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This cozy, budget-friendly ground turkey soup is loaded with carrots, celery, peas, white beans, tomatoes, and crisp bacon. It's an easy, one-pot, weeknight dinner that uses staple ingredients and is perfect for meal prep, family dinners, or freezing for later.
Why You'll Make This Ground Turkey Soup on Repeat
- I make everything in one pot (Dutch oven) - minimal cleanup. You can also use an Instant Pot or Slow Cooker (instructions provided for all 3 methods).
- I use pantry staples to make a restaurant-quality soup that will remind you of a meal from Olive Garden. And, don't miss my other easy, delicious soups!
- It's also dairy-free, gluten-free, protein-rich, high in fiber, and low in carbs. I deliberately made sure this soup is protein-packed & satisfying with generous amounts of ground turkey + white beans.
- Make it all year long! I make it mostly in fall/winter for cold-weather comfort, but it's versatile year-round - swap in summer zucchini or corn, spring greens, or extra herbs.
- Perfect for guests & kid-approved: Mild seasoning, familiar veggies, and crusty bread on the side - great for casual entertaining, game day, or packing in a thermos for lunches. Just like my sausage potato soup and lemon chicken orzo soup.
The Ingredients & Substitutions
- Bacon: Italian sausage, pancetta, or even Mexican chorizo could work for this recipe! Just keep in mind Mexican chorizo is quite salty and greasy, so make sure to limit how much you put into this soup.
- Ground turkey: Ground beef, pork, lamb, or chicken can be switched out with the turkey!
- Italian seasoning: Fresh herbs work well, too! 1 tablespoon of thyme, oregano, or rosemary would be a great addition or swap! These seasonings work great in most of my soups!
- Tomatoes: You can use regular crushed or diced tomatoes or even fresh tomatoes if you like!
- Chicken stock: Veggie stock or even water would work just as well.
- Beans: Any hearty, pre-cooked bean works in this recipe! Have a stash of heirloom beans you've been meaning to use? Throw them into this soup! Peeled and diced potatoes could also be a great option.
- Peas: Chopped fresh (not canned) green beans would be a solid stand-in for peas! Even chopped asparagus could work!
The Best Turkey Soup for Meal Prep
This ground turkey soup is ideal for meal prep: it cools quickly, portions neatly into airtight containers, and keeps fresh in the fridge for up to 4 days - perfect for grab-and-go lunches or easy weeknight dinners. It also freezes beautifully for up to 3 months. I use flat freezer bags or quart containers, then thaw overnight and warm through. Bonus: the beans and tomatoes actually get cozier by day two, so it tastes even better as the week goes on. As always, add the garnish (fresh parsley) right before serving.
FAQ (You Ask, I Answer)
- Can I use leftover turkey? Yes - stir in 3-4 cups of shredded cooked turkey when you add the peas so it doesn't dry out. Skip the browning step and add 1 tablespoon oil before sautéing the veg.
- How do I make it dairy-free and gluten-free? It's naturally dairy-free. Use certified GF stock and serve with GF bread or over rice to keep it gluten-free.
- Vegetarian version? Swap turkey for lentils or extra beans, use veggie stock, and skip bacon or add smoked salt - I've tested it, and the flavors hold up amazingly for meatless Mondays.
- How can I add more veggies? I often add diced zucchini, mushrooms, spinach, kale, or chopped cabbage. Add hardy veg with the carrots/celery; stir tender greens in at the end.
- It's too thick - what do I do? Add stock or water ½ cup at a time until it's the consistency you like. Recheck salt after thinning.
- How do I thicken it if too brothy? Easy fix I swear by: Mash a cup of beans against the pot side or simmer uncovered 10 extra minutes; for creamier, stir in a cornstarch slurry but keep it light.
Ground Turkey Soup
This cozy, budget-friendly ground turkey soup is loaded with carrots, celery, peas, white beans, tomatoes, and crisp bacon. It's an easy, one-pot, weeknight dinner that uses staple ingredients and makes 6 hearty servings perfect for meal prep, family dinners, or freezing for later. You can make it on the stove-top in a Dutch oven, in a Slow Cooker, or in an Instant Pot (instructions provided for all 3 cooking methods). It's a super-easy recipe, just like my other soups.
Ingredients
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon diced
- 1 ½ pounds ground turkey
- 1 large onion diced
- 3 medium carrots peeled and diced
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon smoked or sweet paprika
- 1 bay leaf
- 28 oz fire-roasted crushed or diced tomatoes (28-ounce can)
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 30 oz Great northern white beans (two 15-ounce cans), drained and rinsed
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup frozen peas
- fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven (at least 5 quarts) or soup pot, cook diced bacon over medium heat until crisp, about 6-8 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the bacon fat in the Dutch oven.
