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• This Ground Turkey Soup Became a Weeknight Favorite Fast
• Ingredients & Substitutions
• How To Make Ground Turkey Soup
• My Recipe Tips
• Ground Turkey Soup (30 Minutes) Recipe card
• More Cozy Homemade Soup Recipes
• Recipe Reviews

This Ground Turkey Soup Became a Weeknight Favorite Fast

I first made this ground turkey soup on a weeknight when I had a pound of meat to use up and no clue what to make. I grabbed a few pantry staples, some veggies, and threw it all in a pot. It turned out so cozy and flavorful, I’ve made it almost weekly since. It reminds me a little of my stuffed pepper soup , but this one’s even easier and faster. Here’s why I keep it in regular rotation during soup season:

• Cozy, savory flavor – The ground turkey makes it hearty, and the fire-roasted tomatoes add just the right smoky depth. It tastes like it simmered all day, but it didn’t.
• Quick weeknight win – No fancy steps or precooked meat here. It all comes together in one pot with simple ingredients and minimal chopping. The best part? It’s ready in about 30 minutes.
• Perfect for leftovers – Just like my leftover turkey soup , this one tastes even better the next day. It freezes well too. I usually make extra so lunch is ready to go later in the week.

Whether you’re cooking ahead or just want something warm and nourishing tonight, make this soup with ground turkey with me!

“What a delicious recipe! This was the perfect supper for my family. The chickpeas really added to the flavor and texture!” –Brooke

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Ingredients & Substitutions

Here I explain the best ingredients for my ground turkey soup recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card .

• Olive Oil – I usually use extra virgin olive oil here, but honestly, any neutral cooking oil will work just fine.
• Ground Turkey – I’ve used lean and full-fat versions and both turn out great. If you’ve got extra, try my turkey burger recipe . You can also swap in ground beef, chicken, or even sausage (just remove the casings first).
• Diced Vegetables – I like yellow diced onion and orange bell pepper for a pop of color, but feel free to mix it up. Red or green bell peppers, white onion, celery, mushrooms, carrots, green beans, corn or even frozen mixed veggies work. If you want to add greens, stir in baby spinach or kale at the end so they gently wilt.
• Garlic – I always go for fresh garlic if I have it, but jarred minced garlic works when I need to save a few minutes.
• Seasonings – I use Italian seasoning , sea salt and black pepper in this ground tureky soup, but poultry seasoning works too if that’s what you have.
• Fire Roasted Tomatoes – These add rich, smoky flavor. Regular diced tomatoes work, but fire-roasted tastes better in this ground turkey soup.
• Chickpeas – You can skip them for a low-carb option, swap in black beans, legumes or even use potatoes instead.
• Chicken Broth – I use low-sodium homemade chicken broth here so I can control the salt. You could also use bone broth , or veggie broth.
• Bay Leaf – This gives a subtle layer of flavor, and I like to sprinkle fresh parsley or basil on top before serving. Optional, but worth it.

VARIATION: Make it a ground turkey rice soup.

After the soup simmers, stir in up to 1 cup of white rice and cook for 10-15 minutes, until tender. If you prefer a lighter option, use cauliflower rice instead and add it during the last 2-3 minutes of cooking so it stays firm.

How To Make Ground Turkey Soup

I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card .

1. Brown turkey. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook the ground turkey breaking it up, until browned and no longer pink.
2. Saute vegetables. Add the onions, bell pepper, garlic, seasoning, salt, and pepper. Saute until the veggies soften and onions look translucent.

1. Combine. Pour in the fire-roasted tomatoes, chickpeas, and broth, and I toss in a bay leaf for extra flavor.
2. Simmer. Bring the ground turkey soup to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until done. Discard the bay leaf and garnish with the parsley if you’d like.

My Recipe Tips

• You can totally make this soup in any large pot. I just like using my Dutch oven because it holds heat well and cooks everything evenly.
• Brown the turkey thoroughly. Don’t stop as soon as the pink is gone. Let it cook a couple more minutes so it gets a little golden. That extra browning adds a lot of flavor to the broth.
• I like to dice the onion and bell pepper into small, even pieces so they cook at the same rate. It also makes each bite of soup feel balanced.
• Don’t drain the roasted tomatoes! That extra tomato juice adds flavor and helps build the base of the broth.

Ingredients

Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.

