Turkey and Wild Rice Soup
Editor's Note: Get cooking with homemade soup with this slow cooker recipe! This easy recipe for Turkey and Wild Rice Soup is a great way to use turkey leftovers, too. This slow cooker recipe is loaded with fresh vegetables and even homemade broth. This soup takes a while to make, but don't let that deter you. Your slow cooker will actually do most of the work for you. When the weather turns chilly, feel warm up inside and out when you make this delicious (and deliciously easy) soup recipe. If it is possible, you might be able to freeze any leftover broth for use in rice or other side dishes.
The Verdict: Kalyn Denny, from kalynskitchen.blogspot.com, gave me the recipe for this soup. I love it. The wild rice exploded a bit, and actually resembled barley by the time we ate it. Adam proclaimed it the best turkey soup he’s ever had, and the kids both ate two bowls. I may have wept.
Serves8 to 10
Cooking MethodSlow Cooking
CostInexpensive
Total TimeOne Day or More
Kid FriendlyYes
One Pot MealYes
OccasionBuffet, Buffet Meal, Card Night, Casual Dinner Party, Family Get Together
Recipe CourseAppetizer, Main Course
EquipmentCrock Pot
MealDinner
Taste and TextureMeaty, Savory
Type of DishHot Soup, Soup, Thanksgiving Leftovers
Ingredients
- Turkey carcass (if you don’t have one, you can use 2 cups of cooked turkey)
- 8 cups water (to make broth; if you don't have a carcass, use 8 cups chicken broth)
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- 2/3 cup raw wild rice
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 1 chicken bouillon cube (only if you are using the carcass to make broth; don’t use if you’re using broth)
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 cups baby spinach leaves
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Instructions
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Use a 6-quart slow cooker. This is a 1½-day project. We are going to use the turkey bones to make broth. If you are using chicken broth and 2 cups of turkey, bypass this step.
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Put the turkey carcass into the slow cooker and cover with 8 cups of water. My carcass was from a tiny turkey, so if you need to break the bones down to fit in your slow cooker, do so. My turkey was still stuffed with a quartered onion and some apple, so I didn’t bother to add any vegetables to season the water. You may certainly add some onion, celery, or anything else you’d like to season the broth with. The more meat and skin left on the bones, the more flavorful the broth.
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Cover and cook on low overnight, or 8 to 10 hours. Drain the broth into a large pot (do not discard), pick off meat, and add it to the broth.
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Rinse out your stoneware and put in the chopped vegetables. Return the broth and meat to the stoneware and add the wild rice, sage, bouillon cube, and balsamic vinegar. Stir. Add 2 heaping handfuls of baby spinach to the mix. It will look like a lot, but will wilt down nicely while cooking.
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Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, or on high for 4 to 6 hours. The soup is done when the vegetables have reached the desired tenderness.
2009 Stephanie O'Dea
