Best Ground Turkey and Wild Rice Soup

Here is my favorite ground turkey and wild rice soup recipe, with tender ground turkey, black beans, corn, tomatoes, and a creamy finish from cream cheese that makes it feel like a cozy chili-soup hybrid.

This soup is on repeat in our house during the colder months. I love that it’s hearty enough to fill everyone up, but it comes together pretty quickly on a weeknight. Plus, leftovers taste even better the next day!

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What Kind of Ground Turkey Should I Use?

For this soup, you can use either ground turkey breast or a blend that includes dark meat – both will work great. If you want a leaner option, go with 93% lean ground turkey, but if you prefer a bit more flavor and moisture, the 85% lean variety (which includes some dark meat) is a solid choice. Ground turkey can sometimes be sold frozen in tubes or fresh in plastic-wrapped trays, and either one works fine as long as you thaw the frozen version completely before cooking. Just make sure to break it up well as it cooks so you get nice, even crumbles throughout your soup rather than big chunks.

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Options for Substitutions

This soup is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so feel free to work with what you have:

• Ground turkey: Ground chicken, ground beef, or even ground pork work great here. You can also use a plant-based ground meat if you’re going vegetarian.
• Wild rice: Wild rice takes longer to cook, so if you’re short on time, try brown rice, white rice, or even quinoa. Just adjust your cooking time – white rice only needs about 20 minutes, while brown rice needs around 40.
• Cream cheese: Sour cream or Greek yogurt can replace cream cheese for that creamy texture. Add them at the end and stir gently to prevent curdling. You can also use half-and-half if you prefer a lighter soup.
• Black beans: Pinto beans, kidney beans, or white beans all work well. Canned or dried beans are both fine – just remember to cook dried beans beforehand.
• Chicken broth: Vegetable broth works if you want to keep things lighter, or use turkey broth if you have it on hand.
• Cilantro: Not a cilantro fan? Fresh parsley or green onions make nice alternatives for that fresh herb finish.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making this soup is adding uncooked wild rice directly to the pot, which will leave you with crunchy, undercooked grains since wild rice needs 45-60 minutes of cooking time – always cook your wild rice separately according to package directions before stirring it in at the end.

Another common error is breaking up the ground turkey too much while browning, which creates a mushy texture instead of nice, hearty chunks – use a wooden spoon to break it into larger pieces and let it sit undisturbed for a minute or two to get some good browning.

Don’t add the cream cheese while the soup is at a rolling boil or it might separate and look curdled; instead, lower the heat to a gentle simmer and stir it in gradually until it melts smoothly into the broth.

Finally, if you’re making this ahead of time, keep the cooked rice separate and only add it when reheating, since wild rice continues to absorb liquid and can turn your soup into a thick stew if it sits too long.

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What to Serve With Ground Turkey and Wild Rice Soup?

This hearty soup is pretty much a complete meal on its own, but I love serving it with warm cornbread or corn muffins on the side for a cozy dinner. You can also set out a toppings bar with shredded cheese, sour cream, sliced avocado, and extra cilantro so everyone can customize their bowl. If you want to add some crunch, serve it with tortilla chips for scooping, or make a quick side salad with romaine lettuce, lime juice, and a sprinkle of cotija cheese. The soup reheats really well too, so it’s perfect for meal prep throughout the week.

Storage Instructions

Store: This soup keeps really well in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. The wild rice will soak up some of the liquid as it sits, so you might want to add a splash of chicken broth when reheating to loosen it back up.

Freeze: You can freeze this soup for up to 3 months, though I recommend leaving out the cream cheese if you’re planning to freeze it. Add the cream cheese fresh when you reheat instead, since dairy can sometimes get a little grainy after freezing.

Reheat: Warm it up on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally and adding extra broth if needed. You can also microwave individual portions for 2-3 minutes, stopping to stir halfway through. Save the tortilla strips and fresh cilantro to add right before serving so they stay crispy and fresh.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 3000-3400
• Protein: 150-170 g
• Fat: 90-110 g
• Carbohydrates: 420-480 g

Ingredients

For the soup:

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1 onion (finely diced into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 3 tbsp garlic
• 1 tbsp canola oil
• 2 tsp cumin
• 4 tbsp chili powder (I prefer McCormick chili powder for consistent heat)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 28 oz crushed tomatoes (I use Hunt’s for the best consistency)
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 15 oz black beans (rinsed and drained thoroughly)
• 2 cups corn
• 8 oz cream cheese (cubed into 1-inch pieces and softened)
• 2.5 cups wild rice

For the garnish:

• 1/2 cup cilantro
• tortilla strips

Step 1: Prepare Mise en Place and Cook Wild Rice

• 2.5 cups wild rice
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 3 tbsp garlic, minced
• 8 oz cream cheese, cubed and softened
• 15 oz black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 tsp cumin
• 4 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

While you’re gathering ingredients, start cooking the wild rice according to package directions in a separate pot—this typically takes 45-50 minutes and can happen simultaneously with the soup base.