• 2 tbsp Olive oil ▢
• 1 lb Ground turkey ▢
• 1 medium Yellow onion (diced) ▢
• 1 large Bell pepper (diced) ▢
• 3 cloves Garlic (minced) ▢
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning ▢
• 1/2 tsp Sea salt ▢
• 1/4 tsp Black pepper ▢
• 1 14.5-oz can Fire roasted diced tomatoes (with liquid) ▢
• 1 15.5-oz can Chickpeas (drained and rinsed) ▢
• 5 cups Chicken broth, reduced sodium ▢
• 1 medium Bay leaf ▢
• Fresh parsley (optional, for garnish) ▢

Instructions

Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.

1. Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add ground turkey and cook for 5-8 minutes , until no longer pink.
2. Stir in the onions, bell peppers, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Saute for 5 minutes , until the onions and peppers start to soften.
3. Pour in fire-roasted tomatoes, chickpeas, and chicken broth. Add the bay leaf.
4. Bring to boil, cover, and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 10-15 minutes , or until the flavors develop to your liking.
5. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.

LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!

Maya’s Recipe Notes

Serving size: 1 cup

• Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you build more flavor, get the texture just right, and make the whole cooking process even easier.
• Store: Keep leftover ground turkey soup in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.
• Reheat: Warm ground turkey vegetable soup on the stove or microwave individual bowls for a quick, cozy meal.
• Freeze: Keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. You can reheat straight from frozen on the stove or in the microwave.

📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Healthy Ebook Bundle !

I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy .

Add Your NotesYour Notes

© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead.

Ground Turkey Soup

More Cozy Homemade Soup Recipes

If you liked this ground turkey soup, here are a few more cozy soup recipes I make on cool fall days:

Free Printable: Low Carb & Keto Food List

• Want The Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF System?
• The Basic Keto Meal Formula
• Understanding Macros
• Keto Food Swaps
• Keto Food List
• Electrolyte Basics
• Keto Diet Types
• Want The Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF System?
• Recipe Reviews

Even though I have a great guide to starting a keto diet , people often ask me for a quick keto cheat sheet they can use. That’s why I created this simple keto diet cheat sheet , so that you can have all the info you need handy. We’ll cover the basic keto formula for building meals, foods to eat and to avoid, delicious keto swaps for high-carb foods, electrolyte basics, and 4 ways to follow the keto lifestyle.

You can keep reading to view this info, or download my keto cheat sheet printable pdf to print out or save ad-free on any device (plus the pdf has more details!).

Want The Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF System?

Get all this information and MORE in convenient printer-friendly format – 13 cheat sheet pages you can take with you anywhere or keep in your kitchen, plus 4 recipe cookbooks! Includes:

1. Keto food list (230+ foods) – Super detailed & color-coded, with net carb counts, so you’ll know exactly what to eat.
2. Foods to avoid on keto – Detailed and specific list so that you know exactly what to watch out for.
3. Macros cheat sheet – Explains everything you need to know about macros to succeed on keto.
4. Keto food swaps (60+ foods) – Covers virtually every food you love, so you don’t have to miss out!
5. Keto meal formula – With specific food ideas, so it’s easy to mix-and-match.
6. Keto flu guide – Understand what it is and exactly how to avoid it.
7. Electrolyte cheat sheet – With whole food ideas + bonus keto tips.
8. Keto Diet Types – Summary of 4 ways to do keto, so you can choose what fits you best.
9. FOUR (4!) Keto Swaps Recipe EBooks – Dozens of recipes to replace bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, desserts, and other carbs you’d otherwise miss.

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The Basic Keto Meal Formula

Eating keto doesn’t have to be complicated! While there are plenty of delicious easy keto recipes to choose from, you don’t even have to cook from a recipe to get started.

Simply follow the keto cheat sheet formula of protein + veggie + fat for your meals.

Be sure to choose a moderate amount of protein, only low carb vegetables (mostly ones that grow above ground), and generous fat to attain an optimal macro ratio. That’s approximately 60-75% of calories from fat, 20-25% protein, and 5-10% from carbohydrates. The table below will give you ideas for what to choose.

Understanding Macros

Macros are macronutrients for short. They include fat, protein, and carbohydrates.

You can calculate your own macros using the macro calculator , but the macro keto cheat sheet below will explain how to look at macros when following a keto lifestyle.

Carbs Are A Limit.

Keeping carbs low is what gets you into ketosis and keeps you there. Ketosis means that you’re using fat as your primary energy source instead of sugar, and requires keeping carbs very low.

