Turkey Vegetable Soup with Spices and Fresh Greens Recipe

Bymia larkspur
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Introduction

This hearty Turkey Vegetable Soup is packed with lean ground turkey and a colorful mix of fresh vegetables, making it a nutritious and comforting meal. Perfect for cooler days, this soup is both flavorful and flexible, allowing you to adjust ingredients to your liking.

A close-up view of a white bowl filled with vegetable soup, showing multiple layers: bright orange carrot slices, large red tomato chunks, pale yellow and green zucchini pieces, white beans, and small bits of ground meat, all floating in a clear, golden broth with herbs sprinkled on top. The soup has a mix of chunky and soft textures with fresh green leaves scattered over it. A spoon rests inside the bowl, and the bowl is placed on a wooden tray with green herbs around it, all set on a white marbled surface. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds ground turkey
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, smashed and minced (about 1 tablespoon)
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher 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
  • 10-12 cups chicken or turkey broth
  • 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, including juice (fire roasted preferred)
  • 1 (14-oz) can white beans, drained
  • 1 zucchini, chopped
  • 1 yellow squash, chopped
  • Chopped parsley, for garnish (optional)
  • Pesto, for garnish (optional)
  • Parmesan cheese, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. Step 1: In a very large soup pot (at least 6-quart), add the ground turkey and chopped onion. Cook over medium-high heat, breaking up the turkey as it browns.
  2. Step 2: Turn off heat and drain the fat. To do this safely, line a small bowl with foil, tilt the pot, and spoon the grease into the bowl. Refrigerate the fat until hardened, then discard.
  3. Step 3: Return heat to medium. Add minced garlic and all spices: kosher salt, black pepper, oregano, garlic powder, smoked paprika, celery seed, basil, crushed red pepper, and dried thyme (if using). Cook until fragrant.
  4. Step 4: Add 10-12 cups of broth. You can use chicken broth, turkey broth, or a mix of broth and water with bouillon base. Bring to a boil over high heat.
  5. Step 5: Add the chopped carrots, celery, sweet potato, and coleslaw cabbage. If using fresh thyme, add the sprigs now. Adjust vegetable amounts as desired.
  6. Step 6: Stir in the diced tomatoes with their juice and drained white beans.
  7. Step 7: Reduce heat to a medium simmer. Cook for about 20 minutes until carrots and sweet potato are nearly fork tender.
  8. Step 8: Add chopped zucchini and yellow squash. Simmer for another 5-10 minutes until squash is tender.
  9. Step 9: Skim any foam off the surface. If using fresh thyme, remove and discard the sprigs.
  10. Step 10: Serve hot, garnished with parsley, pesto, or parmesan cheese if desired.
  11. Slow Cooker Variation: After finishing step 3, transfer the mixture to a slow cooker. Add broth and all vegetables except zucchini and squash. Cook on low for 4-5 hours or high for 2-3 hours until carrots are tender. Add zucchini and squash, cook for 30 minutes more.

Tips & Variations

  • Substitute sweet potato with extra carrots if you prefer less sweetness.
  • Use fire-roasted diced tomatoes for added depth of flavor.
  • Add leafy greens like kale or spinach in the last few minutes for extra nutrition.
  • Adjust crushed red pepper to control the spice level.
  • Leftover turkey fat can be saved for cooking other dishes or discarded as described.

Storage

Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave until warmed through. This soup freezes well for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

How to Serve

Two bowls of vegetable soup sit on a round wooden tray over a white marbled surface. The bowl on the left is black and filled with soup showing layers of orange carrot slices, yellow squash, red tomatoes, white beans, and brown crumbled ground meat in a clear broth with herbs. The bowl on the right is white and has similar contents with bright orange carrots, yellow squash, red tomatoes, white beans, and bits of green herbs, with a spoon inside. Around the tray, there are small white bowls with green chopped herbs and a green bowl with a coarse green pesto-like sauce. Fresh green herbs are scattered on the tray, and a white cloth with fringe edges is partly visible in the frame. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use ground chicken instead of turkey?

Yes, ground chicken works well as a substitute and will give a similar flavor and texture.

Is it okay to use regular table salt instead of kosher salt?

