Three Bean Turkey Soup

Who doesn’t love a hearty soup on a cold day? We all need more easy weeknight meals that the whole family loves. This tasty turkey bean soup is just what you need—it has so much flavor! Feel free to jump to the recipe card and get started, or scroll down for a quick how-to.

Why I love this soup so much

A few pantry staples, quick prep, throw it all in a soup pot, and simmer for 30 minutes. This cold, blustery weather makes me want to stay in, eat soup, and read. I need to go out and run some very necessary errands today.  I can’t put them off another day.  But I’d rather not.  Instead, I want to make some more soup and not go out.  My kid can wear her glasses a few days, who needs contacts.  Zit prescription, who needs it? Wash your face and quick picking kid!  Mail picked up at the post office. People, please quit sending mail until April.  I promise we will pay all our bills in April.  We have plenty of groceries in the cupboards, including cereal for days!  Dog to the groomer, who needs a clean hound? Well, thank goodness for this simple recipe! I will whip it up before I leave, transfer it to the slow cooker, and when I get home, hot soup will be ready and waiting. I love how easy this soup is; I love that my family all like it, and I love that it tastes even better the next day. Which means I can have it for lunch and read my book tomorrow!

Gather these ingredients

Do not let the ingredient list scare you. These are all pantry staples, that are basically dumped together, simmered, and turn into an easy deliciously hearty soup!

Can we talk about beans for a minute? We eat a lot of beans.  Beans are good for you.  Beans taste good in soups, chili’s, in burritos, quesadillas, and with rice.  Beans are the musical fruit. (I know beans are a fruit, just in case you were concerned.) Beans for president!

How to make three bean turkey soup.

This recipe couldn’t get any easier!

1. Add olive oil to a large pot, 8-10 quart, over medium heat. Add ground turkey, cook until browned breaking it up with a meat chopper or a wooden spoon.
2. While meat is browning chop vegetables. Add diced onion, celery, and carrots to pot with meat. Mix together and allow to cook for an additional 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
3. Drain and rinse all three cans of beans and set them aside.
4. Add spices to the browning turkey. Allow to simmer for a minute longer. Add tomato sauce (+1 can of water) and crushed tomatoes followed by remaining ingredients; beans, stock, sugar, salt, and pepper to taste.
5. Stir to combine. Turn stove top to low and allow to simmer for 30 minutes before serving. Add additional salt and pepper to your taste.

Tips & Variations

• This soup travels well making it a great recipe to make for someone in need of a homemade meal. Place it in an airtight container, add a loaf of bread or some rolls. Make them a batch of muffins or cookie bars and they will be forever grateful!
• Use any type of ground meat you like. I have used both lean ground beef and ground chicken. I think ground venison would also be great in this recipe.
• Beans: Don’t be afraid to use whatever canned beans you have on hand. I have made this with many different types of beans. I have used great northern beans in place of the cannellini beans. I don’t think you could go wrong here, use what you prefer.
• This is a thicker soup that lends itself well to the same toppings as chili. We often eat it with tortilla chips and diced avocado on top. Shredded parmesan cheese also tastes great. Of course, bread and crackers are a mainstay with this delicious soup.
• This easy soup freezes really well. Ladle into freezer safe containers, allow some room for expansion when it freezes. When soup is completely cool, label and date container and freeze for up to 6 months. When ready to eat, remove from freezer let thaw and reheat on the stove top, microwave or place in a crock pot.

When the weather turns cold, there’s nothing better than a big pot of hearty Three Bean Turkey Soup simmering on the stove. It’s an easy one-pot dinner packed with lean ground turkey, vegetables, tomatoes, and three kinds of beans, making it filling enough for the whole family. I especially love that it makes plenty for leftovers, freezes beautifully, and is easy to package up and share with someone who could use a homemade meal. Serve it with crusty bread, crackers, or tortilla chips and gather everyone around the table for a warm, comforting dinner. If you make this recipe, I’d love for you to leave a rating on the recipe card and pin it to save for the next chilly day!

From my table to yours with love, Sheila