This Turkey Lentil Soup is high in protein and gluten-free. With tasty additions like smoky bacon and balsamic vinegar, this recipe will be on repeat all winter.
Save This Recipe!
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
One of the biggest mistakes when cooking with lentils, or making lentil soup is overcooking them.
Toasting the green lentils with the aromatics before adding any broth helps them retain their shape and elevate their flavor.
To make a traditional French Lentil Soup, you need to buy Lentilles du Puy. They are hard to find, so a good substitute is green lentils.
What makes this Lentil Turkey Stew special is a small amount of bacon for smokiness. We puree a small portion of this soup to give it a creamy but hearty texture. Finally, we add a splash of balsamic vinegar for seasoning.
In this recipe, you can use ground turkey or leftover turkey meat. Serve soup as a main dish alongside Butternut Squash and Beetroot Salad, or Air Fryer Cabbage Wedges.
Many of you love my Instant Pot Deer Chili and Dairy-Free Clam Chowder, so I can't wait to hear your thoughts on this turkey lentil soup!
Jump to:
⭐️ Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Lentils are high in fiber, making this soup a healthy recipe.
- Special ingredients like bacon and balsamic vinegar make this lentil soup very tasty!
- We puree only some of our French green lentil soup to give it a hearty and varied texture.
- This recipe is made in one pot, just like our Easy One-Pot Salmon Stew.
📝 Key Ingredients
Here is a visual overview of the turkey lentil soup ingredients in this recipe. Scroll to the recipe at the bottom for quantities.
- Turkey - Adds a lot of lean protein, keeping you full for longer. Use ground turkey, leftover turkey, or smoked turkey.
- Bacon - A hint of bacon adds that smoky flavor, much like my Sausage Potato & Kale Soup.
- Lentils - If you can find Puy Lentils great, if not, green lentils are the second best choice.
- Chicken Stock - A good soup always starts with a good stock. Try my Instant Pot Beef Bone Broth or Turkey Stock.
- White Wine - This is used to deglaze the pan to scrape up the delicious caramelized bits left behind.
- Balsamic - I love to add a splash of balsamic vinegar to my lentil soups to brighten the dish. Yum!
See recipe card for quantities.
🥘 Substitutions + Variations
- Substitute 5 cups of baby spinach for parsley. Cook spinach in soup, stirring often, until wilted, about 3 minutes.
- Turkey Lentil Soup with spices. Add spices like ground coriander, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper.
- Swap out balsamic vinegar for a squeeze of lemon to brighten and season the soup.
🔪 Step-By-Step Instructions
Follow these cooking steps and let me show you how to make turkey lentil soup.
Step 1. Brown turkey meat in a large Dutch oven pot. Transfer the cooked turkey to a plate and set aside.
Step 2. In the same pan, cook diced bacon for 5 minutes or until crispy.
Step 3. Add in carrots, onions, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, tomatoes, and lentils. Cover the Dutch oven with a lid, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 8-10 minutes.
Step 4. Deglaze with wine and add chicken stock. Partially cover the Dutch oven and cook for 30-35 minutes.
Step 5. Remove the bay leaves and process 3 cups of soup in a Vitamix or blender for 30 seconds. Return pureed soup to the Dutch oven.
Step 6. Stir in cooked turkey, vinegar, and parsley, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
👨🏻🍳 Chef Tips
- Cooking green lentils with aromatics before adding the broth helps hold their shape and not turn to mush.
- A small amount of bacon adds a nice smoky flavor to this turkey lentil soup.
- When toasting lentils, stir them every couple of minutes so they won't stick to the pan and burn.
- Blend the 3 cups of soup on low speed so the soup still has a chunky texture.
- When adjusting the seasoning, a splash of balsamic vinegar adds brightness and flavor.
- Chop up your leftover Sous Vide Turkey and throw it in this soup.
❓Recipe FAQ's
Yes! When storing soup, refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Yes, make sure to strain and rinse the canned lentils before adding them to your soup. You will need to reduce the cooking liquid since you are not cooking them from dried.
Yes, lentils can be overcooked, resulting in a mushy texture. The cooking time varies depending on the type of lentil you choose, as some retain their shape better than others and cook more quickly.
As your soup cools, it naturally thickens up. When you're ready to warm it up again on your stovetop, pour in a bit of water for the proper consistency. For frozen soup, pop them into a saucepan with around ½ cup of water, cover it up, and let it gently thaw over low heat. Keep an eye on it and add more water if it's looking too thick.
Yes, red lentils have a softer texture so follow the cooking instructions on the package. They are often used in Indian Dhal recipes where the texture is on the mushy side. If you want to preserve the texture of the lentils, I recommend going with a Green or Puy lentil.
🍽 Try These Soup Recipes Next
Did you make this recipe? Leave a ⭐️ review below and tag @thefrizzledleek on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest!
📖 Recipe
Turkey Lentil Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound Ground Turkey
- 3 slices of bacon cut into ¼-inch pieces
- 1 large onion chopped
- 2 carrots peeled and chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme chopped
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes drained
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup green lentils
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1½ teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven, brown ground turkey with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Cook bacon over medium-high heat, until crisp, about 5 minutes. Stir in onions and carrots until vegetables soften, about 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes and bay leaf and cook for 1 minute. Stir in lentils and ¼ teaspoon of salt.
- Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes. Increase heat to high, stir in wine, and bring to a simmer. Stir in broth and bring to a boil. Partially cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 30-35 minutes.
- Remove the bay leaf. Process 3 cups of soup in a blender until smooth, about 30 seconds, then return to the pot. Stir in cooked ground turkey. Heat soup over low heat until hot. Stir in vinegar and parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!
Notes
- If you can find Puy Lentils great, if not, green lentils are the second-best choice.
- Blend the 3 cups of soup on low speed so the soup still has a chunky texture.
- When adjusting the seasoning, a splash of balsamic vinegar adds brightness and flavor.
Nutrition
SAVE THIS RECIPE!
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Comments
No Comments