Hearty ground turkey soup with vegetables is a clean and comforting meal perfect for soothing the belly and soul. Make it if you’re feeling under the weather, or if you just love a great nourishing soup recipe!
This is a curl-up-on-the-couch-in-your-fuzzy-socks-when-it’s-snowing-outside kind of soup.
Or a clean cold-busting remedy that tastes amazing but isn’t your typical chicken noodle soup soup.
I made this hearty soup on repeat back when my IBS was at its worst. It was one of my favorite recipes for soothing my belly while making me feel energized and satisfied.
Ever since I first made it, this healthy ground turkey soup recipe has been one of my favorite weeknight meals that instantly satisfies the soul.
It can also serve as the ultimate breakup soup, the sultry love soup, the soup to uplift, soup for the full heart, a meal to enhance your already bodacious bod, and/or the soup to heal all wounds.
If you enjoy hearty soups, you’re bound to love this healthy recipe.
All things considered, this ground turkey soup recipe is:
Recipe Highlights
- Gluten-Free and Grain-Free
- Dairy-Free, yet nice and creamy
- Paleo
- Whole30
- Filling and comforting, yet easy on the digestive system
Let’s discuss the healthy ingredients in this delicious soup, as each one plays and important role.
Ingredients for Ground Turkey Soup:
Bacon: Thick-cut bacon is cooked to crispy perfection to add tremendous flavor to the soup. The bacon fat is then used to sauté the vegetables and cook the ground turkey meat. If you don’t do bacon, replace the bacon with 2 tablespoons of avocado oil or olive oil.
Yellow Onion: Bringing robust flavor to the soup, some fresh onion goes a long way in boosting the flavor profile. If you’re a garlic lover, add in 3 cloves of minced garlic.
Lean Ground Turkey: The star of the show! Ground turkey brings a big boost of protein without adding additional fat to the soup. This high-protein soup recipe is so pleasing on the belly.
Yukon Gold Potatoes: Adding cozy carbs to this healthy soup recipe, baby yukon gold potatoes are added in. Swap them for red potatoes, russet potatoes, sweet potato, or skip them for a low-carb soup recipe.
Carrots: A couple carrots bring a touch of sweetness and soft texture to the soup.
Zucchini: Fresh zucchini squash adds bulk to the recipe, in addition to some fiber and nutrients. Swap it for yellow squash if you’d like.
Chicken Broth: Use your favorite chicken broth, chicken stock, vegetable broth, or even beef stock for the liquid in this delicious ground turkey soup recipe.
Full-Fat Canned Coconut Milk: A huge flavor enhancer, full-fat canned coconut milk brings silky smooth texture and rich flavor.
Be sure to use full-fat coconut milk from the can. I don’t recommend replacing this with any other type of non-dairy milk as there isn’t enough fat content in other kinds of plant-based milks.
You can use 2 cups of half & half instead of coconut milk if you do dairy.
Baby Spinach: Bringing an infusion of antioxidants, iron, and folate, fresh spinach boosts the nutrient profile of this healthy dinner recipe.
Sea Salt: Add sea salt to your personal taste.
Optional Additions or Changes:
- If you enjoy the flavor of tomato based soups, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of tomato paste or one can of diced tomatoes.
- For my bean lovers, add one can of white beans, black beans, or garbanzo beans.
- Mix it up with various veggies, including bell pepper, green beans, sweet corn, or broccoli.
- Add ⅓ cup white rice or brown rice.
- Leave out the potatoes for low-carb (or replace them with cauliflower).
- Skip the onion to make the recipe low-FODMAP.
- Omit the bacon and use 2 tablespoons of avocado oil if you don’t have bacon on hand.
- Add sun-dried tomatoes or artichoke hearts.
- Stir in 2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning for some herby flavor.
- Drizzle your bowl of soup with lemon juice or lime juice, or add lemon zest and lemon juice to the soup pot.
- Substitute other leafy greens like kale or chard for the spinach.
