Go Back

Turkey Vegetable Soup

A hearty and healthy soup packed with nutrients from vegetables and lean protein from ground turkey, perfect for cold days or whenever you want something comforting.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: American
Calories: 250
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 2 pounds ground turkey
  • 1 large onion (chopped)
  • 4 cloves garlic (smashed and minced; at least 1 tablespoon)
  • 10-12 cups chicken or turkey broth
  • 4-5 large carrots (chopped)
  • 1 ½ cups celery (chopped)
  • 1 medium sweet potato (peeled and chopped)
  • 2 cups coleslaw cabbage (or more to taste)
  • 1 14-oz can diced tomatoes (preferably fire roasted)
  • 1 14-oz can white beans
  • 1 medium zucchini (chopped)
  • 1 medium yellow squash (chopped)
  • Chopped parsley (to garnish; optional)
  • Pesto (to garnish individual bowls; optional)
  • Parmesan cheese (to garnish; optional)
Spices
  • 2 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon oregano
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ¼ to ½ teaspoon celery seed
  • 1 teaspoon basil
  • ¼ to ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper Increase for a spicier soup.
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme or 6 fresh thyme sprigs

Method
 

Preparation
  1. In a very large soup pot (at least a 6-quart capacity), add the ground turkey and chopped onion. Sauté over medium high heat while crumbling the turkey.
  2. Once the turkey is browned, turn off the heat and drain the fat. A good method is to line a small bowl with foil, tilt the pot, and remove the grease with a spoon. Refrigerate the fat until hard, then throw it away.
Cooking
  1. Turn the heat back on to medium. Add the minced garlic and all the spices: kosher salt, black pepper, oregano, garlic powder, smoked paprika, celery seed, basil, crushed red pepper, and thyme. Cook until the spices and garlic are fragrant.
  2. Pour in 10-12 cups of broth. You can mix chicken broth with water and turkey base as needed. Turn the heat to high to bring it to a boil.
  3. Add the tougher vegetables first: carrots, celery, sweet potato, and coleslaw cabbage. Adjust veggie amounts to your liking. If using fresh thyme, add it in now.
  4. Stir in the can of diced tomatoes, including the juice, and drained white beans.
  5. Once boiling, reduce to a medium simmer for about 20 minutes, until the carrots and sweet potato are almost tender.
  6. Add the chopped zucchini and yellow squash, continuing to simmer for another 5-10 minutes until tender.
  7. Skim off any foam that appears on the top. If you used fresh thyme, remove the stems and discard them.

Notes

Serve hot with pesto, shredded parmesan, or parsley as desired. Let the soup cool completely before storing. Transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Feel free to swap out any vegetables you don't like or have on hand. For a thicker soup, reduce the amount of broth used.