Yes, but reduce the amount since table salt is finer and saltier by volume. Start with less and adjust to taste.

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Turkey Vegetable Soup with Spices and Fresh Greens Recipe

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★★★★★

4.7 from 67 reviews

This hearty Turkey Vegetable Soup is packed with ground turkey, a medley of nutritious vegetables, and fragrant herbs and spices simmered to perfection in a flavorful broth. It’s a comforting, low-calorie, and protein-rich soup ideal for warming meals, offering flexibility with ingredients and optional garnishes such as pesto and parmesan for extra flavor.

  • Author: mia
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 8–10 servings 1x
  • Category: Soup
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Low Calorie

Ingredients

Scale

Meat and Aromatics

  • 2 pounds ground turkey
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, smashed and minced (about 1 tablespoon)

Spices and Seasonings

  • 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (adjust 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

Broth and Liquids

  • 10–12 cups chicken or turkey broth (or combination of broth and water with Better than Bouillon Turkey 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 (preferably fire roasted)
  • 1 (14-oz) can white beans, drained
  • 1 zucchini, chopped
  • 1 yellow squash, chopped

Optional Garnishes

  • Chopped parsley (optional, low calorie)
  • Pesto (optional, not low calorie)
  • Parmesan cheese (optional, not low calorie)

Instructions

  1. Sauté turkey and onion: In a very large soup pot (at least 6-quart capacity), add 2 pounds ground turkey and the chopped onion. Cook over medium-high heat, breaking up the turkey as it cooks until browned and cooked through.
  2. Drain fat: Turn off heat and drain the rendered fat carefully by tilting the pot and spooning out the grease into a foil-lined bowl. Refrigerate the fat until hardened and then discard.
  3. Sauté garlic and spices: Turn heat back on to medium. Add minced garlic and all the spices (kosher salt, black pepper, oregano, garlic powder, smoked paprika, celery seed, basil, crushed red pepper, and thyme if using dried). Cook briefly until the garlic and spices become fragrant.
  4. Add broth: Pour in 10-12 cups of chicken or turkey broth. You can use all broth or combine broth with water and Better than Bouillon turkey base for a richer flavor. For example, 8 cups broth plus 4 cups water mixed with 4 teaspoons of turkey base.
  5. Bring to boil and add hard vegetables: Turn heat to high until the soup reaches a boil. Add chopped carrots, celery, sweet potato, and coleslaw cabbage. If using fresh thyme sprigs, add them now as well. Adjust vegetable quantities as preferred.
  6. Add tomatoes and beans: Pour in the canned diced tomatoes with their juice and add the drained white beans.
  7. Simmer: Lower the heat to a medium simmer so the soup gently bubbles. Let it cook for about 20 minutes until the carrots and sweet potatoes are nearly fork tender.
  8. Add tender vegetables: Stir in chopped zucchini and yellow squash. Continue simmering for an additional 5-10 minutes until these squash vegetables are tender.
  9. Skim foam and remove thyme: If any foam has formed on top, skim it off with a spoon. Remove and discard fresh thyme sprigs if used.
  10. Serve and garnish: Serve the soup hot. Garnish each bowl optionally with a spoonful of pesto, shredded parmesan cheese, or chopped parsley according to your preference and dietary needs.
  11. Slow Cooker option: Follow steps 1-3 (turkey, onion, garlic, and spices sauté). Transfer mixture to a slow cooker and add all broth and vegetables except zucchini and yellow squash. Cook on low for 4-5 hours or on high for 2-3 hours until carrots are tender. Add zucchini and yellow squash last and cook for another 30 minutes until tender.

Notes

  • The soup is very forgiving, so feel free to adjust or substitute vegetables as desired (e.g., omit sweet potato if preferred).
  • Using Better than Bouillon Turkey Base adds rich flavor but can be replaced with all broth or water if necessary.
  • Drain the fat from cooked turkey thoroughly to keep the soup lighter.
  • Optional garnishes like pesto and parmesan add flavor but increase calorie content.
  • Fresh thyme gives a different flavor profile than dried; remove sprigs before serving.
  • Slow cooker method offers convenience with minimal stovetop time.

Keywords: Turkey vegetable soup, ground turkey soup, healthy turkey soup, low calorie soup, hearty vegetable soup

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