Turkey Taco Soup is the perfect kid-friendly soup! It's full of familiar flavors and nutritious ingredients. Bonus? If you're looking for recipes with leftover turkey, this works perfectly!
Most of our Prep Dish recipes only appear on our subscriber menus once a year – people like variety and we aim to deliver!
We make an exception for this turkey taco soup though because it is just that popular. This kid-friendly soup has all of the beloved flavor of a taco, but in a cozy, super healthy soup. Trust me, it's just as good as it sounds.
You can easily customize turkey taco soup too, based on your family's preferences or the ingredients you have on hand.
Want a vegetarian version? Sub black or pinto beans for the turkey.
Your kids don't like mushrooms? I recommend dicing them smaller as they get used to the ingredient but you can of course leave them out entirely as well.
While the recipe calls for ground turkey, you can also totally use shredded turkey here if you're looking for recipes with leftover turkey! The texture will be a bit different but the bold taco flavors will still shine through.
Turkey Taco Soup
Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion
- 2 carrots
- 3 bell peppers (one red, one green, one yellow)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 jalapeno
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 8 oz sliced mushrooms
- 1 # ground turkey breast
- 2 T taco seasoning*
- 2 cups tomato puree*
- 3 1/2 cups low sodium vegetable broth*
- 2 avocados (optional)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
- 1 cup sour cream (OR sub Greek yogurt, optional)
Instructions
- Finely chop 1/2 of a yellow onion, 2 carrots, 3 bell peppers, 2 cloves garlic, 1 jalapeno (discard seeds).
- In a large soup pot heat 1 tsp olive oil over med-high heat.
- Add chopped veggies from above, 8 oz sliced mushrooms and 1 pound ground turkey breast. Cook for ~10 min, breaking meat apart.
- Add 2 T taco seasoning, 2 cups tomato puree and 3 1/2 cups veggie broth.
- Turn heat to low, cook 30 min.
- Option to top with: sliced avocado, cheddar cheese and sour cream or Greek yogurt
Notes
What is the nutrition like in this Turkey Taco Soup?
This veggie packed turkey taco soup features some superstar ingredients you can feel great about serving your family. Here's the nutritional breakdown:
- Onion: Did you know that the humble onion is actually packed with antioxidants? Onions also have vitamin C, vitamin B6, folate and potassium.
- Carrots: Both budget and kid-friendly, carrots are full of fiber, vitamin A, vitamin K, potassium and vitamin B6. As a result, they’re great for eye health, lowering cholesterol, and reducing cancer risk.
- Garlic: Garlic has been used in homeopathic remedies for thousands of years and is thought to reduce the risk of heart disease, high cholesterol and some types of cancer.
- Bell Peppers: Loaded with vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, folic acid and fiber, bell peppers are a great addition to healthy family meals.
- Mushrooms: There are of course many kinds of edible mushrooms but the ones you most commonly find in the grocery store are either white button mushrooms or crimini (baby bella) mushrooms. Mushrooms are an excellent source of the antioxidant selenium as well as B-vitamins, copper and potassium.
- Turkey: In addition to being a low fat source of protein, turkey contains significant amounts of B vitamins, selenium and zinc.
- Tomatoes: Packed with antioxidants, tomatoes may help reduce the risk of several kinds of cancer. Furthermore, they contain vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E and potassium, many of which most people don't get enough of.
- Spices: Taco seasoning blends vary, but all include chili powder and cumin, both of which are highly beneficial to your health. Cumin is known for a variety of healthy benefits including aiding in indigestion. It's also an excellent source of iron and antioxidants. Chili powder is based on ground red chili peppers, which are high in vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin B6, potassium and copper.
What are some variations on turkey taco soup?
Just like tacos, there are a million ways to vary turkey taco soup based on what your family loves!
Mix up the veggies based on your preferences. Diced zucchini or chopped spinach or kale would both be excellent additions. You could also add corn or beans if your family enjoys them, or even butternut squash for a fall variation on the soup.
Another great way to vary the recipe is of course to switch up the toppings. Diced onions, cilantro or crispy tortilla strips (cut corn tortillas into strips, lightly oil and bake at 350 F for a few minutes). Chopped avocado is also delicious atop this soup – make sure to check out my video on how to chop an avocado if you're not sure!
You can of course also vary what you serve alongside turkey taco soup. Gluten free corn muffins, superfood salad with lemon-balsamic vinaigrette or massaged kale salad all make delicious accompaniments.
What makes this a kid-friendly soup?
There are a few things that make this a kid-friendly soup. First of all, most kids are familiar with and love the flavor of tacos. This familiarity makes this soup approachable for even picky kids.
The other factor making turkey taco soup super kid-friendly is how easy it is to customize. Ladle up a bowl of soup for your child and then let them add their own toppings. This gives kids a feeling of control that makes it more likely they'll try (and enjoy!) a new food.
If your child is very sensitive to spice, you may want to omit the jalapeño and simply add diced jalapeño to anyone's bowl who enjoys spicy food. If you do include the jalapeño in the recipe and it's too spicy for your child, simply stir some sour cream or Greek yogurt into their bowl to take away the spice.
What is in taco seasoning?
What exactly is in taco seasoning? Are some blends healthier than others? How do you make homemade taco seasoning?
Like any spice blend, taco seasonings vary, but common ingredients include chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper. Some blends include oregano, onion powder or cayenne pepper as well.
Sounds pretty healthy, right? It is! Unless the blend also includes flour and sugar as many taco seasonings do.
Make sure to check the ingredients if you're buying taco seasoning and avoid those with added sugar and flour. The Primal Palate taco seasoning is an excellent choice – it has nothing but the good stuff!
If you want to make your own taco seasoning, you can probably do so with the spices you already have in your pantry. While this clearly takes a bit of extra time up-front, you can make a large batch and use it over the next several months for all of your taco seasoning needs.
What are some other recipes with leftover turkey?
If you're looking for recipes with leftover turkey, this is a great one! Simply swap shredded turkey for ground turkey and add it in along with the broth and tomato puree rather than with the veggies to avoid overcooking.
Other recipes that work well for leftover turkey include:
- Lasagna (swap turkey for beef)
- Chicken and Cauliflower Chowder
- Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps
- Classic Chicken Vegetable Soup
- Mediterranean Stuffed Bell Peppers
- Greek Salad with Chicken
- Spinach Pesto Stuffed Acorn Squash (simply add shredded turkey into the stuffing mix)
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