A good starting point is 20-25 grams net carbs per day, but you can experiment after a few weeks to see if your body stays in ketosis at higher levels. People who are very active may be able to do more and stay in ketosis, up to around 50 grams per day.

“Carbs are a limit” means that you set a limit for how many carbs to eat per day and don’t exceed it. You don’t have to hit that limit, so if you’re under that’s okay, just don’t go over. Ideally most of your carbs would come from low carb vegetables, and if you’re eating enough veggies, you’ll usually get close to the limit naturally.

A common misconception is that reaching ketosis requires a certain macro ratio, but it’s really only restricting your carb intake that gets you there [ * ]. In the absence of sufficient carbs to use as energy, the body will switch to using fat as fuel. This is called the metabolic state of ketosis.

Protein Is A Goal.

Protein is made up of amino acids, the building blocks of all our cells. It’s a crucial for keeping our muscles strong and for many cellular functions [ * ].

“Protein is a goal” means that you always want to eat enough protein to reach the goal each day, but not exceed it too much. You want enough for your needs, but excess protein can trigger gluconeogenesis, which is protein being converted to sugar [ * ] and can kick you out of ketosis.

Fat Is A Lever.

Fat is the primary macronutrient in a keto lifestyle, because being in ketosis means that fat is your primary fuel source. Fat as a fuel source will come from your food, and if you are losing weight, from your body.

A big advantage of a keto lifestyle is the high fat intake. It keeps you full and satisfied, making it easier to stick to, and using it as the primary fuel source makes it easier on your body to burn body fat, with a lower chance of breaking down your muscle (provided you get enough protein).

Aside from reaching your protein goal and limiting your carbs, the remainder of your calories on a keto diet comes from fat.

Don’t fear fat – it’s your main energy source on keto, and getting enough of it trains your body to use fat for fuel instead of sugar. That means that as long as you are not overdoing your overall calorie intake, you’ll efficiently burn your body fat for fuel as well.

“Fat is a lever” means that you can increase or decrease your fat intake depending on your goals and hunger levels. Increase it (along with exercise) to gain muscle, or decrease it to lose weight.

Keto Food Swaps

One of my favorite challenges is creating recipes, or just discovering, keto food swaps. These are delicious keto replacements for traditionally high-carb or high-sugar foods.

So, I created this keto diet cheat sheet with all the swaps in one place! I also have more keto food swaps in my Easy Keto Cookbook .

Keto Swaps For Breakfast

Keto Swaps For Bread

Keto Swaps For Meals & Side Dishes

Keto Swaps For Snacks & Sauces

Keto Swaps For Cooking & Baking

Keto Swaps For Drinks

If you’re looking specifically for keto alcohol options, browse the full keto alcohol guide .

Keto Food List

When looking for a keto cheat sheet printable, the most-requested information is a keto food list.

The great thing is that keto doesn’t have to feel restrictive. It’s incredibly satisfying and there’s such a wide variety of foods you can eat!

Foods To Eat On Keto

• Leafy greens – Such as spinach, chard, and lettuce.
• Above-ground veggies – Such as peppers, zucchini, and cauliflower.
• Full-fat cream & cheese – Such as heavy cream, sour cream, and full-fat hard cheeses.
• Natural meats – Such as beef, lamb, and pork.
• Berries – Such as raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries.
• Avocados
• Unsweetened nut milks – Such as almond milk and coconut milk.
• Almond flour and coconut flour
• Eggs
• Healthy fats – Such as coconut oil, avocado oil, olive oil and butter.

Foods To Avoid On Keto

• White flour & sugar
• Rice & grains – Such as barley, wheat, and corn.
• Milk & yogurt – Such as fruit on the bottom yogurt, sweetened Greek yogurt, and all milk.
• Cereal
• Processed food – Such as granola bars, candy
• Most fruit – Such as apples, bananas, and grapes
• Hydrogenated fats – Such as vegetable oil, soybean oil, and margarine
• Sweetened beverages & condiments – Such as soda, ketchup, and sweet dressings
• Starchy veggies – Such as peas, carrots, and beets.
• Potatoes – Such as sweet potatoes and white potatoes.

That’s the short keto diet cheat sheet version of all the keto food categories, but I recommend downloading the full Keto Cheat Sheet System. It includes a super detailed printable keto food list with over 100 items, including 2 color-coded pages with net carb counts, along with 6 more pages of keto cheat sheets:

Get The Keto Cheat Sheet System PDF (Only $37)

Electrolyte Basics

Getting enough electrolytes is crucial for anyone, but especially so on a keto diet. The reason is that ketosis has a diuretic effect, which increases excretion of water and electrolytes, especially sodium [ * ]. This is often the cause of the keto flu.

