Ground turkey soup is a creamy, herby one-pot soup: crisp pancetta, onion, carrots and celery, browned ground turkey, potatoes and chicken stock, seasoned with fresh rosemary, thyme and sage and finished with a cup of cream and grated Parmesan. It serves 6 and takes 50 minutes from chopping to bowls.
How to make it: Crisp the pancetta in olive oil, soften the onion, carrots and celery, then brown the turkey, breaking it up as it cooks. Stir in the garlic, herbs and chili flakes, add the potatoes and stock, and simmer 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Stir in the cream and Parmesan, season, and check the turkey reads 165°F.
Why You’ll Love It
- One pot: everything from the pancetta to the cream goes in the same Dutch oven.
- 50 minutes: 10 minutes of chopping and a short simmer.
- Big flavor from small things: pancetta, fresh herbs and Parmesan do the seasoning.
- Hearty: potatoes and a pound of turkey make it a full dinner.
Is Ground Turkey Good in Soup?
Yes, and it’s easy to get right if you brown it properly first. Turkey cooks in the same pot after the pancetta and vegetables, so it picks up their flavor from the start:
- Break it up as it cooks. Use a spoon to break the turkey into small pieces so it isn’t left in big chunks, and stir so it cooks evenly.
- Cook it until it’s no longer pink. That takes about 4 to 5 minutes in a hot pot.
- Check the temperature. Ground turkey is safe at 165°F. Check it with a food thermometer before you serve.
- Use lean turkey. The recipe calls for lean ground turkey.
The Secret Ingredient in Turkey Soup
Parmesan. Stirring grated Parmesan into the pot at the end adds a lot of flavor, and a little more on top of each bowl adds even more. In this soup it works alongside the other flavor builders: crisped pancetta at the start and fresh rosemary, thyme and sage stirred in just before the stock.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Leaving the turkey in big chunks: break it up as it browns.
- Undercooking it: look for no pink and confirm 165°F.
- Salting too early: pancetta, stock and Parmesan all bring salt, so taste and season at the end.
- Rushing the potatoes: simmer until a fork slides into a cube easily before the cream goes in.
Ingredient Notes
Ground turkey: 1 pound, lean.
Pancetta: 3.5 ounces, cooked until slightly crispy in 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
Vegetables: 1 large onion, 2 medium carrots and 2 to 3 stalks of celery, all diced, plus 3 medium potatoes peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes.
Herbs and spice: 2 large cloves of garlic, 1 tablespoon each of fresh rosemary and thyme, 2 to 3 sage leaves and 1/4 teaspoon of red chili flakes.
Liquids: 5 cups of chicken stock and 1 cup of low-fat cream.
Parmesan: 1/3 cup grated, plus extra for the bowls.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3.5 ounces pancetta
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 2 to 3 stalks celery, diced
- 1 pound lean ground turkey
- 2 large cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
- 2 to 3 leaves fresh sage, sliced
- 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 5 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup low-fat cream
- 1/3 cup Parmesan, grated, plus extra for serving if you like
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
How to Make Ground Turkey Soup
1. Crisp the pancetta. Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat and cook the pancetta for 2 to 3 minutes, until slightly crispy.
2. Soften the vegetables. Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until softened.
3. Brown the turkey. Add the lean ground turkey and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until no longer pink, breaking it up with a spoon as you go.
4. Add the herbs. Stir in the garlic, rosemary, thyme, sage and red chili flakes and cook for another minute, until fragrant.
5. Simmer the potatoes. Add the potatoes and chicken stock, bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender.
6. Stir in the cream and cheese. Stir in the low-fat cream and the grated Parmesan.
7. Season and serve. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Check that the turkey reads 165°F on a food thermometer, then serve hot, with extra grated Parmesan on top if you like.
Variations
- Tomato, potato and pea: make it a brothy soup with tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, diced potato and frozen peas, seasoned with Italian seasoning and topped with parsley.
- White bean and spinach: add rinsed Great Northern beans, canned tomatoes with their juice, dried oregano and basil, and stir in baby spinach until it wilts. Black, pinto, garbanzo or cannellini beans work too.
- Cheesy taco: season with a Southwest spice blend, add kidney beans and tomato paste, and melt in cream cheese and Mexican cheese blend with a dash of hot sauce. Top with scallions.
Can I Make It in a Crockpot?
This recipe is written for the stovetop, and the timing for a slow cooker version isn’t worked out here. If you try it, thaw the turkey before it goes in the slow cooker, and use a thermometer to make sure it reaches 165°F.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerator: Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow covered containers and eat them within 3 to 4 days.
Freezer: Leftovers can be frozen for 3 to 4 months, but soups made with cream may change texture once thawed.
Reheating: Reheat until the soup comes to a rolling boil or reaches 165°F.
What to Serve With It
Crusty bread or a green salad is all it needs. For a sandwich-and-soup night, pair it with ground turkey sloppy joes.
More hearty soups: ground beef soup, quick and easy taco soup, slow cooker 15 bean soup, slow cooker unstuffed cabbage roll soup and baked potato soup.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ground turkey good in soup?
Yes. Brown it in the pot with the vegetables, break it up into small pieces, and cook it to 165°F.
What are some common mistakes to avoid when making ground turkey soup?
Leaving the turkey in big chunks, undercooking it, salting before you taste, and adding the cream before the potatoes are tender.
What is the secret ingredient in turkey soup?
Parmesan stirred in at the end, with pancetta and fresh rosemary, thyme and sage building flavor along the way.
What can I make quickly with ground turkey?
This soup takes 50 minutes. For something faster, ground turkey sloppy joes cook on the stovetop in about 25.
What temperature should ground turkey reach?
165°F on a food thermometer.
How long do leftovers keep?
3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. Reheat to 165°F.
Final Notes
Crisp the pancetta, break up the turkey as it browns and season at the very end. If you try the white bean and spinach version, tell me in the comments how it turned out.
Ground Turkey Soup
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Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3.5 ounces pancetta
- 1 large onion diced
- 2 medium carrots diced
- 2 to 3 stalks celery diced
- 1 pound lean ground turkey
- 2 large cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme finely chopped
- 2 to 3 leaves fresh sage sliced
- 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 3 medium potatoes peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 5 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup low-fat cream
- 1/3 cup Parmesan grated, plus extra for serving if you like
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat and cook the pancetta for 2 to 3 minutes, until slightly crispy.
- Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until softened.
- Add the lean ground turkey and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until no longer pink, breaking it up with a spoon as you go.
- Stir in the garlic, rosemary, thyme, sage and red chili flakes and cook for another minute, until fragrant.
- Add the potatoes and chicken stock, bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender.
- Stir in the low-fat cream and the grated Parmesan.
- Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Check that the turkey reads 165°F on a food thermometer, then serve hot, with extra grated Parmesan on top if you like.
Notes
Nutrition
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