One Pot Minestrone Soup with Ground Turkey (30 minutes)
This One Pot Minestrone Soup is an easy twist on the classic comfort meal – using lean ground turkey, a variety of veggies, cannellini beans and bite-sized pasta noodles. It takes 30 minutes from start to finish, making it the perfect weeknight meal to keep things quick and simple!
Why you should make this Minestrone Soup with Ground Turkey
This Minestrone Soup with Ground Turkey is the ultimate solution for anyone looking to balance a busy schedule with a nutrient-dense meal. The lean ground turkey and beans provide a high protein content in this meal. With a hearty dose of dietary fibre from a variety of vegetables and legumes, this soup also supports digestive health while keeping you feeling full and satisfied after you’ve finished your bowl. Plus, it’s packed with so much texture, which really enhances the overall satisfaction, in my opinion!
We avoid the dry, rubbery, flavourless taste of turkey by making sure it has enough time to brown in the pot before adding other ingredients. It’s also flavoured with delicious herbs, so there’s absolutely no lack of taste here!
Texture is also very important to me because having the perfect balance of texture really makes or breaks the overall satisfaction of the final product. In this soup, I’ve timed the cooking of each veggie and pasta so that each bite gives a crunch and a soft chew, without running into any mushy pasta or veggies.
If there’s one thing I always do when using canned beans, it’s rinse them! Before I add them to any dish, I drain and rinse them thoroughly to reduce the sodium and extra starch that can alter the taste and mouthfeel of some recipes. Don’t forget this step!
I love to use this recipe as a way to save time throughout the week. Whether you have 30 minutes on a weeknight to whip it up or you prefer to batch cook it on the weekend, it’s a great option.
Substitutions and add-ins
Here are some easy substitutes you can use while still getting a similar final recipe:
- Alternative pasta types
- Instead of elbow pasta, feel free to use any other kind of small noodles. For example, orzo, small shells, stelline, etc.
- Beef or chicken
- Any kind of ground meat will work in this recipe. You can use ground beef or chicken instead of turkey.
- Chickpeas, kidney beans, butter beans or navy beans
- It’s very easy to swap out cannellini beans for another option in this soup. Kidney beans or navy beans will be the most comparable but you can also use butter beans or chickpeas.
- Chicken or beef broth
- You can absolutely use another type of broth if this is what you have available.
Storing and reheating
Making big batches of soup is one of my favorite hacks for busier and/or colder months. Having a homemade meal ready to go in the freezer turns a hectic weeknight into a breeze. To ensure your Turkey Minestrone Soup stays fresh and delicious, follow these simple storage and reheating tips:
- Refrigerating
- If you’re planning to eat your soup within the week, let it cool completely before moving it into an airtight container. It will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Pro Tip: Pasta tends to absorb liquid as it sits. When you go to reheat it, you might need to splash in a little extra water or broth to bring back that perfect consistency.
- How to Reheat
- Microwave: Transfer a few scoops of the soup to a microwave-safe bowl. Heat it in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until it reaches your preferred temperature.
- Stovetop: Place the soup in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally for about 5–10 minutes until it reaches the temperature that’s perfect for you!
Q&A
- Should I drain the ground turkey after browning it? No. Turkey is already a really lean meat so keeping some of the liquid and fat in the pot will add some flavour to the soup.
- Can I put dry pasta straight into the soup pot, or will it soak up all the broth? I recommend putting the dry pasta straight into the soup pot. No extra broth is needed outside of what is recommended!
- Should I use diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, or just tomato paste? I love using diced tomatoes in this recipe for some of the tomato chunks. That being said, I know not everyone loves that texture so you could also used crushed tomatoes instead. You do not need tomato paste in this soup but if you want to add 1 tbsp of it, it will add a nice depth in flavour.
- How does this soup hold up for meal prep and freezing? I love to make this soup and keep it in the fridge for busy nights. I personally haven’t tried freezing it because I’m not confident that the pasta will thaw well. If you give this a try, please let me know how it turns out!
Nutrition
As a dietitian, I love making simple meals that are beneficial to our overall health. The nutrient content of this soup will vary, depending on if you choose to opt for some ingredient substitutions. This recipe makes about 6 servings and each serving provides roughly:
- 21 grams of protein
- 5 grams of fibre
- A significant source of a variety of B vitamins, including vitamin B12 and niacin.
- A source of vitamin C and K.
- A variety of minerals such as calcium, iron, selenium and zinc.
Dietary considerations
This Minestrone Soup with Ground Turkey is already dairy-free, lactose-free and nut-free but here are a few ways to make it fit within other dietary requirements.
- Gluten-free: opt for gluten free pasta noodles and broth.
- Vegetarian and vegan: opt for a plant-based ground “meat” instead of ground turkey and use vegetable broth instead of beef or chicken broth.
More soups to try this season
If you make this One Pot Minestrone Soup with Ground Turkey, I would love to see your comment and rating below. It also makes my day seeing your creations of my recipes on Instagram- don’t forget to tag @allnutritionkitchen!
One Pot Minestrone Soup with Ground Turkey (30 min)
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 1 796ml can diced tomatoes
- 1 398ml can cannellini beans
- 1 cup dry elbow pasta
- 1 cup white onion, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4-5 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning, until softened and fragrant.
- Add the ground turkey to the pot. Cook for about 10 minutes, breaking up the meat with a large spoon or spatula, until fully cooked through and no longer pink. Don't forget to wash or swap the spoon after using it with the raw meat.
- Pour in the vegetable broth and diced tomatoes. Add the chopped celery and carrots, then bring the soup to a boil.
- Add the uncooked pasta noodles, reduce the heat to a simmer, and allow them to cook for 10-12 minutes (or whatever the package suggests), until the noodles are al dente.
- Add the cannellini beans, basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Stir together and cook for another 2-3 minutes for the flavour to combine. Serve, seasoning with additional salt and pepper to your preference, and enjoy!
Notes
- If you prefer to use ground chicken or beef, feel free to substitute this in place of the ground turkey.
- Instead of elbow pasta, you can use any other kind of small noodles. For example, orzo, small shells, stelline, etc. will all work in this recipe. It is best to refer to the cooking time recommended on the pasta package.