There’s something about the combination of turkey and quinoa that feels so hearty and wholesome to me! I first tried it in my Turkey Quinoa Meatloaf, which I still make all the time. I also love turkey soups (it’s always soup season here in the PNW) and so this turkey quinoa soup was born! Quick, EASY, and loaded with lean protein, this healthy soup is going into our regular rotation.
Key Ingredients
Find the full ingredient list with exact measurements in the recipe card below.
- Ground turkey: Or you could substitute ground chicken, lean ground beef, leftover Thanksgiving turkey or even shredded rotisserie chicken.
- Veggies: Onions, bell peppers and some jalapeños.
- Seasoning: Fresh garlic, taco seasoning (from a packet or homemade), salt.
- Chicken stock
- Canned tomatoes: I like to use the fire-roasted canned tomatoes because they have a wonderful smoky flavor that really kicks up the Southwest vibes of this turkey soup.
- Quinoa: You can either use uncooked quinoa or leftover cooked quinoa. If you’re using leftover quinoa, you’ll need 1½ cups cooked. Just add it in the last 5 minutes of cooking the soup.
- Black beans: I use canned beans because they’re just so easy. If you have dried beans, you’ll need to cook them before adding them to the soup.
- Pepper Jack cheese: This healthy turkey soup is a lot more exciting when you serve it topped with cheese! However, if you’re avoiding dairy, it’s fine to skip it.
How To Make Quick Turkey Soup, Step By Step
- Sauté the turkey with the peppers, garlic and onions in a big soup pot.
- Pour in stock, water, tomatoes, beans, quinoa and seasonings.
- Simmer until the quinoa is tender.
- Serve! Like so many soups, this one is all about the toppings! I like to offer sour cream, fresh herbs, avocados or a dollop of guacamole, and cheese.
What To Serve It With
This soup stands alone as a healthy, filling lunch. For dinner, though, I usually serve a little something on the side. To echo the southwest vibes of this soup recipe, I love to serve it with cornbread! For a fun treat (kids love this) try topping the bowls with tortilla strips, like you would for tortilla soup.
Variations & Substitutions
- Make a vegetarian version: Leave out the turkey, or use a veggie version (there are a lot of vegetarian ground ‘beef’ products on the market that you could use in place of the ground turkey) and use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.
- Make it in a slow cooker: Brown the turkey and vegetables first, then transfer to your slow cooker with remaining ingredients. Cook on low 4-6 hours or high 2-3 hours.
- Make it spicy: Add diced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce for smoky heat, or include red pepper flakes.
- Make it dairy-free: skip the cheese and sour cream, or use dairy-free alternatives.
To Store & Freeze
Refrigerated leftovers keep for up to 4 days. Reheat it in a pan on the stove, adding a little more stock or water if the quinoa has absorbed too much of the liquid. And his turkey quinoa soup freezes beautifully! In fact, I often double this recipe and freeze half for later. It keeps for three months in the freezer. When you reheat it, you may need to add extra liquid to thin it. Stock or water work fine.
More Healthy & Hearty Soups
Cooler Nights Ahead = More Soup!
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