Southwestern Turkey Soup (Print Version)

A warming Tex-Mex style bowl loaded with tender turkey, black beans, corn, and zesty spices. Ready in under an hour.

# What You'll Need:

→ Protein

01 - 2 cups cooked turkey, shredded or diced

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1 cup frozen or canned corn kernels, drained if canned
06 - 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
07 - 1 10-ounce can diced tomatoes with green chiles
08 - 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
09 - 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced, optional
10 - 1 tablespoon tomato paste

→ Liquids

11 - 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
12 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Spices and Seasonings

13 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
14 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
15 - 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika
16 - 0.5 teaspoon dried oregano
17 - 0.5 teaspoon salt, adjust to taste
18 - 0.25 teaspoon ground black pepper
19 - Juice of 1 lime
20 - 0.25 cup fresh cilantro, chopped, plus more for garnish

→ Optional Garnishes

21 - Sliced avocado
22 - Crumbled tortilla chips
23 - Shredded cheese
24 - Sour cream

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion and red bell pepper; sauté 3 to 4 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and jalapeño if using; cook 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Stir for 1 minute to toast spices.
04 - Mix in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
05 - Add diced tomatoes with juices, diced tomatoes with green chiles, black beans, corn, and chicken broth. Bring to gentle boil.
06 - Reduce heat to simmer. Stir in turkey. Simmer uncovered 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
07 - Stir in lime juice and chopped cilantro. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
08 - Serve hot, garnished with additional cilantro and desired toppings such as avocado, tortilla chips, cheese, or sour cream.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • You can transform any forgotten holiday turkey into a bowl that will have everyone thinking you planned this meal all along.
  • The combination of smoky spices with bright lime creates this perfect balance that somehow makes everyone at the table fall silent for those first few blissful spoonfuls.
02 -
  • Adding the turkey too early can make it stringy and tough - I learned this the hard way after an entire pot of chewy meat spoiled what should have been a perfect soup.
  • If your soup tastes flat despite following the recipe exactly, a pinch more salt will usually solve the problem - it took me years to understand that adequate seasoning makes the difference between good and spectacular.
03 -
  • If your soup seems too thick after simmering, add broth a quarter cup at a time - but if its too thin, mash some of the beans against the side of the pot with your spoon to release their starch as a natural thickener.
  • Store any leftover soup without the garnishes, then reheat gently on the stove rather than the microwave to preserve the textures of the vegetables and beans.
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