The No Fuss Full Flavour Lean Ground Turkey Garden Vegetable Soup

Lean Turkey Veggie Soup

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Preparation time:20 Mins

Cooking time:40 Mins

Servings:6 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 medium Yellow Onion, diced
• 2 medium Carrots, peeled and sliced
• 2 large Celery Stalks, sliced
• 4 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 lb Ground Turkey (93% lean or leaner)
• 1 tsp Dried Italian Seasoning
• 1/2 tsp Dried Thyme
• 1 tsp Kosher Salt (initial measurement)
• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper (initial measurement)
• 1 Tbsp Tomato Paste
• 8 cups Low-Sodium Chicken or Turkey Broth
• 1 (14.5 oz) can Diced Tomatoes, undrained
• 2 medium Potatoes (Yukon Gold or Russet), diced
• 1 1/2 cups Green Beans, trimmed and cut
• 1 cup Frozen Corn
• 1/4 cup Fresh Parsley, chopped

Instructions:

• Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook gently, stirring occasionally, until softened (about 6-8 minutes).
• Push vegetables to one side. Add tomato paste and cook for 1 minute until it darkens slightly. Add minced garlic, Italian seasoning, and thyme; cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
• Add ground turkey to the pot. Break it up thoroughly with a wooden spoon. Season lightly with initial salt and pepper. Cook until the turkey is fully browned and no longer pink (about 5-7 minutes). Drain off any excess liquid/fat if necessary.
• Pour in about 1 cup of broth and scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Add the remaining broth and the can of diced tomatoes (with their juice). Bring the mixture to a gentle boil.
• Add the diced potatoes. Reduce heat immediately to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for 15 minutes, or until potatoes are nearly tender.
• Stir in the green beans and corn. Continue to simmer for another 5-7 minutes, until the green beans are tender crisp and the corn is heated through.
• Taste the broth. Adjust salt and pepper as needed to balance the final flavour.
• Ladle the Ground Turkey Vegetable Soup into bowls and garnish generously with fresh chopped parsley before serving.

Nutrition Facts

Calories	1367 kcal
Protein	13.2 g
Fat	27.0 g
Carbs	73.6 g
Fiber	23.8 g
Sodium	497 mg

Recipe Info

Category	Soup
Cuisine	American

Why This Ground Turkey Vegetable Soup Is Your New Weeknight Essential

When the weather turns crisp, or perhaps you’re just looking for a genuinely satisfying meal that doesn’t require hours of stove time, turning to a robust soup is always the answer.

This recipe, designed around lean protein and an abundance of garden vegetables, is destined to become a staple in your rotation. We’ve focused intently on building deep, layered flavours within a refreshingly light structure, resulting in a Ground Turkey Vegetable Soup Recipe that proves healthy eating doesn't mean sacrificing taste.

It’s remarkably straightforward, proving that complexity on the palate doesn't necessitate complexity in the kitchen.

The Philosophy Behind Comforting Yet Lean Winter Warmth

The beauty of this dish lies in its balance. It delivers the deeply comforting experience of a slow simmered soup while relying on lean ingredients that keep the calorie count reasonable. We are aiming for satisfaction without heaviness, making it suitable for a lunchtime refuel or a light evening meal.

This thoughtful construction means you get all the flavour rewards without the lingering sluggishness often associated with richer winter fare.

Unpacking the Lightness: Lean Protein Meets Deep Broth

Central to this Healthy Ground Turkey Soup is the choice of protein. Ground turkey, particularly the 93% lean variety we recommend, provides an excellent source of protein that keeps you feeling full longer, all while minimizing saturated fat intake compared to traditional ground meats.

This lean base allows the true stars the vegetables and the herbaceous broth to shine through, rather than being masked by heavy fats. The final product offers a fantastic Ground Turkey Vegetable Soup Calories profile that supports mindful eating goals.

Perfectly Balanced Flavours for Busy Schedules

We understand that weeknights demand efficiency. This soup is intentionally structured to require only about 20 minutes of active preparation time. By utilizing time tested techniques like properly sautéing the aromatics first, we compress hours of simmering flavour into a manageable cooking window of under an hour.

This efficiency ensures that a genuinely wholesome Vegetable Soup With Ground Turkey is readily available even on your busiest days.

Beyond Boring: Elevating Simple Garden Ingredients

Too often, vegetable soups can feel like a collection of disparate ingredients floating aimlessly. Our approach ensures synergy. We use a foundational trio onion, carrot, and celery and enhance it with the concentrated flavour of tomato paste, which deepens the broth beautifully.

This method transforms simple garden fare into a cohesive, flavour forward Ground Turkey Veggie Soup . On top of that,, for those specifically avoiding tomatoes, rest assured this recipe offers a path toward a rich Ground Turkey Vegetable Soup No Tomato profile by leaning heavily on herbs and browned turkey fond.

Assembling Your Powerhouse Components for Hearty Soup

Creating exceptional soup begins long before the heat is turned on. It starts with selecting the right components that work in harmony, from the texture of the meat to the quality of the liquid base. Getting these elements right sets the stage for success.

Selecting the Ideal Ground Turkey and Aromatic Base

When sourcing your protein, aim for 93% lean ground turkey. If you opt for 99% lean, the soup might turn out slightly drier, as a little bit of fat aids in carrying flavour during the browning stage.

Your aromatic foundation, known classically as a mirepoix, must be precise: one medium yellow onion, two medium carrots, and two large celery stalks, all diced to roughly the same size to ensure they soften evenly during the initial sauté.

