Sandra's Turkey and Wild Rice Soup

This is my favorite part about left over turkey - making soup! I have been making this soup for over 25 years, and I hope to be making it for many more years to come! It is a delight to the eyes and to the taste buds. I served this soup to a large family gathering not to long ago, and everyone loved this meal. Serve it with crusty artisan bread, and it makes a hearty meal that will fill up anyone. If you have never made stock, I encourage you to give it a try. It is very easy to do; you just need some extra time for it to simmer on the stove top. The homemade turkey stock is a perfect base for the other ingredients in the soup, and everything together makes for a winning combination that you and your family will love!

Bon Appetit!

Tips:

After the meat is removed from the carcass, you may need to break the carcass for it to fit in your pot. The longer the stock ingredients simmer, the more flavor the liquid will have. Let it simmer for at least 2 hours.

Once the turkey stock has been strained, I like to refrigerate it overnight. The fat will rise to the top and it will be easy to skim off the top.

The heavy whipping cream is optional, but I really encourage the addition. It adds a wonderful richness to the soup.

Preparation time for the stock is 10 minutes. Cook time for the stock is 2 to 3 hours.

Preparation time for the soup is 25 minutes. Cook time is 1 hour. The soup's total time is 1 hour 25 minutes.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe.

Ingredients for the Turkey Stock:

1 Turkey carcass
13 cups water
1 tablespoon salt
1 small bunch parsley (optional)
2 celery stalks with leaves
2 carrots, broken in half
1 large onion, quartered

Ingredients for Soup:

3 large onions, chopped
3 celery stalks, finely sliced
3 large carrots, finely sliced
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup cooking oil
salt and pepper to taste
10 to 12 cups turkey stock
1 (32 ounces) chicken stock
3 cups chopped turkey
3/4 cup wild rice, rinsed
2 cups egg noodles
1 1/4 cup water
3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup to 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (optional)
1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Directions for Turkey Stock:

Place all the ingredients (carcass, water, salt, celery, carrots, onions, and parsley) in a large stockpot (I use a 10 quart stockpot), and bring to a boil over high heat. Turn heat to medium-low and simmer for at least 2 hours. Cool stock, slightly. Strain stock through a colander and then a sieve. Allow the fat to come to the top of the stock and skim (remove) the fat with a spoon. Yields 2 1/2 quarts.

Directions for Soup:

Combine the turkey stock and chicken stock, and warm to a low simmer, while chopping the vegetables (onion, celery, and carrots). Add the rinsed wild rice, and cook while preparing the rest of the ingredients (wild rice will take 45 minutes to 1 hour to cook). In a large skillet, melt butter and cooking oil over medium-high heat. Add the chopped vegetables with salt and pepper to taste. Sauté the vegetable until soft, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the vegetables to the simmering turkey stock, and continue to cook for 10 to 15 minutes.

Meanwhile add the flour to the water, whisking until the mixture is smooth. Add the water/flour mixture to the turkey stock, stirring well. Turn heat to medium/high, and bring to a boil, and then boil for 1 minute. Add the egg noodles and cook for 5 minutes at medium heat. Add the turkey, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. If using whipping cream, add it at this time, stirring well. Stir in the parsley and thyme; taste test for salt and pepper. Add more if needed. Check to see if egg noodles are al dente (firm to the bite) and the wild rice is opened before serving. Serves 10.