For more details on electrolytes and avoiding keto flu, check out the full keto flu guide here .

The important thing to know about electrolytes is that replenishing them will keep keto flu away and keep your body functioning well. I always recommend an electrolyte drink and whole food sources of anything your body needs before resorting to supplements, so I made a list of what to eat to get each of the 3 major electrolytes – sodium, magnesium and potassium.

Here’s your keto diet cheat sheet for getting electrolytes from food:

Keto Diet Types

People follow a keto lifestyle for different reasons. Some do it just to lose weight, others are after better overall health, increased energy, and reduced inflammation.

Strictly speaking, the defining factor of a keto diet is the metabolic state of ketosis, which is achieved by restricting carbs. However, many people (myself included) also reduce or eliminate processed, inflammatory, or low-nutrient foods.

Below is your keto cheat sheet summary of the different ways that people follow keto. You choose what works best for your goals and lifestyle!

• Strict Keto – Up to 20-30g net carbs daily, count all calories and macros, and eat clean, unprocessed foods.
• Lazy Keto – Up to 20-30g net carbs daily, and track only net carbs OR eat keto foods without tracking.
• Dirty Keto – Up to 20-30g net carbs daily, with “if it fits your macros” approach including processed foods.
• Low Carb – Up to 50-100g net carbs daily, less strict.

For a more detailed listing of these different types of keto with pros and cons, grab the Easy Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF below!

Want The Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF System?

Get all this information and MORE in convenient printer-friendly format – 13 cheat sheet pages you can take with you anywhere or keep in your kitchen, plus 4 recipe cookbooks! Includes:

1. Keto food list (230+ foods) – Super detailed & color-coded, with net carb counts, so you’ll know exactly what to eat.
2. Foods to avoid on keto – Detailed and specific list so that you know exactly what to watch out for.
3. Macros cheat sheet – Explains everything you need to know about macros to succeed on keto.
4. Keto food swaps (60+ swaps) – Covers virtually every food you love, so you don’t have to miss out!
5. Keto meal formula – With specific food ideas, so it’s easy to mix-and-match.
6. Keto flu guide – Understand what it is and exactly how to avoid it.
7. Electrolyte cheat sheet – With whole food ideas + bonus keto tips.
8. Keto Diet Types – Summary of 4 ways to do keto, so you can choose what fits you best.
9. FOUR (4!) Keto Swaps Recipe EBooks – Dozens of recipes to replace bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, desserts, and other carbs you’d otherwise miss.

Get The Printable Keto Cheat Sheet System (75 pages, Only $37!)

Ground Turkey Soup (30 Minutes)

My ground turkey soup is cozy, hearty, and ready fast with chickpeas, veggies, and broth. Light, cozy, and full of flavor!

Scan this QR code with your phone’s camera for the full recipe, including tips, step-by-step photos, and storage, or to save it to your account. You can also find it at: https://www.wholesomeyum.com/ground-turkey-soup/

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 lb Ground turkey
• 1 medium Yellow onion (diced)
• 1 large Bell pepper (diced)
• 3 cloves Garlic (minced)
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp Sea salt
• 1/4 tsp Black pepper
• 1 14.5-oz can Fire roasted diced tomatoes (with liquid)
• 1 15.5-oz can Chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
• 5 cups Chicken broth, reduced sodium
• 1 medium Bay leaf
• Fresh parsley (optional, for garnish)

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add ground turkey and cook for 5-8 minutes , until no longer pink.
2. Stir in the onions, bell peppers, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Saute for 5 minutes , until the onions and peppers start to soften.
3. Pour in fire-roasted tomatoes, chickpeas, and chicken broth. Add the bay leaf.
4. Bring to boil, cover, and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 10-15 minutes , or until the flavors develop to your liking.
5. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.

Maya’s Recipe Notes

Serving size: 1 cup

• Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you build more flavor, get the texture just right, and make the whole cooking process even easier.
• Store: Keep leftover ground turkey soup in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.
• Reheat: Warm ground turkey vegetable soup on the stove or microwave individual bowls for a quick, cozy meal.
• Freeze: Keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. You can reheat straight from frozen on the stove or in the microwave.

📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Healthy Ebook Bundle !

I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy .

© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead. :)