The Vegetable Medley: Chopping Strategy and Selection

For texture contrast, we use Yukon Gold potatoes, diced to about half an inch large enough to hold their shape during the simmer but small enough to cook through in time. We incorporate both frozen green beans and frozen corn, added later in the process to retain their vibrant colour and slight bite.

Remember, texture is just as important as flavour in a satisfying Turkey Veggie Soup .

Stock Secrets: Achieving Depth Without Heavy Fats

The broth is the soul of any good soup. We rely on 8 cups of low-sodium chicken or turkey broth. Because we are avoiding heavy cream or rendered animal fats, the quality of this stock is paramount.

A rich, flavourful broth will carry the herbs and seasonings throughout the entire dish, forming a truly cohesive flavour experience.

Optional Boosters: Adding Texture with Rice or Lentils

While this core recipe is naturally light, if you desire more substance, consider adding texture. A cup of orzo pasta added toward the end transforms the soup subtly, or for an even greater boost in fibre and staying power, a cup of rinsed red lentils can be added with the main broth; they break down slightly, naturally thickening the mixture.

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The Step-by-Step Guide to Building Your Ground Turkey Vegetable Soup

This recipe moves logically, building flavour layer upon layer. Success hinges on patience during the initial browning and softening stages before liquids are introduced.

Browning the Turkey: The Crucial First Sauté

Begin by heating 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add your diced onion, carrots, and celery. Allow these vegetables to sweat gently for 6 to 8 minutes until they begin to soften and the onions turn translucent.

Next, introduce the 1 pound of ground turkey to the pot. Use a wooden spoon to break the meat apart thoroughly as it cooks. Season it lightly at this stage with about 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper.

Continue cooking until the turkey is uniformly browned and no pink remains, which usually takes about 5 to 7 minutes.

Layering Aromatics and Building the Flavor Foundation

Once the turkey is browned, create a small space in the center of the pot and add 1 tablespoon of tomato paste. Allow this paste to cook directly on the hot metal for about one minute; this caramelization deepens its sweetness, a critical step often overlooked.

Immediately stir in 1 teaspoon of dried Italian seasoning and 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme, cooking just until fragrant about 30 seconds so the essential oils bloom into the fat.

The Gentle Cook: Achieving Tender Vegetables

Now, for the liquid. Pour in about 1 cup of your 8 cups of broth and use your spoon to scrape up any flavourful browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot this is called deglazing and is non-negotiable for a flavourful Ground Turkey Vegetable Soup .

Add the rest of the broth along with one 14.5-ounce can of undrained diced tomatoes. Bring the mixture just to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Add the diced potatoes.

Allow this base to simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are just yielding when pierced with a fork.

Final Adjustments and Tasting for Perfection

After the potatoes have cooked down, stir in 1 1/2 cups of trimmed green beans and 1 cup of frozen corn. Continue simmering for another 5 to 7 minutes until the green beans are tender crisp. The final step is tasting. Taste the broth; this is where you adjust the final salt and pepper levels.

Because the liquids have reduced slightly, your seasonings will be more concentrated, providing the final polish to your soup.

Simmering Science: Developing Maximum Flavour

The simmering phase is where patience pays off. It’s not about aggressive boiling; it's about the gentle marriage of ingredients. Low, slow heat allows the starches from the potatoes to release slightly, thickening the liquid naturally, and ensures the turkey meat absorbs the herbal notes of the broth rather than becoming tough.

Maximizing Freshness and Storage for Leftover Soup

One of the greatest advantages of a recipe like this Ground Turkey Vegetable Soup is how well it keeps. It’s fantastic the next day, as the flavours have more time to meld overnight. Store cooled leftovers in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to four days.

Freezing and Reheating for Future Weeknights

This soup freezes beautifully, making it ideal for batch cooking. Allow the soup to cool completely before transferring it to freezer safe, airtight containers or heavy duty freezer bags (leaving about an inch of headspace for expansion).

Frozen, this Ground Turkey Vegetable Soup Crock Pot -style meal will maintain quality for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a splash of water or broth if it seems too thick upon reheating.

Creative Twists: Customizing Your Turkey Soup Experience

While the classic version is sublime, adaptability is key in the home kitchen. Don't feel restricted to the vegetables listed; this framework supports many substitutions.

Nutritional Snapshot: Fueling Up the Healthy Way

For those monitoring intake, rest assured that this recipe delivers significant nutritional value. With high protein counts hovering around 30 grams per serving and a wealth of vitamins from the dense vegetable load, this is truly an energizing meal.

The estimated Ground Turkey Vegetable Soup Calories keep it accessible for almost any diet plan.

Spice It Up: Introducing Global Flavours to Your Bowl

If you crave a different character for your Ground Turkey Vegetable Soup Instant Pot version (if you choose to adapt it for pressure cooking), swap the Italian seasoning for smoked paprika, a pinch of cumin, and a dash of chipotle powder for a smoky, Southwestern flair.

A squeeze of lime juice at the end brightens these bolder spices wonderfully.

Thickening Techniques: From Broth to Heartier Stew

If you find yourself preferring a stew over a broth, there are easy ways to adjust density. Instead of using a full cup of broth when deglazing, use 1/4 cup of water mixed with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch or flour.

Whisk this slurry into the simmering pot during the last 5 minutes to achieve a noticeably thicker consistency, turning your soup into a substantial stew.