This soup really screams fall with the pumpkin, apple cider, turkey, wild rice, and herbs and it’s hearty and super tasty! Everything starts out with cooking some veggies, onions, carrots, and celery, before adding garlic, thyme, sage, and rosemary. The broth is thickened with a simple roux made with olive oil and flour which is mixed into chicken broth and apple cider (soft) that the wild rice is cooked in. (I like to use a wild rice blend but pure wild rice works as well!) Pumpkin puree, turkey, cream, and parmesan cheese finish the soup off! The turkey can be leftovers from a roast or you can throw a full turkey breast or leg in to poach while the rice simmers. The combination of the pumpkin and apple with the turkey and wild rice along with the mixture of herbs is simply magical!
Pumpkin and Turkey Wild Rice Soup
A vegetable packed turkey and wild rice soup with a creamy pumpkin broth!
ingredients
- 4 tablespoons olive oil (or butter) *
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 1 cup carrots, diced
- 1 cup celery, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 teaspoon thyme, chopped (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
- 1 teaspoon sage, chopped (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
- 1 teaspoon rosemary, chopped (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
- 4 tablespoons flour (optional) (gluten-free for gluten-free) *
- 4 cups chicken broth (link) (link (or turkey stock (link))
- 2 cups (soft) apple cider (or more broth)
- 1 cup wild rice **
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (link)
- 2 cups cooked turkey, cut into small pieces
- 1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano (parmesan cheese)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream (optional)
- salt and pepper to taste
directions
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add the onion, carrot, and celery, and cook until tender, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add the garlic, thyme, sage, and rosemary and cook until fragrant, about a minute.
- Sprinkle in the flour, mix well, and cook for a minute.
- Add the broth, apple cider, and wild rice, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered until the rice is tender, about 45 minutes. *
- Mix in the pumpkin puree, followed by the turkey, parmesan, and cream.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!
Note: **The simmer time will depend on your wild rice, simmer for as long as the package says.
Option: Instead of using cooked turkey, throw a raw turkey breast in with the broth in step 4 and let it poach while the rice cooks, remove and shred before adding back to the soup.
Option: Replace the turkey with ground turkey, cook in oil before cooking the veggies.
Option: Replace the turkey with Italian sausage, cook in oil before cooking the veggies.
Option: Replace the turkey with cooked and shredded/diced chicken.
Option: Add 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce.
Option: Replace the heavy cream with coconut milk, or almond milk, etc.
Option: Add 1 (14.5 ounce) can white beans, drained and rinsed.
Option: Add 1 tablespoon maple syrup.
Option: Add 4 ounces baby spinach.
Option: Garnish with 1/4 cup pepitas, or pecans, or walnuts.
Option: Garnish with 1/4 cup cooked and crumbled bacon, pancetta, or prosciutto.
Option: Garnish with 1/4 cup crumbled feta, or chevre, or blue cheese.
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i never comment on recipes before I make them. but I have had such great results from your recipes. that I’m going to this time. I’m making this for dinner tonight. using a leftover hunk of turkey that’s in the freezer.. I have made your regular Turkey and Wild Rice soup, so what could be better for this time of year than to add pumpkin? Can’t wait to eat it!
I forgot to mention in my previous comment that I’m adding mushrooms as you have in your Turkey and Wild Rice soup recipe.
Love this recipe very much
I made this soup last night and included the unsweetened applesauce, cannellini beans, maple syrup and baby spinach. I did use plant parmesan and plant heavy cream to accommodate 2 grandkids’ allergies.
What a delightful soup! My husband and I were really impressed, and I’m sure our daughter’s family will be also. I must admit I was hesitant about the pumpkin puree, but it added a tang to the soup.
I most definitely will be making this soup again!!!