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    Home » Recipes » Soups

    Turkey Lentil Soup Recipe (quick & easy)

    Published: Jul 6, 2021 by Sally · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

    686 shares
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This turkey lentil soup recipe is so hearty and delicious, and it only takes about an hour from start to finish. Great served with crusty bread or my Southern Cornbread Recipe.

    Lentil soup with ground turkey served with bread

    For this recipe, I used ground turkey, but you can also use leftover cooked turkey if you wish. You will simply add the cooked turkey after the celery and onions are cooked, right before adding the broth and other ingredients.

    Typically, I will soak all my dry beans at least overnight, but lentils don't absolutely need to soak in order to cook faster.

    Lentils are so small that an hour is about all you need to have a hearty, healthy pot of soup that your whole family will gobble up.

    I love to use my cast iron Dutch oven for many of my soups and one-pot dishes. This lentil soup recipe is no exception. I love how the cast iron handles higher heat as well as how beautifully it handles low simmers.

    This recipe makes about 8 servings. If you have a family of 4 like I do, this is great for leftovers.

    Ingredients

    What You'll Need

    • oil
    • 1 pound ground turkey (or 2 heaping cups cooked leftover turkey)
    • 1 large onion
    • 2 stalks celery
    • 6 cups chicken broth (can substitute other broth for this)
    • 1 pound dry lentils
    • 1 large carrot
    • black pepper
    • 1 can (14.5 ounces) petite diced tomatoes
    • dry marjoram or oregano
    • paprika
    • salt
    Lentil Soup Cooking

    How to Make

    Rinse lentils thoroughly, sorting out any debris. Heat heavy pot or Dutch oven on medium heat. Add oil, onion, celery, and ground turkey, crumbling and chopping up turkey into smallish pieces.

    Stir frequently while meat and veggies cook. Cook about 10 minutes or until meat is browned and vegetables are softened.

    Once meat is browned, add the broth, lentils, carrot, black pepper, diced tomatoes, marjoram, and paprika.

    Note that I like to add the salt near the end, as sometimes it can hinder the beans from softening properly.

    Bring soup to a light boil, then lower heat to low-medium (about 2-3) and cover for 45-50 minutes or until lentils and carrots are softened.

    You will want to stir the pot about every 10 minutes to make sure it's not simmering too hard and nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pot.

    Add salt and taste. Add more salt as desired.

    (Note that I typically will call for less salt in my recipes, as it's easier to add more but very difficult to fix once you have too much salt).

    Serve hot with your favorite crusty bread and salad.

    Soup ready to serve

    FAQs

    What kind of canned tomatoes should I use?

    I like to use the petite diced tomatoes, but you can use regular diced tomatoes if that's what you have. Don't drain the liquid off.

    If you want a spicy kick, you could add Rotel in place of the tomatoes (this is the same as diced tomatoes with green chilies).

    What if I don't have marjoram?

    You may notice that I use dry marjoram a lot in my recipes. This is because I really love the flavor of marjoram. It's similar to oregano, but is different in a way that's hard to describe.

    Just note that you could use oregano in this recipe if you don't have marjoram. However, I highly recommend you get some when you can so you can discover this lovely herb that gives lots of flavor to many of my recipes.

    Should I use sweet paprika or smoked?

    For the paprika, I used sweet in this recipe. You could use smoked paprika if you want a bit of heat and smoky flavor. I think it would be delicious with the lentils.

    Is there a substitute for the chicken broth?

    I used chicken broth for the broth called for, but you could substitute beef or vegetable broth if you wish. The flavors would be slightly different, but I think it would be just as delicious.

    Can you freeze lentil soup with turkey?

    Yes, you can freeze any lentil soup leftovers in a freezer-safe container for up to 6 months. It keeps and reheats beautifully!

    Make sure to label what it is and when you froze it for best results. When ready to reheat, simply thaw in the refrigerator overnight or add to a pot frozen and thaw slowly on low heat with the lid on.

    Lentils served with bread

    Tips

    Since the turkey is very low in fat, some oil is needed in this turkey lentil soup recipe in order to properly cook the meat, celery, and onions at the beginning. Use your best judgment as far as the amount of oil you use.

    I used closer to 3 tablespoons of oil. If you see that the meat or veggies are sticking to the bottom while cooking, more oil may be needed to fix this.

    I like to use my silicone spatula to stir and chop, keeping everything mixed up and rotated off the bottom of the pot to help prevent the sticking or scorching.

    I hope you love this ground turkey lentil soup recipe as much as my family does! Don't forget to print, share, and comment below!

    More Soup Recipes to Love

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    Recipe

    Lentil soup with ground turkey served with bread

    Lentil Turkey Soup

    This turkey lentil soup recipe is so hearty and delicious, and it only takes about an hour from start to finish.
    4.78 from 27 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course, Soup
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 55 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour hour
    Servings: 8 servings
    Calories: 342kcal
    Author: Sally

    Equipment

    • Dutch oven

    Ingredients

    • 3 tablespoon oil
    • 1 large onion chopped
    • 2 stalks celery chopped
    • 1 pound ground turkey (or 2 cups cooked turkey or chicken)
    • 6 cups chicken broth (or beef or vegetable if desired)
    • 1 pound lentils dry, rinsed with any debris removed
    • 1 large carrot sliced
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper
    • 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes (I like the petite diced best)
    • 1 tablespoon marjoram dry
    • 1 teaspoon paprika sweet or smoked
    • 1 teaspoon salt more to taste
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Rinse lentils thoroughly, sorting out any debris.
    • Heat heavy pot or Dutch oven on medium heat.
    • Add oil, onion, celery, and ground turkey, crumbling and chopping up turkey into smallish pieces. Stir frequently while meat and veggies cook.
    • Cook about 10 minutes or until meat is browned and vegetables are softened.
    • Once meat is browned, add the broth, lentils, carrot, black pepper, diced tomatoes, marjoram, and paprika. (I like to add the salt near the end, as sometimes it can hinder the beans from softening properly.)
    • Bring soup to a light boil, then lower heat to low-medium (about 2-3) and cover for 45-50 minutes or until lentils and carrots are softened. (Note that you will want to stir the pot about every 10 minutes to make sure it's not simmering too hard and nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pot.)
    • Add salt and taste. Add more salt as desired. (Note that I typically will call for less salt in my recipes, as it's easier to add more but very difficult to fix once you have too much salt).
    • Serve hot with your favorite crusty bread and salad.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 342kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 989mg | Potassium: 1040mg | Fiber: 19g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1793IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 78mg | Iron: 6mg
    Tried this Recipe? Share it Today!Mention @SavoryWithSoul or tag #savorywithsoul!

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    Pin for lentil turkey soup

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    I'm Sally, and I love great food! Whole foods, specifically, and savory, yummy eats! I love using spices and trying new combinations - in fact, I consider it an art form, as I smell and taste my way through each dish.

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    686 shares