Cajun Wild Rice Soup

Ingredients

• 1 large onion (diced)
• 0.5 green bell pepper (diced)
• 0.5 red bell pepper (diced)
• 3 celery stalks (diced)
• 6 garlic cloves (chopped or minced)
• 2 bay leaves
• green onion (sliced; amount not specified)
• 6.5 cup water (Use 6–7 cups; add 2 tbsp chicken bouillon base if making with water. Alternatively, use 6–7 cups chicken stock.)
• 2 tbsp chicken bouillon base (Use only with the water option; alternatively use chicken stock instead of the water and bouillon base.)
• 1.5 tbsp liquid crab boil concentrate (Use 1–2 tbsp; the method also calls this liquid crab oil.)
• 0.75 cup heavy cream (Use 1/2–1 cup)
• 4 fresh thyme sprigs
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 box Uncle Ben’s Long Grain & Wild Rice (Include the seasoning packets; box weight not stated.)
• 1 smoked turkey leg or wing (Cook until tender, then remove the meat from the bone and shred it. Edible yield and weight not stated.)
• 1 lb Cajun, andouille, or smoked sausage (Dice; choose one type)
• 0.5 cup all-purpose flour (For the roux)
• 0.5 cup vegetable oil (For the roux; the source does not specify a more precise oil type)
• Cajun seasoning (As needed; use a seasoning that is not overly salty)
• smoked paprika (Amount not specified)
• cayenne pepper (Amount not specified)
• vinegar (A splash; type and amount not specified)
• salt (To taste; the author cautions that added salt may not be needed because other ingredients are already salty)
• black pepper (To taste)

Steps

1. 1

   Prepare the vegetables: dice the onion, green and red bell pepper, and celery. Chop or mince the garlic. Dice the sausage, and slice the green onion for finishing.

2. 2

   In a Dutch oven, brown the diced sausage. Remove the sausage from the pot and set it aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pot.

3. 3

   Add the vegetable oil and flour to the pot with the rendered fat, stirring to make a roux.

4. 4

   Cook the roux, stirring and staying by the pot so it does not burn, until it is blonde and the raw-flour smell has disappeared.

5. 5

   Add the diced onion, green and red bell pepper, celery, and garlic to the roux. Cook until the vegetables are translucent.

6. 6

   Add the tomato paste, Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper. Cook until the tomato paste darkens.

7. 7

   Pour in the water with chicken bouillon base, or the chicken stock alternative. The transcript specifies about 7 cups of stock, or enough liquid to cover the turkey leg.

8. 8

   Bring the liquid to a boil. Add the browned sausage, smoked turkey leg or wing, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves. Cover and cook until the turkey is tender; no cooking time is specified.

9. 9

   Remove the turkey from the pot. Shred the meat, discarding bones as appropriate, and set it aside.

10. 10

    Add the heavy cream and the wild rice with its seasoning packet to the pot. Cook until the rice is fully cooked, adding additional water if needed.

11. 11

    Return the shredded turkey to the pot. Add the liquid crab boil concentrate, a splash of vinegar, and sliced green onion.

12. 12

    Taste and adjust with Cajun seasoning, salt, and black pepper as needed. The author notes that the soup may not need extra salt; if it tastes slightly too salty, add more water. Serve and enjoy.

Notes

The source gives ranges for broth, cream, and crab boil concentrate but no exact amounts for green onion, Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, cayenne, or vinegar. Turkey tenderness and rice doneness are specified, but exact cooking times are not. Choose the water-and-bouillon option or the chicken-stock option, not both. The author advises using a less-salty Cajun seasoning and adding water if the soup tastes slightly too salty.

Nutrition per serving

• soup
• main
• Cajun-inspired
• comfort food
• one-pot
• stovetop
• fall
• contains dairy