ingredients and press start! However, a few things to hold on adding until the very end to ensure this Slow Cooker Turkey and Wild Rice Soup turns out perfect:
- Tender Vegetables. This recipe calls for mushrooms, which don’t need much time to cook. I omit them until there’s just 30 minutes left of cook time, meaning they’ll be tender and soft as opposed to rubbery.
- Heavy Cream (or any creamy component). You want to wait to dd the cream until the very end, to avoid the risk of it curdling. While the ingredients in this soup may not indicate that curdling could be a risk (it has a tendency to curdle with more high acid ingredients like tomatoes, for example), it’s still worth holding on to be certain your soup isn’t spoiled.
- Turkey. I hold on adding the protein to this soup until the end for a few reasons. First off being that the recipe calls or the protein to already be cooked. Adding it any earlier would mean it would continue to coo kin the soup, which will result in dry and overcooked turkey. If you wanted to cook the turkey directly in the soup, I would recommend using a raw turkey tenderloin and including it with the rice when you start cooking the soup. Before adding the mushrooms and cream, remove the turkey to shred or chop, then returning it to the soup.
Can I Make This Soup On The Stovetop?
Absolutely! If you’re looking for this cozy recipe but don’t have hours to wait around for it, here’s how you can make it on your stovetop in just under one hour.
- In a large stockpot or cast iron dutch oven set over medium heat, add about 2 tablespoons each of butter and olive oil. Add the carrot, celery, onion, and garlic, and spices, sautéing until fragrant and vegetables have slightly softened, about 10 minutes.
- Add the wild rice and sauté until rice is coated in the vegetables and fat. Add white wine, allowing it to deglaze the pan. Cook for about 4 minutes, and then add the chicken broth. Cover the pot.
- Allow to cook for about 30 minutes, or until the rice is almost cooked through.
- Add the mushrooms, turkey, and heavy cream, cooking an additional 10-15 minutes.
- Taste the soup and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
- Serve in big bowls with toasted bread and enjoy!
What To Serve With Turkey Wild Rice Soup
Any great bow of soup demands something besides a spoon to scoop it with. In this case, I serve it with slices of toasted sourdough bread – the perfect soup accompaniment in my opinion.
To round out the meal, I serve this soup with a nice salad of greens, seasonal vegetables, and a light and bright vinaigrette. I’d avoid any creamy dressing, since the soup itself is already rich.
A lovely and light Pinot Noir would be a great wine pairing for this creamy and cozy dish.
Tools To Make Slow Cooker Turkey and Wild Rice Soup
- Slow Cooker (this is the one I have: I love the simple design…and it’s just $35!)
- Chef’s Knife
- Cutting Board
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Slow Cooker Turkey Wild Rice Soup
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups carrots, sliced
- 1 cup celery, sliced
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, grated on a microplane or minced
- 1 cup wild rice
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1/3 cup dry white wine
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp fresh cracked pepper
- 8 oz package baby Bella mushrooms, chopped
- 1 cup heavy cream or half and half
- 2 cups chopped or shredded turkey (leftover from Thanksgiving is perfect!)
Instructions
- In a slow cooker combine carrots, celery, onion, garlic, wild rice, broth, and wine. Add spices and stir to combine.
- Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
- Add mushrooms, cream, and turkey and cook for an additional 30 minutes.
- Serve warm with toasted bread and fresh sage or thyme as a garnish.
Tasty, comforting recipe after a busy Thanksgiving day. Perfect for leftovers!