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white bowl with turkey lentil soup garnished with grated parmesan cheese
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4.75 from 8 votes

Turkey Lentil Soup

Turkey Lentil Soup from leftover holiday turkey or ground turkey. Hearty, comforting -  loaded with vegetables and lentils in a rich tomato broth.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: turkey lentil soup, turkey soup, lentil soup, lentil turkey soup, leftover turkey recipes, leftover turkey
Servings: 6
Calories: 360kcal
Author: A Gouda Life

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound ground turkey OR 2 cups leftover turkey cut bite size
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 2 medium carrots peeled and diced
  • 2 stalks celery diced
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 14 ounces diced tomatoes including the juices
  • 1 cup lentils
  • 5 cups V8 juice
  • 2 1/2 cups turkey stock
  • 1/4 cup small pasta (ditalini, small shells, etc) uncooked
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley finely chopped
  • Freshly grated parmesan cheese for serving + rind if it has one

Instructions

GROUND TURKEY:

  • Add the olive oil to a large pot over medium-high heat then add ground turkey, season with salt, pepper and garlic powder and leave it alone for 2-3 minutes so you get a nice sear.
  • Break up the turkey with a wooden spoon or spatula then drop in the chopped onion, carrots and celery and season lightly with salt and pepper.
  • Cook 6-8 minutes over medium heat until the carrots begin to soften.
    Stir in tomato paste and cook 2 minutes then add the can of diced tomatoes (including their juices, the lentils and bay leaf.
    Pour in the V8 juice and chicken stock and if your Parmesan cheese has a rind, add it into the pot as well.
  • Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer 15 minutes over low heat until the lentils are starting to soften but still have bite to them.
    Stir in the pasta then cover and simmer 8-10 minutes (stir occasionally so pasta doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot). Cooking time may vary – cook until both the pasta and lentils are tender.
  • Add the chopped parsley and blend then taste and adjust for salt and pepper
  • Serve hot with grated parmesan cheese and a good crusty bread.

LEFTOVER TURKEY:

  • To use leftover turkey leave out the step adding ground turkey then stir in small pieces of leftover turkey after you add the V8 and stock.

Nutrition

Calories: 360kcal | Carbohydrates: 35.4g | Protein: 32.2g | Fat: 11.4g | Cholesterol: 77mg | Sodium: 970mg | Potassium: 1245mg | Fiber: 13.5g | Sugar: 10g | Calcium: 105mg | Iron: 5mg