This healthy Turkey White Bean Soup is a great way to use up leftover turkey! It's made using canned beans, spinach, and lots of lemon juice.
This White Bean Turkey Soup is bright, flavorful, and packed with vegetables. It's easy to prepare and can be made using either leftover turkey or chicken.
One of the best things about the holidays are all of the dishes that can be made from the leftovers. I love to have leftover turkey or ham on hand so that I can whip up a cozy soup or stew.
This soup is bursting with Italian flavors and made with fresh ingredients like carrots, spinach, and lemon juice. It's hearty, but light at the same time and a great meal to enjoy after indulging in all of those holiday dishes.
It's made in one pot on the stove top using simple ingredients and only takes a little more than 30 minutes to make. The fact that the turkey is already cooked helps to cut down on cooking time.
This soup is savory and brightened up with the addition of lemon juice. It's great garnished with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese and served with some warm, crusty bread for dipping.
Jump to:
- How To Add Flavor To Turkey Soup
- Ingredients For Turkey White Bean Soup
- What Are White Beans?
- Do The Beans Need To Be Rinsed?
- Which Turkey Is Best For Soup?
- Can I Use Leftover Chicken Instead Of Turkey?
- How To Make Turkey White Bean Soup
- Can I Sub Any Of These Ingredients?
- What To Serve With Turkey White Bean Soup
- How Long Does This Soup Last In The Fridge?
- Can It Be Frozen?
- Turkey White Bean Soup
How To Add Flavor To Turkey Soup
There are a few tips and tricks that I like to employ to ensure that any soup is nicely flavored and keeps you coming back for more.
- It's important to include aromatics like garlic and onions sauteed in olive oil to help build a base of flavor in any soup or stew.
- Make sure to season the soup throughout the cooking process with kosher salt and pepper. This helps to bring out the flavor of all the other ingredients.
- Use quality ingredients like fresh vegetables and chicken broth.
- Make sure that the leftover turkey used is seasoned well. If the turkey itself is bland, the soup is likely to be as well.
- The addition of an acid such as lemon juice or vinegar helps to brighten up the flavor of any soup and tends to round out the dish as a whole.
Ingredients For Turkey White Bean Soup
Here's what you'll need to make it.
- 6 cloves Garlic
- 1 Onion (any color)
- 5-6 large Carrots (yields 3 cups chopped)
- 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
- 1 tsp. Italian Seasoning
- ½ tsp. each Kosher Salt and Pepper
- 5 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth (or turkey broth)
- 2 15.5 oz. cans Cannellini Beans or Great Northern Beans (drained)
- 2 packed cups Spinach (or hearty greens of choice)
- 3 cups Leftover Turkey or Chicken (chopped)
- 6 Tbsp. Lemon Juice (equals 2 large lemons) plus more for garnish
- Parmesan or Asiago Cheese for garnish (optional)
What Are White Beans?
White beans are a broad category of beans (or legumes) that are white in color. The category includes varieties such as Cannellini Beans, Great Northern Beans, Navy Beans, and Lima Beans.
This recipe is made with Cannellini Beans (also known as White Kidney Beans). Cannellini Beans are similar to Great Northern Beans, but cannellini beans are larger in size and have slightly tougher skins.
Cannellini beans hold up well when added to soups and stews. They have a creamy texture and slightly nutty flavor (I love to use them to make this Italian White Bean Dip). Cannellini beans are easily found in the canned foods section of any grocery store.
Great Northern Beans are slightly smaller and more delicate than cannellini beans and they are often used interchangeably. If you can't find cannellini beans, feel free to sub 2 15.5 oz. cans of great northern beans when making this Turkey White Bean Soup.
Do The Beans Need To Be Rinsed?
It is not necessary to rinse the beans before adding them to this soup. I do recommend draining them, though.
Which Turkey Is Best For Soup?
This soup calls for turkey or chicken that is already cooked. Feel free to use roasted turkey or chicken, grilled chicken, rotisserie chicken, or smoked turkey if you like.
The fact that the meat is already cooked helps to cut down on the overall cooking time of the soup.
The leftover turkey or chicken may be cut into chunks or shredded if you prefer. You can use white meat, dark meat, or a combination of both.
It's important to add the meat at the end of the cooking time, so that it doesn't become overcooked and rubbery.
Can I Use Leftover Chicken Instead Of Turkey?
Absolutely!
This recipe can be made with leftover chicken instead of turkey if that's what you have on hand! Both are equally delicious.
Rotisserie chicken is a great shortcut ingredient.
How To Make Turkey White Bean Soup
As far as soups go, this one is really easy to make.
All that's needed is to mince the garlic and onions, chop the carrots, and dice the leftover turkey. The ingredients are all cooked together in a Dutch oven on the stove top and the whole thing is brightened up with the addition of lemon juice.
- Start by mincing 6 cloves of garlic and 1 onion (any color).
- Peel and chop 5-6 large carrots, making sure that the carrots are all relatively the same size to ensure that they cook evenly (yields 3 cups chopped carrots).
- Dice 3 cups of leftover turkey or chicken into chunks.
- Drain 2 15.5 oz. cans of cannellini or Great Northern beans (there is no need to rinse the beans).
- Juice 2 large lemons, yielding 6 Tbsp. of lemon juice.
- Place a cast iron Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed soup pot onto the stove top and heat to medium-high. Once heated, add 2 Tbsp. of olive oil.
