Turkey enchilada soup is a hearty, brick-red soup of seasoned ground turkey, black beans, corn, peppers and tomatoes simmered in red enchilada sauce and chicken stock. It has all the warm, smoky flavor of a pan of enchiladas, in a bowl you can eat with a spoon. Top it with sour cream, cilantro and sliced jalapeño. It is a filling weeknight dinner, and a pot of it makes good lunches for days.
How to make turkey enchilada soup: Brown ground turkey in a large pot with chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, coriander, salt and pepper. Add diced jalapeño, bell pepper and onion and cook until soft. Stir in black beans, red enchilada sauce, crushed tomatoes and chicken stock, bring to a boil, add corn and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.
Why You’ll Love It
- One pot. The turkey, vegetables and soup all cook in the same pot.
- Big flavor. Two cans of red enchilada sauce go into the broth.
- Filling. Turkey, beans and corn in every bowl.
- Pantry-friendly. Canned beans, tomatoes and sauce, plus frozen corn.
- Good leftovers. It reheats well and freezes well.
Ingredient Notes
Ground turkey. One pound, browned in 1 tablespoon of neutral oil.
Spices. One tablespoon each of chili powder and ground cumin, 2 teaspoons of garlic powder and 1 teaspoon of ground coriander. A teaspoon of cayenne is optional, for heat.
Salt and pepper. One and a half teaspoons of kosher salt, divided, and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper.
Jalapeño, red bell pepper and yellow onion. One of each, diced.
Black beans. One 15.5-ounce can, drained and rinsed.
Red enchilada sauce. Two 10-ounce cans, medium or mild.
Crushed tomatoes and chicken stock. One 15-ounce can of tomatoes and 2 cups of stock.
Corn. One cup, frozen.
For serving. Half a cup of minced fresh cilantro, sour cream and a sliced jalapeño.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon cayenne powder, optional
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 jalapeño, trimmed and diced
- 1 red bell pepper, trimmed, seeded and diced
- 1 yellow onion, peeled and diced
- 1 can black beans (15.5 ounces), drained and rinsed
- 2 cans red enchilada sauce (10 ounces each)
- 1 can crushed tomatoes (15 ounces)
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro, for serving
- Sour cream, for serving
- 1 jalapeño, sliced, for serving
How to Make Turkey Enchilada Soup
1. Cook the turkey. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the ground turkey, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, coriander, optional cayenne, 1 teaspoon of the salt and 1/2 teaspoon of the black pepper. Toss to coat and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until the turkey is cooked through and reaches 165°F on a food thermometer.
2. Soften the vegetables. Add the diced jalapeño, bell pepper and onion. Season with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and more black pepper to taste. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, turning occasionally, until the vegetables soften.
3. Add the soup ingredients. Add the drained black beans, red enchilada sauce, crushed tomatoes and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and add the frozen corn.
4. Simmer and serve. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Taste and adjust the salt, pepper or seasonings. Ladle into bowls and garnish with minced cilantro, sour cream and sliced jalapeño, if you like.
How Long Does Turkey Enchilada Soup Really Take?
About an hour. Soups like this are often described as quick, and the hands-on part is. But the pot needs time on the stove, and it helps to see where the minutes go before you start.
| Step | Time | What is happening |
|---|---|---|
| Prep | 10 minutes | Dicing the peppers and onion, opening cans |
| Cook the turkey | 12 to 15 minutes | The meat browns with the spices |
| Soften the vegetables | 5 to 7 minutes | Jalapeño, bell pepper and onion cook in the turkey drippings |
| Simmer | 30 minutes | The flavors blend and the soup thickens a little |
The 30-minute simmer is the step people want to skip. Do not. It is uncovered on purpose. Some of the liquid cooks off, the enchilada sauce mellows and the beans and corn take on the flavor of the broth. A soup served right after it comes to a boil tastes thin and sharp by comparison.
The simmer is hands-off. Use it to set out the toppings.
Tips for Success
What gives turkey soup more flavor?
Cooking the spices with the meat. The chili powder, cumin, garlic powder and coriander go into the pot with the raw turkey, so they toast in the oil as the meat browns.
How spicy is it?
That depends on the cayenne, the jalapeño and the enchilada sauce. For a mild pot, leave out the cayenne, use mild sauce and remove the jalapeño seeds.
How do I know the turkey is cooked?
It is no longer pink and it reaches 165°F on a food thermometer.
Should I rinse the beans?
Yes. Drain and rinse them so the canning liquid does not cloud the soup.
Can I add tortilla chips?
Yes, as a topping. Crush a few over each bowl at the table so they stay crisp.
What Makes It Enchilada Soup and Not Tortilla Soup?
The sauce. Here, two cans of red enchilada sauce are stirred right into the broth, and that is where the deep red color and the enchilada flavor come from. The line between the two soups is not a strict one, though. Plenty of tortilla soups use a little enchilada sauce too, and this soup is happy under a handful of tortilla chips.
Storage & Reheating
Divide leftover soup into shallow, covered containers and refrigerate within 2 hours. It keeps for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator or 3 to 4 months in the freezer. Thaw it in the refrigerator, or reheat it straight from frozen on the stove. Bring it back to a simmer before serving. Add the sour cream and cilantro fresh.
What to Serve With It
Tortilla chips, warm tortillas or cornbread are all good with a bowl. For more soups in this style, make quick and easy taco soup, 8-can chicken taco soup or slow cooker 15 bean soup. If you would like the real thing, bake cream cheese chicken enchiladas or chicken enchiladas with sour cream white sauce. And for another turkey dinner, there is slow cooker turkey breast.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the ingredients in enchilada soup?
Ground turkey, spices, jalapeño, bell pepper, onion, black beans, red enchilada sauce, crushed tomatoes, chicken stock and corn.
What gives turkey soup more flavor?
Browning the turkey with the spices, and a full 30-minute simmer.
What is the difference between tortilla soup and enchilada soup?
This soup is built on red enchilada sauce in the broth. The two names overlap, and chips work as a topping on both.
How long does this soup take?
About 60 minutes, including a 30-minute simmer.
Final Notes
I dice the peppers and onion while the turkey browns, so the first step and the prep overlap. If you make it, leave a comment to tell me how it turned out or ask a question.
Turkey Enchilada Soup
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Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon cayenne powder optional
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt divided; more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper more to taste
- 1 jalapeño trimmed and diced
- 1 red bell pepper trimmed, seeded and diced
- 1 yellow onion peeled and diced
- 1 can black beans 15.5 ounces, drained and rinsed
- 2 cans red enchilada sauce 10 ounces each; medium or mild
- 1 can crushed tomatoes 15 ounces
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup corn frozen
- 1/2 cup cilantro fresh, minced, for serving
- sour cream for serving
- 1 jalapeño sliced, for serving
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the ground turkey, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, coriander, optional cayenne, 1 teaspoon of the salt and 1/2 teaspoon of the black pepper. Toss to coat and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until the turkey is cooked through and reaches 165°F on a food thermometer.
- Add the diced jalapeño, bell pepper and onion. Season with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and more black pepper to taste. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, turning occasionally, until the vegetables soften.
- Add the drained black beans, red enchilada sauce, crushed tomatoes and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and add the frozen corn.
- Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Taste and adjust the salt, pepper or seasonings. Ladle into bowls and garnish with minced cilantro, sour cream and sliced jalapeño, if you like.
