Turkey Vegetable Soup

 

This is one of the go-to soups I make when I need to detox after an indulgent weekend. It’s full of veggies and is low in fat. The combination of protein and fiber will keep you feeling full. It’s a versatile soup. You can change the ingredients depending on what you have in the pantry. Chicken works well instead of turkey. Squash and zucchini are good additions, but they need to be added toward the end of cooking, so they don’t become mushy.  I prefer to use canned whole tomatoes in this recipe because they break down better during cooking. Canned diced tomatoes have calcium chloride as a preservative to help them stay firm. Whole tomatoes don’t have this preservative, so they break down better. For this recipe, I’m going to make broth with bones left over from a rotisserie chicken. The prepacked broth will work if you don't have time to make your own. Fresh broth elevates the flavor and is a great way to cut down on food waste. I save chicken bones in the freezer to pull out for soup stock. The soup takes about an hour to an hour and a half to cook. If you're making your own broth, you'll need to add another hour to the total cook time.  

 Ingredients: 

1 cup of cooked chopped turkey

1 onion

1 red bell pepper

3 celery stalks

2 carrots

1 parsnip

1 garlic clove

1/3 cup of frozen peas

1/3 cup of frozen corn

1 15 oz can of whole tomatoes

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 15 oz can great northern beans

32 oz of turkey or chicken broth

 

Seasoning: 

2 tsp tarragon

2 tsp marjoram

2 tsp cumin

2 tsp smoked paprika

1/ tsp red pepper flakes

3-4 bay leaves

Chopped fresh parsley

Salt & pepper to taste

Steps:

We're going to start by preparing the stock. Use the scraps of the vegetables you chopped up for the soup: Onion, carrots, celery, and leafy tops. Add them to the stock pot. I had green tops from a bunch of radishes in the fridge and parsley that needed to be used, so I added those in as well. 

I'm using leftover bones from a rotisserie chicken from a couple of weeks ago. I pulled the bones out of the freezer and added them to the pot. No need to thaw it out first.  Fill the pot with water to the top of the ingredients. They don't have to be completely submerged its ok if some of the ingredients are poking out like an iceberg. Add in salt, pepper, and a few bay leaves. Cumin, mustard seeds, and red pepper flakes are also good to use for seasoning. Be generous with the salt.  

Bring it to a boil, cover and turn down the heat to a simmer. Simmer for about an hour. Once the broth turns cloudy, it's ready to go. Do a quick taste test. If it tastes bland, odds are it needs more salt. Turn off the heat and let it cool down. Discard the bones and veggies.

Now for the soup. Chop all of the veggies into bite-size pieces. 

 

Sauté the onion in olive oil and a sprinkle of kosher salt until it becomes translucent. Add a sprinkle of kosher salt after each ingredient is added. It will layer the seasoning. 

 

Add the tomato paste to the onion. Continue sauteing until the tomato paste becomes fragrant.

 

Add in the carrots, celery, and bell pepper. Sauté a few minutes.  Add in the frozen corn and peas. 

Add in the tomatoes and liquid from the can. I cut the tomatoes up in the can with my kitchen shears. It's less messy. 

 

Add in the rinsed beans.  

Add the broth. If I'm using broth I just made, I'll put a mesh strainer on top of the pot and pour the broth through it to catch any leftover bones or debris.  

Add in your seasoning. The amounts don't need to be exact. Most of the time I eyeball it when I'm making this soup. Bring the soup to a boil. Cover and turn down the heat to a simmer. Simmer for an hour to an hour and a half until the veggies are tender. Taste and see if it needs any more seasoning. 

This soup pairs well with cornbread or crusty wheat bread. Try adding a tablespoon of fresh pesto or Greek yogurt to the top before serving. 

One of life's truths is you can't make a little soup. Since it's just me and my husband in our household, we have a lot left over. After the soup cools down, I store it in little containers. I'll put a few in the fridge for lunch during the week and a few in the freezer for later.