Turkey Lentil Soup

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Use your leftover turkey to make a cozy pot of soup! This turkey lentil soup is creamy, comforting, and the perfect one-pot meal that will last for days.

Prep Time20

Cook Time55

Turkey Stock - Simmer Time3

Total Time4 15

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: cups

Calories: 179kcal

Author: Michelle Miller

Equipment

Sharp Induction Cooktop

Ingredients

Turkey Stock

1 leftover turkey carcass
10-12 cups water

Turkey Lentil Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup onion minced
4 cloves garlic minced
2 carrots peeled and diced (small)
4 ribs celery diced (small)
6 cups turkey stock (or sub chicken stock)
1/2 cup lentils (green, black, or brown. See notes to sub red lentils)
1 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes (or pulse diced tomatoes in blender to break down slightly)
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon sea salt plus more, to season to taste
black pepper to taste
4 cups shredded turkey meat (chop meat into smaller pieces) or sub shredded chicken
6 cups baby spinach or sub kale or chopped zucchini

Instructions

Turkey Stock

Remove as much of the leftover turkey meat from your carcass prior to making the stock. This keeps the meat from being overcooked as you cook down the bones.
Add the carcass to a large stock pot, and fill the pot with water. You can add additional vegetables to the pot, like whole garlic cloves, a quartered onion, or celery. I usually keep mine simple with just turkey bones and water!
Boil the turkey carcass over medium-low heat for 3-4 hours, adding more water as it evaporates to keep the pot full (I use about 12 cups of water, but this depends on the size of your turkey).
Allow the broth to cool for about an hour. Strain out the bones and skin, leaving the turkey broth. Set aside.

Turkey Lentil Soup

In a large soup pot, add olive oil, onions, and garlic. Saute the vegetables over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until softened but not browned.
Add the chopped celery and carrots and continue to saute for another 10 minutes to develop the flavors.
Into the soup pot, add the lentils, crushed tomatoes, 6 cups of turkey stock, cumin, paprika, and sea salt. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and allow the lentils to soften for 30-35 minutes.
Use an immersion blender to pulse a few times to thicken the soup. Alternately, add about 1/4 of the soup mixture into a blender and blend until smooth, and then return to the pot.
Add the spinach and turkey meat, and allow to simmer for another 5 minutes. Season the soup with additional salt and pepper.

Video

Notes

HOW TO STORE LEFTOVER SOUP

Once the soup has fully cooled, pack it in airtight containers and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days.

To reheat the soup, add it to a saucepan, and bring it to a simmer for about 5 minutes.

HOW TO FREEZE TURKEY LENTIL SOUP

Once the soup has fully cooled, add it to glass jars about 3/4 of the way full. Alternatively, add it to plastic freezer bags.

Freeze the soup for up to 5 months. Allow to thaw on the countertop for 1-2 hours prior to adding it to a saucepan to reheat.

SUBSTITUTIONS AND VARIATIONS

Can I use red lentils?

Yes, red lentils work well in soups. However, they cook much faster the green or black lentils.

Add the red lentils after the crushed tomatoes have simmered for about 30 minutes, add the red lentils, then simmer for 5-10 minutes before adding the spinach and turkey meat.

Nutrition