Hearty Ground Turkey Soup with Vegetables

Hearty ground turkey soup with vegetables is a clean and comforting meal perfect for soothing the belly and soul. Make it if you’re feeling under the weather, or if you just love a great nourishing soup recipe!

This is a curl-up-on-the-couch-in-your-fuzzy-socks-when-it’s-snowing-outside kind of soup. 

Or a clean cold-busting remedy that tastes amazing but isn’t your typical chicken noodle soup soup.

I made this hearty soup on repeat back when my IBS was at its worst. It was one of my favorite recipes for soothing my belly while making me feel energized and satisfied.

Ever since I first made it, this healthy ground turkey soup recipe has been one of my favorite weeknight meals that instantly satisfies the soul.

It can also serve as the ultimate breakup soup, the sultry love soup, the soup to uplift, soup for the full heart, a meal to enhance your already bodacious bod, and/or the soup to heal all wounds.

If you enjoy hearty soups, you’re bound to love this healthy recipe.

All things considered, this ground turkey soup recipe is:

Recipe Highlights

• Gluten-Free and Grain-Free
• Dairy-Free, yet nice and creamy
• Paleo
• Whole30
• Filling and comforting, yet easy on the digestive system

Let’s discuss the healthy ingredients in this delicious soup, as each one plays and important role.

Ingredients for Ground Turkey Soup:

Bacon: Thick-cut bacon is cooked to crispy perfection to add tremendous flavor to the soup. The bacon fat is then used to sauté the vegetables and cook the ground turkey meat.

If you don’t do bacon, replace the bacon with 2 tablespoons of avocado oil or olive oil. I use bacon that is nitrate-free and sugar-free.

Yellow Onion: Bringing robust flavor to the soup, some fresh onion goes a long way in boosting the flavor profile. If you’re a garlic lover, add in 3 cloves of minced garlic.

Lean Ground Turkey: The star of the show! Ground turkey brings a big boost of lean protein without adding additional fat to the soup. I often use ground turkey Italian sausage instead of ground turkey breast for added flavor.

This high-protein soup recipe is so pleasing on the belly.

Yukon Gold Potatoes: Adding cozy carbs to this healthy soup recipe, baby yukon gold potatoes are added in. Swap them for red potatoes, russet potatoes, sweet potato, or skip them for a low-carb soup recipe.

Carrots: A couple carrots bring a touch of sweetness and soft texture to this healthy ground turkey recipe.

Zucchini: Fresh zucchini squash adds bulk to the recipe, in addition to some fiber and nutrients. Swap zucchini for yellow squash if you’d like.

Chicken Broth: Use your favorite chicken broth, chicken stock, vegetable broth, or even beef stock for the liquid in this delicious ground turkey soup recipe.

Full-Fat Canned Coconut Milk: A huge flavor enhancer, full-fat canned coconut milk brings silky smooth texture and rich flavor.

Be sure to use full-fat coconut milk from the can. I don’t recommend replacing this with any other type of non-dairy milk as there isn’t enough fat content in other kinds of plant-based milks.

You can use 2 cups of half & half instead of coconut milk if you do dairy.

Baby Spinach: Bringing an infusion of antioxidants, iron, and folate, fresh spinach boosts the nutrient profile of this healthy dinner recipe.

Sea Salt: Add sea salt to your personal taste.

Optional Additions or Changes:

• If you enjoy the flavor of tomato based soups, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of tomato paste or one can of diced tomatoes.
• For my bean lovers, add one can of white beans, black beans, or garbanzo beans.
• Mix it up with various veggies, including bell pepper, green beans, sweet corn, or broccoli.
• Add ⅓ cup white rice or brown rice.
• Leave out the potatoes for low-carb (or replace them with cauliflower).
• Skip the onion to make the recipe low-FODMAP.
• Omit the bacon and use 2 tablespoons of avocado oil if you don’t have bacon on hand.
• Add sun-dried tomatoes or artichoke hearts.
• Stir in 2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning for some herby flavor.
• Drizzle your bowl of soup with lemon juice or lime juice, or add lemon zest and lemon juice to the soup pot.
• Substitute other leafy greens like kale or chard for the spinach.
• Thicken the soup by adding gluten-free all-purpose flour, regular all-purpose flour, or cornstarch.

Now that we’ve covered the simple ingredients for ground turkey vegetable soup, let’s whip it up!

How to Make Ground Turkey Soup:

Heat a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat and add the chopped bacon. Cook until much of the fat has rendered, about 2 to 3 minutes. 

Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes.

Scoot the onions off to the side of the pot and add the ground turkey (or sausage). Brown for 2 minutes, flip, and brown another 1 to 2 minutes. Use a spatula to chop the meat into smaller pieces.

Add the remaining ingredients except the spinach to the pot. Cover, and bring to a full boil. Reduce the heat to a gentle boil and continue cooking 20 to 30 minutes, until potatoes are cooked through.

Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted, about another 2 to 3 minutes.

Serve the soup with your favorite gluten-free cornbread, gluten-free sandwich bread or cheese and herb Irish soda bread, and enjoy!

This hearty ground turkey recipe tastes even better the next day and the 3-4 days following prep. Feel free to make it in advance to allow extra flavor to develop!

How to Store Soup:

Store leftover turkey soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

This recipe also freezes very well! I suggest double bagging the soup in two large zip lock bags or freezer bags. Freeze for up to 3 months.

This great recipe can also be prepared in the pressure cooker or slow cooker in addition to a large stock pot.

Instant Pot Instructions:

Follow the first three steps in the recipe card below using the sauté mode on your Instant Pot.

Add the rest of the ingredients to the pressure cooker except for the spinach. Secure the lid and cook on high pressure for 8 minutes.

Use the quick release valve to relieve the pressure. Once all the pressure is out, open the lid and add the spinach. Replace the lid and allow the spinach to sit in the hot soup until wilted, about 3 minutes. Stir well and serve!

Slow Cooker Instructions:

Follow steps 1-3 in the recipe card below using a skillet. Transfer the browned meat to the bottom of your crock pot. Add in the rest of the ingredients except for the spinach.

Secure the lid and cook on High heat for 4 hours or low heat for 5-6 hours. For al dente vegetables, add the zucchini in when there is two hours left of cooking. If you cook the zucchini the whole time, it will become very soft.

Stir in the spinach, close the lid, and let it sit until the spinach wilts, about 3 to 5 minutes. Serve with any toppings like cheese, sour cream, or green onion, and enjoy!

The best thing about this flavorful soup is it only requires a few minutes of active prep time and wholesome ingredients you can find at any grocery store. The whole family is guaranteed to love it during the colder months of the year.

If you’re looking for more healing soup recipes, try these reader favorites!

More Healthy Soup Recipes:

• Immunity-Boosting Turmeric Chicken Soup
• Instant Pot Paleo Pumpkin Chili
• Ground Beef and Cabbage Soup
• Instant Pot Steak and Potato Soup
• Zucchini and Yellow Squash Soup
• Italian Wedding Soup with Rice
• Ground Turkey Taco Soup
• Vegetable Soup Recipe

Enjoy this delicious recipe during soup season or any time of year when a comfort food craving strikes.

Ground Turkey Soup with Vegetables

4.52 from 413 votes

By Julia

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 30 minutes mins

Total: 45 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

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Ground turkey soup with vegetables and coconut milk for a creamy, satisfying meal. This nourishing turkey soup recipe is perfect for putting on repeat during the cold months of the year! Mix it up with your favorite vegetables.

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Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 4 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
• ▢ 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• ▢ 1 lb ground turkey, *
• ▢ 3 small yukon gold potatoes, chopped
• ▢ 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
• ▢ 1 medium zucchini squash, chopped
• ▢ 4 cups chicken broth
• ▢ 1 (15-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
• ▢ 3 cups baby spinach
• ▢ 1/2 tsp sea salt

Instructions 

• Heat a dutch oven or large pot over medium heat and add the chopped bacon. Cook until much of the fat has rendered, about 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Scoot the onions off to the side of the pot and add the ground turkey (or sausage). Brown for 2 minutes, flip, and brown another 1 to 2 minutes. Use a spatula to chop the meat into smaller pieces.
• Add the remaining ingredients except the spinach to the pot, cover, and bring to a full boil. Reduce the heat to a gentle boil and continue cooking 20 to 30 minutes, until potatoes are cooked through. Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted, about another 2 to 3 minutes.

Notes

*You can also use ground sausage (I like ground turkey Italian sausage), ground chicken, or ground beef.

Nutrition

Serving: 1of 6, Calories: 408kcal, Carbohydrates: 22g, Protein: 25g, Fat: 21g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 67mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 2g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!

I originally shared this recipe on February 26, 2020. I added information to the post to be more helpful, but the recipe itself remains the same.