Meanwhile, finely dice the onion into 1/4-inch pieces, mince the garlic, cube and soften the cream cheese at room temperature (this helps it incorporate smoothly), rinse and drain the black beans thoroughly, and measure out all your spices.

I like to measure my spices into small bowls beforehand so they’re ready to go when needed—it prevents scrambling during the crucial browning phase.

Step 2: Brown the Ground Turkey with Aromatics

• 1 tbsp canola oil
• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 3 tbsp garlic, minced

Heat the canola oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it shimmers.

Add the ground turkey and break it apart with a wooden spoon, cooking for 5-7 minutes until it’s no longer pink.

Add the diced onion and cook for another 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and the turkey begins to brown.

Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more, stirring constantly, until fragrant.

This browning step builds the foundation of the soup’s flavor—don’t rush it.

Step 3: Build Flavor with Spices

• 2 tsp cumin
• 4 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp salt

Reduce heat to medium and add the cumin, chili powder, and salt to the turkey mixture.

Stir constantly for 1-2 minutes to toast the spices and distribute them evenly throughout the meat—this blooming technique intensifies their flavors rather than just adding them raw.

You’ll notice the aroma becoming more complex and concentrated.

Step 4: Build the Soup Base

• 28 oz crushed tomatoes
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 15 oz black beans
• 2 cups corn
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Add the crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, black beans, and corn to the pot, stirring well to combine everything.

Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce to low heat and let it simmer gently for 10-15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.

This quiet simmering time allows the spices to fully develop and prevents the soup from becoming too aggressive.

Step 5: Incorporate Cream Cheese and Cooked Rice

• 8 oz cream cheese, cubed and softened
• 2.5 cups cooked wild rice from Step 1

Once the wild rice from Step 1 is tender and cooked, fold the softened cream cheese cubes into the simmering soup, stirring gently until completely melted and incorporated—the creaminess will transform the soup’s texture.

Add the cooked wild rice and stir to combine.

Let everything heat through for 2-3 minutes on low heat.

The cream cheese not only adds richness but also helps create a cohesive, velvety broth.

Step 6: Finish and Serve

• 1/2 cup cilantro
• tortilla strips

Stir in the fresh cilantro just before serving—adding it at the end preserves its bright, herbaceous flavor.

Ladle the soup into bowls and top each serving with tortilla strips for a pleasant textural contrast and a touch of authenticity.

The cilantro adds a fresh note that brightens all the deep spice flavors underneath.

Best Ground Turkey and Wild Rice Soup

Delicious Best Ground Turkey and Wild Rice Soup recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 42 minutes mins

Servings 8 servings

Calories 3200 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the soup::

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1 onion (finely diced into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 3 tbsp garlic
• 1 tbsp canola oil
• 2 tsp cumin
• 4 tbsp chili powder (I prefer McCormick chili powder for consistent heat)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 28 oz crushed tomatoes (I use Hunt's for the best consistency)
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 15 oz black beans (rinsed and drained thoroughly)
• 2 cups corn
• 8 oz cream cheese (cubed into 1-inch pieces and softened)
• 2.5 cups wild rice

For the garnish::

• 1/2 cup cilantro
• tortilla strips

Instructions

 

• While you're gathering ingredients, start cooking the wild rice according to package directions in a separate pot—this typically takes 45-50 minutes and can happen simultaneously with the soup base. Meanwhile, finely dice the onion into 1/4-inch pieces, mince the garlic, cube and soften the cream cheese at room temperature (this helps it incorporate smoothly), rinse and drain the black beans thoroughly, and measure out all your spices. I like to measure my spices into small bowls beforehand so they're ready to go when needed—it prevents scrambling during the crucial browning phase.
• Heat the canola oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the ground turkey and break it apart with a wooden spoon, cooking for 5-7 minutes until it's no longer pink. Add the diced onion and cook for another 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and the turkey begins to brown. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more, stirring constantly, until fragrant. This browning step builds the foundation of the soup's flavor—don't rush it.
• Reduce heat to medium and add the cumin, chili powder, and salt to the turkey mixture. Stir constantly for 1-2 minutes to toast the spices and distribute them evenly throughout the meat—this blooming technique intensifies their flavors rather than just adding them raw. You'll notice the aroma becoming more complex and concentrated.
• Add the crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, black beans, and corn to the pot, stirring well to combine everything. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce to low heat and let it simmer gently for 10-15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. This quiet simmering time allows the spices to fully develop and prevents the soup from becoming too aggressive.
• Once the wild rice from Step 1 is tender and cooked, fold the softened cream cheese cubes into the simmering soup, stirring gently until completely melted and incorporated—the creaminess will transform the soup's texture. Add the cooked wild rice and stir to combine. Let everything heat through for 2-3 minutes on low heat. The cream cheese not only adds richness but also helps create a cohesive, velvety broth.
• Stir in the fresh cilantro just before serving—adding it at the end preserves its bright, herbaceous flavor. Ladle the soup into bowls and top each serving with tortilla strips for a pleasant textural contrast and a touch of authenticity. The cilantro adds a fresh note that brightens all the deep spice flavors underneath.