Lentil Turkey Soup

Name: Lentil Turkey Soup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 medium onion, diced; 2 carrots, chopped; 2 celery stalks, chopped; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 1 pound 90% lean ground turkey; ½ teaspoon smoked paprika; ½ teaspoon ground cumin; 1 14.5-ounce can chopped tomatoes, with the juice; 1 cup green or brown lentils, rinsed well in a fine-mesh colander; 4 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth or chicken broth; ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped; Salt and pepper, to taste

by Carrie Forrest, MPH in Nutrition on Dec 14, 2021 (updated: 8/30/22)

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This comforting Lentil Turkey Soup is easy to make, plus it’s low-fat and nutritious. Add this delicious soup recipe to your weekly meal plan. This is a 30 minute soup recipe.

Once the weather turns chilly, it’s officially soup season.

You can make soups for lunch or dinner meals. I’ve made this one with ground turkey but you can just as easily use leftover shredded cooked turkey as well. Brown lentils are perfect for soup because they don’t turn mushy or need to be soaked.

This one-pot meal is done in 30 minutes which is quick but especially for soup. The veggies are sautéed then cooked with ground turkey and simmered with lentils and broth. Comforting and nutritious, turkey and lentil soup tastes even better the next day which makes it perfect for meal prepping!

Contents hide

1 Why You Need This Recipe

2 Key Ingredients

3 Recipe Steps

4 Recipe Tips & Substitutions

5 FAQs

6 Other Soup Recipes You Might Like

7 Lentil Turkey Soup

Why You Need This Recipe

Ground turkey and lentils are both high in protein. One serving of this soup has a whopping 26 grams of protein.
It’s done in 30 minutes! That’s less time than it takes to pick up take-out and bring it home.
This recipe is forgiving and customizable. If you’re missing a veggie then leave it out. Alternatively, if you have other veggies throw them in! You could also change the spices, add curry powder if you like, or use leftover turkey instead of ground turkey.

Key Ingredients

Ground turkey – Ground turkey is affordable and leaner than ground beef which makes it a healthy, budget-friendly option. If you want to use up your leftover turkey from the holidays that works too. Add the leftover turkey at the end and simmer until hot – about three extra minutes.

Brown lentils – Purchase brown or green lentils for this recipe. Red lentils tend to dissolve when cooked. No need to soak them but a quick rinse will get rid of debris.

Vegetable broth – I almost always use broth for soups and stews because it adds so much flavor in one ingredient. They can be high in sodium though so it’s best to purchase reduced sodium vegetable broth. Chicken broth or beef broth work great too but have a different flavor profile.

Vegetables – I’ve used carrots, celery, and onion here but onions and mushrooms would also be great. Just be sure to cut the potatoes small so they fully cook.

Tomatoes – Tomatoes add sweetness and acidity that pairs with the broth to make the base for this soup. You could use tomato paste if you don’t have canned tomatoes.

Spices – Paprika, cumin, salt and black pepper add warmth and flavor, but you can add the spices you love. Curry powder would make an excellent addition to this soup.

Recipe Steps

Step One

In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the vegetables and garlic and sauté for a few minutes, stirring occasionally.

Please see the recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredients and measurements.

Step Two

Add the ground turkey and spices to the vegetables. Use a spatula to break up the turkey as it cooks.

how to make lentil soup with ground turkey

Step Three

After cooking the turkey for a few minutes, add the chopped tomatoes, lentils, and broth. Stir to combine.

Step Four

Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Let the soup simmer for 15 minutes or until the lentils have softened and the soup has thickened.

Step Five

Remove the lid, turn off the heat, and stir in the parsley and season. If you aren’t on a dairy-free diet, you could add some parmesan cheese on top.

Enjoy hot!

I hope your family loves this healthy meal as much as mine does.

Recipe Tips & Substitutions

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Or freeze any leftovers for up to 2 months.
This recipe is very forgiving. If you are missing any of the vegetable ingredients, just leave them out.
If you want to use leftover Thanksgiving turkey in place of ground turkey add it to the pot after the lentil soup simmers. Stir in the turkey and let it simmer for an additional three to four minutes until hot and cooked through.

FAQs

Can I use red lentils for this recipe?

Green or brown lentils are best for this recipe as red or yellow lentils tend to be too mushy when cooked.

Can you freeze lentil turkey soup?

Yes! It’s easy to freeze. Pour the leftovers into a freezer safe container and label with the date. For best results use within two months of freezing. Place the frozen soup in the fridge to thaw or place it into a pot on low until thawed then simmer for a couple minutes before enjoying.

two bowls of lentil turkey soup with parsley

Other Soup Recipes You Might Like

Or, see all of my dairy-free soup recipes.

I hope you make this recipe! If you do, please leave a comment and a starred review below.

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