Turkey White Bean Soup Great For Leftover Turkey

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This Turkey White Bean Soup is one of those unique flavors that just remind you of fall. With the cooked turkey and added spinach, you can rest easy knowing that this soup is loaded down with healthy ingredients that are beneficial to everyone in the family.  

I cook turkey often for my dog, so we always have chopped turkey in the freezer.  This would also be a great way of using leftover turkey.

Make certain that you check out this Chunky Bacon Potato Soup Recipe as well because once the colder weather starts to arrive, it’s a good idea to have several soup recipes to fall back on. 

Turkey White Bean Soup

What I love about this simple soup recipe is that it’s actually meant to be a spicy soup. And I’m all about having a little bit of hit in every bite of my meal if you like spicy.

I’m not so big on spice, but the guys in my family are.  You can adjust the heat to your liking, add more or leave out all together.  

Adding in the jalapeno pepper is a simple way to bring in the flavor and taste without making it overpower the entire recipe.  Or adding a bit of cayenne pepper works for spice too.

And that’s just another great reason why this soup recipe is so good. You can make changes to your own personal soup and have it taste any way that you want. 

Ingredients needed to make Spicy Turkey White Bean Soup 

• 2 Tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
  
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
  
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  
• 1 large leek, diced
  
• 4 carrots, peeled and diced
  
• 1 jalapeno pepper, diced
  
• Sea salt and pepper, to taste
  
• 2 bay leaves
  
• 2 teaspoons of dried parsley
  
• 2 teaspoons of dried oregano
  
• ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper
  
• 4 cups chicken stock
  
• 3” Parmesan cheese rind
  
• 2 cups of water
  
• 2 15-oz. cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
  
• 2 cups of cooked turkey, shredded
  
• 2 cups of baby spinach, coarsely chopped
  
  Optional Garnish:
  Freshly shaved Parmesan cheese
  Fresh parsley, chopped 

How to Make Turkey Bean Soup 

• Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat, then add garlic, onion, leeks, carrots, and jalapeno. Cook, stirring occasionally until vegetables are soft and develop a bit of color, approximately 6 – 8 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste. 
• Add bay leaves, dried herbs, and cayenne pepper and cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until the herbs become fragrant. 
• Add chicken stock, Parmesan rind, water, and cannellini beans to the pot. Increase heat to high and bring the soup to a rolling boil. Once it boils, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes.  
• Add shredded turkey and spinach to the pot and cook for another 3-5 minutes, or until the spinach wilts and the turkey is heated through. Remove from heat and discard bay leaves. Taste and adjust seasonings, as desired. Serve immediately with some shaved Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

How do you get a Parmesan rind?

Since this recipe does call for a Parmesan cheese rind, you’re going to have to find one in your area. Your local grocery store should be able to point you in the right direction about where to find it there or possibly even in their meat and cheese deli section, too. 

If you can’t find one, (and if you’re wondering what exactly a Parmesan cheese rind is, it’s the end of the cheese that holds it all together – the part that you really don’t eat when you’re shredding it up) – You can add a bit of shredded cheese such as Parmesan, Pecorino Romano or Gruyère but you may find some which hasn’t melted.  That’s ok too.

Speaking of Parmesan cheese, you will also notice a huge difference in flavor when you buy a chunk of cheese and shred yourself as opposed to the pre-shredded.  

You will be amazed at the amount of flavor this rind can add to a dish.

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Turkey White Bean Soup

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This simple turkey recipe is loaded down with flavor and taste!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 large leek, diced
• 4 carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, diced
• Sea salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons of dried parsley
• 2 teaspoons of dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper
• 4 cups of organic chicken stock
• 3” Parmesan cheese rind
• 2 cups of water
• 2 15-oz. cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups of cooked turkey, shredded
• 2 cups of baby spinach, coarsely chopped

Optional Garnish:

• Freshly shaved Parmesan cheese
• Fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat, then add garlic, onion, leeks, carrots, and jalapeno. Cook, stirring occasionally until vegetables are soft and develop a bit of color, approximately 6 - 8 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste.

Add bay leaves, dried herbs, and cayenne pepper and cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until the herbs become fragrant. 


Add chicken stock, Parmesan rind, water, and cannellini beans to the pot. Increase heat to high and bring the soup to a rolling boil. Once it boils, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes.

Add shredded turkey and spinach to the pot and cook for another 3-5 minutes, or until the spinach wilts and the turkey is heated through. Remove from heat and discard bay leaves. Taste and adjust seasonings, as desired. Serve immediately with some shaved Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

More Soup Recipes 

• Butternut Squash Crockpot Soup 
• Best Crockpot Recipes – For Breakfast, Lunch, Sides, and Dinners
• Slow Cooker Chicken & Vegetable Stew Perfect For The Fall

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