Now that we’ve covered the simple ingredients for ground turkey vegetable soup, let’s whip it up!
How to Make Hearty Ground Turkey Soup with Vegetables:
Heat a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat and add the chopped bacon. Cook until much of the fat has rendered, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes.
Scoot the onions off to the side of the pot and add the ground turkey (or sausage). Brown for 2 minutes, flip, and brown another 1 to 2 minutes. Use a spatula to chop the meat into smaller pieces.
Add the remaining ingredients except the spinach to the pot, cover, and bring to a full boil. Reduce the heat to a gentle boil and continue cooking 20 to 30 minutes, until potatoes are cooked through. Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted, about another 2 to 3 minutes.
Serve the soup with your favorite gluten-free cornbread, gluten-free sandwich bread or cheese and herb Irish soda bread, and enjoy!
This hearty ground turkey recipe tastes even better the next day and the 3-4 days following prep. Feel free to make it in advance to allow extra flavor to develop!
How to Store Ground Turkey Soup:
Store ground turkey soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. This recipe also freezes very well! I suggest double bagging the soup in two large zip lock bags or freezer bags. Freeze for up to 3 months.
This great recipe can also be prepared in the pressure cooker or slow cooker in addition to a large stock pot.
The best thing about this flavorful soup is it only requires a few minutes of active prep time and wholesome ingredients you can find at any grocery store. The whole family is guaranteed to love it during the colder months of the year.
If you’re looking for more healing soup recipes, try these reader favorites!
More Healthy Soup Recipes:
- Immunity-Boosting Turmeric Chicken Soup
- Instant Pot Paleo Pumpkin Chili
- Ground Beef and Cabbage Soup
- Instant Pot Steak and Potato Soup
- Zucchini and Yellow Squash Soup
- Italian Wedding Soup with Rice
- Ground Turkey Taco Soup
Enjoy this delicious recipe during soup season or any time of year when a comfort food craving strikes.
Hearty Ground Turkey Soup with Vegetables
Ingredients
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon chopped
- 1/2 yellow onion diced
- 1 lb ground turkey *
- 3 small yukon gold potatoes chopped
- 2 large carrots peeled and chopped
- 1 medium zucchini squash chopped
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 (15-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
- 3 cups baby spinach
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Heat a dutch oven or large pot over medium heat and add the chopped bacon. Cook until much of the fat has rendered, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Scoot the onions off to the side of the pot and add the ground turkey (or sausage). Brown for 2 minutes, flip, and brown another 1 to 2 minutes. Use a spatula to chop the meat into smaller pieces.
- Add the remaining ingredients except the spinach to the pot, cover, and bring to a full boil. Reduce the heat to a gentle boil and continue cooking 20 to 30 minutes, until potatoes are cooked through. Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted, about another 2 to 3 minutes.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission off items you purchase at no additional cost to you.
I originally shared this recipe on February 26, 2020. I added information to the post to be more helpful, but the recipe itself remains the same.
Really enjoying this recipe after making it for the first time. I added fresh thyme and bay leaves. I substituted a large turnip for the potatoes as I am following the AIP diet. I also added mushrooms : ) Thank you for this!
Oooh, I love the idea of turnips and mushrooms! Thanks for sharing, Sarah! xoxo
Have you tried to make this recipe in a crockpot? If so, do you throw all the ingredients in? Also, I am still in the challenge phase of my Low fodmap, and I noticed you used onion. Any alternatives?
@Ashlee, I just made this in the crockpot yesterday and it turned out fabulous! I omitted the onions and substituted dried chives instead for fodmap reasons, but I’m also super new to low fodmap so I don’t know how “correct” that is. I used pre-cooked crumbled bacon and browned the turkey on the stove beforehand, then dumped everything in the crockpot (except the leafy greens) and let it cook on low all day. I added frozen kale (instead of spinach) when I got home and let it cook for 5-10 minutes. Turned out super delicious!
