Ground Turkey Vegetable Soup recipe is hearty, comforting, and perfect any time of year. It’s packed with tender vegetables, lean ground turkey, and pantry staples like green beans, corn, and diced tomatoes. This is a great recipe for busy weeknight dinners or meal prep for the week ahead.
Why You’ll Love Ground Turkey Soup
This healthy ground turkey recipe has all the cozy flavors of a classic vegetable soup but with a lighter twist. It’s full of protein, naturally low in fat, and made with simple ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry. It’s also a great way to use up leftover veggies or add extra nutrients to your family’s dinner rotation.
Ingredient Insights
Ground turkey: Using 93% lean ground turkey keeps the soup light but hearty. Brown it first to bring out its flavor before adding it to the pot.
Olive oil: Adds a touch of richness and helps sauté the veggies evenly over medium heat.
Carrots, celery, onion, and garlic cloves: These create the classic base of any good vegetable soup, giving it that slow-simmered, homemade flavor.
Russet potatoes: They cook up tender and help thicken the broth slightly for a comforting texture.
Diced tomatoes and tomato paste: The combination gives this soup a deep tomato flavor that ties everything together.
Chicken broth: Use low-sodium broth or vegetable broth if you prefer; either way, it adds savory depth.
Corn and green beans: These pantry staples bring color, sweetness, and heartiness to every bite.
Garlic, thyme, oregano, and bay leaf: Dried herbs keep this soup simple and aromatic. You can add a sprinkle of Italian seasoning or fresh herbs at the end for extra flavor.
Salt and black pepper: Always season to taste—start small and adjust as it simmers.
How to Make Ground Turkey Soup
This soup comes together easily in one large pot or Dutch oven.
Step One: In a large soup pot, brown the ground turkey over medium-high heat until fully cooked, breaking it into small pieces as it browns. Drain if needed, then set aside.
Step Two: In the same pot, heat olive oil and sauté the celery and carrots for a couple of minutes until they start to soften. Add the onion and cook a few minutes more. Finally, throw in the garlic and sauté for another minute or two.
Step Three: Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and chicken broth until blended. Add the corn, green beans, browned turkey, thyme, oregano, and potatoes. Drop in the bay leaf.
Step Four: Bring your ground turkey soup to a boil, then reduce to medium heat and simmer uncovered for about 30 to 35 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and the soup thickens slightly.
Step Five: Remove the bay leaf, season with salt and black pepper, and serve hot with crusty bread or crackers. The full printable recipe card is below.
What Type of Ground Turkey to Use
For the best balance of flavor and texture, go with 93% lean / 7% fat ground turkey. This version has just enough fat to stay juicy and flavorful but is still considered lean.
To make it even lighter, you can absolutely use 99% lean ground turkey. This will still yield a delicious turkey soup. I use this type of turkey in recipes all the time!
Prefer ground beef? Go for it! You might also enjoy my Hamburger Soup, Stuffed Cabbage Casserole, and Hamburger Potato Soup.
Substitutions & Variations
- Add grains: Stir in cooked brown rice or small pasta for a heartier meal.
- Add beans: Use black beans or kidney beans to make the soup even more filling.
- Swap proteins: You can substitute ground beef or shredded chicken if that’s what you have on hand! This recipe is so versatile!
- Extra veggies: Toss in baby spinach, sweet potatoes, kale, or zucchini for extra color and nutrients.
- Mix-up the seasonings: Swap the herbs for Italian seasoning to keep it simple and flavorful. For a little heat, add a pinch of crushed red pepper or a few drops of hot sauce to taste. I also have a helpful guide on how to season soup!
Crissy’s Best Tips
- Brown the turkey well: Let it sear a few minutes before stirring to develop flavor.
- Simmer long enough: Give the soup at least 30 minutes to let all the dried herbs and vegetables meld together.
- Adjust consistency: Add more chicken stock or vegetable broth if you prefer a thinner soup.
- Taste before serving: Seasoning varies depending on your broth’s sodium, so always taste near the end.
- Perfect for leftovers: This soup tastes even better the next day as the flavors continue to blend.
- Top it with cheese: What makes everything taste better? A big pile of cheese to melt on top!
Storing Ground Turkey Vegetable Soup
Refrigerator: Cool the soup completely, then transfer to an airtight container. It will keep for up to 4 days in the fridge. Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave, stirring occasionally.
Freezer: Portion into freezer-safe containers, leaving a little space at the top for expansion. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. This is the perfect freezer soup recipe!
Meal prep tip: This recipe freezes and reheats beautifully, so it’s perfect for quick easy meals during busy weeks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make Ground Turkey Soup in a slow cooker or Instant Pot?
Yes. For the slow cooker, add all ingredients and cook on low for 6–7 hours or on high for 3–4 hours. For the Instant Pot, use the sauté function to brown the turkey, then cook everything on high pressure for 10 minutes with a natural release.
Can I use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth?
Absolutely. Vegetable broth makes this an easy way to adapt the recipe for vegan soups—just skip the turkey and add beans for protein.
How do I keep the vegetables from getting too soft?
If you prefer vegetables with a little bite, cut them into larger pieces and cook until just al dente.
If you love this soup, try my Hamburger Potato Soup, Potato Corn Chowder, or Italian Wedding Soup next. They’re all hearty, easy, and perfect for cold days.
More Delicious Soup Recipes
- Crock Pot Cheesy Potato Soup
- Clean Eating Turkey Chili
- Crock Pot Vegetable Lentil Soup
- Cheesy Cauliflower Soup
Ground Turkey Vegetable Soup
Ingredients
- 1 lb. Ground Turkey 93% Lean 7% Fat, browned
- 1 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
- 2 large carrots sliced
- 2 stalks celery sliced
- 2 medium russet potatoes diced
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 can diced tomatoes 14 oz.
- 1 can tomato paste 6 oz.
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 can corn drained, 15 oz.
- 1 can green beans drained, 14 oz.
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large soup pot, brown the ground turkey over medium-high heat until fully cooked, breaking it apart as it cooks. Drain any excess fat and set the turkey aside.
- In the same pot, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the celery and carrots, cooking for 3–4 minutes until they begin to soften. Add the onion and cook another 3–4 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 1–2 minutes.
- Add the diced tomatoes, chicken broth, and tomato paste, stirring until everything is well combined.
- Return the cooked turkey to the pot along with the corn, green beans, thyme, oregano, potatoes, and bay leaf. Stir to blend.
- Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30–35 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
- Remove the bay leaf, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve warm.
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Delicious and healthy soup!!
So good on a cold winter’s night!
Delicious and easy to make.
Very good. I was a little more generous with spices!!
It’s the best!! I’ve made it twice and love to freeze it so we can have it later. Perfect when it starts to be one cooler outside, too. Soooo good!! 😋
Love this family favorite
I will make this again.