Creamy Turkey Wild Rice Soup With Mushrooms
This Creamy Turkey Wild Rice Soup with Mushrooms is for the week after Thanksgiving, when the carcass has already gone into the stockpot and nobody wants another turkey sandwich. It’s a full dinner in one bowl.
This post may contain affiliate link(s). As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. See Disclosure.
This is a thick, rich and hearty soup. It’s so chunky with tender turkey, veggies, and of course, wild rice. The mushrooms are why I’d put this soup up against any version you’ve had. I brown them hard, in batches, until they’re deep golden, and that step does more for the final bowl than anything else in the pot.
31 of Chef Jenn's FAVE Casseroles
I've gathered 31 of my favorite casseroles for you and your family to love, all in a convenient ebook with no ads and no AI! Each of these scratch-made dishes is created, tested, and loved by Chef Jenn. Get your instant download now!
You'll get ad-free recipes like:
Spaghetti Casserole,
Sloppy Joe Casserole,
Cowboy Casserole,
and more!
This is a digital product. You'll receive an instant download link after purchase.
It’s rich without sitting heavy, and it reheats better than most cream soups as long as you keep it below a boil.
Chef Jenn’s Take on Turkey Wild Rice Soup
Most homemade mushroom soups taste weak, and it’s almost always the same two mistakes. The mushrooms go into the pot all at once and steam in their own liquid, and the soaking water from the dried mushrooms gets poured in because a recipe called it liquid gold. I don’t do either.
Brown the fresh mushrooms in batches and leave them alone until the moisture is gone and they’re deeply golden. That takes 8 to 12 minutes, and it’s where most of this soup’s flavor comes from. I chop the rehydrated dried mushrooms and add them with the garlic, but the soaking liquid goes down the drain. It carries grit, and it pulls the whole pot toward mushroom broth. You made turkey broth for a reason, and I want you to taste it.
What you end up with is two layers of mushroom: browned fresh ones for body and chopped dried ones for concentrated bites, with the turkey broth still out front. That’s the difference between this and a can of cream of mushroom with some rice stirred in.
What You’ll Love About This Turkey Wild Rice Soup
- It’s built on homemade turkey broth, so it tastes like the bird you roasted and not like a carton. This is where your Thanksgiving carcass should end up.
- The wild rice stays chewy and nutty instead of dissolving into the broth, because it cooks on its own and goes in at the end.
- A splash of dry white wine cuts through the cream, so a full bowl doesn’t sit like lead.
Ingredients
- White button mushrooms – Cremini (baby bella) work and taste a little earthier. Slice them about 1/4 inch thick so they don’t shrink to nothing.
- Dried mushrooms – Porcini are my first choice. A dried wild mushroom mix works too. Shiitake is fine but stronger.
- Butter – Unsalted, so you control the salt.
- Leek – White and light green parts only. Save the dark tops for your next batch of broth.
- Yellow onion – A sweet onion or 2 shallots work.
- Carrots and celery – Dice them small, about 1/4 inch, so you get some in every spoonful.
- Garlic – Fresh cloves only. Don’t use the jarred stuff.
- Fresh thyme – 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme works if that’s what you have.
- Dry white wine – Sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio. Skip anything oaky or sweet. No wine? Use extra broth plus 1 teaspoon lemon juice.
- All-purpose flour – Measure it level. Too much turns the soup pasty.
- Homemade turkey broth – Store-bought low-sodium turkey or chicken broth works in a pinch.
- Wild rice – Buy real wild rice, not a quick-cook or wild rice blend. Blends cook unevenly and go mushy.
- Cooked turkey – Use a mix of white and dark meat. Leftover roast or smoked turkey both work, and rotisserie chicken is a fine swap.
- Whole milk – Don’t use skim or low-fat. It’s thinner and more likely to curdle.
- Heavy whipping cream – Half-and-half works if you want it a little lighter.
- Kosher salt and black pepper – If you only have table salt, use about half as much.
- Fresh parsley – Chives work too.
How to Make Turkey Wild Rice Soup
Scroll down for the full recipe card with exact measurements and printable instructions.
Start the wild rice first, since it takes the longest. Boil it in salted water until it’s tender and some of the grains have split open, then drain it well. While it cooks, cover the dried mushrooms with hot water for about 15 minutes, then drain, rinse off any grit and chop them into chunks.
Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and brown the button mushrooms in batches. Leave them alone until their liquid cooks off and they turn deeply golden, 8 to 12 minutes total, then transfer them to a plate.
Lower the heat to medium and add the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. Cook the leek, onion, carrots and celery for 6 to 8 minutes, until softened, then stir in the garlic, thyme and chopped dried mushrooms for about a minute, just until fragrant.
Pour in the wine and scrape up every browned bit from the bottom of the pot. Let it cook down until it’s almost gone, then sprinkle in the flour and stir constantly for 1 to 2 minutes to cook out the raw taste.
Add the turkey broth a little at a time, whisking so the flour doesn’t lump, and return the browned mushrooms to the pot. Simmer gently for 20 to 25 minutes, until the carrots and celery are tender and the broth has thickened slightly.
Stir in the wild rice, turkey and milk and warm everything gently for 5 to 10 minutes. Keep it at a bare simmer at most, because a hard boil can curdle the milk. Stir in the cream, season with salt and pepper, and finish each bowl with parsley.
Make It A Meal
I serve this turkey wild rice soup with something to dunk and something crisp. Put a loaf of my Potato Cheese Bread on the table, and add a Waldorf Salad on the side for crunch and sharp apple against the cream.
Still have turkey after this pot? Make my Turkey & Apple Grilled Cheese for lunch, or turn the rest into Turkey Pot Pies with Puff Pastry.
Storage
Turkey wild rice soup keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat it over medium-low heat, stirring often, and don’t let it boil. It freezes for up to 3 months. The cream base can look a little grainy after thawing, so stir it well as it warms.
Frequently Asked Questions
broth as it sits, so day-two soup is always thicker. Stir in a splash of turkey broth or milk as it reheats until it’s back to the consistency you want.
Yes. Swap the all-purpose flour for the same amount of a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend, and the rest of the recipe stays the same. Wild rice is naturally gluten-free, but check that your broth is too.
Yes. Cut about 1 1/4 pounds of boneless turkey breast or thighs into bite-size pieces and add them with the broth, so they cook through during the 20 to 25 minute simmer and reach 165°F.
Yes, but do the browning on the stove first. Brown the mushrooms, cook the vegetables, reduce the wine and cook the flour in a skillet, then add everything to the slow cooker with the broth and cook on low for 4 hours. Stir in the rice, turkey and milk for the last 30 minutes and add the cream right before serving.
Turkey Soup with Wild Rice & Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 1 pound white button mushrooms sliced
- ½ ounce dried mushrooms
- 4 tablespoons butter divided
- 1 large leek thinly sliced and washed
- ½ medium yellow onion diced
- 2 carrots diced
- 2 celery ribs diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- ⅓ cup dry white wine
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups homemade turkey broth
- 2 cups cooked wild rice about ⅔ cups dry, boiled in 4 cups salted water until tender
- 3 cups cooked turkey shredded or chopped
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Bring 4 cups salted water to a boil. Add the wild rice and simmer until tender, 45 to 60 minutes. Drain well and set aside; you need about 2 cups cooked rice.
- Cover the dried mushrooms with hot water and soak for 15 minutes. Drain, rinse away any grit and chop into chunks. Discard the soaking liquid.
- Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the button mushrooms in batches until deeply golden and their moisture has evaporated, 8 to 12 minutes total. Transfer to a plate.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons butter, leek, onion, carrots and celery. Cook 6 to 8 minutes, until softened.
- Add the garlic, thyme and chopped dried mushrooms. Stir for 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Add the wine and scrape up the browned bits. Simmer until the wine has almost completely evaporated.
- Stir in the flour and cook 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Gradually add the turkey broth, whisking until smooth. Return the browned mushrooms to the pot.
- Simmer gently 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and the broth has thickened slightly.
- Stir in the cooked wild rice, turkey and milk. Heat gently 5 to 10 minutes until warmed through. Do not let the soup boil.
- Stir in the cream and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Garnish with parsley and serve hot.
Video
Notes
Recipe Card Tips
- Slice the leek first, then wash it. Swish the rings in a big bowl of cold water and lift them out so the grit stays at the bottom.
- Wait to salt until the cream is in. Homemade broth and reduced wine both concentrate as the soup simmers, and salting early can leave you with a pot that’s too salty.
- Making it a day ahead? Make the soup but don’t add the wild rice. The rice will absorb liquid as it sits. Just add the rice before serving, heat and enjoy.
Nutrition
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed.