In November, turkey becomes a favorite protein for many U.S. households.

More than 46 million turkeys are eaten on Thanksgiving Day, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

From farm to Thanksgiving table, countless hours are poured into preparing holiday birds, many of which originate in Virginia. The commonwealth ranked sixth nationally for producing about 15.3 million turkeys in 2022, according to the USDA.

And more than 210 million turkeys were raised on about 2,500 farms across the U.S. in 2022, with a majority being family farms, according to the National Turkey Federation.

The turkey federation offers Thanksgiving 101, a comprehensive guide for preparing your Thanksgiving centerpiece; and important safety tips for cooking turkey.

When the Thanksgiving feast is done, it’s important to make the most out of that hefty pile of turkey leftovers. If you’re looking to bring fresh flavors to the table, try whipping up this heartwarming turkey, mushroom and wild rice soup or these sharable turkey buffalo taquitos.

Turkey, Mushroom and Wild Rice Soup

1 medium onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
8 ounces button mushrooms, chopped
1 tablespoon oil
1 ½ tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons finely chopped rosemary or thyme, divided
2 quarts chicken stock
salt and pepper
1 cup wild rice
2-3 cups shredded cooked turkey breast
1 cup heavy cream

Sauté the onion on medium heat for about 5 minutes, until it starts to become translucent. Add the carrots and celery, and cook for another 5 minutes or until the vegetables are slightly tender. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.

Add the mushrooms. Cook for about 10 minutes, until tender and lightly browned.

Make a well in the middle of the pot by pushing the vegetables to the sides. Add oil and the tomato paste to the middle of the pot, and stir for about 30 seconds, letting it cook and darken slightly. Add 1 ½ teaspoons of the chopped rosemary, and combine all the ingredients.

Stir in the chicken stock and salt.

Add the wild rice. Cook for about 40 minutes, until tender.

Add the turkey and heavy cream. Stir to combine, and warm through.

Serve immediately, topping each portion with black pepper and a pinch of the remaining chopped rosemary or thyme.


Buffalo Turkey Taquitos

2 cups cooked skinless turkey, dark and white meat, shredded
⅔ cup Buffalo sauce
24 corn tortillas, warmed
2½ cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
nonstick cooking spray

Optional:
blue cheese dressing
mango salsa

Heat oven to 400°.

Mix the shredded turkey and Buffalo sauce together until the turkey is coated with sauce.

Place warm tortillas on a work surface, and add 1 heaping tablespoon of turkey mixture horizontally on the bottom of each tortilla. Sprinkle 1½ tablespoons cheese over the turkey mixture. Roll the tortillas into tight cylinders.

Spray a pan with nonstick cooking spray. Place taquitos, seam side down, on a baking sheet. Spray each taquito with nonstick cooking spray to coat the surfaces.

Bake 12-13 minutes, turning over halfway through cooking time.

Portion three taquitos to a plate. Serve blue cheese dressing and mango salsa for dipping.

—Recipes adapted from The National Turkey Federation