Turkey Vegetable Soup is a great way to use up leftovers after Thanksgiving. This comforting and nutritious soup is easy to make and perfect for a fall or winter evening.
This flavorful turkey soup is full of veggies and the turkey provides lots of protein. It is all cooked in one pot. It’s quick enough to make on a weeknight and filling enough for any meal of the day.
It’s also a great meal prep recipe because it can be divided into individual servings and kept for healthy lunches. Reheat it for just a minute in the microwave to have a hearty lunch anywhere.
Ingredients to Make Turkey Vegetable Soup
Pancetta (or Bacon): I love crispy pancetta on top of my soup but if you don’t have it, you can simply throw in some bacon if you’re feeling it.
Vegetables: Toss in some medium carrots, celery stalks and onions for that savory base and aromatic goodness. You can also add some green beans, diced tomatoes, corn, spinach and chopped kale.
Butternut Squash: Make this turkey vegetable soup hearty with chunks of butternut squash, adding a creamy texture to the mix.
Passata (or any Tomato Sauce): Use passata or whatever tomato sauce you’ve got to add extra flavor to your soup.
Chicken Broth or turkey broth: I love making my own broth but you can use store-bought broth too.
Seasonings: Sprinkle in some Italian seasoning and season it up just right with a pinch of salt and a dash of black pepper. You can also use cloves garlic and bay leaf.
Leftover Turkey (or Chicken): Use those leftover roasted turkey from your Thanksgiving dinner or freshly cooked chicken to add some protein.
Fresh Parsley for Garnishing: Top it off with a handful of fresh parsley for a pop of color.
Instructions to Make Turkey Soup
Cooking the Pancetta (or Bacon): In a large stock pot over, cook pancetta until it becomes crisp. If using bacon, cook until it’s browned. Remove any excess fat, leaving about a tablespoon in the pot.
Sautéing the Vegetables: Add diced carrots, celery, and onions to the pot. Sauté until the vegetables are softened and emit a fragrant aroma.
Adding Butternut Squash and Tomato Base: Stir in butternut squash, cooking for an additional 3-5 minutes to allow slight caramelization. Pour in passata or any tomato sauce, ensuring it mixes well with the vegetables. Then, add chicken broth to the pot and mix all well.
Incorporating leftover turkey meat: Season the soup and then bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Add cooked turkey or chicken (shredded or diced) into the soup. Simmer for an additional 5-10 minutes to meld the flavors.
Adjusting Seasoning and Final Touch: Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning to your preference. Serve the soup hot, garnished with a generous sprinkle of freshly chopped parsley.
Expert Tips
Saute Aromatics First: This builds a flavorful base for your turkey vegetable soup. Allow the vegetables to soften and release their natural sweetness before adding other ingredients.
Fresh Herbs at the End: While Italian seasoning adds a great base, consider adding a handful of fresh herbs like parsley, thyme, or rosemary towards the end of the cooking process.
Lemon Zest Finishing Touch: Enhance the turkey vegetable soup’s brightness by adding a sprinkle of fresh lemon zest just before serving.
What can I do with my turkey carcass? Turn those bones into stock! You can do this in a crock pot or pressure cooker. Use the stock in place of store bought chicken broth in this recipe.
What To Serve With
Dinner Rolls: Enjoy your turkey vegetable soup with a side of warm, crusty bread or soft dinner rolls for dipping.
Side Salad: Freshen up the meal with a simple side salad, like my arugula salad.
Cheese and Crackers: Create a delightful board cheese and low-carb cracker, and maybe some sliced fruit. It’s a perfect balance of textures and flavors.
More Turkey Soup Recipes to Try:
Turkey Vegetable Soup Recipe
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Ingredients
- ½ cup pancetta you can use bacon if you don’t find pancetta
- 1 cup carrots diced
- 1 cup celery diced
- 1 cup onions diced
- 2 cups butternut squash peeled and diced
- ½ cup passata or any tomato sauce
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt and black pepper
- 2 cups cooked turkey or chicken shredded or diced
- Fresh parsley for garnishing chopped
Instructions
- In a large pot, add pancetta or bacon and sauté until it’s cooked. Remove it from the pot, set aside and leave the fat that came out from the pancetta in the pot.
- Add carrots, celery and onion. Cook for about 5 minutes until onions are soft. Then, add butternut squash and mix well.
- Add passata, chicken broth, Italian seasoning, salt and black pepper. Bring it to a boil then simmer partially covered for 10-15 minutes.
- Add cooked turkey or chicken and cook for more 10 minutes or until all the veggies are cooked and tender.
- Serve soup in 4 bowls and top with cooked pancetta and fresh parsley. Enjoy!
Tips
- Make sure to dice all the vegetables uniformly so they cook evenly.
- Bacon is a great alternative to pancetta if you cannot find it.
- If you do not have chicken broth, you can use vegetable broth.
- To store: Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- To reheat: Reheat the soup in the microwave or on the stovetop until hot.
- To freeze: Freeze the soup for up to 3 months. Make sure you leave space when freezing as liquid expands as it freezes.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.
Mark Pankratz says
Love this soup, served it to guests and they just about licked the pot dry!
Olivia Ribas says
That’s awesome. Happy to hear that 😉