Southwestern Turkey Soup (Printable)

Vibrant Tex-Mex soup with tender turkey, black beans, corn, tomatoes and aromatic spices. Ready in under an hour.

# What You’ll Use:

→ Protein

01 - 2 cups cooked turkey, shredded or diced

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1 cup frozen or canned corn kernels, drained if canned
06 - 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
07 - 1 (10 oz) can diced tomatoes with green chiles
08 - 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
09 - 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced, optional
10 - 1 tablespoon tomato paste

→ Liquids

11 - 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
12 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Spices and Seasonings

13 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
14 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
15 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
16 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
17 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
18 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
19 - Juice of 1 lime
20 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped, plus more for garnish

# How-To:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion and red bell pepper; sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and jalapeño if using; cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Stir for 1 minute to activate flavors.
04 - Mix in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
05 - Add diced tomatoes with juices, diced tomatoes with green chiles, black beans, corn, and chicken broth. Bring to a gentle boil.
06 - Reduce heat to a simmer. Stir in cooked turkey and simmer uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
07 - Stir in lime juice and chopped cilantro. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
08 - Ladle into bowls and serve hot with desired garnishes such as sliced avocado, crumbled tortilla chips, shredded cheese, or sour cream.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The flavors develop beautifully overnight, making this possibly even better as next-day lunch than it was for dinner.
  • You can customize the heat level to suit anyone at your table without compromising the southwestern character that makes it special.
02 -
  • Adding the lime juice too early will cook away its brightness, so always save it for the final step.
  • The soup thickens considerably overnight in the refrigerator as the beans and vegetables continue absorbing liquid, so you might need to add a splash of broth when reheating.
03 -
  • To quickly cool leftover soup for refrigeration, divide it into shallow containers rather than storing it in one deep pot, which can take hours to cool properly.
  • When reheating, add a fresh squeeze of lime and a sprinkle of newly chopped cilantro to revive those bright notes that might have faded.
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