Turkey Lentil Soup

Our turkey Lentil soup is perfect for a quick and filling weeknight dinner. Make it with ground turkey or leftover roast turkey, and you’ve got a protein-packed, one-pot soup that’s cozy enough for any day of the week.

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If you enjoy this hearty turkey lentil soup, you’ll want to try my Beef Lentil Soup, too. It’s rich, cozy, and just as satisfying

We love all the layers of flavor in this lentil turkey soup. It begins with a mirepoix, a combination of cooked carrots, onion, and celery. The soup also includes some of our favorite seasonings, such as fresh thyme, cumin, and bay leaves. You can smell and taste all the flavors in the broth, and the lentils and turkey give it added texture.

Why This Turkey Lentil Soup Recipe Works

Bright flavor: A squeeze of lemon juice adds just enough acidity to balance the flavors and brighten the soup.

Freezer-friendly: Pack leftovers in reusable containers and freeze for up to 6 months. When reheating, add a splash of broth if the soup thickens after thawing.

Tastes even better the next day: This soup reheats beautifully, making it perfect for meal prep.

One-pot meal: Lentil turkey soup comes together in a single pot. Serve it with focaccia bread or a slice of hearty rye bread for dipping, and you’ve got a filling meal that won’t weigh you down.

Budget-friendly: A great option for feeding a crowd without spending much.

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This delicious lamb soup, full of savory vegetables and chunks of lamb, is the perfect meal to nourish your body and soul.

Our yellow pea soup is hearty and flavorful. Smoked ham hocks and a savory broth give it a rich, smoky flavor.

Lentil Turkey Soup

This turkey lentil soup is the kind of meal that makes you feel good about dinner. It’s all about simple ingredients, big flavor, and hardly any fuss. Whether you’re using leftover turkey or cooking a fresh batch with ground turkey, it’s hearty, flexible, and full of flavor.

Keep a batch in the freezer for easy meal prep lunches or quick dinners on busy nights. It’s homemade comfort food that never gets old.

Prep Time: 45 minutes mins

Cook Time: 40 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

5 from 7 votes

Lentil Turkey Soup

By Pat Nyswonger

This turkey lentil soup is cozy, hearty, and full of rich flavor from tender turkey, earthy lentils, and plenty of vegetables. You can use leftover shredded turkey or ground turkey.

If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating and comment.

Servings: 12 servings

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Ingredients 

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• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ ½ pound ground turkey, or 1½ cups shredded leftover turkey
• ▢ 1 white onion, finely chopped
• ▢ 3 to 4 large carrots, finely chopped
• ▢ 2 stalks celery , finely chopped
• ▢ 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground pepper
• ▢ 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• ▢ 1 pound dried lentils, rinsed
• ▢ 12 cups chicken broth
• ▢ 2 tablespoons Fresh thyme, chopped
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ▢ 2 bay leaves
• ▢ 2 (15 ounce) can canned diced tomatoes, 14 ounces each
• ▢ ¼ cup fresh chopped parsley
• ▢ 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

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Instructions 

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• Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot set over medium heat. Once hot, add the ground turkey and cook for 2-3 minutes (if you are using leftover turkey, heat it for 30 to 60 seconds).
  
• Add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, salt, and pepper to the pot. Sauté until the vegetables are slightly soft, approximately 6 to 7 minutes. Add the tomato paste and stir to coat the vegetables and turkey.
  
• Add the lentils, broth, thyme, cumin, and bay leaves and stir to combine. Increase the heat to high and bring just to a boil.
  
• Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook at a low simmer until the lentils are tender, approximately 20 to 35 minutes, depending on the type of lentils you have (if you are using split lentils, cooking time will only be 15 to 20 minutes).
  
• Stir in the canned tomatoes and cook for 5 to 10 minutes until heated through. Stir in the parsley and lemon juice.

Notes

Sort and rinse the lentils: Before cooking, sort through the lentils to remove any small pebbles or debris, then rinse them under running water.

Cooking time varies: The cook time depends on the type and age of your lentils. Older or expired lentils can take much longer to soften.

Maintain a gentle simmer: A simmer is just below boiling. Look for small bubbles breaking the surface. If the heat is too low, the lentils will take longer to cook.

Use fresh lentils for the best flavor: Lentils lose flavor over time, so use ones that haven’t expired and store them in an airtight container.

Add acid after cooking: Wait to stir in the diced tomatoes and lemon juice until the lentils are soft. The acid can keep them from cooking properly. (The small amount of tomato paste won’t cause an issue, and despite what you may have heard, salt doesn’t stop lentils from softening.)

Freezing instructions: Store the soup in freezer-safe containers for up to 6 months. When reheating, add a splash of broth if it thickens after thawing.

Variations: Add 2 cups of diced zucchini or chopped spinach with the carrots and celery. Swap the ground turkey for turkey sausage, or stir in 2 to 3 tablespoons of harissa paste with the tomato paste.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup, Calories: 254kcal, Carbohydrates: 30g, Protein: 20g, Fat: 6g, Sodium: 1063mg

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

Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!

This post was originally published on September 24, 2014.