- Turn heat to high and add the ground turkey to the pot with the bacon fat. Cook until browned, about 10 minutes, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Add olive oil, onion, celery, and carrots to the pot. Cook until onions are softened, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in garlic, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, paprika, and bay leaf. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Stir in tomatoes, chicken stock, beans, and turkey. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer covered for 10-15 minutes, until carrots are tender and flavors meld.
- Stir in peas during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed.
- Remove bay leaf. Ladle into bowls, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve with crusty bread.
- ⬇️⬇️ I provide VERY HELPFUL step-by-step photos BELOW this recipe card. ⬇️⬇️
Notes
How to Make It in a Slow Cooker
In a large skillet, crisp the bacon; transfer to a plate, leaving the drippings. Brown the ground turkey in the drippings; season lightly. Sauté onion, celery, and carrots 3-4 minutes; stir in garlic, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, paprika, and the bay leaf for 30-60 seconds, then deglaze with a splash of stock. Transfer everything to the slow cooker with the tomatoes, remaining stock, beans, and the browned turkey. Cook LOW 6-7 hours or HIGH 3-4 hours until the carrots are tender. Stir in peas during the last 10-15 minutes, adjust seasoning, discard the bay leaf, and finish with parsley.How to Make it in an Instant Pot
On Sauté, crisp bacon 6–8 minutes; remove, leaving fat. Brown turkey 5–7 minutes; season and remove. Sauté onion, celery, carrots 3–4 minutes; stir in garlic, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, paprika, bay leaf 30–60 seconds. Deglaze with stock, then add the fire-roasted tomatoes, remaining stock, beans, and the browned turkey. Lock the lid and cook High Pressure for 5 minutes, then Quick Release. Stir in frozen peas on Sauté for 2–3 minutes until bright and heated through. Adjust salt and pepper, discard the bay leaf, and finish with parsley.Cooking Tips
- Browning the turkey will add flavor! Don't rush this process, and let it also absorb the bacon fat. You won't regret it!
- Want a tad thicker soup? Mash ½ of the beans before adding them to the pot.
- For extra richness, stir in a pad of butter before serving.
- Always adjust the seasoning at the end of cooking, as beans can absorb more than you expect.
- Make it spicy: Add ½-1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes or diced jalapenos when sautéing the herbs and garlic.
- Make it veggie heavy: Spinach, kale, or Swiss chard are excellent additions to stir in at the end of cooking.
- Make it creamy: Add ½ cup of heavy cream or coconut milk when you add the peas.
Storage Tips
- Fridge: The soup can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
- Freeze into portions for up to 3 months. Make sure to leave at least 2 inches of space in your freezer-safe airtight containers.
- Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- Reheat: Warm gently on the stovetop or place in the microwave until it reaches your desired temperature.
You'll Need These Supplies
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Measuring spoons and cups
- Dutch oven
Nutrition
Nutrition Information
Ground Turkey Soup
Amount per Serving
Calories
649
% Daily Value*
Fat
24
g
37
%
Saturated Fat
7
g
44
%
Trans Fat
0.1
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
4
g
Monounsaturated Fat
11
g
Cholesterol
91
mg
30
%
Sodium
810
mg
35
%
Potassium
1636
mg
47
%
Carbohydrates
58
g
19
%
Fiber
13
g
54
%
Sugar
9
g
10
%
Protein
52
g
104
%
Vitamin A
8168
IU
163
%
Vitamin C
11
mg
13
%
Calcium
224
mg
22
%
Iron
8
mg
44
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice.
How to Make Ground Turkey Soup (Step-By-Step Photos)
- Cook the bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium until crisp, 6-8 minutes; remove and reserve, leaving drippings.
- Increase heat to high, brown the ground turkey in the drippings, 8-10 minutes, season lightly with salt and pepper, then remove.
- Add olive oil, onion, celery, and carrots; cook until the onion softens, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in garlic, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, paprika, and the bay leaf; cook 1 minute.
- Add tomatoes, chicken stock, beans, and the browned turkey. Bring to a boil, then simmer covered 10-15 minutes until the carrots are tender.
- Stir in peas during the last 5 minutes, adjust salt and pepper, and discard the bay leaf.
- Serve topped with parsley (with crusty bread on the side).
This vegetable soup is SO delicious! Makes a lot and I froze some to have later. Do not skip or substitute the smoke paprika, it is the special ingredient here. I used two pounds of turkey as that is what I had on hand, added mushrooms, and our homegrown garden tomatoes! Very yummy.
Is the cooked bacon a garnish at the end?
Is the bacon used as a garnish ? I am missing where in the recipe the instructions are for the bacon?