Ground Meats
$1.25per plate
Prep
15 min
Ground Meats · Ground Turkey
Ground Turkey Soup
Ground turkey is lean and cheap, and a single pound is all it takes to turn a pot of vegetables into a hearty, filling soup. This one browns the turkey first for savory depth, then simmers it with carrots, celery, potatoes, and tomatoes in a simple broth until everything is tender. It is a one-pot, beginner-friendly dinner that costs about a dollar and a quarter a bowl and only gets better the next day. It joins the rest of our ground turkey recipes, all cheap dinners built on the same lean pound. For more warming bowls, see all our soup recipes.
$1.25per plate
Estimated recipe total
$7.49 · serves 6
Cook
30 min
Total
45 min
Serves
6
Recipe from Budget Plates · https://www.budgetplates.com/ground-turkey-soup
Equipment
- Large pot
Variations
- Use a couple of cups of frozen mixed vegetables in place of the fresh carrots and celery for a faster, dump-in soup.
- Use sweet potato, or extra carrot, in place of the potatoes.
- Stir in small pasta, a scoop of rice, or a drained can of beans in the last 15 minutes, with an extra cup of broth.
- Stir in a few handfuls of chopped kale or spinach near the end to stretch the pot further.
1 How to make it
1
Brown the turkey
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high and add the ground turkey. Cook, breaking it into small crumbles, until no pink remains and some of it browns, about 6 to 8 minutes, reaching 165 F. Season with a little salt and pepper as it cooks. Canned-lean turkey renders little fat; if the pot looks greasy, spoon off the excess.
2
Soften the vegetables
Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook until they start to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic for the last minute so it does not burn.
3
Add the potatoes, tomatoes, and broth
Tip in the diced potatoes, the can of tomatoes with its juice, and the broth. Add the Italian seasoning and the bay leaf and stir to combine.
4
Simmer until tender
Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, partly covered, for 20 to 25 minutes, until the potatoes and carrots are fork-tender and the broth has taken on flavor.
5
Season and finish
Fish out the bay leaf, then taste and adjust the salt and pepper; soups almost always need a little more salt than you expect. Stir in most of the parsley.
6
Serve
Ladle into bowls and scatter the rest of the parsley on top. A hunk of crusty bread or a grilled cheese on the side turns it into a full dinner.
2 Cheaper ingredient swaps
- Frozen mixed vegetables for the fresh. A couple of cups of frozen mixed vegetables can replace the fresh carrots and celery for a faster, dump-in soup. Add them with the broth.
- Sweet potato or extra carrot for the potato. Either swaps in for the potatoes and adds a little natural sweetness. Dice them the same size so they cook evenly.
- A handful of pasta, rice, or beans. Stir in small pasta, a scoop of rice, or a drained can of beans in the last 15 minutes to bulk it up. Add an extra cup of broth, since they drink it up.
- Kale or spinach at the end. A few handfuls of chopped greens stirred in during the last few minutes wilt right into the soup and stretch it further.
3 Budget tips
- Ground turkey is a lean, cheap protein, and one pound is enough to flavor a whole pot of soup that feeds six.
- Soup is the best way to use up odd vegetables. Whatever is wilting in the crisper can go in the pot.
- Make the broth from bouillon cubes or a spoon of base instead of buying cartons; it costs a fraction as much.
- It reheats and freezes beautifully, so make the full pot and stash portions for cheap lunches all week.
- See more recipes priced per serving in the Budget Plates Index.
4 Storage, freezing & reheating
Fridge
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. The flavor deepens overnight, so day-two soup is even better.
Freezer
Freeze cooled soup for up to 3 months. The potatoes soften a little on thawing but the soup still reheats well. Leave a little headspace in the container.
Reheating
Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave until steaming. Add a splash of broth or water if it has thickened in the fridge.
5 Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
230
Protein
17g
Fat
9g
Carbs
18g
Estimates per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not a substitute for medical advice.
6 Frequently asked questions
Do I need to drain the ground turkey?
Usually no. Lean ground turkey renders very little fat. If you used a fattier blend and see grease pooling, spoon it off before you add the broth so the soup is not oily.
How do I make ground turkey soup more filling?
Stir in a handful of small pasta, a scoop of rice, or a drained can of beans in the last 15 minutes, and add a little extra broth. A slice of crusty bread or a grilled cheese on the side also makes it a full dinner.
Can I make this in a slow cooker?
Yes. Brown the turkey first for the best flavor, then add it with everything else and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or high for 3 to 4, until the vegetables are tender.
How is $1.25 a plate figured?
About $7.49 for the whole pot, six bowls, so roughly $1.25 each. The pound of ground turkey is the biggest cost, so buy it when it is on sale.
Helpful Tools for This Recipe
As an Amazon Associate, Budget Plates may earn from qualifying purchases.
- Chef's knife. One sharp chef's knife handles almost all the chopping, from onions to chicken, and replaces a drawer of gadgets. Best for all-purpose prep in essentially every recipe on the site.
- Cutting board. A large, stable cutting board makes prep faster and safer, which matters when you cook most nights. Best for everyday chopping of onion, garlic, and vegetables across nearly every recipe.
- Mixing bowls set. A set of nesting bowls handles prep, mixing, and marinades without dirtying every dish in the house. Best for mixing meatball and patty mixtures, tossing ingredients, and holding prepped components.
- Measuring cups and spoons set. A basic set of measuring cups and spoons keeps amounts consistent, which keeps budget recipes reliable. Best for rice, liquids, and any recipe where the ratio matters.
Feeding a crowd tonight? This one is also part of our Easy Family Dinner Recipes collection.
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