OOh, all of that sounds amazing, Kacey! Thank you for sharing – this is super helpful to other people who want to make it in the slow cooker. 🙂 xo
This was really good. I was worried that it would need some seasoning, but no. To cool it off for my daughter, I poured a bit of evaporated milk in it at the table. It was so yummy that I added a little to mine, too. I also experimented with a dash of turmeric; that was perfect.
Ooh, I love the idea of adding evaporated milk and turmeric! Sounds lovely! Thanks for the sweet note, Susan! xoxo
Omg this was absolutely delicious!! The only thing I did was added Leek just because I had it and need to get rid of it!! I live in Alaska and this is a go to winter meal ❄️😍 thank you!!
Oooooh I LOVE leek in soups! That sounds amazing! Thanks for the inspiration, Jeannie! xoxo
I didn’t have bacon so I added a bit of curry powder and corn. Came out really good.
Ooooh I love that! Sounds amazing!
@Jill, Hi! What type of curry and how much did you add? Thank you!
I want to double this recipe. But doubling everything seems like a lot, what should i do??
Hi Desiree,
I’m not sure what your question is. Could you please clarify what the issue is? Are you worried about having too much soup? If that’s the case, I would stick with the original amounts.
Best soup I’ve ever had! My husband doesn’t really like soup and he loved it too. Used sausage instead of ground turkey and precooked bacon to make it a bit easier. Be warned it will be HOT HOT HOT when it is finished and needs time to cool before eating. 30 minutes later and its still boiling hot. Delicious!! Thank you!
Oooh, I LOVE the idea of using sausage! Thanks so much for the sweet note and the laughs! xoxo
This soup looks and sounds delicious! I am wondering if my younger and pickier kids will pick up on the coconut milk. Personally I’d rather use it, but I want everyone to eat! Is it that noticeable with the other flavors?
Hi Jennifer,
I don’t notice the flavor of coconut in the soup…to me it just tastes creamy. But if your kids have very discerning palates, they may be able to pick it up! xoxo
Looks good! Any AIP replacement suggestions for the potatoes? Maybe sweet potatoes but trying to think of something a little more neutral in flavor. Maybe radishes? Thanks!
Hi Leigh,
I would go for turnips or butternut squash 😀 Hope you love the soup! xoxo
@Leigh, radishes when cooked loose their peppery taste and the consistency is very much like potatoes! I follow the trim healthy momma way of eating and when I make this an s dish (s means satisfying, so think keto style meals) I’ll use radishes. When I make this for an e style meal (e meaning energizing, think low fat high carb) I’ll take the bacon out and switch the full fat coconut milk with almond milk, and probably add brown rice. Hope this speak helps with your radish decision!
I’m making this soon and wondered if you would suggest the addition of basil, parsley, or cilantro to top this off? I have a new little herb garden and am trying to incorporate the herbs into all my meals but unsure what would work with this soup the best! I’m excited!
Hi Caroline,
Ooh, I love the idea of fresh herbs! Between the three, I would personally go with basil, but that’s generally my favorite herb 😀 Honestly, I think all three would be nice, depending on the flavor you’re going for. Let me know how it turns out! xoxo
Can I substitute anything else for the coconut milk? Allergies involved.
Hi Rod! You can replace the coconut milk with heavy cream or half & half. 😀 xo
Any idea the calorie count per per serving? I don’t see it listed.
Hi Sara,
I added the nutrition facts to the recipe card. Hope you enjoy!
Looks great and good for health. Thanks for sharing!!
My pleasure, Robbin!
Oh my! I worried that this didn’t have any spices for flavor, but that was definitely not a problem. I made this to fit a low fodmap diet. It’s spectacular! I used leftover turkey from a breast. Now I may skip the turkey and go straight to the soup. Thank you!
I loved your post so much I became a fan of you, promise that you will continue to share such good and knowledgeable posts even further, we will be waiting for your post thank you
I made this soup yesterday and it was soooo freaking good!!! This will definitely be in my winter meal rotation.
I’m so thrilled to hear it! I absolutely love this soup recipe too…it has been my go-to since the beginning of winter 😀 xo