Southwestern Turkey Soup (Printable)

A vibrant Tex-Mex inspired soup brimming with tender turkey, black beans, sweet corn, tomatoes, and aromatic spices.

# What You Need:

→ 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
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
10 - 1 tablespoon tomato paste

→ Liquids

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

→ Spices & 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
18 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
19 - Juice of 1 lime
20 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

# How To Make It:

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

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It magically transforms holiday leftovers into something so different your family won't even recognize yesterday's turkey.
  • The prep is wonderfully forgiving - I've made this while helping kids with homework and never once ruined it.
02 -
  • Adding the spices to the sautéed vegetables rather than directly to the liquid makes an enormous difference in developing deep flavor - I learned this the hard way after years of bland soups.
  • The soup actually tastes better the next day, so don't hesitate to make it ahead and reheat gently when you're ready to serve.
03 -
  • Use the back of your spoon to mash some of the black beans against the side of the pot while simmering - this naturally thickens the soup without adding flour or cornstarch.
  • If you've run out of lime, a splash of apple cider vinegar will provide the necessary acidity, though with a slightly different flavor profile.
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