- Once the oil is heated, add the minced garlic and onions. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the chopped carrots along with ¼ tsp. tsp. each kosher salt and pepper. Sauté for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add 5 cups of low sodium chicken broth (or turkey broth) to the pot along with 1 tsp. Italian seasoning and another ¼ tsp. kosher salt and pepper. Stir until combined.
- Bring the soup to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a low boil, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, add the drained white beans, chopped turkey or chicken, and 2 packed cups of fresh spinach (or hearty greens of choice). Stir all of these ingredients together and cook for another 5 minutes, or until the carrots are tender, but not mushy and easily pierced with a knife or fork.
- Add the 6 Tbsp. of lemon juice and stir until combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
Can I Sub Any Of These Ingredients?
Like many soup recipes, this one can be customized according to your tastes.
- Leftover chicken may be used in place of leftover turkey. Feel free to use either white or dark meat, or a combination both.
- Feel free to use homemade turkey broth in place of chicken broth if you like. Make sure the brand of broth used is gluten free if gluten is an issue for you.
- Any hearty greens may be used in place of spinach. Arugula, kale (curly or Lacinato), escarole, or Swiss chard are all great options. Feel free to chop the greens before adding to the soup if you prefer.
- Any variety of white beans may be used in place of the cannellini beans. Great Northern beans, butter beans, or navy beans can be used instead of cannellini beans if that's what you have on hand.
What To Serve With Turkey White Bean Soup
I love to garnish this soup with some freshly grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese for extra flavor and richness. You can omit the cheese if you'd like to keep it dairy free.
I also recommend serving it with a lemon wedge to squeeze over the top. You can also garnish the soup with some fresh herbs like parsley, thyme, or chives for extra color and flavor, but this completely optional.
Soups like this one are great served with some warm, crusty bread for dipping. It's also delicious with some homemade biscuits or cheddar herb scones.
It's also delicious with grilled cheese sandwich like this Gouda chicken grilled cheese or Italian grilled cheese for dipping.
The Italian flavors in this soup pair nicely with this arugula pesto flatbread, Mediterranean veggie flatbread pizza, Italian green bean salad, or Parmesan roasted cauliflower.
Love soup? Check out these recipes!
- Chunky Vegetable Soup
- Cannellini Bean Carrot Kale Soup
- Dutch Oven Chicken Noodle Soup
- Fennel Sausage Soup
- Vegetable Orzo Soup
How Long Does This Soup Last In The Fridge?
Any leftover soup may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Make sure to allow the soup to cool completely before transferring to the fridge for storage.
Can It Be Frozen?
Yes, this soup makes a great freezer meal!
HOW TO FREEZE
- Prepare the soup as directed and allow it to cool completely before transferring to the freezer for storage.
- Once cooled, place in heavy-duty freezer bags or airtight freezer-friendly food containers, label with the date, and freeze up to 3 months.
HOW TO REHEAT
- Transfer the soup to the refrigerator and allow it to thaw overnight.
- Place the thawed soup in a soup pot and heat on the stove top or in the microwave.
- You can also place the frozen soup in a Dutch Oven or heavy-bottomed soup pan, add some water or broth, thaw and reheat on the stove top.
- Feel free to add some extra lemon juice to freshen it up right before serving.
Check out these leftover turkey recipes!
Looking For More Leftover Turkey Recipes? Don't Miss These!
Turkey Rice Casserole
Turkey Wild Rice Vegetable Soup
Turkey Tetrazzini
Turkey White Bean Soup
Equipment
- Cast Iron Dutch Oven or Heavy-Bottomed Soup Pot
Ingredients
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1 onion any color
- 5-6 large carrots yields 3 cups chopped
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp. kosher salt
- ½ tsp. pepper
- 5 cups low sodium chicken broth or turkey broth
- 2 15.5 oz. cans cannellini beans drained
- 2 packed cups spinach or hearty greens of choice
- 3 cups leftover turkey or chicken, chopped
- 6 Tbsp. lemon juice equals 2 large lemons
- Parmesan cheese for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Mince 6 cloves of garlic and 1 onion (any color).
- Peel and chop 5-6 large carrots, making sure that the carrots are all relatively the same size to ensure that they cook evenly (yields 3 cups chopped carrots).
- Dice 3 cups of leftover turkey or chicken into chunks (feel free to use white or dark meat or a combination of both).
- Drain 2 15.5 oz. cans of cannellini beans (also known as white kidney beans) or Great Northern beans (there is no need to rinse the beans).
- Juice 2 large lemons, yielding 6 Tbsp. of lemon juice.
- Place a cast iron Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed soup pot onto the stove top and heat to medium-high. Once heated, add 2 Tbsp. of olive oil.
- Once the oil is heated, add the minced garlic and onions. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the chopped carrots along with ¼ tsp. tsp. each kosher salt and pepper. Sauté for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add 5 cups of low sodium chicken broth (or turkey broth) to the pot along with 1 tsp. Italian seasoning and another ¼ tsp. kosher salt and pepper. Stir until combined.
- Bring the soup to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a low boil, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, add the drained white beans, chopped turkey or chicken, and 2 packed cups of fresh spinach (or hearty greens of choice). Stir all of these ingredients together and cook for another 5 minutes, or until the carrots are tender, but not mushy and easily pierced with a knife or fork.Feel free to cook for an additional couple of minutes until the carrots are tender if needed.
- Add 6 Tbsp. of lemon juice and stir until combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
- To Serve: Serve with some grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese (optional) and a lemon wedge for garnish. Feel free to add some freshly minced herbs such as parsley, thyme, or chives for extra color and flavor (optional).
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