Turkey Rice Soup with Sausage

On Christmas Eve, I’ll be singing at an evening service at our church so I’ll need something already made to serve for dinner when we get home. This recipe for Turkey Rice Soup with Sausage will make a perfect Christmas Eve meal! I’ll make it a day ahead (minus the rice), bring it to a simmer when we get home from church on Christmas Eve, add the rice, let it cook until tender and serve. 

If you like Cajun gumbos and jambalayas, you’re going to love this soup! While not as rich-tasting as a traditional, more labor-intensive gumbo, this hearty soup delivers good gumbo-like flavor without some of the fuss (like making a roux, a cooked flour and fat mixture that thickens soups, sauces and gravies). The recipe calls for andouille sausage (prounounced  ahn-DWEE), a spicy smoked sausage used in Cajun cooking. Enjoy!

Serving Note: this soup is best served as soon as the rice is tender. As the soup sits, the rice soaks up the broth and becomes more like a jambalaya than a soup.

Turkey Rice Soup with Sausage

-Recipe from FoodandWine.com

Make this super-quick gumbo when you crave the hearty flavors of the Cajun classic but don’t have time to make the roux. Makes 6 servings.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

1 large green bell pepper, coarsely chopped

3 medium celery ribs, coarsely chopped

2 large garlic cloves, minced

3/4 cup long-grain rice (about 4 1/2 ounces)

2 bay leaves

3/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Salt

4 cups Turkey Stock (recipe below) or chicken broth

One 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes with their juice

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1/2 pound andouille sausage, cut into 1/2 -inch slices

2 cups diced cooked turkey (about 1/2 pound)

Heat the vegetable oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion, pepper, celery and garlic and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes.

Add the rice, bay leaves, thyme, crushed red pepper and 1 teaspoon of salt and stir to coat the rice with the oil. Add the Turkey Stock, tomatoes and tomato paste, breaking up the tomatoes against the side of the pot. Bring to a boil, cover and cook over moderately low heat until the rice is almost tender, about 15 minutes. 

Meanwhile, heat a medium skillet. Add the andouille and cook over high heat until browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Add the sausage and turkey and cook until the turkey is heated through and the rice is tender. Discard the bay leaves and season with salt. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve.

Turkey Stock

-recipe from FoodandWine.com

Makes about 3 quarts.

Carcass from a large turkey, cut or broken into 4-inch pieces

4 quarts water

3 carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces

3 celery ribs, cut into 2-inch pieces

2 medium onions, quartered

4 unpeeled garlic cloves

5 thyme sprigs

1 small bunch of flat-leaf parsley

2 bay leaves, broken

Put the turkey bones in a large stockpot, cover with the water and bring to a boil, skimming occasionally. Add the vegetables and herbs and cook over low heat, partially covered, for 2 hours. Strain the stock, pressing down on the solids. Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.Skim off the fat from the surface before using.