Turkey and White Bean Soup
Lean turkey, creamy cannellini beans, and seasonal vegetables in a light, herby broth — filling without being heavy.
Ingredients
Serves 6
- 1 lb (450g) ground or shredded cooked turkey
- 2 cans (15 oz each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups kale or spinach, roughly chopped
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp dried rosemary (or 1 sprig fresh)
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Parmesan rind (optional, for depth) and freshly grated Parmesan to serve
Instructions
- 1Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 7–8 minutes until softened and beginning to color.
- 2Add garlic, rosemary, thyme, and the bay leaf. Cook 1 minute until fragrant.
- 3If using raw ground turkey: add it now and cook, breaking it up, for 5–6 minutes until cooked through and lightly browned.
- 4Add diced tomatoes and cook 2 minutes, stirring.
- 5Add cannellini beans, chicken broth, and the Parmesan rind if using. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.
- 6Cook for 15–20 minutes to meld the flavors. If using pre-cooked shredded turkey (e.g., leftover Thanksgiving turkey), add it in the last 10 minutes of cooking so it just heats through.
- 7Stir in the kale or spinach in the last 5 minutes of cooking. Remove the bay leaf and Parmesan rind. Taste and season generously with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and top with freshly grated Parmesan.
Pro Tips
- ✓
This soup is the ideal destination for leftover roasted turkey — the broth revives the meat and the long simmer develops the beans into the ideal creamy-firm texture.
- ✓
Mash 1/4 of the cannellini beans against the side of the pot during cooking. The released starch thickens the broth into a naturally hearty consistency without any additional thickener.
- ✓
A Parmesan rind simmered in the soup for 20 minutes adds more depth than almost any other ingredient you can add. If you have one in the freezer, this is the soup to use it in.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use chicken instead of turkey in this soup?
Absolutely — this recipe works identically with ground chicken or shredded cooked chicken. Rotisserie chicken is an excellent shortcut: shred 2 cups of breast or thigh meat and add it in the last 10 minutes so it heats through without drying out. The flavor will be slightly lighter than turkey but equally delicious.
What white beans can I use instead of cannellini?
Great Northern beans, navy beans, and butter beans all work well. Each has a slightly different texture: cannellini are the creamiest, Great Northern are slightly firmer, and navy beans are the smallest and softest. All complement turkey beautifully — choose based on availability.
How long does turkey white bean soup keep?
This soup keeps for 4–5 days in the fridge and freezes well for 3 months. The beans will absorb broth over time and the soup will thicken — add a splash of broth when reheating. It's one of those soups that actually improves overnight as the flavors develop.
More Soup Recipes
Key Ingredient Guides
Canned Chickpeas
Canned chickpeas are the fastest path from pantry to protein-rich dinner — no soaking, no …
View guide →Garlic
Garlic is the aromatic backbone of cuisines from Italian to Korean — but knowing what to c…
View guide →Spinach
Spinach is one of those vegetables that most home cooks buy with good intentions and then …
View guide →Cook from what you have — automatically.
Tablespoon scans your grocery receipts, tracks what's in your fridge, and suggests recipes like Turkey and White Bean Soup before anything expires.