Leftover Turkey and Rice Soup Recipe

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Cozy leftover turkey soup with rice and silky greens. Packed with Southern flavor, weeknight-easy, and perfect for the days after the holiday.

Prep Time15

Cook Time45

Total Time1

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: leftover turkey and rice soup, turkey and rice soup, turkey soup recipe

Servings:

Calories: 202kcal

2 tablespoons olive oil or unsalted butter
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 celery ribs, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 tablespoon fresh)
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning (optional, but lovely)
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (for a lightly velvety broth; see swaps)
8 cups low-sodium turkey or chicken stock
2 cups chopped greens (collards, kale, mustard, or turnip), ribs removed and sliced
2-3 cups cooked turkey, shredded or diced (bite-size)
For rice (choose a path):
In-pot: ¾ cup long-grain white rice, rinsed
Fold-in: 2–3 cups cooked rice (white or brown)
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice (plus more to taste)
Optional finish: ½ cup chopped parsley or scallions + a knob of butter
Nice-to-haves (choose any):
½ cup diced bell pepper (with the onions)
½ teaspoon cayenne or a few dashes hot sauce (to taste)
1 cup frozen peas or corn (add near the end)

Aromatics (6–8 min). Warm 2 tablespoons oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add 1 large onion, 2 carrots, 2 celery ribs, and a pinch of salt, and cook until lightly browned.
Stir in 3-4 garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon thyme, 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning, 1 bay leaf, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Cook 30 seconds.
Lightly thicken (1 min). Sprinkle 1 tablespoon flour over veggies and stir 1 minute.
Broth + rice. Whisk in 8 cups stock.
-In-pot rice path: Stir in ¾ cup rinsed uncooked rice. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer, partially cover, and cook 12–15 minutes.
-Fold-in rice path: Simmer the soup 12–15 minutes without rice.
Greens + turkey (10–12 min). Stir in 2 cups greens and 2-3 cups turkey. Simmer until greens are silky and turkey is warmed through (and rice is tender if cooking in-pot).
Finish & adjust. Off heat, stir in 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice. Taste and adjust salt/pepper. Add butter for gloss and parsley/scallions if you like. Serve with pepper vinegar or hot sauce.

Helpful Swaps

No flour: Skip it; for body, mash a ladle of rice/veg against the pot near the end.
Grain swap: Use ½ cup small pasta (ditalini) instead of rice; cook 8–10 minutes.
Greens swap: Spinach goes in for the final 2 minutes only.
Dairy-free/Gluten-free: Use oil and omit flour; thicken with a 1 teaspoon cornstarch slurry if desired.

Right before serving, stir in a teaspoon of pepper vinegar (or lemon) and a small knob of butter for soupy, glossy perfection.