Lentil Turkey Soup
A hearty, healthy, and delicious soup that is full of flavor with low-fat turkey and thick with veggies. You can use leftover turkey or start from raw, ground turkey.
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Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 254kcal
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ pound ground turkey or 1-1/2 cups shredded leftover turkey
- 1 medium white onion finely chopped
- 3 to 4 large carrots finely chopped
- 2 celery stalks finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1-½ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 pound lentils rinsed
- 12 cups chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 cans of diced tomatoes 14 ounces each
- ¼ cup fresh chopped parsley
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- 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
- Before using the lentils, sort through them and make sure there are not any small pebbles in the lot. Give them a rinse under running water to wash off any debris.
- The cooking time will vary depending on the type of lentils you use and how long they have been sitting on the shelf. Older, expired lentils can take considerably longer to soften.
- A simmer is just below the boiling point. You should see small bubbles come to the surface when the soup is simmering. If you have the heat turned down too low, it will take longer for the lentils to get soft.
- Another reason to avoid old, expired lentils is that they will lose their flavor over time. For the best flavor, use lentils that have not reached their expiration date and keep them stored in an airtight container.
- Do not add the tomatoes and lemon juice until after the lentils get soft. The acid in the tomatoes and lemon juice can inhibit the lentils from cooking. The small amount of tomato paste has never impacted the cooking time of the lentils. (Contrary to some opinions, salt will not prevent the lentils from cooking).
- You can freeze this soup in freezer-proof containers for up to 6 months. You may need to add a bit more broth when you thaw the soup.
- Variations: add 2 cups diced zucchini or chopped spinach along with the carrots and celery. Swap out the ground turkey for turkey sausage. Stir in 2 to 3 tablespoons of Harissa paste when you add the tomato paste.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 254kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 6g | Sodium: 1063mg