Leftover turkey? Make Turkey Mulligatawny Soup with turkey, rice, carrots, celery, onion, apple & curry powder. It’s hearty and satisfying!
The first time I tried mulligatawny soup was about 20 years ago. A friend and I were invited to another friends home for lunch, and she served mulligatawny soup to us.
My first reaction was “Mulliga-WHAT?”, because I had never heard of this soup before. When she told me there was a combination of vegetables, meat and green apples in it, truthfully I had my doubts whether it would be something I would enjoy.
However… it was fantastic, and all was well in the soup world. True story! Who knew that a thick soup with VEGETABLES and APPLES in it could taste so good?
Mulliga-WHAT?
In researching more about this soup, I discovered there are many variations and recipes available. I learned mulligatawny soup was fairly common around the end of the 18th century in India, but tended to be more of a spicy, thin broth, which its original name was translated in English to “pepper water”.
Apparently, as the British gained more influence and prevalence over the years in India, their version of this soup began to include meat or mutton, more vegetables, and a creamier consistency. That is why mulligatawny soup is often commonly referred to as an Indian-British soup.
Years later, I found a recipe for a wonderful mulligatawny soup in one of my cookbooks. After making a few changes, it brings back memories of the soup my friend served me. This modified version is the recipe I am sharing today. Here’s how to prepare it.
Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page
Prep The Vegetables
The first thing you will need to do is prep the veggies and fruit. Finely chop 3 ribs of celery and peel and chop a yellow onion.
Peel, and finely chop carrots, then peel, core and finely chop a green Granny Smith apple. These are the veggies (and fruit) that will help to bring flavor and texture to the mulligatawny soup.
Melt 2 Tablespoons of butter (on Medium heat)in a large soup pot, then add the prepared ingredients (celery, onion, carrots and apple).
Cook the veggies (and apple) on Medium heat for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. The onions should become tender and translucent.
Stir in 2 cloves of minced garlic, and continue to cook for 1 more minute, stirring often so the garlic doesn’t burn.
Prepare The Turkey Mulligatawny Soup
Now it’s time to “build” the soup. Add a Tablespoon of curry powder to the veggies, and stir to combine. Continue to cook, (stirring often) for 1-2 minutes so the spices “bloom and develop” and are integrated into the veggies.
Pour 4 cups of chicken broth into the pan, then add 2½ cups of cooked, shredded turkey. Stir to combine, and turn the heat up to High. Bring the soup up to a simmer (not boiling).
Reduce the heat back down to Medium, and stir in ½ cup of uncooked long grain white rice. Cover the soup pot and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the rice has become tender (taste it to check).
Final Step Before Serving The Mulligatawny Soup
Once the rice is tender, stir ¾ cup of low-fat sour cream (or plain, unsweetened yogurt) into the soup. Once incorporated, take a bite, then season to taste with salt and pepper.
Turn the heat to Low and let the soup simmer for 7-8 minutes, or until it’s heated through, then the soup is ready to serve.
Serve The Turkey Mulligatawny Soup
Ladle the hot turkey mulligatawny soup into serving bowls, and serve, with a favorite green salad or crusty bread on the side!
The mulligatawny soup is creamy AND chunky, thanks to the sour cream and amount of veggies and turkey. It has wonderful curry flavor, but it is definitely NOT overpowering.
I really hope you enjoy this mouth-watering soup as much as we do! It is savory, full-flavored, and will warm you up on a cold and chilly day!
Thanks for stopping by, and I invite you to come back soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, have a GREAT day, and may God bless you.
Looking For More SOUP Recipes?
You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have lots of fabulous soup recipes to choose from, including:
- Turkey Tortilla Soup
- Chicken Noodle Soup
- Butternut Squash Soup with Bacon
- Hearty Minestrone Soup
- Cream of Asparagus Soup
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Recipe adapted from: “Williams Sonoma- Soup Of The Day”, page 286, published by Weldonowen in 2011
↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓
Leftover turkey? Make Turkey Mulligatawny Soup with turkey, rice, carrots, celery, onion, apple & curry powder. It's hearty and satisfying!
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 1 medium yellow onion peeled, finely chopped
- 1 medium Granny Smith apple peeled, cored, finely chopped
- 3 large celery ribs finely chopped
- 2 medium carrots peeled, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 Tablespoon curry powder
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2½ cups cooked, shredded turkey
- ½ cup long grain rice (uncooked)
- ¾ cup low-fat sour cream or plain unsweetened yogurt
- salt and black pepper, to taste
Melt butter on Medium heat in a large soup pot. Add onion, apple, celery and carrots. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions become tender/translucent. Add garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring often so it doesn't burn.
Stir curry powder into the veggies until combined. Cook, stirring often, for 1-2 minutes. Add chicken broth and turkey. Stir to combine ingredients. Turn heat up to High and cook until soup is simmering (not boiling).
Reduce heat to Medium. Stir in uncooked rice. Cover soup pot and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until rice is tender (taste it to check).
Stir sour cream into the soup until incorporated. Take a bite- season to taste with salt and pepper. Turn heat to Low; let soup simmer (do not boil) for 7-8 minutes, or until heated through.
Ladle hot soup into bowls, serve, and enjoy!
Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!