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4.6 from 24 votes

Hearty Turkey Lentil Soup

Enjoy warmth and flavor with our turkey lentil soup. Cook it with fresh, leftover, or ground turkey. Perfect for cold days!

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 15 mins
Servings: 6 -8
Calories: 259 kcal
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 1 onion
  • 1 carrot about 150 g/ 3.5 oz
  • 1 piece celeriac or 2-3 celery stalks, about 75 g/ 2.5 oz
  • 1 bell pepper green or red
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup brown lentils 200 g/ 7 oz
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 heaped tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 can tomatoes 400 g/ 14 oz
  • 8 ½ cups chicken stock 2 liters, Note 1
  • 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
  • ½ cup brown rice 100 g/ 3.5 oz, Note 2
  • 12 oz turkey 350 g Note 3
  • fine sea salt
  • lots of ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 
  • ½-1 teaspoon sugar Note 4
  • chopped parsley

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. If using ground turkey, brown it in 1 tablespoon of oil for 3-4 minutes. Remove it from the pot.
  2. Prepare the vegetables: Dice the onion, carrot, celeriac or celery, pepper, and garlic.1 onion + 1 carrot + 1 piece celeriac /2-3 celery stalks + 1 bell pepper + 2 garlic cloves
  3. Sauté: Heat the oil in a large pot and cook the vegetables for 5-6 minutes, stirring often, until slightly softer. Add the washed lentils, bay leaves, tomato paste, and diced canned tomatoes and stir for another 2 minutes.1 tablespoon olive oil + vegetables + 1 cup brown lentils / 200 g + 2 bay leaves + 1 heaped tablespoon tomato paste + 1 can tomatoes
  4. Simmer: If using ground turkey, return it to the pot. Add stock and marjoram. Bring to a boil, and simmer on medium-low, partially covered, for about 8 minutes.8 ½ cups chicken stock / 2 liters + 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
  5. Add the washed brown rice, bring to a boil again, and simmer for 35-45 minutes or until the rice is done.½ cup brown rice / 100 g
  6. Add turkey: If using freshly chopped turkey meat, add it to the soup about 15 minutes before the cooking time is up. If using leftover cooked turkey, add during the last 5-8 minutes of the cooking time; it should only get heated through.12 oz turkey/ 350 g
  7. Adjust the taste with salt, lots of freshly ground black pepper, balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and sugar. Sprinkle with parsley before serving.fine sea salt + lots of ground black pepper + 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar + 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce + ½-1 teaspoon sugar + chopped parsley

Notes

  • Stock: If available, homemade turkey stock (made with the leftover carcass) is excellent. You can use more stock if the soup seems too thick.
  • Rice: Brown rice is the best choice, but white rice is also ok but has a much shorter cooking time. Check the package instructions and add it later to the soup to allow the lentils to cook appropriately before the rice gets too soft.
  • Turkey: Make the soup with ground turkey if desired. Cooked turkey or leftovers have different cooking times. Add fresh meat about 15 minutes before the end of the cooking time, but leftovers only during the last minutes; they should only get hot.
  • The sugar is optional; it depends on the canned tomatoes and vinegar acidity.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1/8 of the soup Calories 259kcal (13%) Carbohydrates 23g (8%) Protein 22g (44%) Fat 8g (12%) Saturated Fat 2g (10%) Polyunsaturated Fat 6g Cholesterol 55mg (18%) Sodium 735mg (31%) Fiber 3g (12%) Sugar 8g (16%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6-8

Amount Per Serving

Calories 259

% Daily Value*

Serving 1/8 of the soup
Calories 259kcal 13%
Carbohydrates 23g 8%
Protein 22g 44%
Fat 8g 12%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Polyunsaturated Fat 6g 35%
Cholesterol 55mg 18%
Sodium 735mg 31%
Fiber 3g 12%
Sugar 8g 16%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.