Description
This hearty Turkey Vegetable Soup combines lean ground turkey with a colorful medley of vegetables simmered in flavorful broth and aromatic herbs. Perfect as a nourishing, low-calorie meal, this versatile soup is easy to customize to your taste preferences and makes a comforting dish for any season.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Aromatics
- 2 pounds ground turkey
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed and minced (at least 1 tablespoon)
Spices
- 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (reduce if using table salt)
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
- 1 teaspoon basil
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or 6 fresh thyme sprigs
Liquids
- 10-12 cups chicken or turkey broth (can be made from broth plus bouillon base)
Vegetables
- 4-5 large carrots, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups celery, chopped
- 1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped
- 2 cups coleslaw cabbage (or more to taste)
- 1 (14-oz) can diced tomatoes (fire roasted preferred)
- 1 (14-oz) can white beans, drained
- 1 zucchini, chopped
- 1 yellow squash, chopped
Optional Garnishes
- Chopped parsley (calorie-free garnish)
- Pesto (adds calories)
- Parmesan cheese (adds calories)
Instructions
- Sauté turkey and onions: In a very large soup pot (minimum 6-quart capacity), add 2 pounds ground turkey and the chopped onion. Cook over medium-high heat, crumbling the turkey as it cooks until the meat is no longer pink and the onions are softened.
- Drain fat: Turn off the heat, carefully tilt the pot, and remove the excess fat with a spoon into a foil-lined small bowl. Refrigerate the bowl until the fat hardens, then discard.
- Add garlic and spices: Turn heat back on to medium. Add the minced garlic along with all the spices: kosher salt, black pepper, oregano, garlic powder, smoked paprika, celery seed, basil, crushed red pepper, and thyme (if dried). Cook, stirring, until the garlic and spices are aromatic, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add broth: Pour in 10-12 cups of broth. You can use homemade or store-bought chicken or turkey broth, or create broth by combining water with a turkey or chicken bouillon base for enhanced flavor.
- Bring to boil and add vegetables: Increase heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the harder vegetables first in sequence: chopped carrots, celery, sweet potato, and coleslaw cabbage. If using fresh thyme sprigs, add them with the broth now.
- Add tomatoes and beans: Stir in the canned diced tomatoes (with their juices) and the drained white beans.
- Simmer until tender: After boiling, reduce heat to a medium simmer so the soup bubbles gently. Let simmer for about 20 minutes until carrots and sweet potatoes are nearly fork-tender.
- Add squash and continue simmering: Stir in chopped zucchini and yellow squash. Cook another 5-10 minutes until these softer vegetables are tender.
- Finish and skim foam: Remove any foam from the surface of the soup with a spoon. If fresh thyme sprigs were used, fish them out and discard.
- Serve and garnish: Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Garnish as desired with chopped parsley for a low-calorie touch, or add pesto and Parmesan cheese for richer flavor options.
- Enjoy your flavorful turkey vegetable soup! This nourishing and customizable soup is perfect for a wholesome meal.
Notes
- You can adjust vegetable amounts or omit less-preferred veggies like sweet potato without compromising flavor.
- Using fresh thyme sprigs adds brighter herbal notes, but dried thyme works well too.
- Fat drainage helps keep the soup lower in calories and fat.
- Pesto and Parmesan add calories and fat, so use sparingly if watching intake.
- For broth, homemade or quality store-bought broth is best, but bouillon base diluted in water is a good substitute.
