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Turkey and Rice Soup

Serving Turkey and Rice Soup in a bowl
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This turkey and rice soup is the perfect way to use up leftover roast turkey at Christmas (or Thanksgiving). Imagine tender shredded turkey with fluffy rice in a smoky, creamy tomato soup. Super warming and nourishing - the ultimate comfort food. 

Ingredients

Scale

For the soup:

  • About 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely diced
  • 5-6 medium tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, crushed 
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
  • 400ml hot chicken stock
  • 250g leftover roast turkey, shredded
  • 125g cooked basmati rice  
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • About 2 tbsp crème fraîche 
  • Handful of parsley, finely chopped
  • Handful of chives, finely chopped
  • Juice of ½ lemon, or to taste
  • Pinch of dried red chilli flakes, or to taste

 

To serve: (optional)

  • Crème fraîche 
  • Freshly chopped parsley and chives
  • Warm crusty bread and butter

Instructions

  1. Drizzle the olive oil into a large non-stick heavy-based pan set over a low-medium heat. Add the onions and chilli and sauté for about 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the onion has softened.
  2. Add the garlic, fresh tomatoes, and smoked paprika and continue to cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring. Pour in the chopped tomatoes and bring to a simmer. 
  3. Simmer for 2 minutes before pouring in the chicken stock. 
  4. Add the roast turkey and rice, stir well and bring back to a simmer. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Continue to simmer for 5 minutes.
  5. Stir in a couple of generous dollops of crème fraîche along with a generous handful of finely chopped parsley and chives. Add lemon juice and dried chilli flakes to taste.
  6. Spoon into bowls, add an extra spoonful of crème fraîche and a sprinkling of fresh herbs. Serve hot with warm crusty bread and butter, if wished. 

Notes

  • Turkey: this recipe is perfect for using leftover roast chicken or turkey - both work equally well 
  • Herbs: I love the combination of parsley and chives in this turkey and rice soup. You can switch up the herbs for whatever you fancy. Coriander, thyme and rosemary all work well. You can even add finely chopped spring onions.
  • Parmesan rind: if you have a Parmesan rind leftover in your fridge, pop it in with the chicken stock. It will add a delicious umami flavour as it simmers away.
  • Storage: Since this turkey and rice soup uses leftover turkey and rice, it is best served straight away as you don't want to keep reheating leftovers, particularly with rice. And it should be piping hot before serving too.
  • Make ahead: If you wanted to get ahead you could make the base for the soup ahead of time and then leave it to cool in the fridge before you're ready to serve, and then carry on with the rest of the recipe where you add the turkey and rice etc. But the whole soup comes together in about 30 minutes so it's quite quick to put together from start to finish.
  • Rice: If you don't have leftover rice or don't have time to precook the rice, just use rice from a pouch, microwave it for a few minutes before adding

Find it online: https://desertislanddishes.co/turkey-and-rice-soup/